Hollywood people are strange folk. In the normal world people who are sacked by the company they worked for wouldn't normally return to it in another capacity, especially if they were treated poorly during their employment. Yet, for some reason, when actors are let go from a network because of a show cancellation they tend to go back for more punishment.
Take Jason Bateman as an example. After his critically-acclaimed and fan-favorite comedy Arrested Development was unceremoniously canceled by FOX in 2006 you would think that he wouldn't step anywhere near the network. In fact, you would think that he would jump to another network and make it big just to rub it in FOX's face. Yet, there is news that he is directing a comedy pilot for them. Go figure.
The pilot is entitled The Inn and is being described as a modern Upstairs/Downstairs set at a hip New York hotel. No information has been given if the series will be considered for the 2008-09 season. This will not be Bateman's first time behind the camera. He directed a number of episodes of Development during its run as well as three episodes of the 80's sitcom Valerie. It was that time behind the camera that made him the youngest-ever member of the Directors Guild of America back in 1986.















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-30-2008 @ 10:20AM
Oreo said...
Fox gave Arrested Development 2.5 years, that's 2 more years than it should have gotten with it's numbers. Fox wanted people to watch the show and actually gave it a chance, it just didn't work out. So stop playing them on the one thing they handled well.
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3-31-2008 @ 7:18PM
John Darc said...
agreed. it's more of a problem when a guy like Whedon goes back to Fox. :-(
3-30-2008 @ 12:26PM
ed said...
i'd agree Oreo except they also forgot to advertise the best show in a decade. Makes me sad every time as this blew Seinfeld out the water.
Movie! Movie! Movie!
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3-30-2008 @ 1:39PM
Rodney said...
1) He wasn't directly employed by Fox.
2) If we grant Fox the employer status you posit (and we further suppose that an actor would behave in a manner that is completely counter to self-interest [do you know any actors?]), then once an actor has "unsuccessfully" appeared on all five broadcast networks, he's essentially unemployable.
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3-30-2008 @ 3:22PM
Lilly said...
As long as it doesn't turn out like Nathan Fillion/Firefly/Drive...
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3-30-2008 @ 4:00PM
Chris Shifty said...
"He directed a number of episodes of Development during its run as well as three episodes of the 80's sitcom Valerie."
That number for AD would be: 1
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3-31-2008 @ 4:57PM
Karen said...
Also, he has to eat and pay his mortgage.
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