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[Incendiary]

Finished it.

On the one hand, I love how they took a risk and left a whole bunch of loose ends for a possible fifth season/movie. On the other hand, I'm immensely frustrated at a lot of the dangling plotlines and if there isn't a fifth season/movie it's going to be a lot more of an unsatisfying end to the series than season 3 was.

I'll rewatch in a week or two after I let the whole thing digest, but the big question I have is why did Michael owe Lucille 2 $700k in the first place? I was expecting it to be resolved in the final episode but afterwards I still wasn't clear, so maybe I missed the explanation in an earlier episode.

Overall, I'd say both Gob episodes, Maeby's episode, Michael's second episode, Tobias' first episode, and George Michael's first episode were my favorites. Best new running gags were "Hello darkness my old friend", "Anus Tart" (she hadn't even seen the license plate), and "Ninja please." Definitely think it's the same caliber as the original three seasons.

 

[ivysaur12]

I probably did react to his reaction too quickly, as I don't have all of the context yet. I haven't really been reading others reactions or press reviews or thinkpieces. You're probably right in that what they were writing about necessitated him to act like that.

And now that I look at his twitter again, it looks like he's trying to say that he's fine with people who aren't entirely with it as long as they're not being too negative about it. So he does seem pretty measured.

I still don't think we know how to review TV, or at least, the ways in which we review TV in the best possible manner are still attempting to be constructed. But we know even less about how to review something like what Netflix has given us. That seems to frustrate a lot of reviewers, and it's unfortunate (though not necessarily unexpected) that's it's been the focal point of too many reviews. That Variety review barely touches upon the content of the show itself. I get where Mitch is coming from, though he should have phrased what he meant in a better way.

But hey, it's better than Preston Beckman's tweets!!

 

[Lee Chaolan]

On the one hand, I love how they took a risk and left a whole bunch of loose ends for a possible fifth season/movie. On the other hand, I'm immensely frustrated at a lot of the dangling plotlines and if there isn't a fifth season/movie it's going to be a lot more of an unsatisfying end to the series than season 3 was.

Ninja, Please! I can't imagine a universe in which Mitch at least wraps everything up for us. Best case scenario we get a full new season with answers and the whole family back. Remember as Lucille said, you can't keep the Bluths away from each other!

 

[Princess Carl]

Finished it.

On the one hand, I love how they took a risk and left a whole bunch of loose ends for a possible fifth season/movie. On the other hand, I'm immensely frustrated at a lot of the dangling plotlines and if there isn't a fifth season/movie it's going to be a lot more of an unsatisfying end to the series than season 3 was.

I'll rewatch in a week or two after I let the whole thing digest, but the big question I have is why did Michael owe Lucille 2 $700k in the first place? I was expecting it to be resolved in the final episode but afterwards I still wasn't clear, so maybe I missed the explanation in an earlier episode.

Overall, I'd say both Gob episodes, Maeby's episode, Michael's second episode, Tobias' first episode, and George Michael's first episode were my favorites. Best new running gags were "Hello darkness my old friend", "Anus Tart" (she hadn't even seen the license plate), and "Ninja please." Definitely think it's the same caliber as the original three seasons.

Because he borrowed the money to finish Sudden Valley, and then the housing market crashed.

 

[Recon]

Oh, and the Rogen/Wiig thing? Didn't get better, only got worse. If you HAD to cast younger Bluth parents, they're decent choices. But why stray from the show's usual practice of putting the characters in wigs? It was distracting more than anything.


Ann, I thought. Gob just thought it was Tony because he doesn't get the cross, he's that bad a Christian. edit: who knows.

Yeah, GOB just saw it as a T, for Tony.

 

[CzarTim]

Depending how how the movie turns out, I think this season is eventually going to be considered one of the best seasons of television ever. It is the first brilliant example of a new era of entertainment brought on by the internet. While it may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as previous seasons, it is funny in a way completely new and unique.

I think a lot of the critics are suffering from A) having to rush a review on 8+ hours of content that was clearly meant to be rewatched and digested B) having to deal with enormous expectations of a show now considered a classic.

It's not that the reviews are wrong, I just think they are missing the point. I watched them all Sunday and it's still sinking in for me. The more I think about it, the more I love it.

 

[big ander]

Lol, some fantastic hyperbole back in this thread. like this:

This makes Work It look like a masterpiece. Literally unwatchable.

amazing.

