TVSquad

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(S01E02) Many people will tell you that they got sucked into Arrested Development by its pilot. I wasn't. For some reason, I didn't watch the pilot when it first aired. But that's just fine, because the second episode, "Top Banana," was a perfect representation of everything AD ended up being. Throwaway jokes. Quick cut-aways and flashbacks. Subtle catchphrase generation. A "lesson of the week" couched in vicious barbs between members of the Bluth family. Oh, and two words that I'll never forget: "No touching!"

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.

I will admit, I was super late to the Arrested Development game. It had been canceled and I'm pretty sure everything was on DVD. Actually, I remember the first time I watched an episode, it was on G4. There was that guy from Teen Wolf Too and he was talking to David Cross, who was painted like a Smurf for some reason. And then he did some things that didn't really make sense, and I laughed nervously because I was worried I had become too stupid to keep up with sitcoms. I gave up after another ten minutes of confusion and switched over to Flavor of Love or something equally brain-numbing to make myself feel better.

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.

(S01E01) Some shows come out of the gate with such a power that you can't help but stand up and take notice. For the far too few of us who happened to catch Arrested Development when it premiered, it quickly established that it was going to be something a little different than the other comedy fare on the television. The trend at the time was moving toward the single camera format, that's almost become the norm for comedies nowadays (The Office, My Name is Earl, hell NBC's entire Thursday night lineup).

There was a time when audiences were less receptive to this kind of television. It was funny, but minus a laugh track. So while shows like The King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond and even According to Jim had this comfortable format with the basic house set and laughter to cue us into the funny bits, AD was something a bit more challenging. Perhaps it was just a few years ahead of its time, or perhaps it was on the wrong network (FOX), or perhaps it was just too smart for its own good.

Funny lady Megan Mullally may be coming back to the small screen! The actress, better known for her role of neurotic Karen Walker on NBC's Will & Grace, will star as the mother in ABC's new series Bad Mother's Handbook.

This comedy is about a 32-year-old woman (portrayed by Alicia Silverstone) who takes care of her 16-year-old daughter (played by Arrested Development's Alia Shawkat) and her 48-year-old overbearing mother (Mullally).

The fates have decreed that Alicia Silverstone is meant to play a mother. Earlier this year, she was rumored to be the mother on How I Met Your Mother, but then opted out of that storyline entirely when Britney Spears was inserted in a guest role on the very same episode. The episode went on to do boffo Nielsen numbers, and Alicia's role was played by Sarah Chalke, who may or may not turn out to be mother. Probably not since she's still part of Scrubs, which is moving over to ABC.

Be that as it may, Alicia Silversone has now been officially cast on the pilot Bad Mother's Handbook. Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) will also appear in the show as Alicia's daughter. This comedy project has been set up at ABC and previously announced in the rush of production greenlighted soon after the writers' strike.

When one of our favorite TV shows goes off the air, it can be devastating. However, many times, the cancellation is the birth of a spinoff. Sometimes it can be a great thing (Frasier) and sometimes not so much (AfterM*A*S*H). Here are some this month's spinoff ideas that I would love to see.

McCormack & Van Lowe: At Your Service
When Keith Mars becomes sheriff of Neptune and his daughter Veronica joins the FBI, Vinnie Van Lowe emerges as the county's number one private detective. His new caseload is so overwhelming and his moral compass is so out of whack that he's forced to employ attorney Cliff McCormack on a permanent basis. Together with the help of their excitable intern (Alia Shawkat), they bring their distinctive style of crime-solving to the citizens of Neptune.

Arrested Development might be gone -- for now -- but Will Arnett is still basking in the show's afterglow. Last month, Arnett, who played illusionist and ne'er-do-well "Gob" Bluth, was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on the defunct cult classic. In addition, the 36-year-old actor has been extremely busy shooting a number of different movies, from the Will Ferrell-starring comedy Blades of Glory to two projects being directed by Bob Odenkirk of Mr. Show.

The man was so busy, that I only had about twenty minutes to talk to him. But we were able to cover a lot of territory when we spoke, from his Emmy nod, to why he thought Arrested didn't make it, to the prospect of an AD movie. And, of course, he was very funny, even rolling with my lame jokes when I dared utter them.

The interview was conducted by phone on July 24.

There's a small glimmer of hope that we'll all see the Bluths again, and not just in reruns on DVDs. In an interview with TVGuide, actress Alia Shawkat ("Maeby") confirmed that there is talk of doing an Arrested Development movie. She didn't say a lot--probably because the interview was actually about her role in an upcoming Lifetime movie--but she did say that creator Mitch Hurwitz is in talks with Ron Howard about moving to the big screen. That was all hinted at in the series finale when Shawkat's character tried to sell the rights to the Bluth's story to Howard.

Would you like to see an Arrested Development movie... or is it just plain over?