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[Dave Meltzer]

I really hated seeing a scene that was supposed to take place immediately after the S3 finale where everyone looks so much older. I know you can't help that but I'd rather you don't try and pull off something impossible to do.

Because the little tie-ins (and I say little) from s1-3 got such a great response, for some reason they decided to make that the focus, instead of the jokes and chemistry.

To be fair it's obvious why they had to sacrifice the chemistry, but yeah, I do wish the show had been built more on strong dialogue and interactions. There are little bits where it shines but not enough.

 

[apesh1t]

I've never seen an episode of this show, should I make a thread? I've seen a gif of Michael Cerna (sp?) come home from school and fall to his knees than face down, and I'm aware of the never nude joke, but thats it.

Is this show worth my time?

 

[SteveWinwood]

Episode 3 spoilers

Spoiler

More angels and demons

People are too busy complaining to actually pay attention to the funny that supposedly doesn't exist in this season.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

I've never seen an episode of this show, should I make a thread? I've seen a gif of Michael Cerna (sp?) come home from school and fall to his knees than face down, and I'm aware of the never nude joke, but thats it.

Is this show worth my time?

Yes, it is worth your time. Very much so.

 

[criesofthepast]

Here's one 40 year old that HAS aged well. And from the looks of it, naturally too. When will people realize plastic surgery usually has the opposite effect of what they were intending?

She looks a lot better in motion as well.

 

[The Technomancer]

I've never seen an episode of this show, should I make a thread? I've seen a gif of Michael Cerna (sp?) come home from school and fall to his knees than face down, and I'm aware of the never nude joke, but thats it.

Is this show worth my time?

Yes. There's a reason Netflix thought it was a good idea to try and bring it back after eight years. Its one of the funniest shows ever made.

 

[bridegur]

EDIT: Oh and also, the pacing is... odd. I'm sure it's just the structure but the other season was faster paced, more concise and editted with precision. In this one, the pace is completely different and the scenes sometimes last too long which prevents the mometum from being carried across. The entire season is one huge episode but the show doesn't work as well in this format I feel.

I've only watched four so far, but I agree with this. I feel like it could have benefited from 22-minute episodes.

 

[Krev]

I really hated seeing a scene that was supposed to take place immediately after the S3 finale where everyone looks so much older. I know you can't help that but I'd rather you don't try and pull off something impossible to do.

And on a related note, why did they drop the hilarious 'everyone wears a wig and dresses in period clothes' flashback joke in favour of celebrity cameos?

 

[OldAsUrSock]

Here's one 40 year old that HAS aged well. And from the looks of it, naturally too. When will people realize plastic surgery usually has the opposite effect of what they were intending?

She looks a lot better in motion as well.

She looks 40.

 

[Blader]

Holy shit. Andy Richter's Conan joke was fucking ace!

Just finished ep. 4 and this was BY FAR the biggest laugh I've had this season. :lol

 

[Dave Meltzer]

And on a related note, why did they drop the hilarious 'everyone wears a wig and dresses in period clothes' flashback joke in favour of celebrity cameos?

Because we all know how hilarious Seth Rogan is, right? Right?

 

[CzarTim]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

I am 6 episodes in and like it a lot. I definitely see it fitting in with the rest of the series just fine upon future rewatches.

 

[Weenerz]

Does every episode only focus on one specific person?

 

[SteveWinwood]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

No sorry it's easier to just judge things.

 

[Plasmid]

Arnett is forcing his episode, trying way too hard to continue to be funny.

I didn't go into the episodes thinking they would be amazing, or that they would even be close to how the original was, but as far as i am right now i'm not too excited, they're funny and witty, but of course nothing can be as good as the original.

OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED TO STEVE HOLT?

 

[Dave Meltzer]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

I am 6 episodes in and like it a lot. I definitely see it fitting in with the rest of the series just fine upon future rewatches.

Because I adored the show only watching each episode once for years.

Catching references to future events is a neat meta thing but it isn't and never has been what made the show funny. Besides, this season explicitly shows you everything that has been shown in the past as it intertwines with new footage, so there's no sense of self satisfaction about it.

 

[Blader]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

I am 6 episodes in and like it a lot. I definitely see it fitting in with the rest of the series just fine upon future rewatches.

What? S1-3 were plenty funny on a first viewing. I think the value of rewatching the show is a little overrated by some people. Rewatches always added more, but it's not like the show ever flipped a switch from unfunny to funny on a second+ viewing.

