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The Arrested Development GAF Pilgrimage: Recharging your chi one episode at a time!

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C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Grinchy said:
Wow I didn't realize this was going up tomorrow. I can't wait! I watched the first 3 seasons recently to get ready for it.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should change the thread title to something clearer. This is to rewatch all the OLD episodes. The new episodes don't go up til May 26th.

In any event, let the experiment rewatching begin!

Today's episode: "Pilot"

YN2Jz7o.png


Synopsis - Widower Michael Bluth has been working for his father's development company since he was a teenager manning the family's frozen banana stand, and he and his son George Michael have gone so far as to move into one of the company's model homes. So when his father George Sr. throws his retirement party on the family yacht, Michael expects that he will be announced as his father's successor. Instead, Michael gets two surprises: His mother is the new President, and his father is under investigation by the SEC. So Michael has to hold his wildly dysfunctional family together.
 
E

EatinOlives

Member
Decided to rewatch very recently and already watched the first three episodes, but I'll gladly hold off so I can sync with this topic.
 
O

Oozer3993

Member
Kilgore Trout said:
I can understand why people don't like "Ready, Aim, Marry Me!," but the great thing about Arrested Development is that even the worst episodes are still worthwhile. In that, the Tobias storyline was fantastic. Even though the Rita arc is another low spot, I still remember the first time I watched it and how great the payoff was:

"No Michael. That's not my trick."
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT...
Click to expand...

To this day, that is the hardest I have ever laughed. Absolutely brilliant joke.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Rorschach said:
Watching ep 1. The kids are so young! Ron Howard is so low key.
Click to expand...

nearly 10 years since its airing. It boggles the mind.



Also, fun fact. There's a joke leftover from the extended pilot that slipped through to the commercial airing. There's a reason that George Michael's packing up multiple boxes of Monopoly when he gets confronted by Lindsey in the attic. GOB was pawning them off on him in exchange for favors.

EDIT: I tried pausing to better examine the newspaper clipping that comes up when the narrator is explaining why Tobias lost his license (they tend to hide little goodies in exactly these kinds of places), but on the left is just a bunch of "lorem ipsum"-type looping text about a new highway and the rest of the newspaper is too blurry to make out anything clearly, save for some inferable words in the photo caption. This is on the Netflix release though, not sure if the DVD is any clearer.
 
E

equippedwithtowel

Member
CrunchyFrog said:
nearly 10 years since its airing. It boggles the mind.



Also, fun fact. There's a joke leftover from the extended pilot that slipped through to the commercial airing. There's a reason that George Michael's packing up multiple boxes of Monopoly when he gets confronted by Lindsey in the attic. GOB was pawning them off on him in exchange for favors.
Click to expand...

I've seen the extended pilot at least half a dozen times and this is new to me.

This fucking show man.
 
O

Oozer3993

Member
CrunchyFrog said:
nearly 10 years since its airing. It boggles the mind.



Also, fun fact. There's a joke leftover from the extended pilot that slipped through to the commercial airing. There's a reason that George Michael's packing up multiple boxes of Monopoly when he gets confronted by Lindsey in the attic. GOB was pawning them off on him in exchange for favors.

EDIT: I tried pausing to better examine the newspaper clipping that comes up when the narrator is explaining why Tobias lost his license (they tend to hide little goodies in exactly these kinds of places), but on the left is just a bunch of "lorem ipsum"-type looping text about a new highway and the rest of the newspaper is too blurry to make out anything clearly, save for some inferable words in the photo caption. This is on the Netflix release though, not sure if the DVD is any clearer.
Click to expand...

It's too blurry to make out, even in HD. On a related note, Amazon Prime has all 3 seasons in HD.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
I also love the bit about George's claim to "double jeopardy," not only for his dejected reaction but because in hindsight you KNOW that's exactly the kind of thing that Barry would suggest.

Also, one thing I thought about while GM is talking about his mother in the attic, there is never any mention of the other side of Michael's family besides his wife. We never even knew her maiden name. I wonder if they'll try to bring in some extended relatives from Michael's wife's side of the family tree in the new season, or maybe get some insight into how or why Michael's wife would marry into such a crazy family.
 
M

MattDoza

Member
The sign for the party reads: "Happy Trails Pard' ner."

I had never really paid attention the to cowboy phase stuff.
 
J

Jack Scofield

Member
Great idea. I had the idea of doing this with It's Always Sunny awhile back, but I don't think it would've garnered enough attention. I'll definitely be participating in this once I get back home tomorrow. I watched Arrested Development while it aired and I own all the seasons, so I'm ready. I'm not some Johnny-come-lately and I'm proud of that. :p
 
G

Gobias

Banned
Just watched the pilot. Funnier than I remember. Also weird how Lindsay was presented as more reasonable and almost an equal to Michael.
 
