ASP.NET WebService is Wrapping my JSON response with XML tags

Three things you may not be doing:

• Marking the method static
• Performing a POST
• Hand an empty "{ }" for the data in jQuery.

There may be a way to call the method with a GET, I've only ever used POST. I was able to get your example working with this:

<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script>
    // In your javascript block
    $(document).ready(function()
    {
        $.ajax({
            url: "/Default.aspx/Tester",
            type: "POST",
            contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
            dataType: "json",
            data: "{}",
            success: done
        });
    });

    function done(data)
    {
        // Include http://www.json.org/json2.js if your browser doesn't support JSON natively
        var data = JSON.parse(data.d);
        alert(data.total);
    }
</script>

The code behind (you don't need to create a webservice, you can put this in your default.aspx):

[WebMethod]
public static string Tester()
{
    JavaScriptSerializer ser = new JavaScriptSerializer();

    var jsonData = new
    {
        total = 1, // we'll implement later 
        page = 1,
        records = 3, // implement later 
        rows = new[]{
              new {id = 1, cell = new[] {"1", "-7", "Is this a good question?", "yay"}},
              new {id = 2, cell = new[] {"2", "15", "Is this a blatant ripoff?", "yay"}},
              new {id = 3, cell = new[] {"3", "23", "Why is the sky blue?", "yay"}}
            }
        };

    return ser.Serialize(jsonData); //products.ToString();
}

The result:

{"d":"{\"total\":1,\"page\":1,\"records\":3,\"rows\":[{\"id\":1,\"cell\":[\"1\",\"-7\",\"Is this a good question?\",\"yay\"]},{\"id\":2,\"cell\":[\"2\",\"15\",\"Is this a blatant ripoff?\",\"yay\"]},{\"id\":3,\"cell\":[\"3\",\"23\",\"Why is the sky blue?\",\"yay\"]}]}"}

A more detailed explanation is here

1. turn the return type to void
2. put your object onto ^_^

[WebMethod]
public static void GetDocuments()
{
    HttpContext.Current.Response.ContentType = "application/json";
    HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(JsonConvert.SerializeObject( ^_^ ));
    HttpContext.Current.Response.End();
}

In your code, don't "return" the json. Use instead:

Context.Response.Write(ser.Serialize(jsonData));

Then you'll be good.

The regular return command helps you by putting in a more proper service format. Some would say it'd be better form to use this, and unwrap your json on the client from this format. I say, just spit down the stuff exactly how you want to use it!