I still don't think we know how to review TV, or at least, the ways in which we review TV in the best possible manner are still attempting to be constructed. But we know even less about how to review something like what Netflix has given us. That seems to frustrate a lot of reviewers, and it's unfortunate (though not necessarily unexpected) that's it's been the focal point of too many reviews. That Variety review barely touches upon the content of the show itself. I get where Mitch is coming from, though he should have phrased what he meant in a better way.

But hey, it's better than Preston Beckman's tweets!!

TV criticism is definitely not up to snuff, no argument there. I think people like Sepinwall and Seitz and Mo Ryan are doing their best to figure out how to be lucid and not just recap while delivering stuff on a tight schedule, but it's a weird operation.

Heh, I had seen he was mega bitter and faux-incisive but your post had me look up an actual picture of the guy. HAH. Deflates that twitter account considerably.

Ninja, Please! I can't imagine a universe in which Mitch at least wraps everything up for us. Best case scenario we get a full new season with answers and the whole family back. Remember as Lucille said, you can't keep the Bluths away from each other!

that was what I thought, but they did a pretty good job keeping them apart for 8 straight hours here!

 

[Princess Carl]

Depending how how the movie turns out, I think this season is eventually going to be considered one of the best seasons of television ever. It is the first brilliant example of a new era of entertainment brought on by the internet. While it may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as previous seasons, it is funny in a way completely new and unique.

I think a lot of the critics are suffering from A) having to rush a review on 8+ hours of content that was clearly meant to be rewatched and digested B) having to deal with enormous expectations of a show now considered a classic.

It's not that the reviews are wrong, I just think they are missing the point. I watched them all Sunday and it's still sinking in for me. The more I think about it, the more I love it.

Yup, I'm gearing up for a second run.

 

[Incendiary]

Because he borrowed the money to finish Sudden Valley, and then the housing market crashed.

Got it. Okay, that makes sense. For some reason I thought it was implied it had to do with the funding for the wall, but that didn't make any sense because Michael wasn't involved in that.

Two other catches. One, did Ed Helms guest star as the same character he played in season 2? Because I know he was in an episode but don't remember that episode specifically. Two, was the banner Lindsay made for Lucille 2 on the back of another banner from the earlier seasons? I only caught a glimpse of it but it looked familiar.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

A great read.

The Verge on Season 4 - Am I Crazy, or is this Good?

Two other catches. One, did Ed Helms guest star as the same character he played in season 2? Because I know he was in an episode but don't remember that episode specifically. Two, was the banner Lindsay made for Lucille 2 on the back of another banner from the earlier seasons? I only caught a glimpse of it but it looked familiar.

Yes and yes.

 

[big ander]

EDIT: oh another thing I forgot to say: I've seen people say they think Michael went too far this season, that it's too big a break from his character in the other seasons. I don't agree with that. I think him giving into the selfish tendencies that he always had in the original seasons made sense.

Two, was the banner Lindsay made for Lucille 2 on the back of another banner from the earlier seasons? I only caught a glimpse of it but it looked familiar.

it definitely was and I remember noting what banner it had been made on at the time, but it's slipping my mind now.

 

[Amagon]

I just started a rewatch, and I'm still not clear as to the timeline. When does the "present" of the season take place? They mention five years later at points, so is it 2011, or 2013?

I got lost trying to figure that one out after the first 5 episodes.

 

[Socreges]

I'd like to discourage you guys from reading about jokes/references that you missed. That's what repeats are for.

 

[I am Christina Aguilera]

Found a timeline thats still a work in progress:


http://i2.wp.com/remarked.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-28-at-21.53.09.png

I really want to see what the writers room was like.

From what I've read, pretty much just like that, except on notecards stretching across all the walls of the room.

Lol, some fantastic hyperbole back in this thread. like this:

This makes Work It look like a masterpiece. Literally unwatchable.

amazing.

This is like an additional layer of entertainment, it's as if the internet's reception to the season has had its own narrative arc as the people actually make their way through the season and the jokes start to click. big ander's post notwithstanding, you can tell almost exactly where a poster is in the season depending on whether they're disappointed or they love it.

EDIT:

I just started a rewatch, and I'm still not clear as to the timeline. When does the "present" of the season take place? They mention five years later at points, so is it 2011, or 2013?