B

Blablurn

Member
Hola is the best thing ever if you're not in the USA and u wanna watch nextflix! Works great over here! I can recommend it to everyone who wants to watch AD next month.
 
O

Oozer3993

Member
CrunchyFrog said:
nearly 10 years since its airing. It boggles the mind.



Also, fun fact. There's a joke leftover from the extended pilot that slipped through to the commercial airing. There's a reason that George Michael's packing up multiple boxes of Monopoly when he gets confronted by Lindsey in the attic. GOB was pawning them off on him in exchange for favors.
Click to expand...

That's not the only joke whose setup got cut from the extended pilot. At one point during the longer cut, Michael is talking to the ship's captain and asks, "does the ship have a wireless mic? Because there's going to be something of a passing of the torch. Heck, you wouldn't happen to have a torch, would you?" Later, when George names Lucille the CEO, she gets handed a torch:

mY1MyvD.jpg
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Oozer3993 said:
That's not the only joke whose setup got cut from the extended pilot. At one point during the longer cut, Michael is talking to the ship's captain and asks, "does the ship have a wireless mic? Because there's going to be something of a passing of the torch. Heck, you wouldn't happen to have a torch, would you?" Later, when George names Lucille the CEO, she gets handed a torch:

mY1MyvD.jpg
Click to expand...

lol, every time I watch this show. I can only hope the new stuff is nearly as comically dense.
 
J

Jhoan

Member
Gobias said:
Just watched the pilot. Funnier than I remember. Also weird how Lindsay was presented as more reasonable and almost an equal to Michael.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Just finished watching it myself. This show pulls so many random punches of jokes that gel extremely well. The news reporter saying Gob and the cut to GOB cringing as he heard it had me rolling with laughter.

This is why this is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. Without the randomness and Ron Howard's narration, this should would have never been memorable. Now I want to see yet another episode.
 
K

Krev

Unconfirmed Member
Kilgore Trout said:
I can understand why people don't like "Ready, Aim, Marry Me!," but the great thing about Arrested Development is that even the worst episodes are still worthwhile. In that, the Tobias storyline was fantastic. Even though the Rita arc is another low spot, I still remember the first time I watched it and how great the payoff was:

"No Michael. That's not my trick."
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT...
Click to expand...
What's amazing about that set-up is that you get two jokes in one. At first
you think that Rita really is some kind of naive magic woman, who Michael let walk away. The lingering shot of Michael and Gob. staring after her is funny in itself. But then there's there's the reveal in the 'preview'. Gob's sudden turnaround never fails to get me.
 
K

Kilgore Trout

Member
Krev said:
What's amazing about that set-up is that you get two jokes in one. At first
you think that Rita really is some kind of naive magic woman, who Michael let walk away. The lingering shot of Michael and Gob. staring after her is funny in itself. But then there's there's the reveal in the 'preview'. Gob's sudden turnaround never fails to get me.
Click to expand...

That's why I loved that moment so much, as well. For a split second I was taken aback with the audacity of allowing for a character to do something like that.

duderon said:
I don't care for Gob...
Click to expand...

You said you liked all of the characters equally.
 
A

A Human Becoming

More than a Member
Gobias said:
Just watched the pilot. Funnier than I remember. Also weird how Lindsay was presented as more reasonable and almost an equal to Michael.
Click to expand...
I didn't see her presented that way at all. She married her husband in an act of rebellion, took money from her father's business to stay in a 5 star hotel for a month and for her halfhearted charities. :p

She is still more reasonable than Gob and Buster however.
 
S

Sullichin

Member
Hold up.. is the extended pilot not on netflix? Could have sworn it was but GOB just said candy, not cocaine. I might be wrong, this cloudmir is making me fuzzy and I've hardly no judgement at all.
 
B

Battle Born

Member
It's amazing how each time I watch it I find something new. I knew about the Monopoly thing but never about the torch thing. That's why I should always concentrate only in what I'm watching.
George Sr. really has the worst lawyer of all time and Lucille's winking is legendary.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Sullichin said:
Hold up.. is the extended pilot not on netflix? Could have sworn it was but GOB just said candy, not cocaine. I might be wrong, this cloudmir is making me fuzzy and I've hardly no judgement at all.
Click to expand...

lol, yeah the extended pilot is only on the DVD's, in which GOB says the original line "cocaine" which was dubbed with "cocaine" to satisfy the network censors.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Aaaaaaand we keep on rolling into day 2!

Today's Episode: "Top Banana"

ggPQ2Dc.png


Synopsis - Michael suspects that George Sr. is running the business from inside prison. George Michael is made manager of the banana stand, and Michael gives GOB a letter to mail after Lucille suggests that he be included in the business.
 
