Book Review: ‘The Wizard of Oz FAQ’ by David J. Hogan

Article originally published as Book Review: ‘The Wizard of Oz FAQ’ by David J. Hogan on Blogcritics.

Applause recently released a book called The Wizard of Oz FAQ by David J. Hogan. Subtitled All That’s Left to Know About Life According to Oz, the book is a collection of facts and stories about the MGM film The Wizard of Oz. It begins with a bit of background on the source material and early adaptations, then moves through various aspects of the movie, such as the cast, the music, the script, costumes, the director, etc., ending up with the public impact on Oz on TV. It’s a widely sweeping book, packed into a little over 400 pages.

There is a lot of new information in The Wizard of Oz FAQ. There are many things to be learned, such as the various pictures the cast participated in together, or how Toto behaved on the set. Some of what is covered will be familiar to many, such as Judy Garland’s rampant drug use at the direction of the studio. But there are so many elements talked about that most readers will probably be enlightened on a regular basis when reading through. One such example of this is learning that Judy’s daughter, Liza Minnelli, ended up being Jack Haley’s (the Tin Woodsman) daughter-in-law, which is casually mentioned at one point. Also, Buddy Ebsen, who filmed for two weeks before being replaced by Haley, still has his voice heard in select songs in the film.

However, I am not a fan of this book. The structure is weird, and the pacing is nonexistent. It’s a random compilation of various pieces that aren’t tied together in a cohesive manner. There also is no real narrative thread. You could pick parts of each chapter and string them together to tell the tale of the popular film, but that would require much effort on your part. Every event is weighed down with side trips and things most people won’t care about. Do we need several pages on what many of the individual Munchkins or the person who wrote the score did with their lives? That type of thing may be interesting to some potential readers, but the sheer number of such occurrences really hurt the overall flow of the tome, frequently slowing it down and making it boring.

I think one major problem is that the scope of the project is too large for this volume. A lot of topics are covered, many more than I mentioned in the first paragraph, but Hogan frequently sweeps over a topic and moves on. There are a list of the official Oz books, but he doesn’t go into detail about them. He mentions many productions, only giving us scant details on how they came together, rather than telling us anything deep. It’s a thin covering of a broad spectrum.

Another issue I have with The Wizard of Oz FAQ is the amount of bias in the text. One example is when the author talks about the famously cut “Jitterbug” sequence in the movie. Hogan is definitely not a fan of the scene and is glad it was cut, which is a legitimate stance to take, and I happen to agree with the points he makes. But this is a non-fiction work, so I expect facts more than opinion, and Hogan frequently lets his own thoughts and conclusions color the text, making it less informative than I’d hoped for. This is far from the only time he does this.

What’s more, the subtitle of the book is completely inaccurate. I don’t see how Oz relates to life at all from reading this. This is about Oz itself, not how it connects to the rest of the world or the way anyone lives.

In the end, I find myself reluctant to recommend The Wizard of Oz FAQ to anyone. There are some strong parts in here that have been well researched, but the format it has been published in seems like a mistake. Instead, this should have made up several smaller volumes, more fleshed out, with some type of better organization to them.

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.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Same "Double Crossers" As Always (Season 4 Episodes 6-10)

Article first published as ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Same "Double Crossers" As Always (Season 4 Episodes 6-10) on TheTVKing.

Netflix has resurrected Arrested Development, seven years after its cancellation on FOX, and now, starting yesterday, presents fifteen brand new episodes. For ease of review purposes, I am breaking down my coverage into three articles covering five episodes each, with this article focusing on episodes 6-10.

The thing that strikes me about the first four of this grouping of five is how much they seem like "typical" Arrested Development episodes. Sure, each one still centers on a single character, technically, but these middle installments include a lot more of the rest of the cast than the earliest episodes do, with more scenes and plot where the featured actor doesn't appear. As such, it allows the multiple story lines to be served and continue.

It also brings back a lot of the family dynamics fans of the show are used to. Beginning in the sixth episode, "Double Crossers," George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) manipulates his children against one another, especially Gob (Will Arnett) and Michael (Jason Bateman), who may possible now be dating the same woman, again. This is classic Bluth shenanigans, and eventually the Bluth children talk and compare notes. While family togetherness is the stated purpose of the Bluth parents, they are happy to chuck it out the door to serve their own purposes, which usually works for a time on their children.

