MovieChat Forums > Sons & Daughters (2006) Discussion > vs. Arrested Development?

vs. Arrested Development?

posted 17 years ago by luque157
10 replies | jump to latest

I haven't seen S&D but before the show had its debut I heard an NPR interview where the guest used this show as an example of how shows just try to copy shows that are either 1) successful or 2) unsuccessful but that could be reworked to be successful.

I am not hear to bash S&D or to call them copy cats. Arrested Development is one of my favorite shows, but even I'll admit that it is not the first show to do what it did. I am here merely to start up a discussion about the both shows similarities/differences and about the origins of S&D.

Thoughs?

[–] Trevtenntitans-1 17 years ago

The Cast and Creator(Mitch Hurwitz) of Arrested Development bashed this show on the Season 3 DVD commentary

[–] ActualSighs 17 years ago

The Cast and Creator(Mitch Hurwitz) of Arrested Development bashed this show on the Season 3 DVD commentary

And the creator of S&D, Fred Goss publicly refuted the notion of copying AD right here on this very board last year.

It just sounds like sour grapes from Hurwitz to complain, since this show lasted just 10 episodes. His navel-gazing contribution to the world of entertainment inexplicably lasted 3 seasons.

[–] thetheeyecreature 16 years ago

It just sounds like sour grapes from Hurwitz to complain, since this show lasted just 10 episodes. His navel-gazing contribution to the world of entertainment inexplicably lasted 3 seasons.

You may be right, but for future use, that's not what "sour grapes" means. If the situation were reversed -- if the creator of a 10-episode show were bashing a 3-season show -- then that might be sour grapes. Consider the source of the expression (the Aesop fable "The Fox and the Grapes") and you'll see what I mean.

"Arrested Development" was one of the best shows in tv history. I haven't seen "Sons and Daughters", but in any case, dysfunctional (or in some way "whacky") families have been comedic fodder for centuries.

"The truth 24 times a second."

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] downandoutdrifter 17 years ago

I was a huge arrested development fan. But I think that this show was actually better. It delivers a lot of laughs while keeping the situations somewhat realistic, unlike Arrested Development. And I think it was equally creative. I'm sorry that this show did not even gain the cult following that Arrested Development did. I know why shows like these get canceled but this is one that I think if it had gotten a chance would have been a hit.

[–] DBecks512 16 years ago

I didn't watch Arrested Development until just recently, but I see the comparisons.

I personally think AD might be more outlandishly hilarious and is probably more addictive overall, but I still think Sons & Daughters (if given even a second season) may have become the more polished (and realistic) sit-com.

Both were unconventional, both were quite funny, and both ended too soon. I think the improvisation and the "realness" is a little more apparent in S&D, but AD probably had the more engaging characters.

Either way, it would've been great if enough people tuned into both so to give them a chance for long-term success. But I can't wait until the AD movie!

[–] rothtein 16 years ago

Sure, there were similarities, but there were pretty significant differences as well. Arrested Development was much sillier, and Sons & Daughters was more real, with a lot of very bittersweet moments. As pointed out, Fred has said the show wasn't based on Arrested Development, and even if it were, I don't seen anything wrong with being influenced by something else as long as there's plenty of originality too, which there certainly was with Sons & Daughters. Personally I liked them both very much, and I wish S&D had made it even as long as AD did. They're both shows I wish I could still be watching.

[–] downandoutdrifter 16 years ago

I'm glad other people feel the same way. I think this show had a lot of great things about it. And I think the realism added to the fact that you could take the bittersweet moments more seriously. Not that Arrested Development didn't have heart.

[–] jane_bront 15 years ago

I loved S&D. I would rush home to watch it. At the time I'd never seen an episode of AD. Now I finally have and I like it too. AD was indeed sillier and that was okay; it was still great. S&D had some pathos mixed in that I liked. Still, the show was undeniably hilarious! For the life of pi I can not imagine why a show like Survivor or The Bachelor (the latter of which I admit to watching) stay on / return season after season and funky, edgy, refreshingly different shows like S&D or My So-Called Life get dumped before completing its first season. What kind of cultural madness is that??

"Listen here, chisel chest - okay. We were here first." - Ed Zeddmore to Dean Winchester

[–] i_got_your_change 15 years ago

I never really got into AD. I watched about 5 episodes and it was more stupid than funny. I remember watching S&D and actually wanting to watch more. I wish I could rewatch it somehow.