Arrested Development

Arrested Development

Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together. It's Arrested Development. –Ron Howard

The show Arrested Development was developed by Mitch Hurwitz in 2003. It stars Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth, Jeffery Tambor as George Bluth, the family’s patriarch who ends up in prison due to fraud and treason, along with Portia de Rossi, Tony Hale, David Cross, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, Will Arnett, Jessica Walters, and Ron Howard as the show’s narrator.

The series opens on George Bluth getting arrested during his retirement party. He had just announced his wife Lucille (Walters) that she was to be CEO of the Bluth Company, rather than Michael. When asked about it, George tells Michael that he knew the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) had been after him for years. He claimed to announce his wife as CEO rather than his son due to the fact that his attorneys told him that a husband and wife could not be tried for the same crime. From that moment, it is obvious that this show is going to be a long stretch of hilarious ironies and mishaps.

Michael’s son, George Michael (Cera) meets his cousin, Maeby (Shawkat) for the first time at his job at the family’s frozen banana stand. He immediately develops a crush on her that lasts though the entire series. Maeby is the daughter of Lindsay (de Rossi), Michael’s twin sister, and Tobias Fünke (Cross). Tobias had been a doctor while living in Boston with his family, but lost his medical license. He moved his family out to California with the rest of the Bluths, and decided to pursue a career in acting. Tobias is also what is called a “never nude,” which means he can never be naked. To alleviate his fears of being naked, even by himself, he constantly wears jean cutoffs under his clothing. Throughout the show, he finds himself in situations to which he turns to solutions most men would not think of. He dresses up as an English nanny named Mrs. Featherbottom, when out of work, he becomes an understudy for the Blue Man Group, and in the first episode, he dresses like a pirate, only to find himself on a gay cruise.

Lindsay is very self involved, while still maintaining a charitable lifestyle at the same time. The Fünke’s life together is very mismatched and they are constantly considering divorce and then deciding against it. Lindsay does not know the value of money, just like the rest of the Bluths, save Michael.

Maeby is a rebel who is constantly vying for her parent’s attention in the wrong ways. She attends nontraditional schools and is overlooked most of the time, although she fares quite well. Throughout the series, she finds herself an executive at a movie production company at fifteen years old by accident.

George Michael, Michael’s only son, is a very straight laced, bright, driven thirteen year old boy. He works very hard to get his father, and also his cousin, to notice him. However, he is extremely awkward around his family, mainly because he cannot seem to find a place to fit in, and seems to be the focus of his father’s somewhat over bearing affection.

Buster Bluth (Hale) is the youngest of Michael’s siblings, and hands down the most odd. He relies heavily on his mother, Lucille, to be his guide through life. He seems to have stayed in a child-like state due to the fact that Lucille will not let him grow up. Many of the shows one liners revolve around Buster. Eventually, Buster is tricked in joining the army, but never actually goes. He refers to it as “army” through the series, claiming their awards are stuffed animals and he can be home as much as he is due to “half days” at army. Later on, he ends up dating Lucille’s best friend, a woman named Lucille Austero, played by Liza Minnelli, whom he calls Lucille 2.

Finally, there is Gob Bluth (Arnett), pronounced Job, like the book of the Bible. He is the family’s resident magician, who cannot actually do magic all that well. He runs into more trouble with his family and the company than anyone in the entire series. He is constantly looking for his father’s approval, and when he does not get it, he turns around and blames the rest of his family. His magic shows all include the song “The Final Countdown” by Europe, which seems to make it even funnier, since the song is so ridiculous.

All put together, this family forms one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. There is a lot of dry humor and it is hard to follow if the shows are not watched consecutively, but it is definitely worth it. This show is laugh out loud funny.

Quotes:

Narrator: George Michael was getting ready for school when he came across a box of love letters he'd written, but never sent, to his cousin Maeby. One letter, titled "If you weren't my cousin," was particularly incriminating.


Buster: Mom is becoming a little controlling.

Michael: What tipped you off? When she locked you out on the balcony again?

Buster: That was half my fault. I thought I saw a Graham Cracker out there.

Michael: You baited the balcony?

Lucille Bluth: Prove it.

Michael: I'm moving to Phoenix. I got a job. [There is an awkward silence]

Michael: Something you apply for and they pay you to... Never mind, I don't want to ruin the surprise.

Mae 'Maebe' Funke: You and I are so different. It's like we're not even related. [she leaves] George Michael Bluth: That would be amazing.

[George Michael and Maeby are searching through the Bluth company files illegally]

George Michael: Fingerprints? You said they wouldn't be taking fingerprints.

Maebe: No, I said don't wear your mittens.

[giving a toast] Michael: To Buster and Lucille...
Buster: Don't forget my girlfriend.
Michael: That's who I meant.


Lucille: You tricked me.
Michael: I *deceived* you. "Tricked" makes it sound like we have a playful relationship.


Michael: There's more to life than strippers and booze and buckets of blood. Why do you guys have buckets of blood?
Gob: It's not real blood. It's corn syrup and red dye... juice.
Buster: There's unlimited juice? This party is gonna be off the hook.


Michael: Well, you certainly haven't been shopping. The only thing I found in the fridge was a dead dove in a bag.
Gob: You didn't eat that, did you?


Lucille: I don't want to leave Buster alone with all the J-U-I-C-E.
Buster: I can spell, Mother; you spelled juice.
Lucille: What a genius. Let's see you find it.


Lucille Bluth: I'll be in the hospital bar.
Michael Bluth: Uhh, you know, there isn't a hospital bar, mother.
Lucille Bluth: Well, this is why people hate hospitals.