I'm pretty sure that they indeed said 5 years in the show, not 7 (as it has been in real life). I figure that they probably must have written up the loose outlines or scripts in 2011, since that's when the story of a new season/movie happening really started gaining traction and they just needed to work out everyone's schedules. Granted, they were also apparently even rewriting scripts on the day of filming several times last year, so they certainly had opportunity to adjust, but I've basically come to the conclusion that the "current events" of the season are supposed to be set 5 years after Season 3, somewhere between "2011" and "who cares finally a new season of Arrested Development."

 

[Lee Chaolan]

I'd like to discourage you guys from reading about jokes/references that you missed. That's what repeats are for.

Agreed on Jokes that are missed. Then again, Jokes we don't understand, like I never watch Entourage, or ever will, so I didn't get the Joke about the Jeremy Piven club. Knowing what I know now, that's hilarious. Still not going to watch that show though!

 

[blamite]

it definitely was and I remember noting what banner it had been made on at the time, but it's slipping my mind now.

You're killing me, Buster!

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Got it. Okay, that makes sense. For some reason I thought it was implied it had to do with the funding for the wall, but that didn't make any sense because Michael wasn't involved in that.

Two other catches. One, did Ed Helms guest star as the same character he played in season 2? Because I know he was in an episode but don't remember that episode specifically. Two, was the banner Lindsay made for Lucille 2 on the back of another banner from the earlier seasons? I only caught a glimpse of it but it looked familiar.

Yes and Yes.

I'm glad they fleshed out his character here, especially after all the success Ed Helms has had since he was on AD.

Lindsay did the Lucille2 banner behind the "You're killing me Buster" banner. This is setup for the finale when Lucille2's body disappears...When Buster is on the security cam the banner is hanging and says "You're killing me Buster".

 

[Gotchaye]

I've always thought The Onion's TV Club does a decent job with criticism. I've only closely followed their coverage of Buffy, Avatar, Doctor Who, and Game of Thrones, but I feel like the reviews significantly enhance the experience of watching the show. Especially for Doctor Who, where it's useful to have someone who knows what happened 30 years ago. And I think the review of the whole season of AD is respectable.

Sometimes, though, when you're reviewing something episode by episode, lots of recap is appropriate. Plot happenings are sometimes what's really notable about an episode.

 

[Triton55]

In Ep. 6, Lucille refers to needing GOB ready to take over as president "if something should happen to Lucille 2 while building the wall." Plus, we don't know what she did at the end of Cinco de Cuatro, do we?

I think I'll that one onto my Lucille 2 theory list after Michael hiding her in the banana stand and Sally Sitwell/Tony Wonder.

 

[big ander]

I'm already picking flaws in that fan timeline though, I think. Like, George Michael claims he only lies about FakeBlock for a few weeks when he's talking to Gob on the pier on Cinco. But the fan timeline says he lied about it for years.

You're killing me, Buster!

Haha yes.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

You're killing me, Buster!

It's such a crime Buster didn't get more face time

 

[Recon]

I'm already picking flaws in that fan timeline though, I think. Like, George Michael claims he only lies about FakeBlock for a few weeks when he's talking to Gob on the pier on Cinco. But the fan timeline says he lied about it for years.

Haha yes.

Yeah, GM started lying about it during his senior year, which was the most current timeline in Season 4.

 

[big ander]

As I go through the entire thread I'm trying to remind myself that every has their own opinion and each is equally valid. but I can't keep that mentality through this:

Do they go out of their way to make Maibe unattractive? The first time she came on I thought she was a maid or something and had to do a double take.

shawkat was looking so good through the entire season. She really was. it's almost a problem how cute she is in these episodes.

 

[Incendiary]

Lindsay did the Lucille2 banner behind the "You're killing me Buster" banner. This is setup for the finale when Lucille2's body disappears...When Buster is on the security cam the banner is hanging and says "You're killing me Buster".

Holy shit...that's amazing. I can definitely tell a rewatch is in order with careful paying attention because they undoubtedly outdid themselves with small references like that.

I'm already picking flaws in that fan timeline though, I think. Like, George Michael claims he only lies about FakeBlock for a few weeks when he's talking to Gob on the pier on Cinco. But the fan timeline says he lied about it for years.

Yeah, FakeBlock doesn't take off until he tutors Maeby, which isn't until her most recent year of high school/his senior year of college.

 

[ivysaur12]

Lol, some fantastic hyperbole back in this thread. like this:

amazing.

TV criticism is definitely not up to snuff, no argument there. I think people like Sepinwall and Seitz and Mo Ryan are doing their best to figure out how to be lucid and not just recap while delivering stuff on a tight schedule, but it's a weird operation.