 

[el retorno]

The show is still great and enjoyable to watch but it really needed everybody to be shooting at the same time and jokes went on a bit long.

I really hope they can pull a movie off. Still good to see the characters again and see the story expanded a bit as I never really liked the ending.

The funniest thing are the backgrounds, there are a lot of jokes going on in the sets. Ex. Mural in the Airport, "feeling blue" poster in the methadone clinic.

What? S1-3 were plenty funny on a first viewing. I think the value of rewatching the show is a little overrated by some people. Rewatches always added more, but it's not like the show ever flipped a switch from unfunny to funny on a second+ viewing.

Yeah, the rewatches just let you in on the fact they planned things way in advance it wasn't like there was some unlockable humor that only seeing twice would release

 

[Weenerz]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

I am 6 episodes in and like it a lot. I definitely see it fitting in with the rest of the series just fine upon future rewatches.

The first 3 seasons required additional re-watches because there were so many little funny things to pick up on you surely missed some. I don't feel this at all with the new season.

 

[Bacon]

I'm posting way more than I should but I'm sort of just having a stream of consciousness moment here. Didn't Mitch say in interviews this was supposed to be a part one of three type deal? And that he was setting up a larger story and bringing the audience up to speed on the characters?

I think if the season is viewed in that context it makes a lot more sense and might even ease some people's worries.

 

[el retorno]

I'm posting way more than I should but I'm sort of just having a stream of consciousness moment here. Didn't Mitch say in interviews this was supposed to be a part one of three type deal? And that he was setting up a larger story and bringing the audience up to speed on the characters?

I think if the season is viewed in that context it makes a lot more sense and might even ease some people's worries.

There's no confirmation of another season. I think a movie would focus on them all together but its obvious this structure was because of the schedules of the actors.

 

[The One Who Knocks]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

I am 6 episodes in and like it a lot. I definitely see it fitting in with the rest of the series just fine upon future rewatches.

I can't speak for others but while rewatches were very strong. watching the original for the first time was certainly not devoid of laughs (that's not to say this is devoid of laughs, but I'm finding it far less amusing than I did on my first watch of the original three seasons). If anything, I rewatched the initial show additional times simply because it was so funny, at which point the additional, smaller details were revealed and the humour sustained. I certainly don't see what's wrong with commenting on your opinion of the show after x episodes/after watching the season once. I don't think anybody is writing the new season off already (or at least I'd hope not, it's only out twelve hours) or disputing certain aspects will hold up on a rewatch (or become better) but the impressions of an initial viewing experience is still an important component.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

I don't understand the appeal of a movie. The show is perfect episodic television. The only pro would be financing allowing them to get everyone together I guess, but even this disappointing season is better than a 90 minute movie to me.

 

[Ikuu]

I honestly don't understand why Arrested Development fans of all people are judging the show by a first viewing. You guys should know better.

I didn't need to watch the original series multiple times to enjoy them, from what I've watched so far it's a disappointment.

 

[Krev]

I don't understand the appeal of a movie. The show is perfect episodic television. The only pro would be financing allowing them to get everyone together I guess, but even this disappointing season is better than a 90 minute movie to me.

They probably want to use the extra budget on some huge setpieces.

 

[Freyjadour]

On episode 7. Only complaint I have is the single character focus (6 seemed to do well with this though) and a little lack of subtlety with some of the humor. The narrative is really well woven together though, so I can't hate on that.

MST3k bit absolutely killed me though. God damnit I miss it.

 

[el retorno]

I don't understand the appeal of a movie. The show is perfect episodic television. The only pro would be financing allowing them to get everyone together I guess, but even this disappointing season is better than a 90 minute movie to me.

I like the episodic format but I miss having everyone in practically every episode.

 

[diggmcbadass]

Entire season spoiler

Spoiler

So basically the entire season was a build up to a movie and not one thing about the plot was resolved. A bit disappointing.

 

[Hindle]

I've just seen the first episode and so far it's ok. I feel they're relying on the old jokes a bit too much though.

 

[Bacon]

There's no confirmation of another season. I think a movie would focus on them all together but its obvious this structure was because of the schedules of the actors.

Sure, that makes sense, and I can see how scheduling conflicts affected the format of the season. But if this is what it takes in order to get more arrested development in the future, especially with all the actors on set at the same time, then this would be a huge success. Obviously that is a lot of hypothticals, but I'm just offering food for thought.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

I like the episodic format but I miss having everyone in practically every episode.