F

FantasticMrFoxdie

Mumber
Ahhhhh. This is where it all began. Everyones character introductions are so good. Tobias and the "How..Are..You". Gob, the alliance, and monopoly trick. Lucille playing favorites with her kids. George and his Cowboy Phase. Lindsay with her hotness and causes. Buster and his studies and drums. Maeby.


Some random favorite quotes:

"Hello, my name is Dr. Tobias Funke. I graduated with honors from Boston College and I did my post-graduate in psycho-linguistics at MIT...And this is "You're A Bad, Bad, Man" from "Annie Get Your Gun."

"The SEC?! They have boats?"

"Thats good cause alot of the pieces are missing. Ah, to play monopoly with my family again. I'd give anything to be eight."

"Illusions, dad. You don't have time for my illusions."

"It was Mr. Bluth's son, Gawb..."

"Wait, 18th century agrarian business. But I guess it’s all the same principals. Let me ask you, are you at all concerned about an uprising?"

"They cannot arrest a husband and wife....for the same crime."


Heh. Some interesting details (I never really noticed before) in these pics for future reference. (spoilers)
j8Zzgrl.png

Different attic?

wwg8rIK.png

Salad Dressing?

xc0sIoP.png

Sitwell was there from the start?!
Click to expand...

EDIT: oh lol im sort of late, but not by the O.C. standard time
 
L

Lucian Cat

Kissed a mod for a tag; liked it
I'll get in on this starting tomorrow. Been needing a rewatch before the new series and this might be a good motivation.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
FantasticMrFoxdie said:
Heh. Some interesting details (I never really noticed before) in these pics for future reference. (spoilers)
Click to expand...

Yeah all the sets from the pilot had to be completely rebuilt when the show got ordered for a full season, they all have some minor differences, especially with angles of the house not seen in any other episode of the show.

And yeah it would seem Sitwell was conceived from the very beginning. Mitch Hurwitz has claimed on multiple occasions that a lot of the show was just him flying from the seat of his pants, but every ounce of me has to believe that's complete BS. There's just no way that the layeredness and interconnectivity of various running gags and plot setups was all made up as they went along. A few of the cast member in various interviews though do talk about him having kind of a folder of "ideas." Though I think like Mitch has said a lot, the single camera mockumentary style gave them a lot of flexibility and ability to iterate on the spot, and thus allow those kinds of deep connections to organically evolve on set.
 
I

Iceman

Member
Different attic?
It looked similar to when
George was hiding out in season 2

Salad Dressing?
But I don't want to eat it.

Sitwell was there from the start?!
The bigger question was whether
Standpoor was conceived at the same time.

By the way, running total of Tobias is gay references: 2 from the pilot. (1) 00:40 "not all homosexuals are flamboyant. Oh, my God. I have the exact same blouse." Tobias is on a boat with a group of homosexuals dressed, he thinks, as pirates, protesting the yacht club. We see him try on the blouse at 8:13. (2) 12:30. He is released from prison. He thinks the universe has finally provided a path for him and his wife, Lindsay, concludes, on his behalf, "You're gay."

I need to count up the Tobias
is a black man
references (I'm not so convinced myself) and I'm really curious to see if Mitch continues down that path.

More Tobias references from Top Banana: 1?; 3 total.
(3) 2:20 "We're just about ass to ankles back here." [maeby too vague?; should this one count?]. That's the only one I got, if any.
 
T

timetokill

Banned
The way Buster segues from "18th agrarian business" to "I guess it's all the same principles" to "lemme ask you, are you all concerned about an uprising?" gets me every time.

Also, the way GOB chimes in with "good choice" when Lucille says she's putting Buster in charge. So amazing.
 
B

Blablurn

Member
Damn, the second episode is soooo damn good. Actually I think the first one is the weakest of the whole series. From 2 onwards, it just gets better and better.

NO TOUCHING!!!!
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Blablurn said:
Damn, the second episode is soooo damn good. Actually I think the first one is the weakest of the whole series. From 2 onwards, it just gets better and better.

NO TOUCHING!!!!
Click to expand...

Every person I've shown this series to I've always made sure they watch up until at least Bringing Up Buster. By then they're usually hooked.
 
B

Battle Born

Member
Top Banana is funnier than the pilot. Lucille's "Luz, that coat cost more than your house! Oh, that’s how we joke. She doesn’t even have a house."  and Michael's "You stay on top of her, buddy. Do not be afraid to ride her. Hard." are my favorite lines from the episode. George Michael's face after that second quote is priceless.
 
V

VanMastaIteHab

Neo Member
Playing catch up a little bit, just watched the pilot. The line that really got me this time was Tobias saying "HOW ARE YOU?" during the Monopoly scene. I've probably seen this episode close to 20 times and it still has me rolling in laughter sometimes, crazy.
 
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