Arrested Development Appreciation Thread

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Ep 2 of season 2 was very funny...loved Thomas Jane as the homeless guy as Thomas Jane as the homeless guy. Loved that shot of Tobias with his back to the camera that showed he couldn't get all of the blue makeup off. It's sweet the way Michael gets warm and squishy inside every time he sees how much Gob wants is father's approval. Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica Walter are brilliant together. I saw the house collapsing coming a mile away, but didn't expect to see Oscar and Lucille inside. Buster in the army...I'm on the floor already.



So glad you're loving this. Yeah, it's wild how often weird ideas totally work. The Thomas Jane thing struck me as too silly, too meta, but...it works. It all works. I kept thinking, during those first three seasons, it was going to push something too far, and it pretty much always pulled it back (until maybe the third season, a bit, but even that wasn't that bad).



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
My only real issue with Arrested Development is that I can not see Anthony Hale as anyone BUT Buster.
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Ep 3 had more than its share of laughs...it was nice to see Malik Yorba in a nice change of pace as Ice the Bounty Hunter and I love that he doesn't even acknowledge Lindsey's drooling over him. Don't really understand Michael's resentment of Anne, you'd think he'd be happy that George Michael might have finally found someone. Am loving the complexity of the relationship between Michael and Gob and hope that it continues to be explored. Tobias is killing me with that blue makeup.

BEST LINE: "I never thought I'd miss a hand so much."



Ep 4 was hysterical...I'm so glad the writers were smart enough to not try and make us think that George was actually dead. Was surprised that Michael is protecting him though and, again, I think I missed something, but what does Michael have against Ann? Is he just one of those "no woman is good enough for my son" fathers? It's sure starting to look like that.
Loved the sad walk with the Charlie Brown music on the audio. And I don't know why, but I really want to see Lindsey and Ice get together.


BEST LINE: "You know what? I'm going to throw on a skirt, take off my underwear, and make your Pop Pop proud."



My only real issue with Arrested Development is that I can not see Anthony Hale as anyone BUT Buster.
I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean by this...does another actor take over the role later on?



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean by this...does another actor take over the role later on?



lol, no. I just mean after watching this series for so long, any time I see this actor in any other role, it is difficult for me NOT to see and hear Buster.



Ep 5 was a little confusing but still funny...it seems like every time I watch an episode of this show that I missed something in the last episode...when did Oscar suddenly decide he doesn't want to be with Lucille anymore? What kind of mother is Lindsey, wanting to steal her daughter's boyfriend? Loved her hoarse voice though. I wonder how many eggs Michael went through trying to get breakfast to his father? Henry Winkler continues to amuse as the world's most inept attorney...:If you know where your father is, give me a high five."



Ep 6 was really twisted...is it just me or is Michael's obsession with George Michael spending every second of the day with him bordering on the unnatural? I loved everyone figuring out what the lyrics to "Afternoon Delight" really mean and the twisted quadranngle between George, Maeby, George Michael, and Lindsey was funny as hell. Loved Gob's sexual harassment speech to the staff and the way the camera shifted between George and the individual employees. The office Christmas party was really funny too...poor Lindsey couldn't get anybody to lay a hand on her...funny stuff.



Will Arnett totally stole ep 7 whether it was Gob whining about wanting the presidency back, sexually harassing female softball players, or pretending to throw the big game, everything Arnett did in this episode was on the money. I love the way George continues to manipulate Michael and Gob and, if the truth be told, the rest of his family, still pretending to be dead and living in the attic, though I still want to see George and Oscar come face to face. The scene with Jessica Walter and JK Simmons was funny and as long as the Bluths have been living in that model home, why is it just now falling apart whenever anybody touches anything. Took me almost five minutes to recognize Ed Begley Jr under that ugly hairpiece.


BEST LINE: "Nobody's going to make a fool out of our family without my help."



Tobias' new acquisition and the return of Liza Minnelli as Lucille 2 were the highlights of ep 8...Tobias just kills me. does this guy ever listen to the some of the things that come out of his mouth? Does anyone else listen to the things that come out of his mouth? Is this guy ever going to take a realistic look at himself? It's time for somebody to find George in the attic and I'm still waiting for a confrontation between George and his brother. I can't believe Gob came between Michael and Lucille 2...poor Michel, tis guy just can't catch a break. Loved when Michael was in the bar with Lucille 2 while Tobias was onstage doing a karaoke of "New York New York."



