I Am A TV Junkie

2 Clips -- Sit Down Stand Up Debuts Sunday on Fox

If you are concerned that some of the Arrested gang won't be available for the movie when they're ready to shoot ... don't be.

Seriously, don't be.

Now, I didn't recognize the genius of Family Guy until it started on Adult Swim, so maybe I'm horribly wrong and I'll be happy if I am, but ...

Clips after the jump.

Fox's New Sit Down, Shut Up -- Do You Smell Something Fishy?

I know, I know. I'm the harbinger of ill prognostication. I'm not usually that guy. I'm usually the cheerleader. And I love cartoons for adults. Just watched a couple Family Guy eps for fun.

(Not that I usually watch the show as a matter of national security, you know, to hear the coded messages in Peter's farts. But I digress.)

After doing some homework, this show doesn't feel right to me. The source material is an Australian live action sitcom that ran for only 13 episodes. Before it even ran in Australia it was aired in the UK, which leads me to believe that someone thought it was shit and passed on it.

Then today I'm at the Fox press site trolling around for new content (you know, because I love you guys - awww!) and I started noticing the names of the characters on the show.

Names like Sue Sezno, Stuart Prozackian, Helen Klench.

Miracle Grohe? Yes, Miracle Grohe. That's Kristin Chenoweth's role. Gee, think she's the blonde with the rack? Do ya?

I groaned (Grohe-nd). Audibly. Homer heard me and groaned back (he's almost 11, he's allowed to groan these days).

Thought to myself, "Joe, those names are so cartoonish. They couldn't have been the named of the original characters."

They weren't.

Henry Winkler voices a character named Willard Deutschebog.

Says no, Prozac-ian, Clench, Douchebag, Miracle Grow. This all scares me some.

I know that everyone involved has a good reputation. I get that Josh Weinstein has worked on The Simpsons and Futurama and has Emmys blah blah blah ...

But he also worked on The Mullets. Yes, The Mullets.

And Mission Hill (though to be fair, most of that show worked for me, still does when Adult Swim runs the episodes that exist).

Mitch Hurwitz? Well, he did attract some top talent but they seem to be trading pretty heavy on the Arrested connection, like they don't have decent clips to show.

One more thing, what's up with the photographic backgrounds? They're lowering the bar so far now that I could be a cartoon artist. I have a camera. Can't draw a straight line but I have a camera and I could probably fashion a few unique looking character models out of my doodles.

So, note my fear. Still watch it, but keep me sitting there, maybe by your remote (the tiny version of me, that looks up every now and then and squeaks out, "You're watching this?")

It seems to me that shows that hit have a much more organic route to the schedule than smashing together the producer from The Simpsons with a not so successful foreign sitcom format and a few of the people from Arrested Development.

I so wanna be wrong about this. I so would love to see another great animated comedy on Fox.

Video -- Arrested Development, the Documentary Project -- Website, Clips, Pics (and

Hat tip to FunnyOrDie.com, where I found the clip that you can see after the jump, short excerpts from the interviews done so far, including Henry Winkler, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale, Will Arnett and more.

From the project's site:

The overall goal of the documentary is to provide awareness and education of this brilliant, witty and original comedy. We are looking to interview viewers, cast, crew and any other industry figures that are fans or critics of the show.

We started the interview process in Los Angeles, where we both reside. We will be visiting some cities nearby, such as Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Phoenix and Seattle. Next we will make our way eastward to visit cities such as Detroit, New York City, Boston, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham, Austin and Dallas and others dependent on the fan interest.

A little background on us. Jeff, a Western Massachusetts native, now LA transplant is an editor and has worked on a variety of reality projects. His passion is to direct full feature films. Neil is an LA native and not affiliated to the entertainment industry but works in the automotive industry. Together we are directing and producing this self funded documentary.

In the same spirit of this blog (which you know is all about coercing you into watching my favorite shows so they don't go away) these guys have banded together to make a show they like keep going in some fashion. 

I applaud that.

Clip after the jump.

Video -- Arrested Cast Poppa Tambor: "The Movie is Going to Happen and Michael Cera is On Board"

Yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when I see the completed trailer. No, better yet, I'll believe  it once I've bought me ticket and sat down, because if they do it right it'll be an R-rated comedy and I can go to a matinee on a school day and dodge your kids, who are a pain in the ass at the theater.

(Okay, not YOUR kids, they're lovely. Really they are.)

NY Daily News:

Michael Cera will do the highly debated “Arrested Development” movie, according to his on-screen granddad, Jeffrey Tambor.

“If I have to call him up and say, ‘Get on set right now, young man,’ he’ll be there,” the comic said at a recent Upright Citizens Brigade L.A. performance of “Word Girl.”

Just to remind you, an entire episode of Arrested (Which one? It's a surprise, even to me until I pick it out) after the jump.

(It's from season one, episode Shock and Aww, Heather Graham guests.)

Video -- Ron Howard: Cera Not a "Young Punk," Defends Actor's Arrested Stance on MSNBC

Watch the clip below starting at the 10:30 mark. It's Willie Geist that calls him a punk. I, of course, went with dick, but I'm online and have a cooler audience.

