Arrested Development - TV Series Review

It documents the life of the only one grounded in a family lashing under chaos since the arrest of his dad’s white collar crime. Deprived of its luxury, the Bluth family must try to live through their puffed-up pretensions in these new realities. Through episodes of much absurdity, Michael struggles to maintain his family business alive and ensure a steady life for his son, George Michael. Sure, there are one-liners and arrests, but honestly, each moment of Arrested Development is all about family melodrama-turned comedy gold, whether that’s forcing his delusional brother G.O.B.’s amateur magic fails or mother Lucille’s outlandish demands. The series really has a satirical tone, it flows from cringe comedy to sharp sarcastic wit. It does not lecture but challenges the norms of the society. Arrested Development uses its affluent Orange County, Calif., setting intelligently as a rich backdrop to highlight the family’s fall from grace in stark contrast.

The show’s strength is its ability to have a remarkably funny cast under these circumstances. Jason Bateman’s portrayal of Michael Bluth is a relatable guy and it’s this relatability that grounds his madness. The pinnacle of delusional humor is provided by Will Arnett as G.OB, and Michael Cera delivers endearing precision as teenage angst. The command and comic manipulativeness of Jessica Walter as the matriarch Lucille is commanding and comically manipulative. Fans of each of the characters will forever have a rich pool of quirks and eccentricities to draw from for multiple comedic situations and the series is at the helm of directors like Troy Miller and Joe Russo. It has crisp pacing, not a dull moment allowing directors to exploit an oddball storyline’s strengths. Handheld cameras are used for a pseudo-documentary style of the show that gives it the feel that it is an immediate and humorous endeavour

The music, composed by David Schwartz, suits the eccentricity of the show perfectly. The tune is one of the good theme song which is upbeat and catchy. Quirky music cues from Schwartz stress the comedic timing, also highlighting the moments of absurdity.|The cinematography involves a unique handheld, pseudo documentarian style to enhance show’s humor and gives intimacy and immediacy.| It does so without beating viewers over the head; this method almost perfectly illustrates the Bluth family’s insanity. Camera work amplifies the quirkiness with close positions to characters granting the audience to participate in their unmasked, often hilarious thoughts.

Production design wisely reflects the contradictions of the Bluth family: lavish but hollow, its highlights our descent from superficialness to realism. Every detail of this (ab)ludicrous family penthouse contributes to its visual storytelling from the at one time luxuriously furnished family penthouse to the most absurd stair car. Arrested Development is very rich with prop details and wonderfully designed sets that support the shows satirical tone, and special effects are typically not a focus of the show, when they do appear, they tend to make up cheap laughs rather than fatigue-inducing spectacle. G.O.B.’s comically poor magic tricks use simple yet effective effects to highlight him as a character who is inept and grandiose without overshadowing the narrative, and editing is sharp and witty enough to sustain the fast pace of the humour. The brilliance of the show is in its detailed layering of many storylines that are expertly blended by the editors’ cuts deep into a complex, yet quickly comedic narrative. Arrested Development has a master grasp on the art of silly comedic pauses and short crisp transitions, hold you onto the Bluth familys wild ride, and help you wish you could just keep going.

Arrested Development stays at a breakneck pace and keeps you glued, going down a comedic rabbit hole in a never ending maze of setups to pay off. Arrested Development’s cleverly structured plotlines and episodic twists allow for a rapid fire delivery of jokes and scenario’s, which doesn’t allow the show to last too long at any point. Arrested Development is a script with a lot of clever wordplay spiced with satire that also brings to life the unusual voices of the characters which contribute nuanced depth that tickles their brains in the most endearing ways while producing belly distending laughter.

However the brilliance of Arrested Development leads it to finally resort to plots that, while not actually bad, err on the side of being a tad strained or repetitive. Its reliance on running gags and its satirical subtext could bear out to be a niche for some while others might find its humor. But it, again, is why the show has such a dedicated following, because of these eccentricities. The humor of Arrested Development rewards those who dig very hard in its world.|Arrested Development is chaos and laugh in equal parts. The show is a heavy amalgamation of humor and pathos, a nice juxtaposition between absurdity and reality. Despite being about the function of dysfunction, its witty writing and stellar performances turn it into an artful portrait of eccentrics. Although certain plot lines initially appear overbearingly, its tenacity of humor keeps on churning out laugh lemons for the television comedy cupboard.