Mock Trial with J. Reinholt

About a month ago my friend and coworker, Ellen, convinced us that we needed to borrow her seasons of Arrested Development. I had heard of the series and even remember seeing part of a show aired in the past, but I had never watched a full episode. And to be honest I wasn't completely interested. Scott was though! We had exhausted Psych and The Office reruns, and he needed something new.

So we borrowed season 1 and Ellen was excited for me. She kept saying she wished she could go back in time and watch Arrested Development for the first time again. (I thought that was kind of weird.) And we started watching.... Both Scott and I had to try and find the humor in the first few episode viewings. Then in episodes 4 and 5 of the first season, we found ourselves laughing out loud. Suddenly we latched on to the characters and even found the first episodes funnier than we remembered. The show highlights so many of the actors we love from popular movies and tv shows too. I often catch a glimpse of a 30Rock or Office character with non-speaking roles. The show also collaborated with so many comedic actors that I'm surprised it didn't have higher ratings.

We plowed through season two and are now in the final episodes of the third and final season. Arrested Development apparently lost viewership in 2005. The show's narrator was even reduced to begging on air to share your love of the show with your friends. The third season is by far the funniest. Last night we watched the episode entitled, Fakin' It, featuring Judge Reinhold (actor, not real judge) in a mock courtroom and William Hung (tone deaf American Idol contestant) and band as the "hung jury." I could not stop laughing at this image and their monotone rock melody "Mock Trial with J. Reinhold!"


Really hilarious! We are sad to see it end, as I imagine viewers who knew of the show during it's prime were sad to see it go off the air. I did read the other day, though, that Arrested Development is the most watched show off the air right now. Maybe it's hitting with a different generation. Or maybe that sense of humor needed to be developed. I would guess that the producers are slightly dissapointed that the show caught on 3 years too late. Though there are rumors that an Arrested Development movie is in the works, and that will be more successful now than before for sure. Especially if the movie features William Hung!