I first started watching Arrested Development 2 years after its 3rd and final series had wrapped up. I'd read in passing about what a great show it was, glimpsed at occasional snippets calling it "The greatest sitcom of all time" in various magazines and dismissed the claims as 'hyperbolic flavor of the month', since many magazines (Who shall remain nameless) tend to crassly over-exaggerate for the sake of it. (Empire). Still, eventually my curiosity got the better of me and I hastily picked up a copy of the first series and....was underwhelmed.
I went in not only with high expectations and with a certain degree of anxiety, after all, I'd purchased this on a whim. Obviously there were things about it I liked straight away (Gob!), but I went into it trying too hard to enjoy it and came out of the first series wondering what all the fuss was about. So, I watched the series again, somewhat indifferent this time and low and behold I loved it. I'd become familiar with the series' style, tone and quirky characterisation on first viewing and subconsciously adjusted to it. By my second viewing I became immersed in it, now familiar with the characters and their relationships, by the time I'd finished season one again I was ready for series 2.
When I'd finished series 2 it was already my favourite show of all time.
I get far too involved when it comes to writing synopsis so I'd advise you just Google the show and read the Wiki page. Still, it's a sitcom with fabulous writing and an even better cast that includes Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Jessica Walter, Michael Cera and Jefferey Tambor. Combine this with an array of brilliant cameos, some ingenious satire, insider gags and a format which rewards those paying attention and you've got yourself one great show. It's just a shame nobody noticed until it was too late.
Arrested Development never caught on with the greater masses, getting lost in the shuffle and eventually getting cancelled, ending its run in 2006, god knows, those increasingly smug Seth Macfarlane projects aren't gonna watch themselves.
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| Hey Lois, remember the time this show was funny? |
Sour grapes aside, it was always a crying shame that the show ended so soon. Still the show developed a strong cult following (Every show has one of them these days, but that's a rant for another day) and fans continued to champion it every chance they got (Myself included) and campaigned for the increasingly unlikely forth series.
So nobody was as happy as I was when the show finally did get a renewal. After years of deliberation, rumblings of a movie and a few fan documentaries, Netflix renewed the series (Originally for 10 episodes, later extended to 15) for its much deserved forth season and I was excited.....for a while.
That same trepidation that I'd experienced the first time around was back again, only this time it was perhaps worse. Alarm bells began ringing when Mitch Hurwitz and Jason Bateman confirmed that due to scheduling conflicts amongst the cast each episode would focus on an individual character rather than concentrating on the family as a unit.(Due to the last-minute shooting and scheduling conflicts of the cast) Arrested Development is a show that adheres to that time tested comedy trope, the dysfunctional family. Ironically, the cast were far removed from their dysfunctional, offbeat counterparts that they operated a lot like a real family on set, which allowed their performances (Specifically timing and improvisation) to shine through on screen. To move them away from each other on screen would be (As Gob often so astutely puts it) a huge mistake. The Bluth family are the heart of Arrested Development and so much of the comedy emanates from the characters interactions with each other and some characters, enjoyable as they are, wouldn't be able to carry an entire episode. (I mean was anybody really clamouring for a Maebe episode?).
Then of course there was the worry that the show had ended at just the right time, despite the unfortunate circumstances. Would a renewal beat the old, great jokes into the ground, would we the audience become tired of those characters we knew and loved?
Well, of the fifteen new episodes I've watched 8 of them and here are my thoughts so far.
Hmmmm.
Aesthetically, the show is as familiar, yet fresh as it always was, even the ad breaks are still in tact. (Netflix has no advertisements). In fact the shows aesthetics are so similar, it felt in some ways like it had never left. The cast (Aside from a strangely bird-like Michael Cera) don't look like they've aged all that much and all of them gamely fit back into their beloved characters and it's great to see them back. Hell, I even enjoyed seeing/hearing Ron Howard return. All the old favourite bit-part players are back too (Carl Weathers!) as well as some new faces, some more welcome then others. (Get to that later). So far so good right?!
Without a doubt the shows biggest strength is also its biggest weakness and that's the writing. Firstly shows now run between 30 to 35 minutes, that's an extra ten to fifteen minutes per episode meaning there's a lot of fat and some of the episodes really suffer. That's not to say that these extra minutes are joyless, however the pacing suffers and despite the extra time, it seems the writers are cramming in way too much plot and exposition.
Then of course there's the new format, giving nearly every character his or her own episode. The hook of course is that each characters story is running parallel to the others and there are points where their adventures overlap and characters bump into each other. When this happens, the exchanges are as gold as ever, it's just a shame they don't happen enough.
Oh and those new faces I was talking about earlier, it seems Arrested Development has its share of celebrity fans too as there are a TON of new famous faces who are obviously having a ball with the material. With that said, not all of them fit in with the show (Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig give it their best efforts but stick out like sore thumbs) and the parade of cameos can be a bit much at times. With that said the always game Terry Crews and Ron Howard (Yes the same) are more than welcome additions.
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| Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen as a younger Lucille and George Sr. |
What's important though is that AD is back and that's something even the most cynical, hard to please fan should be happy about. (After all, they're likely the ones who campaigned for its return). As I said, the writing may be the new series' biggest weakness, but it is also its greatest strength.The non-linear series narrative (though over complicated at times) and character crossovers have been so well crafted that even the biggest critics will have to admire the boldness of the new format and the care that has gone into scripting it. These over-scripted sequences may have sacrificed some of the inspired improvisations between the cast but it lends itself to the self-referential gags and Easter eggs that make re watching the original series such a pleasure.
The early episodes of the season 4 are perhaps the hardest to get through, but stick with it and you'll start to appreciate how clever the writing actually is, as gags start to gain context and the story begins to fit together. Like a complicated puzzle, you'll get off to an slow start but dammit, it's rewarding as it comes together.
Of course, I'm only halfway through the season and I can't give a 100% accurate verdict on this series but I can leave you with some advice. Just sit back and enjoy it. No, it's not the Arrested Development you're used to, not entirely, but then on its first run, was it like the rest of those sitcoms you knew and loved? No. But we loved it for what it was, not for what it wasn't. More importantly, if this series does well (And I see no reason why it won't), there's no way this will be the end for the Bluth family, I mean every season ends on a cliffhanger right? And whose to say that if we do get the long awaited movie, or indeed a fifth season that we'll see a return to the more traditional series with full commitment by the cast.
Show your support for Arrested Development and Netflix (The unsung hero of this story) by watching this new series and watch it neutrally. Don't bog yourself down with the viewpoints of others (Except mine) or a set of expectations, judge it on its own merits, as a new and ambitious entry into the Arrested Development canon and enjoy.