Heh, I had seen he was mega bitter and faux-incisive but your post had me look up an actual picture of the guy. HAH. Deflates that twitter account considerably.

that was what I thought, but they did a pretty good job keeping them apart for 8 straight hours here!

Yup. He's a bitter old man trying to live from a 1990s network television world. Looking him up really deflates his persona. His "MASKYS" are kind of amusing (though I often disagree), but his AD tweets were moronic. But again, that might be due to the method of content delivery as a thread to the traditional model.

I think the shows he's championed at Fox are proof enough. Kevin Reilly is someone whom I respect and really want to have run a cable channel.

 

[I am Christina Aguilera]

I'm already picking flaws in that fan timeline though, I think. Like, George Michael claims he only lies about FakeBlock for a few weeks when he's talking to Gob on the pier on Cinco. But the fan timeline says he lied about it for years.

Yeah, the idea that Tobias would have spent 4 years dating DeBrie over paying attention to his daughter just makes me really depressed.

 

[blamite]

Holy shit...that's amazing. I can definitely tell a rewatch is in order with careful paying attention because they undoubtedly outdid themselves with small references like that.

Yep, I just got that this:

Is a reference to Lucille saying "well go cry in your pie" to Buster after the boat crash.

 

[hamchan]

I really hope they just do Season 5 next instead of trying for a movie. Mainly because I don't think the form of comedy Arrested Development has is very suited to a movie and also because I just don't think it will do very well at the box office, especially considering the amount of plot points they have to wrap up, character backstory, and the likelihood that they will include in-jokes as Arrested Development always likes to do, I just don't think there will be a huge audience for it. Also mainly because I'd prefer 15 x 30min episodes rather than a 2 hour movie.

 

[timetokill]

It was a crime though at the lack of Buster. You BARELY saw him up until episode freaking 14. Then the fact he only had one episode was sad when others got more

Supposedly his schedule was the most booked of anybody, or something like that. Perhaps amusingly enough.

 

[ivysaur12]

Supposedly his schedule was the most booked of anybody, or something like that. Perhaps amusingly enough.

Veep.

 

[Incendiary]

It's such a crime Buster didn't get more face time

You could definitely tell Tony Hale was the hardest to schedule due to his low amount of appearances. On the other hand, it fits right in with Buster's character that, by himself, he wouldn't get up to much since he's always been overly dependent on Lucille/the rest of the Bluths.

shawkat was looking so good through the entire season. She really was. it's almost a problem how cute she is in these episodes.

Yeah I'm...ridiculously more attracted to her after watching season 4. She looks really, really good, so much that I was almost rooting for George-Michael to finally succeed in scoring. Speaking of, I find it kind of interesting that all the main characters get laid this season except for Tobias.

Also somewhat related, they did a good job making Mae Whitman plain as Egg because recently she's been looking stellar as well.

 

[big ander]

I really hope they just do Season 5 next instead of trying for a movie. Mainly because I don't think the form of comedy Arrested Development has is very suited to a movie and also because I just don't think it will do very well at the box office, especially considering the amount of plot points they have to wrap up, character backstory, and the likelihood that they will include in-jokes as Arrested Development always likes to do, I just don't think there will be a huge audience for it. Also mainly because I'd prefer 15 x 30min episodes rather than a 2 hour movie.

on some level I want to agree. As a viewer, my first choice would be a season 5. But– Hurwitz seems to have been bouncing the movie idea around for so long that I have this feeling it would be really special. And that it could be an ideal topper to season 4. We'll see what happens.

 

[equippedwithtowel]

Season 5 ends with a 90 minute episode directed by Edgar Wright.

I can taste the happy from here.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

Supposedly his schedule was the most booked of anybody, or something like that. Perhaps amusingly enough.

Such a shame. I do agree, it made what he did even more amazing with the short schedule.

Also, yes, Egg and Maeby were both looking amazing.

 

[- J - D -]

That would be Season 3.

No way. That's crazy, you're crazy, people are CRAZY.

 

[Terrordactyl]

Season 5 ends with a 90 minute episode directed by Edgar Wright.

I can taste the happy from here.

Love edgar wright, but this is an awful idea.

 

[Socreges]

Damn. Just realized why "Getaway" hasn't made it online yet (AFAIK). Every instance of the song is overlapped with narration or dialogue or Gob singing along.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

Damn. Just realized why "Getaway" hasn't made it online yet (AFAIK). Every instance of the song is overlapped with narration or dialogue or Gob singing along.

