ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Gets "Off the Hook" (Season 4 Episodes 11-15)

Article first published as ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Gets "Off the Hook" (Season 4 Episodes 11-15) on TheTVKing.

Netflix has resurrected Arrested Development, seven years after its cancellation on FOX, and now, starting this week, presents fifteen brand new episodes. For ease of review purposes, I am breaking down my coverage into three articles covering five episodes each, and this review is for the final five installments.

I was surprised by the lack of finality at the end of the season. Yes, season four was always talked about as a "first act" for either a film or another season. There is more story to tell, and we will presumably get it. But leaving so many things open-ended, from Lucille 2's (Liza Minnelli) disappearance, to George Michael's (Michael Cera) app, to Rebel (Isla Fisher) being torn between father and son, to Gob's (Will Arnett) relationship with Tony Wonder (Ben Stiller), to Linday's (Portia de Rossi) run for office, is unexpected.

Lucille 2's apparent murder or kidnapping is the most enticing unanswered question. She is a memorable character, and considering her increased presence and involvement in season four, it makes it even harder to lose her now. I hope, whatever has happened to her, she's all right, and will survive to get into more wacky situations with the Bluth family in the future.

That's not to say some arcs haven't run their course. While we may get some more milk out of them, Tobias's (David Cross) return to show business with the Fantastic Four musical seems doomed, Michael's (Jason Bateman) movie may be done, the wall Lucille (Jessica Walter) wants to build could be finished, and Maeby's (Alia Shawkat) run as a CEO seems a failure. Yet, based on the way Arrested Development breathes new life into old running gags frequently, these things might not be over with yet, either.

Overall, the final five installments feel much the same as the first ten, partially owing to the fact that they tell the tales of different characters than the early ones. Episode eleven, "A New Attitude," completes Gob's story, but the other four all have new characters at their center, whom were not featured until now. It's a little strange that all of the characters who have two episodes this year have their installments set close together, but it seems to work.

Part of why the flow is not interrupted is because the earliest episodes begin with Michael, and the latest end with George Michael, which may be Michael's most connected-to character in this season. Michael and George Michael have a bit of a falling out, which is finally addressed, but not resolved, in George Michael's episodes, number 13 "It Gets Better" and number 15 "Blockheads." It's this father-son through line that makes the year feel somewhat complete. Plus, Michael appears in almost all fifteen episodes, so he is the thread that keeps everything together.

George Michael's episodes are important because it finally feels like he joins the adult members of the Bluth family in all their craziness. He has his own eccentricities, but his have always seemed tamer and separate from his father, aunt, uncles, and grandparents. Now, though, dating the same girl as Michael, much as Gob and Michael once did, and letting a lie create an entire company, raises him up to their level. I'm not sure this is a good thing, but it does feel like he has a bigger part to contribute.

It's interesting that George Michael finally gets over Maeby at the same time Maeby might actually be interested in him. She won't like him any longer when she realizes he's a big liar, probably, though who knows? However, it's nice to see their dynamic change, and character growth for them.

Maeby's development isn't so much arrested, as moving into a new chapter. In "Señoritis," her episode, the twelfth, she is getting a lifetime achievement award in the film industry, a sure sign that her career is over. She's way too young to be done working and has a bit of an identity crisis, which is what pushes her into trying to run George Michael's non-existent company. This is a Maeby more desperate and insecure than we've seen her before, which is a fascinating direction to take her in.

Buster's (Tony Hale) turn, the fourteenth installment, "Off the Hook," isn't particularly notable. Of all the Arrested Development stars, Buster gets the least to do in this fourth season, rarely seen in other installments. His feature is a very typical, predictable Buster story, with the episode title alluding to the hilarious new attachment on Buster's wrist when he gets rid of his hook. But it doesn't break any fresh ground for him, basically repeating past arcs.

Gob's arc with Tony is one of my favorite Arrested Development bits ever. I adore the way Arnett and Stiller play these roles so sincerely, showing vulnerable men who don't like themselves and love themselves at the same time, unsure what friendship feels like. I doubt they will become a full-fledged couple, as neither really seems gay, but their stunted emotional maturity makes their dealings both awkward and very funny at the same time.

The supporting character I want to see more of in the next Arrested Development incarnation is Steve Holt (Justin Grant Wade). We glimpse him a couple of times, but it's more of a reminder of his existence, than any actual plot. Biological father Gob is wrapped up in his own stuff, so there is no time for Steve, but I'd really like to see the two of them forced to work things out in some manner. Ah, well.

