Arrested Development Season 4 + Movie

Don't worry about it, I missed a couple myself. Like the ever-changing "Showstealer Pro Trial Version" that was very heavy in Take That Us (I just noticed the original two instances, not that the "trial" was as long as the season), or a couple of others, or even something from the first season: that Tobias was originally supposed to be a black guy in a "white" body.

I was slightly disappointed by the lack of certain jokes. Specifically, that "COME ON!" wasn't said enough, and that nobody did a chicken dance (despite George Michael getting close).

Now, one could argue that it's better for them not to rest on the laurels of all the classic gags. And I would agree. But they had an entire season to play with, and they're both things that they all do. So yeah, miffed that nobody did a really bad chicken impression. I mean COME ON!

Yeah, I too was bothered by the subversion of some of my more favorite jokes. It wouldn't have stuck out if there were more jokes specific to this season, but no major ones stand out other than the ostrich one or those heavily a part of the plot.

I'm surprised it took as long as it did to get to a "MR. F".

I figure another season might have them interact with each other more and be truer to form for the original 3 series.

Also that. That was hilarious.

Oh, I figured out that thing I didn't catch right away: Buster was responsible for George Mi—haris losing his virginity. He was the source of the drone strike that put him and his Spanish lover closer together.

edited 28th May '13 11:46:57 PM by wanderlustwarrior

You know until he brought it up, I never realized that in three years George Micheal never met Lucille II.

A few of them also took to bowing with their hands together for one reason or another with a mystical Indian chant underneath the pose.

I was also a little disappointed that the first use of "The Sound of Silence" wasn't building up to the first huge mistake in seven years. It seemed like it was, and I got super excited, since it's my absolute favourite gag, but it just got dropped in a couple minutes later without any fanfare.

The reason the season was structured the way it was is that it's an all-star cast, and it's very difficult to pull them away from projects to do something like this. They might be able to to get them together a little bit more in hypothetical future seasons, but I don't think we'll see another scene like a breakfast in the model home (where Michael, George Michael, Lindsay, Tobias, Maeby, and often GOB would wander in and out, setting up the rest of the episode's problems) until the hypothetical movie.

One gag I'm glad they didn't reuse was J. Walter Weatherman. I want to see him again, of course, but that's one that I'm willing to wait for. If they can get the timing just right, his return has a good chance of being the funniest moment in the entire series.

That was Buster? Why was his drone in Spain?

To be fair, Lucille II wasn't in Season 3 at all, at least that I can remember. Or was it Season 2... My point is that she disappeared from the series for quite some time, taking out one of the years that George Michael could have met her.

Also, is it just me, or does Michael Cera look really old in Season 4? He doesn't look that old in trailers for This Is The End, so it's rather odd.

edited 28th May '13 11:59:54 PM by BadWolf21

Something they might have done was had Wayne Jarvis in the last episode of the season, when the Bluths are back in the news, say "the Bluths are back".

Bob Loblaw was also criminally underused. Though what little screentime he had was hilarious.

Most of the new characters were funny. I could have done without Marky Bark, though. I felt like he dragged down most of the scenes he was in. That said, he was pretty essential to the plot, and it was worth it for "Oh my god. He just blue himself."

Oh right, something I haven't been able to figure out, partly because maybe they intentionally obscured it, and partly because I wouldn't know which episodes to go back to to check, since I already checked Buster's, and Tobias and Lucille's second ones: what exactly happened to Lucille Austero?

I liked quite a few of the characters (Argyle, for example), but some felt a bit obtrusive, the more they got involved with multiple characters' plots (Perfecto, Johnny Bark). It's kind of strange that some people might have been better as a Satellite Character, to me.

It's not established. The last we see of her in the timeline is when she disappears in front of Buster.

You'll be waiting a long time. Sorry!

I think it's pretty clear — by implication only — that Sally killed her, but that Michael will now think he did it.

Nice call on that other thing about the character. I had a lot of difficulty working out what was going on in that scene, but it now makes sense.

edited 29th May '13 3:26:11 AM by Nicknacks

Really? Huh. I'd actually thought to myself "maybe they were being anvilicious about it. I guess it's just something I can pat myself on the back about?

