Seinfeld--the "shrinkage"

[Nicky Santoro]

Is arrested development really that funny? I've never seen it, and judging from those clips (no fair I know) it didn't seem all that funny.

no way it can ever match up with seinfeld. i've heard many many people tell me to watch specific shows and that it'd be funnier and better written than seifeld.. yeah right.. i'd give it a chance and after 18 min, i couldn't take it anymore and would have to turn the channel. just to name a few.. the office, raymond, friends... not even 1% as funny. no show will ever be like seinfeld.

yes, if you like seinfeld, you have to watch curb. same type of show and funny too. very well written.. the ending is always the best. and it's about his everday life and how unlucky he is and everyone hates him.. really great show.. i've seen each one about 17x.. and i still laugh hard each time.

i dare you to watch these 3 episodes here and not laugh.. cannot be done. You'll collapse from laughter. Especially the ending of all those 3..

1- The Interior Decorator

2- Club Soda and Salt

3- The Doll

[Patrick McIrish]

Is arrested development really that funny? I've never seen it, and judging from those clips (no fair I know) it didn't seem all that funny.

Agree with Nicky here. The AD show was funny but I saw it more as a "gimmick" type of show. Seinfeld on the other hand might go down as the highest rated TV comedy series ever seen by most folks. People reworked their schedules to watch the show every week, the next morning at work everyone met at the coffee pot all across North America to talk about what went on. The two simply aren't comparable, it's like comparing Mark "the Bird" Fidrych with Bob Gibson, the two aren't even in the same class.

[Bob Loblaw]

Is arrested development really that funny? I've never seen it, and judging from those clips (no fair I know) it didn't seem all that funny.

I love Seinfeld as much as everyone in this thread but if I had to choose between the two it would be Arrested Development and I wouldn't think twice about it.

The great thing about AD is the more you watch it, the better it gets. A lot of jokes are so fast paced that they rapid fire them at you and you miss the next joke because you stop to think about the joke they said a split second earlier. There's also subtle jokes, background jokes, hidden jokes, callback jokes, foreshadowing jokes that it's nearly impossible to catch all the jokes the 1st time around. Or even the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc times around. Once you've seen an episode 50 times like me you'll think you finally caught and understand all the jokes and then all of a sudden you'll catch something the 51st time that you missed the first 50 times.

The show can be hard to get into. It takes your full attention and sometimes it takes patience. Most AD fans will tell you there's a certain point where the show just "clicked" for them. It could be the 1st episode, it could be the 20th. But once it clicks, you're hooked.

[pattymayo]

Just saw the one last night where George has Elaine take the IQ test for him, but Elaine spills food/coffee on it and returns it to George and George just plays it off all serious and cool and nonchalant. I was dying laughing

"Whered you get a sandwich?"
"From my pocket"

[Nicky Santoro]

I love Seinfeld as much as everyone in this thread but if I had to choose between the two it would be Arrested Development and I wouldn't think twice about it.

The great thing about AD is the more you watch it, the better it gets. A lot of jokes are so fast paced that they rapid fire them at you and you miss the next joke because you stop to think about the joke they said a split second earlier. There's also subtle jokes, background jokes, hidden jokes, callback jokes, foreshadowing jokes that it's nearly impossible to catch all the jokes the 1st time around. Or even the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc times around. Once you've seen an episode 50 times like me you'll think you finally caught and understand all the jokes and then all of a sudden you'll catch something the 51st time that you missed the first 50 times.

The show can be hard to get into. It takes your full attention and sometimes it takes patience. Most AD fans will tell you there's a certain point where the show just "clicked" for them. It could be the 1st episode, it could be the 20th. But once it clicks, you're hooked.

looks like they copied seinfeld to a Tee.. seinfeld is a show that has about 24 diff scenes that last an avg of 14 secs per scene, then they switch it up fast. it's a fast paced show. i have mild ADD too, and i hated and didn't understand seinfeld at all the first 5 times i watched it. after 73 times i watched it now, i love it and fully understand it. the more i watch, the more i see something i never saw before or understood. sounds like AD stole the idea from seiny.