LINK

Time to Ask the Question: Is Michael Cera Being a Dick Over the Arrested Development Movie?

Hey, it's just a question. And, after this latest clip of him talking about it, I gotta wonder if it's time for someone to just ask the question and start the dialog, that's all.

Because everyone else is on board, you know. Bateman? Yes. Portia? Sure. Tambor? In.

Jessica Walter is just sitting over at 90210 waiting for the damn phone call.

(Okay, I don't know that. I'd like to think so, though.)

So, what's up with Cera? (MTV Movies Blog):

We’ve been covering rumors of an “Arrested Development” movie for nearly a year now, and have spoken about it to most of the actors involved. Everyone from Jason Bateman and Will Arnett have voiced their support of bringing the cult show to the bigscreen. But recently a newer rumor popped up claiming that Cera was the lone holdout of the cast. So is it true?

His dick-ish response after the jump.

Hey, kid, I don't care if you do it or not. I don't care if you quit acting and hole yourself up in some cabin in the Northwest Territories and read Proust and masturbate until you kick the bucket, but don't screw with the people who enjoy you in movies and actually pay money to see them and buy them.

If you don't wanna be in movies anymore, that's okay.

But you're way too young to become Mike Myers.

I Dare To Once Again Tease You About an Arrested Development Movie

Yes, I do dare to do such a dastardly thing. And, I even go as far as to tempt you with an entire episode embedded from Hulu after the jump.

But first (New York Magazine's Vulture Blog). they say "closed deals" but I'll believe it when I hear the Moviefone guy say the title in his inimitable (not) voice:

Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard have closed deals to finally resurrect Arrested Development from the TV trash heap. Series creator Hurwitz is onboard to write and direct the film, with a little help from Howard, who would also presumably narrate.

And their source, the Hollywood Reporter:

The "Arrested Development" feature has moved closer to reality, with Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard reportedly closing deals for the long-gestating project from Imagine and Fox Searchlight.

The possible migration of the critically acclaimed but short-lived Fox series to the big screen has been a hot topic among fans for the past year. Speculation has been fueled by cast members of the show, including Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Jeffrey Tambor, who have been frequently quoted in interviews that a feature adaptation is in the works.

All 53 episodes are right there at Hulu for you to watch. Go. Or click after the jump and watch the 27th episode, which is the middle one. I'm just picking it at random.

(Why the pic of the Lucilles? Believe it or not, mostly for Jessica Walter, who I adore. She's the best thing in 90210 and she's seriously underutilized. And Liza? Eh, though she really get it together and put together a nice arc of episodes. I know I'm supposed to have an affinity for Liza but for me it's often like watching a demolition derby.)

Episode title Sad Sack, s02 e05, originally aired on 12-12-04:

While the government wants to cut a deal with Michael over the whereabouts of his father, George Sr. wants Michael to find out if Lucille is really in love with Oscar.

Happy Birthday Charlize Theron, Here You Are on Arrested Development

Really cool, really beautiful, and with such a compelling life story, you Charlize Theron were put on this planet to be a movie star, which you are, but we love you on the teevee (emphasis on first syllable) as well.

Charlize is (mumblingmumbling) years old today (okay, she's 33 according to imdb.com).

So beautiful that I forgive her for that big bow on that red carpet dress from a couple years back. Then again what do I know about fashion, I buy clothes at Costco.

And thanks for sticking up for me and my marriage rights. Though my friends tell me that the buying clothes at Costco thing is really preventing me from finding suitable dates, right Janet?

After the jump, the fifth episode from the third season of Arrested, featuring Charlize, Mr. F.

And have a lovely one, dear.

I've Got Kinda Sorta Arrested Development Reunion News

Thing is, the reunion will happen in voice only, and it's a different show, but you wanna get up to speed on this news because I'm pretty sure this will make air on Fox sometime in the near future on a Sunday night.

Hollywood Reporter:

Mitch Hurwitz has recruited three of his "Arrested Development" cast members -- Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler -- to voice roles in his animated Fox comedy "Sit Down, Shut Up."

The show is based on an Australian live action sitcom by the same name.

Has anyone seen what the characters on this thing are going to look like? That's a big  part of a cartoon's appeal for me.

Arrested Creator May Return With Animated Comedy

Perfect complement for The Simpsons and Family Guy (and those other shows that aren't quite as good)?

(Sorry gang, never could get into King of the Hill.)

There's this Australian live action sitcom called Sit Down, Shut Up that aired on their Channel Ten for 13 eps in early 2001, and this would be an animated version.

Hollywood Reporter:

It's another foreign format adaptation for Fox as the network has ordered a table read of "Sit Down, Shut Up," an animated comedy from Emmy winner Mitch Hurwitz based on the live-action Australian series of the same name.

If the table read goes well, the project will be ordered straight to series, bypassing the monthslong process of producing a presentation.

I just hope the network asks to see what the characters look like. That's a big part of these shows for me.

Olbermann on Arrested Development Movie

And a Special Comment Come On from Keith.

LINK