Mitch Hurwitz's Guide to Getting Your Sitcom Cancelled

There is no question that "Arrested Development" was one of the best sitcoms in television history during its three-year run, and thanks to the magic of home video, its legacy continues to this day.

Unfortunately, its intensely devoted fan base and commercial rejection seems to have entirely consumed show creator Mitch Hurwitz's life. His two projects since "Arrested Development" was cancelled in 2006, "Sit Down Shut Up" and "Running Wilde," were not terribly successful with either the critics who championed his previous success or the audiences who always ignored him.

Now, Hurwitz has developed a side career as being simply "too smart, too edgy, too latest-buzz-word for television." Not that he's bitter, I'm sure.

The latest arm of this venture is an article in The Guardian, in which he explains how to get your sitcom cancelled. Or, more accurately, the reasons "Arrested Development" was cancelled.

He offers up reasons ranging from "Have a confusing title" to "Add a sprinkle of incest" to the ever-popular "Make a show for British sensibilities, and then show it in America."

Note to show runners of unsuccessful sitcoms - if you ever want to gain instant clout, claim your show had/has more of a "British sensibility." It doesn't actually mean anything, but it will draw attention from the surprisingly numerous people who will not rest until you understand that the British "Office" was way better than the American version, "Monty Python" was better than "Saturday Night Live" will ever be, and there's nobody funnier than Eddie Izzard.

Meanwhile, Hurwitz will still tease the possibility of an "Arrested Development" film while living off of that show's clout.