Arrested Development - Season 4 incoming!

Hurray!! I cant decide if I want to watch them all in one day or ration them over a few weeks.

I am ready.

Season 4 clip.

@officegamer said:

@mordeaniischaos said:

Maebe looks 30 now, but Jr. still manages to look like a 13 year old. Interesting...

Cera never changes.

Dear Lord I hope these new episodes don't end up being terrible.

Ron Howard not doing the narration ?

Pretty sure he is.

I dunno, she always looked creepy to me.

That Tobias poster is perfect. Also, I had this pointed out to me, but Lucille is wearing an ankle bracelet. It's almost as if there will be a development on who has been arrested. Yeah, the pun doesn't really work now that it's typed out, but it's already there so, this is awkward. I guess I made that chubby and I'll have to suck it up.

The original writers were on this right?

I'm so afraid that these episodes won't live up to the hype.

It's to the point where I'm prepared for that to happen. The creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, doesn't necessarily have a streak of good shows. If anything, AD is the only good show that the guy has made. The last series of his that I watch, Running Wilde, was not terrible but was so mediocre that there was no reason to keep up with the season. That show had AD alums Will Arnett and David Cross too.

I recently watched some behind the scenes commentary on Seinfeld, and the impression I got that was that a lot of the most memorable moments of that series were spontaneous, lightning-in-a-bottle events that the cast and crew seized upon. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the ingenious jokes on Arrested Development were created in the same way. If so, then there is no guarantee that the same bolt of lightning will strike twice.

I'd rather there be a new Arrested Development album coming out.

That clip does not make me confident in this new season. Hopefully, it will be edited down in the final version, but that felt more disturbing than funny.

Can't wait, going in as optimistic as possible.

@

I learned the trick to not hating new things from people whose old things I love, a few years ago. There's a thin line between finding the new season bad because it is in fact bad (which basically means it's not as clever or surprising as the first 3 seasons), and between just resenting it because it's not part of the AD 'trilogy' you've memorized by heart.

So here's my trick: Pretend that it's something completely new and original you know nothing about. Don't compare it to the old material, @rainbowkisses, and don't overthink the creator's previous work, @andorski.

I just watched that clip and I saw a hilariously careless old woman torture her nervously childish son, and I had a good laugh! Now my mind is slowly processing this and integrating it into my Arrested Development mindset, and it's all good.

This may be a load of shit I just typed, or the most genius thing you've ever read.

@mordeaniischaos said:

Would it blow your mind to learn that they're both actually 24?

@ajamafalous said:

It might blue my mind, but not blow. That sounds about right. Maebe looks a lot older in that one shot than she does anywhere else and I'm familiar enough with the lass that plays her. And that guy will forever look like a child.

I loved Running WIlde, shuddup!

I'm watching through the show again, just finished episode 8 of season 3, and holy SHIT the brilliance of this series never ceases to amaze!

During the episode, the narrator said that Gob and Michael danced to Yellow Submarine (not exactly but that's the gist of it), but the song wasn't played during the scene because, according to the narrator, "who could afford it" (meaning it's too expensive to borrow for the show).

Now the credits rolled and there's a terrible American cover playing, and they're saying yellow boat instead of submarine.

DAMN!

Every time someone mentioned AD I feel like watching it again but then remember I have a good memory and probably remember every joke and episode.

Doesn't mean they're not still hilarious though. I still chuckle watching episodes I've seen before.

@christianconservativevinny said:

Arrested Development as a show was already kind of "hey remember this thing".

well this is good news. i know they were making a new season but good news. i should start watching it.

sadly, i never really got into it when it was on fox. i remember it came onto G4 watched that thought it was great. i watched a few episodes on netflix.

i really enjoyed watching the show. i don't find it particularly funny by any means, but the writing is entertaining and the wit is always impressive. definitely worthy of a re-boot.

Just watched the first two episodes, I don't like how they are focusing on a character for each episode so far, but I did like how the second episode had a major effect on what happened in the first, if they keep that up it could get very interesting.

agree im two in also, and it's been pretty good, although it can feel a little disjointed. also spotting Tobias in the background of the 2nd episode got me really excited

@kidavenger: First 3 episodes are kind of weak. Picks up after that. At least up to episode 9, thats where i stopped.

