The Return of "Arrested Development"

The fourth season of "Arrested Development" is unique for many reasons. It’s the first Netflix "semi-original" show to be distributed by the streaming service, one of the most high-profile so far. It’s one of the few shows to be brought back after such a lengthy hiatus with most of its original cast intact. Also, because it was conceived for streaming, the fifteen new episodes aren’t subject to the usual constraints of broadcast. Each of the episodes runs roughly half an hour apiece, but some are longer and some are shorter. Commercial breaks no longer exist, though there are act breaks that could easily be turned into commercial breaks if this season is ever broadcast, perhaps in countries where Netflix is not yet available.

The new episodes also a break from the form of the earlier seasons of "Arrested Development." Instead of Michael Bluth being the lead character, each of the individual episodes follow a specific member of the Bluth family, and tells a story from their point of view. All of the different stories intersect in various ways and look at common events from different perspectives – most prominently the trial of Bluth matriarch Lucille, and an eventful pre-Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Newport Beach pier. Loose ends are left everywhere, that aren’t explained until later episodes. For instance in the first episode, told from Michael’s POV, there’s a quick encounter with his brother Gob, who has just had a one-night-stand with someone. You don’t find out who that is until one of the Gob-centric episodes. There are lots of these little moments in this season, and the show pulls off some great reveals, reversals, and throws in some red herrings for good measure. It isn’t until close to the very, very end that you get the whole picture.

"Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz has clearly lost none of his ambition. The episodes are as dense as ever with layers of jokes, in-jokes, puns, and call-backs. Newcomers to the show can’t just pick up with the new episodes and expect to understand what’s going on, so Netflix has wisely made all the previous seasons available for new viewers to catch up on. However, even if you are a fan and know all the running jokes, the early episodes are on the rocky side. There’s a lot of exposition and tedious groundwork that has to be delivered up front, because the show has to fill in seven missing years in the show’s timeline and set up a lot of the later jokes. Also, less interesting characters like Lindsay and George Sr. get their featured episodes first. It’s obvious who had more time available for the show and who didn’t – George Sr., Lindsay, Tobias, George-Michael, Gob, and Michael feature in two episodes apiece, while Lucille, Maeby, and Buster only get one. And boy did I miss Buster, whose feature episode was far and away my favorite.

There are also gust stars galore, including Isla Fischer as Ron Howard’s fictional daughter Rebel, Terry Crews as a local politician, Maria Bamford as a new love interest for Tobias, Tommy Tune as Lucille 2’s brother, Mary Lynn Rajskub and John Slattery as desert commune members, Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen as the young Lucille and George Sr., and Andy Richter playing himself and his four fictional identical quintuplet brothers. Most of the old guest stars are back too, though mostly for cameos. They even lured newscaster John Beard back from the east coast to keep a running joke running a little longer. The detail-oriented nature of "Arrested Development" continues to be astounding. Even though some of the gags don’t really work, like all the flashbacks having watermarks from fake pirated editing software, or all the meta references to production company Imagine Entertainment, you have to give them credit for trying.

So while I didn’t find this set of episodes to be as satisfying as the previous ones, I was happy to have them. After I got past the first run of iffy installments, the punchlines started landing better, and the repeated gags started to really compound on each other, and I really enjoyed it. I appreciated that the characters did grow and change. Michael became less sympathetic and more obviously another screwed-up member of the family. Maebe’s downfall was spectacular. I’m actually rooting for some of the characters that left me cold in the past, like Gob and Lindsay. And I’m so glad Michael Cera worked out whatever deal he needed to, because George Michael had some of the best material this year.

I thought the ending wasn’t what it could have been, but it does nicely leave the door open for another season of the show, or that "Arrested Development" movie that everyone’s been discussing for years. Here’s to many more merry misunderstandings to come.
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