Sit Down-related stories
Posted Aug 13th 2009 11:06AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Arrested Development, Pickups and Renewals, Casting, Reality-Free
Arrested Development was a critical darling that managed three seasons of low ratings before FOX pulled the plug. Creator Mitch Hurwitz reunited with
AD star Will Arnett for this past season's animated disaster
Sit Down, Shut Up.
Now, they're reuniting with
AD co-executive producer Jim Vallely for a third shot. This one's a live-action
single camera comedy on FOX starring Arnett as a jackass. It's off to a good start; Arnett plays jackass very well.
The premise: Arnett is rich Beverly Hills stock and falls in love with a tree-hugger who hates him and every shallow thing he stands for. Just for being live-action, I think this one has potential. Arnett is waiting for the right vehicle to make him a star, and we already know what Hurwitz is capable of. Could this be their pot of ratings gold?
Continue reading Hurwitz and Arnett hoping third time is the charm for new comedy
Posted May 18th 2009 12:59PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Programming, 24, House, The Simpsons, Pickups and Renewals, Upfronts, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fringe, Dollhouse

Fox showed some surprising stability in its schedule (our network is growing up) for the 2009-2010 season. But they are bringing in four new comedies, two dramas and a late night Saturday show.
Returning Summer: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, Don't Forget the Lyrics!, So You Think You Can Dance Returning Fall/Winter: 24, American Dad, American Idol, Bones, Dollhouse,, Family Guy, Fringe, House, Kitchen Nightmares, Lie to Me, The Simpsons, 'Til Death (for some reason),
So You Think You Can Dance (yeah, two separate seasons summer and fall)
Gone: Do Not Disturb, King of the Hill (though there's still episodes in the can which will air sometime next year),
Prison Break (a 2-hour film is being produced that may air next year),
Sit Down Shut Up, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles New: Brothers, The Cleveland Show, Glee (sneak peek tomorrow),
Human Target, Past Life, Sons of Tucson, The Wanda Sykes Show (late night Saturdays)
The schedule and some details on the new shows after the jump.
Continue reading The Upfronts: Fox
Posted Apr 10th 2009 2:25PM by Nick Zaino
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Programming, Animation, Interviews, Casting, Reality-Free

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."
Continue reading Mitchell Hurwitz talks Sit Down, Shut Up and Arrested Development
Posted Dec 30th 2008 1:01PM by Mike Moody
Filed under: Programming, Video, Stargate, The Office, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten

Enough looking back already! Let's forget that 2008 was a mostly dismal year for TV and focus on the future. From sci-fi detectives to modern
Mad Men, the 2009 TV season has a lot to offer. Here are ten new shows to keep on your radar (listed by premiere date).
Continue reading TV Squad Ten: New shows to look forward to in 2009 - VIDEO
Posted Jun 16th 2008 10:23AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Industry, Programming, OpEd, Celebrities, Reality-Free
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.
Posted May 1st 2008 3:05PM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Programming, Casting, Reality-Free
As Bob reported earlier this week, FOX is considering a number of new animated series for its schedule. Most likely due to the fact that their new live-action series tend to, um, stink. One of those being considered is Sit Down, Shut Up, which may have an upper hand over its competitor The Pitts due to the creative talent behind the show.
I'm talking about Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. Fans of The Simpsons would know these two as writers and executive producers of the show during its so-called golden years. Others may know them from their WB animated series Mission Hill and their sort-lived UPN live-action comedy The Mullets. Now they have been named executive producers on Sit Down, Shut Up. They will be taking the creative reigns from Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz, who wrote the first script and now wants to be in a more supervisory role.
Continue reading Former Simpsons producers are asked to Sit Down, Shut Up
Posted Apr 16th 2008 11:02AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Casting, Reality-Free

It's an
Arrested Development reunion! Well, not quite. But Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler
will be lending their voices for a new Fox animated series called Sit Down, Shut Up.
The show centers around staff members at a high school where the student needs become secondary. It is based on an live-action Australian series. Also joining the voice cast are Cheri Oteri, Will Forte, Regina King, Nick Kroll, Tom Kenny and Maria Bamford.
It's a common strategy of television shows to bring together two or more cast members from previous successful series and call it a "reunion." I've seen
Lost In Space reunions on
Babylon 5 and
Dukes of Hazzard reunions on
Smallville.
Arrested Development has its own cult following, which I do not count myself among. I enjoyed episodes of the show, but don't go out of my way to see it or own it on DVD. However, given
AD's following, it may mean more viewers for
Sit Down, Shut Up.