Currently on Episode 4, pretty luke warm so far.

I'm really disappointed that every episode is focused on a single character. Not every character is strong or interesting enough to make me want to watch mostly them for 30 minutes.

How I feel too. The focus on Michael with the rest of the SUPPORTING characters is great. Focusing solely on the supporting cast for each episode isn't great.

I think I'm on episode 5... stopping there for now. I've laughed a handful of times which isn't a lot. I'm happy that the cast is back and there are new episodes but it's definitely the weakest season from what I've watched.

And maybe I'm just out of it but I'm actually having trouble keeping up with what is going on at some bits. Especially the first episode seemed to be all over the place with what was going on with Michael specifically... and then when it picks back up with him in episode 4 (I think). It's kind of strange; doesn't really feel like what is going on fits the character from the past seasons.

Oh and one other thing bothering me is the over-narration. It feels out of place at times because there is so much of it compared to past seasons.

Watching all of that in one go was a strange experience

I'm really enjoying it. I honestly thought they'd be 15 minute episodes when I heard the whole one-character-at-a-time concept. But every episode so far has had me laughing (most notably Michael getting voted off and walking away in shame).

I'm three in and I think I gotta spread this out a little.

Hell Yes! Can't wait for season 4!

I just watched the first episode, its pretty great so far.

I'll watch a few more tonight. I want to spread it out over the week, a few episodes a day, but i'll probably marathon most of the season later tonight. ("oh, just one more episode then i'll be done for today...")

I feel about the first 3 episodes the same way I felt about parts of season 3. Not as great, but still pretty funny.

Watched six episodes so far. Pretty hit or miss. Some real good stuff scattered throughout but I don't think any of the episodes have really been great so far. One of things I've enjoyed most has been the cameos. Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig as young Lucile and George is great and the Workaholics appearance was awesome.

needs more chicken dance

This is how I'm feeling too.

And this

First couple episodes seemed to be lacking, but by episode three or four I thought it got back to being pretty great all around.

I do agree that focusing on all the different characters, instead of the usual focus on the family as a whole, was odd at first but was better after watching more episodes. Still I'm only on episode 9, so we'll see.

Yeah, seriously.

Six episodes in and taking a break for now. So far really enjoying to see how it unfolds since every episode is playing off of each other. I do really miss seeing Maebe and George Michael playing off of each other, Jobe, and Buster but I know that they're probably getting to all of that. The one character per episode format is already really divisive, but I'm enjoying it so far.

@handlas: I'm curious how many episodes you've watched. They start to hit their stride in episode 4 and 5. Narration takes a back seat. First three episodes seem more like a reintroduction to the characters which is why they're lacking. As it goes on it starts to feel like arrested development again.

This show wasn't that great when it was cancelled, I don't get what's so exciting.

There's a lot of people that did really like the show and have been waiting for years to see it continue. That's what is so exciting.

I've only watched the first 4 episodes so far, but to me it's not nearly as good as previous seasons. Hoping it picks up a bit

Like most highly-praised comedies, Season 2 is God-Tier

Not too sure.. watched a few more. Michael has certainly taken a backseat in the episodes I'm on and I'm surprised how George Michael is literally not in the show at all since the first episode (where I'm at right now).

It's got a little better. The Tobias stuff is the funniest and the one Gob episode was good. All the Lindsey and George Bluth Sr. stuff hasn't really done much for me.

On episode 7 right now. I didn't really follow the production of season 4, so I was a little surprised to see how they changed the story pacing. This is more of a mini-series than it is a season. All the episodes are so interconnected. AD is well known for having strong interconnection between episodes (even from different seasons), but the episodes in seasons 1-3 could work standalone. The episodes in season 4 need to be watched in unison.

Episodes 1-4 were a little slow. I'm particularly not enjoying the constant clips of season 1-3 being used to reintroduce all the characters and story plots. It ruins the pacing of the show, IMO. I guess it's to be expected though; Netflix can't assume everyone watching this already saw season 1-3 and still remember everything that happened. I'm enjoying it more now, and I wonder if - like seasons 1-3 - rewatching the season after finishing it will reveal jokes that I couldn't catch the first time.