Ep 9 had more than its share of laughs but this whole George in the attic thing is really beginning to stretch credibility...are we supposed to believe with ALL the people who are living in that model home that NO ONE saw a HOTTUB being taken up to the attic? Is there anyone Jason Bateman doesn't have chemistry with? Loved Bateman and Christine Taylor together. They keep teaming him up with all these terrific actresses and makes all their scenes work, but then they're gone in an episode or two. I guess that this is a running gag of the show, how romantically challenged Michael is. Whacked out Lindsey at the auction was a riot



Just watched ep 10 and I may be in the minority here, but Martin Short was absolutely cringe-worthy as Uncle Jack, Short has not been so not funny since he played the wedding planner with the bizarre accent in the Steve Martin remake of Father of the Bride. I was fun seeing everyone kissing Lucille 2's ass, but the best scene for me was the first one with Michael and Tobias, which produced the episode's best line:


BEST LINE: "You know what you do? You buy yourself a tape recorder and you record yourself for one whole day."



Ep 11 was kind of fun...it's time for somebody to discover George is in the attic. I feel like I missed something again...why does George Michael now want to distance himself from Anne? Don't understand why Maggie is trying to trap Michael with a baby. If memory serves, their brief relationship ended on a pretty sour note. And Maeby is a test tube baby...well that explains a lot.



Just finished ep 12...Buster with a hook for hand is a dangerous thing. Also a very funny thing. I'm glad Maggie wasn't really pregnant because that's the last thing Michael needs right now. That whole thing was a little confusing, but very funny...I'm still not sure who Loretta is and I also am confused as to how their investigation into Maggie has somehow re-ignited the flame in Lindsey and Tobias' marriage. Loved remaking The Old Man and the Sea as The Young Man and the Beach. Henry Winkler was funny as hell in the courtroom.

BEST LINE: "Mom, after all these years, God's not going to answer your call."

BEST LINE RUNNER UP: "Awww, is that our little bundle of...two gay cops' baby!"



Ep 13 was pretty funny. I thought it was an inspired choice to have Tobias be the first person other than Michael to know about George in the attic. Now more than one character mentioned it in this episode alone, so why is Tobias still so clueless about who he is. Loved the guy playing Tobias in the movie...it reminded me of Jerry and George casting the sitcom on Seinfeld and how TV Kramer couldn't stand real Kramer. Lindsey's new attraction to Tobias is a puzzler as well. I also have to give a shout out to the severely underrated Michael Cera as George Michael...how this guy manages to keep a straight face amidst all the insanity going on around is really a credit to him as an actor. Big bouquet as well to the brilliant Jessica Walter as her obsession about winning Motherboy was a little over the top but Walter made it work, like she always does.



14 was very funny...David Cross' Mrs. Doubtfire/Mary Poppins mashup had me on the floor. Interesting that Lindsey and Michael recognized Tobias immediately, but Maeby didn't. This back and forth between Michael and Gob is so twisted. It's very convenient how every time Michael has found a way to get Gob out of his hair at the company, something always comes up where he needs him. Loved that negative campaign ad that Gob made for George Michael. And I'm finally beginning to see why Michael doesn't like Ann...she's a total buzzkill, but I think there's some other reason Michael doesn't like her. On the other hand, I still think Michael spends a little too much time worrying about his son...Michael needs to get laid.

BEST LINE: "See the fact that you think you can makes me think I shouldn't let you."


BEST LINE RUNNER UP: "So you wanna grab a curtain rod? Come over to my place?"



Ep 15 was very funny, but I swear I must be falling asleep during certain episodes because there's a lot of stuff going on here that I think I'm missing. The Tobias character is all over the place...last episode he was pretending to be Mrs. Doubtfire so that he could be closer to his family and this episode all he wants is a job as Michael's assistant at the company. I have to admit that the family makes some sense about Michael's need to control. It actually put him in the hospital, even though Michael's need to keep a tight rein on his family is completely necessary. He was going to teach George Michael how to drive without letting George Michael behind the wheel? Loosen the bone, Michael. The magic show with Gob and Buster was funny as hell, as was Ben Stiller as Tony Wonder...hope we're going to see more of him.



OK, I can't lie, ep 16 had me on the floor...well it took a season and a half for it to happen, but I finally got my long-awaited face to face between George and Oscar, even if it was a little short-lived. I thought it was a little odd that Lucille was so willing to renew her vows with George after running out on the family. Tobias is an idiot...even when George saw him and said "Hi Tobias", he refuses to believe that he's not fooling anyone with Mrs. Featherbottom.
Alan Tudyk was great as Ann's father and I loved when he unloaded on Michael in the finale. I have to admit I'm still in the dark as to why Michael so dead against George Michael's relationship with Ann, but I'm beginning to think it might have nothing to do with Ann. It's just this obsession to keep George Michael all to himself which is a little squirm-worthy. Michael REALLY needs to get laid.