[Bob Loblaw]

looks like they copied seinfeld to a Tee.. seinfeld is a show that has about 24 diff scenes that last an avg of 14 secs per scene, then they switch it up fast. it's a fast paced show. i have mild ADD too, and i hated and didn't understand seinfeld at all the first 5 times i watched it. after 73 times i watched it now, i love it and fully understand it. the more i watch, the more i see something i never saw before or understood. sounds like AD stole the idea from seiny.

Gotta disagree with you there. I've seen every Seinfeld episode probably a minimum of 50 times. It's nothing like I was trying to explain above. Seinfeld is funny every time you watch it but nothing ever changes. I'm never catching anything new from Seinfeld anymore and to be honest you're the first person I've heard say that about the show. I think it's equally as funny the 1st time as it is the 50th time.

These guys quickly sum up AD better than I did. Mainly the beginning.

[blackbart]

the ocean was angry that day
-george

[pirate]

I don't know hoe old you guys are, or how far back you go....while Seinfeld is great, I still have to give the nod to the sitcom that truely broke new ground and paved the way for shows like Seinfeld...The show considered the greatest sitcom of all time by the networks countdown...All In The Family.

[wildbill044]

Everyone has their favorite shows and will back them over another show no matter what. I imagine the Eastbound and Down following will continue to grow. I love Seinfeld, liked AD, love the Office, EB&D, Curb- they're all great in their own way. I have to disagree with Nicky in that Seinfeld doesn't have too many hidden jokes. The office, AD, and especially the short lived Deadwood- those take some time to appreciate and get. Seinfeld is strightforward, so it's a hit right away, hence why it has such broad appeal. I think it's great in that each episode seems to intertwine a few different plots and it all comes together in the end. The characters are brilliant.

I love them all, but honestly only saw a few AD's, not enough to give an honest opinion.

My favortie, crap in your pants episode of Seinfeld is "The Hot Tub". A classic, you bastard.

[Nicky Santoro]

I don't know hoe old you guys are, or how far back you go....while Seinfeld is great, I still have to give the nod to the sitcom that truely broke new ground and paved the way for shows like Seinfeld...The show considered the greatest sitcom of all time by the networks countdown...All In The Family.

Pirate, you have taste my friend. for the last many yrs, All in the family has been the best show of all time for me. no other show came close. i love archie.. i love meat head.. i even love edith.. i just watched like 8 episodes yesterday. i have em all and probably seen each one almost as much as sienfeld. but seinfeld just had to pass AITF.. but archie was king.. still the greatest character of all time, and kills kramer or george, or even louis depalma.. btw, taxi was great, too.. might be 3rd funniest show of all time for me.

Check out Archie here and tell me he ain't the greatest tv character of all time??

[Giuvara]

I want to subscribe here to the Seinfeld fans. An absolutely genial show of which I can never get bored. I am re-watching it about every year or so.

[DrStale]

It seems like the "Seinfeld is better than Arrested Development" group is pretty much openly admitting that they've never even really watched AD. How can you say Seinfeld is better then? I've probably watched these two shows more than any other sitcom, and AD is simply the better show IMO. At least watch both.

[Socrates]

Does arrested development get huge ratings? I never really hear about the show. Seinfeld was huge and seemed like everyone loved it. I don't know anyone personally who has ever even mentioned AD.

[Nicky Santoro]

I don't know anyone personally who has ever even mentioned AD.

me neither and i watch tv 24/7 and never heard of it.. if it wasn't for SBR, i'd still not know what the hell AD is.. but apparently, it's the greatest show ever.

[smitch124]

I have watched AD several times it didn't really do much for me, I am a huge Seinfeld fan. I will have to give AD another chance, but it just may be a matter of taste.

[leeloo]

I love Seinfeld as much as everyone in this thread but if I had to choose between the two it would be Arrested Development and I wouldn't think twice about it.