In the end, it feels really good to have Arrested Development back, and I'm grateful for these fifteen episodes, but at the risk of sounding spoiled, it isn't enough. Because of the lack of closure, there absolutely has to be more. It's almost guaranteed to happen, but until production begins, it leaves me a little on edge. The season three finale was more conclusive.

All fifteen episodes of Arrested Development's fourth season are available on Netflix now.

"A New Start" For ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (Season 4 Episodes 1-5)

Article first published as "A New Start" For ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (Season 4 Episodes 1-5) on TheTVKing.

Netflix has resurrected Arrested Development, seven years after its cancellation on FOX, and now, starting today, presents fifteen brand new episodes. For ease of review purposes, I am breaking down my coverage into three articles covering five episodes each.

This new Arrested Development brings back all the beloved characters from the sitcom, but because of scheduling difficulties, each installment focuses on one specific player. Other cast members come in and out often, but there is a single person who gets the most stuff, while others are barely seen at all.

First up is "Flight of the Phoenix" with Michael (Jason Bateman), arguably the central protagonist of the ensemble. When last we leave Michael, he is trying to escape his family, a smart move considering how much they have been dragging him down. But as we see in this premiere, he is not able to stay away, and thus is pulled into self-destruction's embrace even tighter, hitting near rock bottom when forced to move into his son, George Michael's (Michael Cera), dorm room, only to eventually be kicked out.

This is wonderful development for Michael, both in keeping with the personality already established, and because it demonstrates just how much like the rest of the family he is. Michael has striven very hard to set himself apart and seem "normal," but that just isn't how life shakes out for him, and even after George Michael finally grows a bit of a spine and in a roundabout way asks Michael to leave, Michael still doesn't get the hint.

Michael seems better when episode four, "The B. Team," picks up his tale, but it has to be denial, rather than success, driving the change. Intent on becoming a movie producer, working with Ron Howard (the narrator of Arrested Development playing himself here) to put together a picture about the Bluth family, specifically Michael's relationship with George Michael. Hopefully, through this experience, Michael will finally see that he is just as bad a father as his dad is, albeit in different ways, and Ron Howard's interest will serve as a wake-up call to him, leading to understanding and lasting development.

I absolutely adore "The B. Team" because of all of the meta references in it. Besides Howard, we see Brian Grazer (himself), and their offices at Imagine Entertainment. Whether or not the picture gets made, which I feel it will, and that the flashback scenes with Kristen Wiig, Seth Rogen, and others playing the familiar characters are probably from this project, this is a clever, tongue-in-cheek extension of some of the self-referential jokes the series already does. I only wish Bryce Dallas Howard would play Ron Howard's daughter in Arrested Development, rather than Isla Fisher (Confessions of a Shopaholic) filling the role.

It's not just done for meta purposes, though, firmly ensconcing the bigger story with these bits. Through a few plot twists, Maeby's (Alia Shawkat) producer career ends up being connected, and former Bluth secretary Kitty (Judy Greer) now works there, using the job for some unknown scheme to bring down the family. And other recurring roles, such as Warden Gentles (James Lipton), Andy and Rocky Richter (Andy Richter), and Carl Weathers (Carl Weathers) figure in, as well.

In fact, that's how much of Arrested Development seems to be playing out. Season four, like the first three before it, brilliantly weaves new characters and gags into everything that has come before it, with many faces and bits returning when least expected. The list of guest stars in these first five half-hours is quite long, though each is used effectively to further the plot, rather than being distracting or plain stunt casting. I think this sort of talent effectively helps fill the gaps of the missing main players.

Episodes three and five, "Indian Takers" and "A New Start," unfold concurrently, with the former following Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) and the latter focusing on Tobias (David Cross). Each have many of the same settings and scenes, but "A New Start" does not repeat "Indian Takers," instead giving new glimpses of the bigger picture.

I think Lindsay and Tobias are meant for each other. Sure, they end up with two other lovers in these episodes (The Office's Chris Diamantopoulus and comedian Maria Bamford), but they way that they keep crossing paths and end up in the same spots proves they're connected. Perhaps they aren't sexually attracted to one another, but there's a reason they are in each other's lives, and it's kind of sweet, if a bit sad, to see how hopeless they are to escape each other, much as they might try.

