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Arrested Development |OT| Season 4 - May 26 - Netflix Unmakes A Huge Mistake

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Maddocks

Member
one of my favorite gags have to be with George Michael when they do real time silence. So silly how its all narrated and hes just looking off into space.
 

Enco

Member
To each his/her own I suppose. I thought the ending was great.

What issues did you have with it?
We didn't really get any closure. Nothing happened.

George Michael punching his dad? Is that meant to be a satisfying ending after a huge break of years? It was an unnecessarily sad ending for comedy.
 

Zeppu

Member
We didn't really get any closure. Nothing happened.

George Michael punching his dad? Is that meant to be a satisfying ending after a huge break of years? It was an unnecessarily sad ending for comedy.

You should watch the credits.
 
I thought the dark ending for multiple characters was sort of the point of the narrative for this season. This was a family of some not so great people that had some really weird and messed relationships with each other, but they relied on each other and that kept their lives somewhat together. Without each other, their lives completely fall apart.

Very excited to see where they go with it next.
 

Cheebo

Banned
We didn't really get any closure. Nothing happened.

George Michael punching his dad? Is that meant to be a satisfying ending after a huge break of years? It was an unnecessarily sad ending for comedy.
You really shouldn't have turned it off before it was over.
 
I did and it made it slightly better but it's still disappointing.

That being said, I look forward to where this goes next. They have to make a new season.

I felt how you did at first. Upon rewatching everything I definitely felt different about it. I'm still sad that it came to that, but how far Michael as fallen. So much to answer, I'm looking forward to what's next :)
 

CzarTim

Member
This season is meant to be a precursor to the movie, that's why the ending was abrupt.

Once the movie comes out, it won't bother anyone any more.
 

Arkos

Nose how to spell and rede to

Zebra

Member
This season is meant to be a precursor to the movie, that's why the ending was abrupt.

Once the movie comes out, it won't bother anyone any more.

I really don't think we will be getting a movie after all, at least I certainly hope we won't. Another season would be best.

I don't see the film format fitting for AD.
 

Zebra

Member
The rhythm of typical AD editing is so quickly paced that only getting a 90-120 minute film could hardly feel satisfying. It would be over in the blink of an eye.

We would all be complaining that [insert favorite character here] didn't get enough screen time or jokes.
 

Jak140

Member
Just finished and the series overall was pretty good.

HOWEVER.. HOLY FUCKING SHIT! That ending was fucking horrendous. I mean wow. Easily the worst ending to anything I have ever seen.

How on earth did they think that was a good place to finish the season. What a joke.

Other than that awful ending, when you think about it, everyone on the show is a piece of shit. Plenty of funny moments though. The first few episodes weren't great but it definitely got better and I'm happy we have this season.

Lets hope we get another season.
That's funny--the ending is my favorite thing about this season, I thought the last pre-credits scene was perfect. There is a lot to dislike about season 4, it's less consistently funny, it's front loaded with too much setup, it's over-reliant on narration, and the interactions between the cast that made the show what it is are all but absent. The season suffers from a severe lack of Buster for the first 13 episodes (you can always tell a Milford man) and Gob for the first half dozen. The big laughs are still there, but are mired in filler (perhaps this is where the Netflix format hurt more than help, since a timeslot would have required them to trim the fat.) It's not the same show, but it's still is great in its own way; the constraint of the cast availability forced them into being ambitious, resulting in something that's never been done before and actually serves to keep the show fresh rather than allowing it to just become a retread of what had come before. It's satisfying to see the pieces click into place, realizing what you missed and how that makes what came before even funnier (a great example being George Michael's "company" pool party).

That said it also forced them to make the show darker--there had to be good reasons for keeping the characters separated. An example being the lack of interaction between Maeby and Tobias for what seems yearlong stretches; before he had always been oblivious, but he cared about his daughter in his own inept way. Either through accident or design, the new format makes him seem an even worse father; I don't think they had a single scene speaking together, although looking back he was trying to see her when he ran into John Beard. So that became the theme of this season, the relationships that once held these people together were falling apart, and the one relationship that was always the heart of the show, between Michael and his son was all but completely severed in the final shot. They took what was a constraint in cast scheduling and turned it into a kind of strength. Even if there is never another season or movie (and I do want to there to be more), it could be considered a perfect thematic end to the series, it all depends on what note you want the series to end on. If it does come back though, I do think they will either have to bring the ensemble back or build to it being back in order for it to work thematically.
 
That's funny--the ending is my favorite thing about this season, I thought the last pre-credits scene was perfect. There is a lot to dislike about season 4, it's less consistently funny, it's front loaded with too much setup, it's over-reliant on narration, and the interactions between the cast that made the show what it is are all but absent. The season suffers from a severe lack of Buster for the first 13 episodes (you can always tell a Milford man) and Gob for the first half dozen. The big laughs are still there, but are mired in filler (perhaps this is where the Netflix format hurt more than help, since a timeslot would have required them to trim the fat.) It's not the same show, but it's still is great in its own way; the constraint of the cast availability forced them into being ambitious, resulting in something that's never been done before and actually serves to keep the show fresh rather than allowing it to just become a retread of what had come before. It's satisfying to see the pieces click into place, realizing what you missed and how that makes what came before even funnier (a great example being George Michael's "company" pool party).

