23. Arrested Development
And now, the story of a beloved sitcom, and the one critic that tried to explain why it's one of his favourites. Where do I start with this show? How can I even begin to capture the legacy of a sitcom that, in its prime, came to shape the surreal non-sequiturs and repeating variations on jokes that we see time and time again in meme culture? A show that came back from cancellation right at the start of the streaming boom and became a cautionary tale for anyone looking to relive the glory of the past? A show that has such a passionate following, united by the incredibly niche and weird brand of comedy that it makes look so effortless? The truth is that Arrested Development contains multitudes, and putting words on why it works so well is kind of a fool's errand when part of the show's charm comes from how it makes such bizarre comedy flow so seamlessly
And look, we'll get it out of the way now: the fourth and fifth seasons of this show absolutely stink. Not for lack of trying, but the chances of lightning striking the same place twice were always going to be slim. If anything, I think it actually proves how great the first three seasons were that the exact alchemy that went into making them just couldn't be repeated. The way Arrested Development constructs its jokes is just pure genius. It introduces them as funny, slightly random punchlines, before finding new ways to use them again, and again, and again, creating a rhythm and flow that quickly becomes its own comedic language. It's a show with plenty of running gags, but their genius comes from the fact that it's never a sprint or a marathon: it's a relay race
Arrested Development is at its best when it brings back that joke from seven episodes ago that you'd completely forgotten about, and places it in a whole new context, using the same gag in a different way to ensure a totally fresh laugh. And just when you get on the show's wavelength and think you can predict the next joke that's going to make a comeback, it turns out to be one you'd never even have expected, but it always works. Every time this happens, it fits so perfectly into the new context that it makes you wonder how the writers are able to engineer every joke so that they become like comedy swiss-army knives, capable of doing whatever they need to to whenever they need to do it and never once missing a beat in the process
Plot-wise it's a little like Succession, following a rich family finding themselves in the shit again and again, but instead of having them be cold, ruthless and dangerously efficient, every single character is a pathetic, codependent idiot, yet somehow the show finds a way of keeping you onside and making you love the Bluths despite how awful they can be. There's no depth too low for them to stoop to, and although you're laughing at them and not with them, the charm of the cast ensures that every one of these characters stands as some of the funniest and most memorable ever jammed into a sitcom. Special mention of course to living, breathing meme Tobias Funke, and the unforgettable Lucille Bluth, played to acidic perfection by the absolute queen that is the late Jessica Walter
It's also the rare show that I think does benefit from binge watching rather than spacing the episodes out. If you want to get the best out of this show and the unique back and forth it develops between its jokes and your expectations, there's no better way than to just tear through those first three outings in quick succession. Obviously you should go at your own pace, but the beauty of Arrested Development is that it doesn't lose anything when viewed in big chunks of episodes. Again, it's not something I'd usually recommend with most shows but this one really supports it, especially as the seasons roll on and the web of interconnected gags gets more and more intricate and showrunner Mitchell Hurwitz finds more and more ways to expand the universe of the show through the infinite stupidity of the Bluth family
It's just such an innovative show, one that, it its prime, was unparalleled for sheer offbeat genius and inventive, consistently funny jokes. It's a show about stupid, horrible people, but always finds ways to radiate charm and infinitely watchable weirdness. It's a perfect blend of fast-paced ridiculousness and cringe comedy that always hits the spot, and it's just hard to think of another sitcom that nailed every little idiosyncratic detail so well. From the wonderfully pathetic cast of characters to the dialogue that's so specific it nearly becomes its own language and even fake tags at the end of every episode teasing things that aren't going to happen, Arrested Development is just one of a kind. Is it a shame that it couldn't keep its hot streak going? Absolutely, but when it's good, there's few shows that can match it. If you haven't seen it yet, you've made a huge mistake
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