Which is not to say that the kids don't follow in the footsteps of their parents. George Sr. may need Michael's help with his business deal, but Michael is also making agreements in order to get his film made. Soon, many bargains are being struck between the various sides, each Bluth worried only about their own selfish needs, no one helping the others out. Which will likely lead to the failing of everyone, per usual.

Why can't the Bluths just support one another? Why do they have to back stab and bicker? It makes for great, entertaining television, but sometimes it becomes a little sad, even when viewers are laughing.

We also get a return of many more recurring players and subplots. The mysterious Mister F. theme comes back in episode nine, "Smashed," when Tobias works at Lucielle 2's (Liza Minnelli) rehab clinic with her brother (Tommy Tune). Steve Holt (Justin Grant Wade) resurfaces in episode seven, "Colony Collapse," wanting to reconnect with his dad, Gob. Also in the same episode, Gob is finally forced to figure out what to do about his relationship with Anne (Mae Whitman), turning to magic to escape, much to chagrin of her father, Pastor Veal (Alan Tudyk).

Add in the new arcs, which feature new players, and this all begins to come together in the cohesive tale we are accustomed to, with each Bluth's plot running through each other Bluth's plot. Edited differently, these four episodes could easily serve most of the main cast (or at least the ones featured in them) with connected stories and situations, rather than being so concerned with just one Bluth.

In fact, although Michael is not the lead of any of the five, he bickers with Gob in "Double Crossers" and "Colony Collapse," and goes on a double date with Lindsay (Portia di Rossi) in her installment, episode eight's "Red Hairing," which we then again see in Tobias's (David Cross) "Smashed." Then, Michael finishes up his Ron Howard (himself) / Rebel (Isla Fisher) confusion. So the stories are getting more expansive and inclusive.

Episode ten, "Queen B.," though, follows Lucielle (Jessica Walter) and feels like the beginning of the end. This installment seems to finish off the boat chase plot begun in season three's finale, go through Lucille's trial, and takes her all the way up to the Cinco de Cuatro night we've seen so much of. The various threads begin to really tie together, bringing things back around and paying off bits started earlier in season four. I cannot say for sure, but it seems like season four might have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and we're moving into the end now.

Knowing season four can't go on forever, I'm hesitant to rush through the final five. It has been so satisfying returning to these characters, and I don't wish to let them go. For every old story that somewhat concludes, like Anne's involvement with the family and Lucille's long-running feud Lucille 2, we get another continuation, like Gob and Steve Holt's unfinished business, as well as another story just starting, like George Sr. and Oscar's (also Tambor) personality switch, Lucille 2's disappearance, Lindsay's run for office in Love's (Terry Crews) place, and George Michael's (Michael Cera) continuing avoidance of Michael, which seems to be carefully planned. This so much rich material to mine, and it's being handled very well.

That being said, I look forward to learning the fate of some of the newbies that may be near the end of their run, and I'm anxious for Maeby (Alia Shawkat), George Michael, and Buster's (Tony Hale) turns in the pole position, as well a second outing for Gob. Time to watch more Arrested Development!

All fifteen episodes of season four are currently available for Netflix streaming video subscribers.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 4 Takes Flight

Article first published as ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 4 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 100%

Today is a glorious day for fans of high-quality comedy series, as Netflix revives ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Canceled by FOX after just three short seasons, it now returns today with fifteen brand-new episodes, released all at once through the company’s streaming service.

It is immediately apparent from the start of the premiere, “Flight of the Phoenix,” that this is the same show that fans love and miss. Ron Howard’s narration remains, as does a tweaked version of the theme song, the entire cast, and a host of recurring bits and characters. In the first episode, we get such classic gags as the Peanuts sad walk and a revisit to Michael’s turn as a lawyer in an Elementary school play, and see familiar guests  like Barry Zuckerkorn (Henry Winkler), Lucille 2 (Liza Minnelli), and Sally Sitwell (Christine Taylor).

Not that ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT is going to rest on its laurels and just give us the same story again. There are fresh jokes that are set up to be recurring, such as Michael’s (Jason Bateman) prayer pose and his enrollment in the University of Phoenix. Which means that, going forward, the series should continue to build upon itself as it always has, keeping what works, and enriching the tapestry further.