That said it also forced them to make the show darker--there had to be good reasons for keeping the characters separated. An example being the lack of interaction between Maeby and Tobias for what seems yearlong stretches; before he had always been oblivious, but he cared about his daughter in his own inept way. Either through accident or design, the new format makes him seem an even worse father; I don't think they had a single scene speaking together, although looking back he was trying to see her when he ran into John Beard. So that became the theme of this season, the relationships that once held these people together were falling apart, and the one relationship that was always the heart of the show, between Michael and his son was all but completely severed in the final shot. They took what was a constrant in cast scheduling and turned it into a kind of strength. Even if there is never another season or movie (and I do want to there to be more), it could be considered a perfect thematic end to the series, it all depends on what note you want the series to end on. If it does come back though, I do think they will either have to bring the ensemble back or build to it being back in order for it to work thematically.

My feelings EXACTLY.

Ending with Mikey and GM was absolutely perfect. Astonishing to see such a bold development of these characters.
 

Pie and Beans

Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Killing Arrested Development as my favourite show ever now I have to take into account every single season together was perhaps not worth this Netflix subscription.

Terrible.

Well I guess The Wire wins out now since it knew not to come back!
 

Slacker

Member
Killing Arrested Development as my favourite show ever now I have to take into account every single season together was perhaps not worth this Netflix subscription.
That sentence needs more editing than the first three episodes of season 4 put together. In other words, huh? :)

Did you make it through the whole season? Most concede that it takes a while to get going. I agree with a lot of the criticism I've read, but I'm happy overall with the result, and can't wait for season 5 (I'm just going to talk like it's a done-deal. Come on, Universe!).
 

Robot Pants

Member
Killing Arrested Development as my favourite show ever now I have to take into account every single season together was perhaps not worth this Netflix subscription.

Terrible.

Well I guess The Wire wins out now since it knew not to come back!

Sucks for you man. To me it seems you weren't that big of a fan to begin with if eventually you didn't end up liking this. Of course if you haven't watched the whole thing I can understand; you need to watch all of it.
And I was the first person in this thread to express my hate (which turned out to be premature) for this new format when it first aired.
 
The thing I'm wondering about, is Mitch had all this written and planned within the past 2 years. So when scheduling came around and he couldn't get everyone as long as he wanted, I wonder how much material he had to scrap? or save for later? Tony Hale keeps being mentioned as someone who had little time. So I wonder what else had might have had planned for Ol' Buster and the others.
 
LOFLLLL

I just realized the title of an actual episode is "It Gets Better" which, among so many other references it's making, is what every single person has been telling every single other person who's wondering if they should watch the season.

GOD DAMN GENIUS.

I remember some interview with Hurwitz where he said they were aware the first three episodes were a little weak on their own but they tried. I didn't know what he mmeant until I watched it myself.
 

JABEE

Member
Can't they just film the show during the times that they aren't filming Veep. There was too little Buster and GOB in this season. I hope this is successful enough so that they can pay the actors to set aside time to devote to Season 5. I don't want a movie. I want another season.
 
I remember some interview with Hurwitz where he said they were aware the first three episodes were a little weak on their own but they tried. I didn't know what he mmeant until I watched it myself.

Its amazing how much better the other episodes are getting.

I think its also you stop comparing them to the previous seasons and start viewing them as they are.
 
I just love the realization that the sweat cave from George Sr's episodes is actually the Jesus Cave from Gob's episode sold on Craigs list. lol.

Also getting back to the Brilliant names of the episodes, Episode 11 "A New Attitude" lolz.
 

Pie and Beans

Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
That sentence needs more editing than the first three episodes of season 4 put together. In other words, huh? :)

Did you make it through the whole season? Most concede that it takes a while to get going. I agree with a lot of the criticism I've read, but I'm happy overall with the result, and can't wait for season 5 (I'm just going to talk like it's a done-deal. Come on, Universe!).

Sucks for you man. To me it seems you weren't that big of a fan to begin with if eventually you didn't end up liking this. Of course if you haven't watched the whole thing I can understand; you need to watch all of it.
And I was the first person in this thread to express my hate (which turned out to be premature) for this new format when it first aired.

I watched the whole thing. It was, as the show coins the term for itself, a hot mess. Michael's character was made far stupider than the original show to create plot contrivances, the entire George Michael and Rebel plotline was about as unbelievable and terrible as it gets, and whole thing never managed to execute on the crescendo one would assume the clusterfuck before it was building to.

I wish they'd waited until maybe the cast was far more available to all be filmed together, or perhaps got back some more of the old writers, directors, and whatnot because it clearly seemed to need them.

Scenes that dragged on far too long like self masturbation, other jokes that were just not nuanced at all (all Anne jokes, all of them: bad), and just a great big shitstain on what I had considered the greatest comedy of all time. Now I have to add the "first three seasons" proviso.

I enjoyed one or two episodes on their own, but at that point I'm picking bits of meat out of a 10oz piece of gristle.
 

Arkos

Nose how to spell and rede to
Scenes that dragged on far too long like self masturbation, other jokes that were just not nuanced at all (all Anne jokes, all of them: bad), and just a great big shitstain on what I had considered the greatest comedy of all time. Now I have to add the "first three seasons" proviso.

Lol isn't that redundant?

I respect your opinion, I think maybe your expectations were too high or too specific, but whatever. Opinions. Sorry.
 
Watching Gob II again with Family, just noticed at the Gothic Castle for Tony Wonder's on stage act, one of the performers is dressed up as Tobias. lolz.
 
Just finished watching the last 3 episodes. Overall I thought it was pretty great. Yes, the first few episodes dragged (Even as I was approaching the ending I realized they will probably be better on a re-watch) but after about episode 4 everything was great. The middle episodes especially were wonderful. There was maybe a bit too many loose plotlines though, I kind of expected one more episode. There better be a season 5, because that just didn't feel like a good ending to the series at all.
 
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