Ever wondered what a teacher is like outside the classroom? In his new series Sit Down, Shut Up, which premiered Sunday night, executive producer Mitchell Hurwitz and his production team draw it out for us, cartoon characters and all.
The creator of the cult-favorite comedy Arrested Development is up to bat for team Fox again, but this time he’s taken fans one step further into his crazy, caricatured world with this latest addition to the network’s Sunday night Animation Domination lineup. The show, which is the first of four pilots of upcoming shows produced for Fox by Hurwitz, is a television remake from an Australian series of the same title.
Viewers follow Larry Littlejunk (Jason Bateman), a gym teacher at Knob Haven High School who is looking for more from his career and from life. Instead of rising above his surroundings, however, he sinks to the level of those around him, such as brash and dim-witted English teacher Ennis Hofftard (Will Arnett) and meek German teacher Willard Deutschebog (Henry Winkler).
Those of the cast who are not Arrested Development alumni include some Saturday Night Live cast members. Will Forte’s voice perfectly suits the role of the spacey assistant principal Stuart Prozackian, while Kenan Thompson, as interim principal Sue Sezno, manages to play a woman even on a show where only his voice is used.
The roles are all well-cast, with the exception of creationist science teacher Miracle Grohe, who is voiced by stage-to-screen actress Kristin Chenoweth. Her tone is a bit too jarring for a character that is supposed to be feminine and whimsical.
Still, whimsy is everywhere in this cartoon. In the pilot episode alone, Larry asks for flashback thought bubbles and the school librarian gets a touchdown at the school football game. What’s more, all of the characters are animated, but their backdrops are real-world images.
Because of this interesting visual set-up and its generally successful comedy, Sit Down, Shut Up appears to be a series with potential—even if the wit associated with Arrested is lost when the show becomes too classically cartoonish in some of its jokes.
However, Fox has given little publicity to the Hurwitz series, and with its quirky and not totally accessible style, Sit Down, Shut Up may just follow the fate of Hurwitz’s earlier Fox brainchild.
Arrested Development fans frustrated with the series may be able to rest a little easier, though, thanks to the promising talks about Arrested Development: The Movie. Perhaps it will satisfy their cravings for more from the canceled show’s comedy superstars.
Sit Down, Shut Up airs Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on Fox.
Comments
We're looking for comments that are interesting and substantial. If your comments are excessively self-promotional or obnoxious you will be banned from commenting. Consult the comment FAQ and legal terms.