I don't care! All we need are a good two lines for a ringtone! gahhh~

 

[big ander]

Damn. Just realized why "Getaway" hasn't made it online yet (AFAIK). Every instance of the song is overlapped with narration or dialogue or Gob singing along.

Need an official single of it. Need to bump some Mark Cherry no last names.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Also makes sense Buster isn't seen or heard very much this season because he is a Milfred man.

Veep.

Anyone notice if there was a Veep reference in Busters episode? I remember Buster saying something like "She needs her lipstick!" when Lucille is arrested. It immediately made me think it was a reference to an episode of Veep where he is obsessed with a lipstick. Might be a stretch there, but that also seemed out of place

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Damn. Just realized why "Getaway" hasn't made it online yet (AFAIK). Every instance of the song is overlapped with narration or dialogue or Gob singing along.

I don't care! All we need are a good two lines for a ringtone! gahhh~

Found a bad copy of it:

https://soundcloud.com/bernardolv/stay-away-get-away

Someone needs to tweet somebody to get a clean copy already.

 

[Mariolee]

Ok, I think Michael and Lucille 2 had sex in the banana stand, and that's how he ended up in the shirt.

Actually, was the banana stand in this season at all? Odd considering it was such a large part of the prerelease marketing.

Nope, because how did her body end up back on the staircar where Buster saw it? Notice how no one after Cinco de Cuatro, neither Michael nor the Narrator, states explicitly that he had sex with Lucille 2?

Again, my theory is that...

I THINK I FIGURED OUT THE MYSTERY OF LUCILLE 2'S DISAPPEARANCE. Let me get the things that everyone has agreed on out of the way first: I'm almost positive that Lucille 2 suffered from vertigo from Michael trying to have sex with her again or whatever, fell down the stair car, Michael got nervous and hid the body while it was dark somehow in between fireworks, accidentally framed Buster, and then took a forget-me-now and forgot the whole thing.
Now here's the kicker: I think I know where he hid the body. Continuing off of what I said before, Michael probably hid her body in the Banana Stand which is why he inexplicably changed to a Banana Stand shirt when he gets back to the Bluth house!!!! It would also serve as a meta joke since Lucille 2 represents a lot of money for Michael and THERE'S ALWAYS MONEY IN THE BANANA STAND. Triton255 from NeoGAF also added that "Puts the "You're a crook, Captain Hook!" scene in a whole new light. With Buster as the defendant and Michael trying to convince everyone that he's guilty. Not that he necessarily would knowingly betray Buster, but still the same brother vs brother concept."
I think we cracked it.

 

[Socreges]

I don't care! All we need are a good two lines for a ringtone! gahhh~

K working on that now

 

[The Real Abed]

"It's true, this is a magical trick.. if what Jesus did was a trick. I say it wasn't!"


"It was an illusion!"

"Ooh, they did not like that one!"

"I do not take notes from you, Centurion.."



"Have you ever been to that club 'And', owned by Jeremy Pee-von?"

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

hahahah sunuvabitch just saw this on r/arresteddevelopment:

Marky Bark and the Fünke Bunch

"It's true, this is a magical trick.. if what Jesus did was a trick. I say it wasn't!"


"It was an illusion!"

Loved this one my rewatch.

 

[The Real Abed]

I love that he says "I won't forget this" as he leaves the mexican drug store where he had just purchased Forget-Me-Now's.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

Found a bad copy of it:

https://soundcloud.com/bernardolv/stay-away-get-away

Someone needs to tweet somebody to get a clean copy already.

Thanks for that.

You know what else was good? The Invisible girl song that plays at the end of Lucille's episode. "Don't want to be....Invisible..." Pretty good.

 

[Lijik]

EDIT: Oh Christ, I just noticed the wood block on George Michael's.

The most immediate payoff in rewatching episode 1 yesterday for me was the woodblock they play when George Michael first appears in his dorm answering Michael

 

[brianjones]

anyone notice the mad men reference there was a guy who looked just like roger sterling

 

[big ander]

Wonder if there's any significance to the movie poster that's prominent in George Michael's dorm, haven't seen it discussed yet. It's a poster for Almodovar's "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" which I don't know much about.imdb, a mental hospital patient is released and kidnaps a porn actress. Anyone seen it? I've only seen one or two Almodovar.