These two installments aren't the only ones that cross, with a couple of focal points, the aftermath of Lucille's (Jessica Walter) arrest in the season three finale and a family meeting to discuss stimulus money, bringing everyone back together. While it's sometimes hard to pinpoint the exact timeline of the narrative, each episode tells a cohesive story, and also serves the season's arcs as a whole. Putting this together has to be a difficult feat, and I'm impressed with how well it's being done, assuming it will all wrap up neatly in the end.

The weak point of these first five is episode two, "Borderline Personalities." This is about a scheme George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) hatches with Oscar (also Tambor) being his unwilling accomplice, but despite the wonderful additions of John Slattery (Mad Men), Karen Maruyama (Pulp Fiction), and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), as well as the genius dual performance given by Tambor, I just couldn't get into the setting or story.

I think part of the accessibility problem is my general disinterest with anything set in the desert or with that harsh southwestern color scheme, so perhaps this is a personal opinion that will not be shared by other fans. However, even though I do consider it the worst of the five, I still think it is pretty darn funny.

Ten more episodes remain to check out, and they are sure to evoke as many laughs as the ostrich, an inability to recognize faces, subtle references, a secret ballot, a Google unnamed tech company car, and so much more have already gotten. I like that Netflix has them all out at once because I don't have to wait, but it's sad to think they'll be burned through in a few days and then it'll be over again. Thankfully, the first five installments prove that Arrested Development has lost nothing during the very long hiatus, and remains one of TV's smartest, most original, most complex comedies. I'm so glad it's back!

Arrested Development season four is available in its entirety on Netflix now.

Bored to Death but "Nothing I Can't Handle By Running Away"

     Season three of HBO's Bored to Death comes to a close with "Nothing I Can't Handle By Running Away." Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman) tries to make amends with his biological father, grifter Bergeron (Stacy Keach, Prison Break, Lights Out), only to get kidnapped by some thugs whom Bergeron owes money to. George (Ted Danson) springs into action to save Jonathan, and brings along Ray (Zach Galifianakis) and his league of Super Rays (including The Office's Zach Woods), who are all in costume. Even though the bad guys have guns, a happy ending is found by all, in a slapstick, roundabout way. 

     Bored to Death is one of the most original, consitently funny series on television. Part buddy comedy, part film noir, and lots of other, less identifiable parts, "Nothing I Can't Handle By Running Away" embraces all of those signature elements, crafting a heck of a finale that should satisfy any fan of the show. It's odd that Jonathan, George, and Ray have now defeated actual evil people a couple of times, and remain unscathed. Yet, somehow, they do it. And it is quality television to a point where one doesn't spend much time pondering how unrealistic it probably is.

     The showdown in the stadium is meant to bring pure joy for the viewers, and that it does. No matter that three groundskeepers happen to be in a sort of mob, and can't shoot Jonathan, who isn't a deft or fast runner. George's commentary from the press box only adds to the hilarity of the scene, giving it a surreal quality. Not to mention the unathletic quality of the various Super Rays.

     But there is much, much more to Bored to Death than humor. The friendship between Ray, George, and Jonathan is heartwarming and strong. George and Ray do not hesitate to rush to their friend's aide when he is in need, with little worry for their own safety. It's why their friendship stands the test of time, even when Ray can't make things work with Leah (Heather Burns). Instead, Ray is reduced to seeking dirty, dirty elder love, including with a new lady (Lynn Cohen, Sex and the City) in the finale.

     George, unlike Ray, is making strides with family, too. Learning from Jonathan and Ray how to be a father figure, he is able to reconnect with his daughter, Emily (Halley Feiffer, Mildred Pierce), and throw a wedding for her and her completely inappropriate fiance, Bernard (David Rasche, Rubicon, Ugly Betty). With all of this love to give, he may even manage to make things work with Josephine (Mary Steenburgen, Danson's real-life wife, and a delightful addition to the cast). Thus, George ends "Nothing I Can't Handle By Running Away" in the best place of the trio.

     Jonathan is left in a very weird spot at the end of season three. For one, he doesn't realize that Bergeron does, indeed, return to try to save him, rather than just running away. Which means, Jonathan misses a connection with his dad that will hopefully be revisited, should HBO wisely order a fourth season. Even bigger, Jonathan decides not to tell Rose (Isla Fisher, Wedding Crashers) that they are half brother and sister. It's disturbing, though not having been raised together, the incest is technical, rather than ingrained. Still, Jonathan can never really be happy with someone he knows he is related so closely to. And thus, it must end in a big, messy way, with her furious for having kept the secret, and likely not even wanting a sibling-esque relationship with him. The drama!

     Please, HBO, bring back this quirky, wonderful series for a fourth season!

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