jasonbateman
Sit Down, Shut Up: Pilot (series premiere)

(S01E01) I still stand behind the early look of Sit Down, Shut Up I did a few days ago: the pilot was underwhelming. For everything that works about it, there seem to be at least two things that don't. However, before I did this review, I decided to watch the pilot again, so it would be fresh in my mind. What I found is that the show definitely grows on you.
While I didn't really laugh at all the first time through, re-watching it allowed me to pick up on some of the more subtle things that I missed. That, combined with the fact that I've seen the second episode, which is much better, really made me appreciate this episode more.
Sit Down, Shut Up -- An early look

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has been breathlessly anticipating Sit Down, Shut Up (premiering on FOX Sunday at 8:30 PM ET), the newest series from Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz. SDSU is an animated series based on a live-action Australian show by the same name. It follows a group of under-performing teachers at a Florida high school.
The teachers are all flaky, disinterested in their students, and with the exception of Larry Littlejunk (Jason Bateman), highly under-qualified for their positions. An example? Miracle Grohe (Kristen Chenoweth), the science teacher, beat Larry out of the job by stripping off all her clothes and yelling, "I ain't come from no monkey!"
The humor manages to be both broad and subtle at the same time, much in the way Arrested Development managed to be. However, though Bateman himself calls this show an animated version of AD, that's overstating it a bit. Sit Down, Shut Up, is more like Arrested Development's annoying younger brother.
Press Kits Unwrapped: Sit Down, Shut Up

I don't know about you guys, but I've been super-excited about the premiere of Mitch Hurwitz's new animated show, Sit Down, Shut Up. It seems like I've been hearing about it forever, but it finally premieres this Sunday night on Fox. Recently, the screener came up for grabs, so naturally I jumped at it. What I didn't realize is that I would be getting the whole press kit with it.
All press kits are not created equal: I'd definitely enjoy a talking Barney bobblehead from How I Met Your Mother, but a busted picture of Eliza Dushku's face from Dollhouse really wouldn't do a whole lot for me. The press kit for Sit Down, Shut Up is kind of low-rent, but it is for a Mitch Hurwitz show on FOX. The low-rated Arrested Development didn't exactly make FOX a boatload of cash while it aired, so they're probably waiting to see how the ratings go for this one before they shell out any more dough on fancy tschotkes for the press.
Mitchell Hurwitz talks Sit Down, Shut Up and Arrested Development
With Arrested Development, Mitchell Hurwitz went through the ringer with critical support, winning awards, and grassroots campaigns to convince Fox to keep the show on the air that ultimately failed. So what does Hurwitz do for a follow-up? He takes some of the same cast (Will Arnett, Jason Bateman), goes back to the same network (Fox), and back to an idea he had before Arrested hit the airwaves. The new show is Sit Down, Shut Up, an animated series that debuts April 19th at 8:30 PM, in between The Simpsons and Family Guy.
"It's funny, this is a show that I actually wrote in the year 2000, and it was an adaptation of a live-action show from Australia," Hurwitz said in a recent conference call. "I kind of kept it in the drawer for a long time, and finally brought it out, mostly because I needed money, which - I enjoy money, and I also use it for all sorts of different things in my life, but mostly for food and shelter."
Amy Poehler is "surprisingly promiscuous" - VIDEO

The fact that Will Arnett may not actually be the father of wife Amy Poehler's baby is just one of the shocking tidbits you learn from Jason Bateman on the soundstage for Sit Down, Shut Up, Mitch Hurwitz's upcoming animated comedy in which he and Arnett both lend their voices. We heard about the mini Arrested Development reunion almost a year ago, and while the series doesn't premiere until April 19th, FOX has given us a taste of what to expect.
The video is great because it's not even a preview of the show, nor does it talk about the animated series in any way. Instead, it's three minutes of Jason Bateman and Will Arnett talking about height, "hair hats" man boobs, and intelligence (or lack thereof). It's blatently aimed at rabid, drooling Arrested Development fans who are clamoring for any smidgen of a hint of the show's former glory-- and it works.
TV Squad Ten: TV DILFs
I think I'm getting old. I realized this last season while watching an episode of Kyle XY. Matt Dallas, who plays Kyle himself, and his baby blues weren't doing anything for me. Chris Olivero (Declan) and his hunky jock thing didn't excite me either. I turned to my husband, mildly horrified when it hit me: "Honey, the hottest guy on this show is the dad!"When my husband shook off his case of the giggles, he gently reminded me that the dad was, actually, closer to my age than the teenage boys. True, but I am so not as old as that dad... but I do think he's hot.
In fact, there have been a lot of hot dads, let's call them DILFs, on TV in recent years. Gives us oldies some eye candy too, I suppose. So, in descending order (yep, you've got to wait until the end for the super-hotties):
Arrested Development creator returns to the network that killed him, possibly for vengeance?
The long, drawn-out cancellation of Arrested Development was one of television's greatest crimes against humanity. It ranks right up there with the approval of a new Knight Rider when the original was already one too many, the spinoff Baywatch Nights, and the made-for-TV movie Knight Rider 2000. That's right, I just hassled the Hoff. If any of you want a piece of me, I also come with a side of "whoop-ass." But with the Arrested Development movie clawing its way inch-by-inch towards the big screen, Mitchell Hurwitz will at least have one other project on the horizon and on the very same network that tried to destroy him. Either he's showing he's a good guy and can take rejection in stride, or he's trying to bring down the place from the inside. You make the call.
Fox announced that Hurwitz's new show, Sit Down, Shut Up, will air sometime next fall. Critics also got an advance screening at the Television Critics Association conference last week.
Will Arnett tells Arrested Development fans to threaten FOX