I don't even get what everyone is doing to be so busy they can't be on set for a month or so. I'm not their PAs but come on.

 

[Palmer_v1]

 

[VistraNorrez]

Nailed it.

I'm on my rewatch and it's better the second time.

People forget that every new episode in Season 2 and 3 was met with "this show isn't as good as it used to be" until the next week. Almost without fail.

Yep. I remember that too. A favorite criticism was how forced they felt compared to season 1. No surprise the same criticisms are coming up again.

 

[Ceebs]

But is that funny? It's certainly an achievement in planning and editing but its not like these are great mysteries being explained to us here. The show seems to be a little too preoccupied with making everything seem intertwined rather than just setting up funny scenarios for each episode to me.

The George Michael software plot payoff was fantastically funny.

 

[Garrett 2U]

I feel like we'll only really appreciate this season after you watch it through once.
It isn't a linear story at all, and is confusing the first time around.

So far I am really liking it.
There are a lot of new jokes, as well as good references to older ones.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Holy shit. Andy Richter's Conan joke was fucking ace!

I loved Conan and Andy's stuff.

 

[CzarTim]

I can't speak for others but while rewatches were very strong. watching the original for the first time was certainly not devoid of laughs (that's not to say this is devoid of laughs, but I'm finding it far less amusing than I did on my first watch of the original three seasons). If anything, I rewatched the initial show additional times simply because it was so funny, at which point the additional, smaller details were revealed and the humour sustained. I certainly don't see what's wrong with commenting on your opinion of the show after x episodes/after watching the season once. I don't think anybody is writing the new season off already (or at least I'd hope not, it's only out twelve hours) or disputing certain aspects will hold up on a rewatch (or become better) but the impressions of an initial viewing experience is still an important component.

This season is obviously doubling down on meta. This is a season for diehard fans, and there are a ton of cross episode jokes which made the show go from being funny to brilliant.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

The George Michael software plot payoff was fantastically funny.

Sure, but I didn't have to rewatch anything for that. They just explicitly showed me what happened and when.

 

[sn00zer]

SO i was watching Inbetweeners then saw some of the new arrested development....guess which one I laughed at more?

 

[el retorno]

Sure, that makes sense, and I can see how scheduling conflicts affected the format of the season. But if this is what it takes in order to get more arrested development in the future, especially with all the actors on set at the same time, then this would be a huge success. Obviously that is a lot of hypothticals, but I'm just offering food for thought.

No doubt. I'm enjoying it for what it is. I've had a lot of fun watching it.

 

[Krev]

This season is obviously doubling down on meta. This is a season for diehard fans, and there are a ton of cross episode jokes which made the show go from being funny to brilliant.

Why does a season for diehard fans spend so long explaining even the most major and memorable jokes and plotlines from the previous seasons?

 

[Chance Hale]

SO i was watching Inbetweeners then saw some of the new arrested development....guess which one I laughed at more?

*vomits and pisses all over sn00zer*

 

[Dave Meltzer]

This season is obviously doubling down on meta. This is a season for diehard fans, and there are a ton of cross episode jokes which made the show go from being funny to brilliant.

I don't think these are jokes though. They're just plot points. It's not funny to know that George Michael is in a photo booth when Michael is talking to Ron Howard. It's just a thing that you can see and understand the timeline. It didn't seem to have much on the level of the Buster hand/seal foreshadowing that was amusing to pick up on on rewatches because everything is explicitly shown to you.

 

[Anival]

So far I like it, Its not bad and there are some funny parts. It is not the greatest thing but its still pretty enjoyable.

 

[criesofthepast]

Omg the maeybe episode with

Spoiler

Jeff Garlin and the curb music. FUCKING AWESOME! My two favorite comedies ever intertwined. Did a fanboy squeal at that.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

Roger Sterling's the star of the new season.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

Roger Sterling's the star of the new season.

He's twice my age and 5x as sexy.

 

[el retorno]

Why does a season for diehard fans spend so long explaining even the most major and memorable jokes and plotlines from the previous seasons?

they did this on the original show a lot too

 

[Sinatar]

The problem with the season is that none of the characters are strong enough to carry an episode on their own, it was the interplay of all the family members that made the show work. Having each episode focus entirely on one person was a big misstep.

 

[Bacon]

Was there an explanation for why

Spoiler

George and Oscar's personalities just sort of switched?

forgive me if it was an obvious reason, I may have just missed it due to it being 3 or 4 in the morning when I watched.