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"Arrested Development" Duo in "The Thick of It"

I thought Fox's Arrested Development was simply brilliant.  While I love comedies like Seinfeld for their over-the-top gags and humor, Arrested Development to me was one of the funniest shows I have seen on TV for its outrageous subtlety, if that makes any sense.  Lines like "Buster, you're a grown man, you should be at home sleeping with your mother" are perfect examples of this.  Too bad it was cancelled.

The good news is Mitchell Hurwitz, creator and executive producer of the show, and Richard Day, a former writer on the show, are teaming up to adapt the BBC's The Thick of It, for American audiences according to the Hollywood Reporter.  Sony Pictures TV is currently shopping the idea around for the networks.

The BBC show centers on a "put-upon member of Parliament who is continually harassed by inept bureaucrats working for the prime minister and other politicians and civil servants."  It won the Best New Comedy trophy at the British Comedy Awards.

Perhaps some of our UK readers can fill us in?

Posted by Nina Kincaid on October 27, 2006 - 8:31am.
Comedy | Television News

dougieonline's picture
The Thick Of It...

Posted by dougieonline on October 27, 2006 - 9:58am.

BBC4 show, where shows the BBC aren't so sure about bugger about until students go crazy for it, then they move it to BBC2 for everyone to go crazy mental over. There's a bunch of clips on the BBC website here, but I'm not 100% they can be viewed outside the UK, some sort of licensing crap or something. It's a mildly funny show, that fits into that format that all the other new comedy shows fit into when they "break the mould".
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seekshelter's picture
most americans don't even understand how our own gov. works...

Posted by seekshelter on October 27, 2006 - 5:46pm.

... much less some other countries government... and parliamentary proceedings?? kids stuff... how is this going to translate over?? if Thats My Bush couldn't be a hit then i don't have high hopes for this show. although arrested developement was a must watch show for me... wouldnt it be easier to just remake Extras?? i mean, theyre already in hollywood... ohhhh or better yet, someone remake The Young Ones

Instant Karma's picture
The Thick of It

Posted by Instant Karma on October 28, 2006 - 4:41am.

I really liked this show. The prospects of there being any more look kind of slim at the moment, as the nominal star of the show Chris Langham is currently trying to clear his name of charges of child abuse. But given that part of the show is about the precariousness of the ministers position and the fact that he almost has to resign pretty much every episode, it wouldn't seem strange if they did another series with a new minister in place.

I don't think the format of the show is in any way a big selling point. Wether or not it succeeds in it's translation will be down purely to the writing. If the Arrested Development (never seen it) duo can get the character of the Prime Minister's attack dog Malcolm Tucker right, they'll be in with a shot. He's kind of like a cross between Jeremy Piven's character in Entourage and Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. I'm a big fan of swearing and he elevates it into an art form...