‘Sit Down, Shut Up’ blends lowbrow, intelligent humor

The notion that there are no second acts in Hollywood is ridiculous. After all, without second acts, TV episodes would come up a good seven minutes short.

But even in a less literal sense, it doesn't ring true. Take Robert Downey Jr., who, before turning a minor superhero into a bajillion-dollar movie franchise, had more chances than a game of Monopoly.

Thankfully, popularity doesn't necessarily determine who gets these second acts, or else we wouldn't have "Sit Down, Shut Up" (8:30 p.m. today, KVVU-TV, Channel 5).

"Arrested Development" creator Mitchell Hurwitz has reassembled key members of that canceled masterpiece's cast -- stars Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, along with Henry Winkler, who had a recurring role -- for this animated remake of an Australian comedy about dysfunctional teachers.

The more praise that was heaped upon "Arrested Development" for its must-see nature and originality, the more people seemed to tune it out. So here's a new approach for people who overlook parentheticals: "Sit Down, Shut Up" is like watching paint dry -- bland, eggshell paint. (It isn't.) Each episode will feature a different C-list celebrity dancing in the background. (It won't.) And every week, the teachers will solve grisly murders with a combination of forensic science and old-fashioned gumshoeing. (Again, not true.)

Actually, if anything, "Sit Down, Shut Up" is pretty much like "Arrested Development."

For instance, "Arrested's" Tobias (David Cross) considered himself part analyst, part therapist -- an "analrapist." "Sit Down's" Stuart Proszakian (Will Forte) becomes the football team's assistant coach, so naturally the back of his jacket reads "Ass. Coach."

And "Arrested's" backgrounds were full of small jokes you might not even notice -- often in the form of blue handprints from Tobias' Blue Man Group phase -- that offered a sort of bonus chuckle. "Sit Down's" backgrounds are full of similar jokes, such as posters warning teachers not to fool around with their students: "It won't be a great time when you end up on 'Dateline.' "

The action takes place in Florida's Knob Haven High School, with Bateman once again playing the show's sane, rational center -- in the form of P.E. teacher Larry Littlejunk, who'd rather be teaching anything but P.E. -- to Arnett's manic cluelessness -- as the frat-boyish jock Ennis Hofftard, who's way more suited to P.E., but ended up teaching English instead.

The cast is rounded out by Winkler as sad sack German teacher Willard Deutschebog, Kristin Chenoweth as flighty science teacher Miracle Grohe, Kenan Thompson as gruff acting-principal Sue Sezno, Cheri Oteri as mannish librarian Helen Klench, Nick Kroll as girlish drama teacher Andrew Legustambos, and "SpongeBob SquarePants' " Tom Kenny as custodian/possible terrorist Muhannad Sabeeh "Happy" Fa'ach Nuabar.

Like "Arrested Development," "Sit Down, Shut Up" is a blend of lowbrow humor -- Larry Littlejunk? Really? -- and some of the most elaborately constructed gags you could ever hope to find. It's dense, not "According to Jim"-style, but in the good way that encourages multiple viewings. And it's nothing if not outrageous: Andrew dances to Helen's Kegel exercise tape before realizing he's "not gonna test well" with the network's focus groups; the sweet-natured Miracle teaches science despite believing it's "just a bunch of voodoo the Jews came up with so they can charge us for medicine and stuff."

Today's premiere is arriving at an interesting confluence of events.

It's part of a miniboom in prime-time animation that will see Mike Judge's "The Goode Family" debut next month on ABC and Fox's "Family Guy" spinoff, "The Cleveland Show," arrive in the fall. And just last week, TBS announced its first original animated comedy.

And it comes during a resurgence of sorts for "Arrested Development," as its stars have spread out into other projects -- Jessica Walter in The CW's "90210," Tony Hale in NBC's "Chuck" and Portia de Rossi in ABC's underappreciated "Better Off Ted" -- playing eerily similar characters.

The "Arrested Development" movie even seems to be taking shape, with lone holdout Michael Cera said to finally be onboard. (Although if he causes any more trouble, Hurwitz should just replace his character, George Michael Bluth, with the actual George Michael, the stubble-having, sunglasses-wearing, Andrew Ridgely-dumping pop icon. And never, ever acknowledge it.)

Maybe this is all some sort of cosmic sign that the time has finally come for Hurwitz's brand of intelligent humor. Maybe this time it will finally stick. Because I'm not sure "Arrested Development," at least on TV, will ever get a third act.

Christopher Lawrence's Life on the Couch column appears on Sundays. E-mail him at clawrence@reviewjournal.com.