| Arrested Development [message #219213] |
Sa, 11 Februar 2006 21:20 |
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NOTE: This story discusses plotlines from the finale of "Arrested
Development." If you haven't watched it and don't want to know, click away.
It all came back to the banana stand.
Staying true to its self-referential guns to the end, "Arrested Development"
finished its time on FOX Friday (Feb. 10) with episodes that rewarded
devoted fans but would have left casual viewers scratching their heads
For those loyalists, though, the finale was a treasure trove of references
to the show's past, pointed jabs at FOX and the general lunacy that has
marked the show's 53 episodes. And it seems fitting that the Bluth family's
latest downfall was set in motion by a minor character whose motivation was
referred to earlier in what seemed like a throwaway joke.
After 90 minutes of inspired comedy that included a guest appearance by
"Arrested" star Jason Bateman's sister, Justine -- playing a woman Bateman's
character, Michael, thought was his sister -- Judge Reinhold playing a
TV-court judge and numerous creepy-funny bits about the attraction between
not-really-cousins George Michael (Michael Cera) and Maeby (Alia Shawkat),
it looked as though the Bluth family might finally have its act together.
The company was solvent, George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) had been cleared of
treason charges for building houses for Saddam Hussein in Iraq. So, harking
back to the pilot, the family decided to throw a party for investors on a
boat -- in this case, the Queen Mary. And, just like in the pilot, the party
was soon disrupted by investigators from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, this time coming after Lucille (Jessica Walter).
Who tipped off the feds? Lucille's adopted Korean son Annyong (Justin Lee),
who was exacting vengeance for Lucille and George Sr. stealing his
frozen-banana idea and having him deported to Korea. Never mind that we
hadn't seen Annyong since November, or that previously he seemed to exist to
point out the Bluths' willful ignorance of anything outside themselves
("annyong" being the Korean word for "hello," at least as the show
translates it).
The finale was so densely packed -- Gob's (Will Arnett) sojourn to Iraq,
Buster's (Tony Hale) fake coma -- that there's really too much to recount
here. It will be fun to go back over the final episodes and pick up things
that flew by too quickly on first viewing, which is another of "Arrested
Development's" distinct pleasures.
The show is almost certainly done on FOX, but there's still a chance it
could live again, most likely on Showtime. That decision rests largely with
creator Mitch Hurwitz, who has expressed some ambivalence about continuing
with the hugely labor-intensive production.
A large part of me hopes that "Arrested Development" does find new life. But
if it doesn't, I'm happy the show went out on its own twisted, brilliant
terms.
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Part man. Part street. 100% kosher
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| Re: Arrested Development [message #219217 ] |
So, 12 Februar 2006 08:09 |
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wrong newsgroup
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