Save Arrested Development

Fox seems to be doing its best to permanently arrest the hit and Emmy-award winning comedy show Arrested Development.

For those of you who haven't seen the show (and Fox seems to be doing its damndest to make sure you do not get to see it) it is a very funny show, well-written and with some quite talented actors.

Fox however, in its infinite wisdom, keeps preempting the show from its 8:30 EST Sunday timeslot. Whether for another episode of the Simpsons, or to show the movie Independence Day, or for any other reason, Arrested Development is in luck if it is on twice a month.

It is no wonder then, given the lack of consistent airtime, that viewership suffers. And a lack of a treemendous viewership is of course, an excuse to either cut back on the show, leading to fewer viewers or simply to cancelling the show. A completely manufactured downard spiral.

This is not the first great show that Fox has done this to. Joss Wheadon's Firefly, another fantastic show, was likewise given short-shrift and cut before it could develop a massive following (its since done so with its first season released on DVD, and a Firefly movie is coming soon.

Hopefully Fox will support Arrested Development and not kill it off as it did Firefly. Good shows may cost more than the reality tv that is currently all the rage, but it is certainly better television.

A petition to support Arrested Development can be found here.

hat tip: The Volokh Conspiracy