Your neighbor has the DVDs, your aunt won't shut up about it, your professors are giggling in their offices about the newest chicken dance, that egotistical and maybe a little sad emo guy is writing his English papers about it and yet, despite the incredible buzz and general air of excitement, you're not watching "Arrested Development." Fox has noticed, and in eight more weeks the show will be no more.

Forget about the abundant critical praise (and it is numerous, including an Emmy for "best comedy" in its inaugural season). Forget about my previously gushing portrait of the "Arrested Development" subculture. The bare bones fact about the show is that it is ridiculously, giddily funny. It mercilessly picks out some of societies' strangest pop-culture crushes (including the Blue Man Group, those strange little robot vacuums from Japan, and Segway scooters). It unflinchingly comments on the culture of spoiled, rich America (probably best represented by son Buster believing he has stolen away to Mexico after riding 20 minutes to the cleaning lady's house). It's as quirky as "Family Guy," as quick as the "West Wing," as ludicrous as "Seinfeld." It's arguably the best comedy on the air.

Unfortunately, the public has not caught on to "Arrested Development." Since its first season the show was in ratings jeopardy, relying heavily on its critical praise to keep afloat. Last season the show's order was cut back from 22 episodes to 18. This season the decision is even more dire, from a full 22 to just 13 episodes (which will run out before February 2006). To their credit, Fox has given the show plenty of opportunities. In their promotion of the third season, Fox commercials aired some funny clips and asked "Why aren't you watching?" But to many, these final eight weeks mark the almost inevitable end to the show.

I'm not sure why you aren't watching, but you should be. There's weird cousin tension, the occasional use of terminally ill cats as seal bait, a black face hand puppet that sings duets to alleviate racial tension, and the occasional use of roofies as a magician's forget-me-now for failed tricks. Ask your friends; the show is worth giving a chance.

I'm not sure whether I believe if a surge of show support will pull "Arrested Development" from it's TV death, but it seems to me a fitting mission for our crusading campus. Wouldn't it be great if we all came together as a university and united behind this show? We could tune the televisions in the residence hall common rooms, campus bars, the Union Sports Annex, the Alumni Memorial Union and the homes of off campus students, all on "Arrested Development." The Marquette could be a bulwark of comedy, a Jesuit of comedy, and a lover of comedy.

I'm not overly optimistic. Despite our slogan, Marquette will not make the difference, but for God's sake, do principles mean anything anymore?

Let's unite together in spirit against the killing of "Arrested Development" — and maybe lets kill CBS's "How I Met Your Mother" at the same time. "Arrested Development" airs Monday nights at 7 p.m. on Fox.