As I was surfing the world wide web over the weekend, I stumbled on a fun clip on the Entertainment Weekly website featuring actor Will Arnett. The caption describing the clip said "Will Arnett - Part 1. How to get the Arrested Development movie made."
Even if according to U.K.'s The Times, Jason Bateman confirmed that the rumored Arrested Development movie is definitely happening, I'm not getting my hopes up too quick and I'm ready to try anything and almost everything to ensure that the Bluths appear in a movie (be it on the big screen, a DVD or a special TV movie). That being said, I clicked on the play button to listen to what Arnett had to suggest.
Jason Bateman to develop TV series
Jason Bateman is keeping himself busy. Hot off his pilot directing debut with Do Not Disturb, he has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox for a first-look at the new series. Obviously, he doesn't hold a grudge from the network's shoddy treatment of Arrested Development.
The new series will be developed under the banner of Bateman's company, F+A Productions. Do Not Disturb stars Jerry O'Connell and it was the only live-action comedy pilot Fox picked up as a new series for next season.
"He did an excellent job on the pilot visually, brought great energy and enthusiasm to it and, as an actor, he really understands how to talk to and motivate actors," said Gary Newman, 20th TV co-chairman. Bateman is also scheduled to lend his voice to the Fox animated series Sit Down, Shut Up which is scheduled to begin in the fall.
Jason Bateman has come a long way since Silver Spoons. I'm still eagerly waiting for the new season of It's Your Move.
Common bonds: Bluth family traits - VIDEOS
A lot of hilarious, yet terrible, things run in the Bluth family--huge mistakes, catchphrases, and unconventional modes of transportation. In honor of TV Squad's Arrested Development week, let's take a look at some of the qualities that make the Bluths unique.Drinking and Drug Problems - Lucille's drinking problem is world-famous, but the other Bluths have been known to use alcohol and drugs on occasion. Lindsay had some issues with Zanatab back when she was part of "The Solution," and Buster can't get enough juice. G.O.B. frequently used roofies (known to him as forget-me-nows) on other people during his magic career. In the clip below, the Bluth siblings and Tobias got drunk to prepare themselves for an intervention. Michael only lets loose when he's drunk, and it's a wonderful thing to see. I love that he's wearing a Franklin wig.
Five greatest GOB moments (season three) - VIDEOS
This week TV Squad has been paying tribute to Arrested Development with special Retro Squad pieces. I decided that I would highlight my favorite character from the show, GOB. After watching several episodes of Arrested Development, I realized that I couldn't just narrow it down to the five greatest moments. I would have to do a list for each season. You've already seen Five greatest GOB moments (season one) and Five greatest GOB moments (season two). After the jump, I have my favorite moments from season three.
Arrested Development: Top Banana - VIDEO
Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.
(S01E02) Many people will tell you that they got sucked into Arrested Development by its pilot. I wasn't. For some reason, I didn't watch the pilot when it first aired. But that's just fine, because the second episode, "Top Banana," was a perfect representation of everything AD ended up being. Throwaway jokes. Quick cut-aways and flashbacks. Subtle catchphrase generation. A "lesson of the week" couched in vicious barbs between members of the Bluth family. Oh, and two words that I'll never forget: "No touching!"
Six reasons why now is the time to become an AD fan

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.
I will admit, I was super late to the Arrested Development game. It had been canceled and I'm pretty sure everything was on DVD. Actually, I remember the first time I watched an episode, it was on G4. There was that guy from Teen Wolf Too and he was talking to David Cross, who was painted like a Smurf for some reason. And then he did some things that didn't really make sense, and I laughed nervously because I was worried I had become too stupid to keep up with sitcoms. I gave up after another ten minutes of confusion and switched over to Flavor of Love or something equally brain-numbing to make myself feel better.
Five greatest GOB moments (season two) - VIDEOS

This week TV Squad has been paying tribute to Arrested Development with special Retro Squad pieces. I decided that I would highlight my favorite character from the show, GOB. After watching several episodes of Arrested Development, I realized that I couldn't just narrow it down to the five greatest moments. I would have to do a list for each season.
You've already seen Five greatest GOB moments (season one). After the jump, I have my favorite moments from season two.
Justine Bateman tries her hand at sitcom writing
Give Justine Bateman credit: She could have been typecast after playing the dippy, fashion-obsessed Mallory Keaton on Family Ties, but she's been able to build a nice career for herself over the last twenty years by playing interesting supporting roles in movies like The TV Set and series like Desperate Housewives. But she's also been -- just like 75% of the people in Hollywood -- an aspiring writer, struggling to get her scripts produced (and you think having connections helps ... she knows Michael J. Fox and her brother is Jason Bateman, and she still couldn't get her scripts produced).But now she can add "sitcom writer" to her credits; she just wrote an episode of The Disney Channel's hit Wizards of Waverly Place, according to the New York Daily News. Apparently, she's a friend of executive producer Peter Murrieta, and she got to know some of the show's writers during the writers' strike. So, when the strike ended, she was invited to write an episode for the show.
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