The great thing about AD is the more you watch it, the better it gets. A lot of jokes are so fast paced that they rapid fire them at you and you miss the next joke because you stop to think about the joke they said a split second earlier. There's also subtle jokes, background jokes, hidden jokes, callback jokes, foreshadowing jokes that it's nearly impossible to catch all the jokes the 1st time around. Or even the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc times around. Once you've seen an episode 50 times like me you'll think you finally caught and understand all the jokes and then all of a sudden you'll catch something the 51st time that you missed the first 50 times.

The show can be hard to get into. It takes your full attention and sometimes it takes patience. Most AD fans will tell you there's a certain point where the show just "clicked" for them. It could be the 1st episode, it could be the 20th. But once it clicks, you're hooked.

You know your AD Bob ...

takes a bit of time to click but once it does there is no going back.

[Bob Loblaw]

Does arrested development get huge ratings? I never really hear about the show. Seinfeld was huge and seemed like everyone loved it. I don't know anyone personally who has ever even mentioned AD.

Unfortunately, no. It was canceled after 3 seasons despite huge critical acclaim, 6 emmy wins, a golden globe, and many other awards and praise. It did however last probably a season or two more than it should have based on the ratings just because there was so much praise for it.

As David Cross explains below, Fox really treated it like shit. Moving it around all the time and not advertising much. Nobody knew when it was on and it never got an audience on TV.



Since its cancellation it's gained a huge cult following, Time magazine named it one of the 100 greatest shows of all time, there's a big screen movie in the works, a documentary in the works, and it's launched the careers of Batemen, Arnett, and Cera. For you IMDBers it's the highest rated comedy on that site at 9.7/10 which is higher than Seinfeld's 9.4/10.

[dante1]

Does arrested development get huge ratings? I never really hear about the show. Seinfeld was huge and seemed like everyone loved it. I don't know anyone personally who has ever even mentioned AD.

As I said in an earlier post "All in the Family", was imo the first really great comedy series. Daring and ground breaking no doubt. Intellectual humor and slap stick, I think it comes in second to Jerry and the gang.

I watched the pilot issue last night of AD on ROKU and it did have some very funny moments. Maybe, you must watch it many times because it is very fast moving and it is easy to miss things, I agree with that. After watching that pilot episode I recall watching it years ago and it never really hit me as a great show. It is possible I didn't give it a real chance. I will watch the first year on ROKU using netflix and make a final decision. It is a little strange, I will give you that.The sexual tension, even more than that between very young cousins, what are they 12? I don't know.

[Bob Loblaw]

You know your AD Bob ...

takes a bit of time to click but once it does there is no going back.

What can I say, I'm obsessed. And I have no problem with that.

[Bob Loblaw]

As I said in an earlier post "All in the Family", was imo the first really great comedy series. Daring and ground breaking no doubt. Intellectual humor and slap stick, I think it comes in second to Jerry and the gang. I watched the pilot issue last night of AD on ROKU and it did have some very funny moments. Maybe, you must watch it many times because it is very fast moving and it is easy to miss things, I agree with that. After watching that pilot episode I recall watching it years ago and it never really hit me as a great show. It is possible I didn't give it a real chance. I will watch the first year on ROKU using netflix and make a final decision. It is a little strange, I will give you that.The sexual tension, even more than that between very young cousins, what are they 12? I don't know.

As I mentioned in my post above, I'm obsessed. But when I first watched it I didn't like it at all. It wasn't until I was forced to watch some episodes at a friends house years later that it finally "clicked" for me. I haven't looked back since.

[dante1]

As I mentioned in my post above, I'm obsessed. But when I first watched it I didn't like it at all. It wasn't until I was forced to watch some episodes at a friends house years later that it finally "clicked" for me. I haven't looked back since.

If I find the time I will watch the 2nd and 3rd episodes tonight and we will go from there.

[dante1]

You know what is a decent show, "men of a certain age," thought I would hate it but it is decent.