Hey, guys, how do we feel about posting spoilers?

I'm not talking about big spoilers like "Mr. Echolls did it in the Cabana with the Jack Daniels Bottle of Iced Tea" but, rather, little ones like "Dick is going to Hearst." Or even "Ryan Hansen is returning to the show." Or "that [doofy actor] from that overrated [severely overrated, Rasputin-like FOX comedy now mercifully in the ground for good] show will not be joining the cast."

I'm o.k. with little spoilers but I don't want to know about big spoilers.

I'm OK with the small stuff. Maybe if we're not sure if it's considered big or small, we could always link to the article with a spoiler warning.

(Also - Ouch! Feeling the hate. *Sniff.* That is one of my all time favorite shows.)

I know of only one work of film/TV comedy that demanded and was improved by having an omnicient narrator (Woody Allen's Take the Money and Run—Sex and the City, I think, could have taken or left it), and nothing has ever been improved by the sound of Ron Howard's voice. The basic problem is not that the narration is annoying and intrusive (although that is a problem). Rather, the key problem is that the humor product requires the narration at all. If a narration is needed, it almost always means that something is fundamentally wrong with the comedy. Comedy depends on the audience connecting the dots, and if an ongoing narration is needed to explain the jokes, it's a sign of a serious problem with the jokes. In my opinion, that is.

Re posting spoilers: I have no problem with that so long as there is a spoiler warning.

Re Arrested Development -- I agree with MWR. I really tried to like that show, because cool, smart people liked it, and I just couldn't find the humor.

Hey, not everyone likes everything! That's what makes this crazy world go round. I had just never read something so outwardly bitter about AD and was a bit surprised, that's all. Although I never found the narration to be in place to "explain the jokes." Most of the narration propelled each episode with back story and continuity from show to show. But what can you do? It apparently wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I have a long and varied list of shows, movies and celebrities that I strongly dislike, possibly even hate. I think it gives my personality a certain flare. Heh.

But enough about AD. Back to the spoiler topic. I think we should do spoiler alerts or links maybe. It looks like people are reading our little blog (well, at least one person) and I'd hate to inadvertently spoil someone who didn't want to be. That sucks. Thoughts on alerts/links?

As syp will tell you, I'm occasionally known to overstate my criticism of things for dramatic effect or to amuse myself or—more rarely—others. I will say that I thought AD was really overrated by its small cadre of fans. I found the show very self-conscious and precious, as if the writers would rather have you see how clever they were than make you laugh (it's best not to think too deeply about where I get these insights). I found the scenarios overly forced, designed to deliver a confluence of events or set-piece at the end of each episode. My memory is dim, but there was something about a seal, something about a model home falling on the halfway sane son (OMG, the homes were shoddily built and one fell on him! Touché!), etc. Also, didn't they introduce an identical twin of the father and do an extended mistaken-identity bit? That's weak. But enough about all that. Reasonable minds differ (Bubbles's husband doesn't like The Rockford Files, for God's sake). But if you like AD, be sure to rent Take the Money and Run, perhaps Woody Allen's funniest film.

On spoilers, my thought is that if not for things someone might consider spoilers, we might run out of things to write about between now and freaking October 3. Let's deal with it as follows. If you are writing something with a spoiler, put the following immediately before the spoiler: "[Spoiler Follows - Highlight to Read]". Then change the font color to #ffffff (white, like our background) and type your damned spoiler. When you are done, set the font back to your personal color and type : "[End of Spoiler]". What could be easier? Let's see how it would work. [Spoiler Follows - Highlight to Read] I thought my spoiler was epic, you know, spanning years, and continents. Lives ruined and bloodshed. [End of Spoiler]. Pretty sweet, eh? Almost makes up for how I savaged your favorite show. Or, should I say, your second-favorite show?

I think that sounds like a fine idea. If we wind up not liking it, we can always do something different. Don't worry, I didn't take the savaging personally. Not everyone can have good taste. HAH! Kidding, kidding. (And I wouldn't rank AD #1, but it definitely resides in my top ten.)

Uh oh. I smell the need for a list comparison coming on. Anyone? After all, we probably won't have a ton of VM stuff to talk about between now and October 3. (Unless Kristen Bell wears more grandma dresses to any more events this summer.) Plus I have this weird thing about making lists. I find it to be a very Zen way to waste time. Wow. Actually reading that sentence made me realize that I'm a total freak. Heh.

Also, what's not to like about The Rockford Files? Come on Mr. Bubbles!

Ha. Ron Howard's voiceovers for AD were the only thing of his I've liked since Splash.

As for spoilers, I'm fine with MWR's suggestion, though I admit I'll almost surely read every single one anyway.

And as for what we'll talk about between now and October 3, I dunno about you but I'm getting lots of fodder from watching reruns. Now if I can just get around to posting my thoughts . . . .