The character development continues, too. When last the series aired, Michael had been spiraling dowwardn. He is originally introduced as the character that has it all together, but over the course of the episodes, slowly loses it, proving he is just as screwed up as the rest of his family. Now, he has reached a very low point, and is at his worst, a logical step forward based on the past.

“Flight of the Phoenix,” flashbacks aside, covers two main time periods, six months apart. In the first, Michael is living in his son, George Michael’s (Michael Cera), dorm room. In the second, lest anyone hope that he improves himself in the interim, as the ending of the episode seems to hint might happen, we see Michael willing to sleep with Lucille 2 for money. So no matter what happens to Michael in Phoenix, which has yet to be revealed, it won’t be a happy ending for him.

Other elements have also advanced. It’s really cool to see the neighborhood around the model house finally get built, especially because that is still only the beginning of the company and the family’s problems. The Bluths will never be successful in business, and one will always wonder how they’ve stayed afloat this long. But their foibles are hilarious, and a lot of why we tune in.

We don’t learn a lot about where the rest of the characters are in “Flight of the Phoenix,” set years after the season three finale, but with enough connecting threads to jump back in on without feeling like we’ve missed anything. This is because of scheduling conflicts. During the many years between seasons three and four, most of the cast moved on professionally and obtained other work. In order to put together these fifteen half hours, accommodations have been made so that different characters will appear in different installments.

This surprisingly doesn’t feel too jarring. Some members of the Bluth clan have always been featured more than others at times, owing to the large group and limited story-telling time. While Gob (Will Arnett), George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), Lucille (Jessica Walter), and Buster (Tony Hale) all are briefly seen in the first episode, their stories will be told in other half hours, which is fine. Michael is the main character, if such a strong ensemble series has a main character, and putting him first feels very natural.

One assumes that the later time period we see Michael in will be where this fourth season will come together, reuniting the Bluths for their big (hopefully not permanent) ending. We’ll probably get this part of the puzzle in small pieces, doled out a little bit in each installment.

The one major element that has changed is that Lucille and George Sr. are no longer played by Tambor and Walter in long-ago flashbacks. To be fair, this always stretched the believability a little bit, and the new actors, Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live) and Seth Rogen (50/50, Knocked Up), are experienced and wonderful at recreating the parts. While many, myself included, are a little reticent to see someone else tackle such familiar characters, it is so well done that there should be no complaints.

In all, Netflix has done a fantastic job in resurrecting ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, with key players both behind and in front of the camera right where they should be. I predict this will be considered a great success by fans of the show, and will likely spark at least discussion of continuation of the story after this. Now, I need to get back to my TiVo and watch more.

Kathy Griffin's Life on the See-List

       Six seasons in, with a couple of Emmys under her belt to show for it, can Kathy Griffin really still claim she's a D-List celebrity?  Isn't she at least B or C list by now?  Sure, she does crass, embarrassing things to help her keep that status, but I don't think she shocks anyone any longer with anything that she does.  I think it's time for an upgrade, and perhaps even a title change for her popular series.

     We're already six episodes into Season Six, and Kathy has had quite a bit of entertaining adventure already.  And not only that, she's been pretty serious.  In last night's episode, she publicly had a pap smear poolside at a hotel to raise awareness for women's health.  Last week, we saw her hold a rally in Washington D.C. to support the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in our military.  Admittedly, she got her vagina waxed and vajazzled before the pap smear.  She also called the Majority Whip a Queen.  She's still Kathy, and Kathy has to be zany.  However, these were important topics that she devoted real effort to working on.  While many of the things she does are just publicity stunts, those two were meant to accomplish something more than just get her in papers.  And I'm sure they did, though it's hard to measure on woman's efforts in a widespread, slowly occurring change.  I definitely give her an A for effort.

     Now lest you think Kathy has become a tireless crusader, she has also managed plenty of ridiculous acts this season.  In one episode she judged, and then participated in, a young child beauty pageant.  She went to Wasilla, Alaska to hang out with Levi Johnston and leave a note on Sarah Palin's door.  She held a yard sale of her own, as well as her mother's, stuff.  She created merchandise to promote her mother.  Speaking of her mom, Kathy has brought new levels of humiliation on poor Maggie.  Maggie refused to attend the pap smear, for one.

     Plenty of bigger name stars have also made appearances, including Liza Minnelli and Joy Behar.  If you'd like to see more of Kathy, tune in to her show on Bravo Tuesday nights at 10pm.