I wasn't following that character too closely, but that might be possible. Where were the clues for that, so I may re-watch and possibly reach the same conclusion? And what happened to Lucille, after that final run in with Oscar?

Also, has anyone kept track of the family's ballooning debt? There's the $700,000 Michael owes Lucille and Argyle, but in the unlikely case that he keeps his mouth shut, can Argyle prove it? There's the amount Lindsay (I've already started accidentally writing Lucille) and Tobias took out on their house. There's Tobias' likely litigation because he couldn't get out of his own damn way about the Fantastic Four. There's George Maharis' own amount taken out on a house. There's the amount Maeby raised for George Maharis' fake Fakeblock company. There's the money George (and Lucille, depending on the divorce) is in debt for the land in Mexico, and the wall, and potentially, there's the amount GOB owes the Mongolian horde for the minimal construction of said wall.

The only real clues are that Sally is more devious than she appears (as shown when she's in bed with Tony) and that she was quick to take over Lucille 2's campaign.

As for the debt, GOB's contribution was probably wiped out by all the Sudden Valley houses he sold to sex offenders.

Except (stupid jumpy timeline) they all moved away, and he had claimed not to have any money on Cinco De Quatro. Maybe the Michael B Company or Gob's company (he claimed to have his own on the sex offender map website) does have money, though.

Still, it did take me a moment to think of something for Gob. I am surprised that this may be the one thing that he wasn't part of the problem for.

But since we don't know the terms especially considering Gob was practically giving them out to those guys to make Michael and George happy, and at least George Maharis got a Ninja Loan, we don't know how much that helped or hurt. considering the emptiness of the homes beforehand, and the fact that he didn't rack up too much debt elsewhere, it probably didn't hurt.

edited 29th May '13 1:17:37 PM by wanderlustwarrior

It doesn't matter if they moved away. They still payed for the houses.

After watching the whole season I have some mixed feelings. It seemed the whole "cutting out newcomers" complaint was completely ignored and they made a season that was impossible to follow right from the beginning. Yes, some things were eventually explained but it felt like one big joke they are playing on the viewers by skipping over bits of dialogue so that things can't make sense until later on. And I was okay with the original grand finale but this season didn't really have a conclusion but just sort of stopped. All that and one of the hallmarks of the show was the fast pace, with the longer episodes and interweaving stories what would have been a 3-4 episode arc (such as Rebel Alley) got bloated to three quarters of the season. For comparison Rita was only in 5 episodes.

That said, I liked the concept of what they were doing and enjoyed the interweaving stories as they made more sense. It certainly had a very familiar tone and it didn't feel like a completely different show. I loved the "Holy Eternal Rapture" (HER?) sight gag and that GOB and Michael's "safe place to fight" ran into the knife store next door. But the first episode that didn't have some boring parts was Maeby's spotlight episode (episode twelve) and I don't think there was really anyone who could really be considered sympathetic, even Michael and George Michael were a lot more selfish and demeaning.

Did they explain who put the cross in GOB's cave?

It was strongly implied to be Anne. The narrator makes it a point to mention GOB's devoutly Christian fiancée when he finds it. GOB, of course, thinks it's a "t".

edited 1st Jun '13 8:38:32 AM by BadWolf21

But wasn't she only angry with him for not showing up for the wedding? Why would she sabotage the act? She didn't seem to wonder where he was for weeks or where the boulder was.

edited 1st Jun '13 10:11:00 AM by occono

I don't know. But there's really only two characters who would wear a small golden cross, and the Narrator specifically brings up Anne when he finds it.

I thought it was Reverend Veal, since he actually went into the cave and it most likely worked beforehand. He probably would have a really good reason to not want GOB to marry his daughter.

Regarding Lucille Austero: somewhere had said that the some home repair people, of the same "inconspicuous" branding the government had previously used, were checking out her place. I don't recall that.

When was that?

Also, was I the only one who was bothered that the hallway set was different? Everything else was so tightly kept with what we saw in the original run that that one glaring difference made me a little sad.

What, the building couldn't have renovated?

The hallway is on the other side of where it used to be. Where there used to be a hall to the elevator, there is now a garbage or laundry chute, and people come in from the opposite direction.

So what was the mood softener?