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TDMMC Forums => Off-Topic Board => Topic started by: Dave Gray on June 03, 2013, 03:58:02 pm



Title: Arrested Development - Season 4
Post by: Dave Gray on June 03, 2013, 03:58:02 pm
I'm about halfway through the season and though I'm still developing how I feel, I'm certainly impressed with how unique this season is.  For those that don't know:

The first three seasons of AD were traditional television.  There were often many storylines that would converge into one hilarious situation at the end of the episode.  But each episode, though the carried on jokes and themes from previous episodes, operated on its own.

However, the 4th season happens 7 years later and these actors have all moved on to other things.  So, they weren't physically in one place long enough to film an entire season in this format.  So, here's how it works.

The first episode focuses on one character.  He runs into several of the other characters during the episode, but it's largely about that one person, over the course of about a week.  Many of those things in the episode don't really make sense.  For example, a car might hit him inexplicably or he may encounter another character with a different hair color that usual.  On its own, the first episode isn't all that funny.

However, the 2nd episode focuses on a different character, over that same week.  Like the first, it's that character's story.  But they might be driving the car that almost hit the guy in the first episode.

And in the 3rd episode, about yet another character, there is a crazy reason why they have a different hair color.  Then they bump into the 1st character, in a different angle of a scene we already saw.  This also has implications to the 2nd character.

And the 4th.

And the 5th.

I've now watched 9 episodes and they're building and building so that it's all related.

It's really, really unique and I don't think that it could work on traditional TV.  If you just watched that first episode, you would find it so strange that you might not come back for a 2nd, since there are completely strange occurrences (like a rogue swarm of bees) that make no sense until you're 7 episodes in and learn about a different character that's started a bee colony.

The episodes are getting funnier each time, and I imagine that there is value to go back and watch those early episodes again.

It's really, really different and something I've never seen done, in that's a comedy that waits an entire season to play out its jokes.  It's like experimental television.


Title: Re: Arrested Development - Season 4
Post by: Buddhagirl on June 03, 2013, 05:26:44 pm
Season 4 was very, very different but I liked it a lot. I need to do a second viewing in a few weeks. I think watching it all in one go was a bit much and I missed a few things.


Title: Re: Arrested Development - Season 4
Post by: mecadonzilla on June 03, 2013, 07:02:27 pm
I'm about half way through as well, and the pieces are coming together nicely.  It's different and good.  I'm glad they were able to pull it off.


Title: Re: Arrested Development - Season 4
Post by: SCFinfan on June 04, 2013, 04:33:38 pm
I'm about 4 eps in. I didn't care for the Lindsey episode. The others have been of decent quality.

I feel as though they dumbed down Michael a bit from the previous three seasons. It's barely there, but I definitely felt it.


Title: Re: Arrested Development - Season 4
Post by: mecadonzilla on June 04, 2013, 07:17:06 pm
Is it just me or did Portia de Rossi get a botched facelift or something?  Or is Lindsay supposed to look like she did?


Title: Re: Arrested Development - Season 4
Post by: Buddhagirl on June 05, 2013, 07:05:24 am
Is it just me or did Portia de Rossi get a botched facelift or something?  Or is Lindsay supposed to look like she did?

I think she's supposed to look like she had botched surgery. I saw a recent pick of Portia and she looks great.