[7.3/10] Some aspects of this episode take it down a notch for me. For one thing, the Atkins humor hasn’t really aged well, since the diet is not the phenomenon now that it was then, but maybe that’s the point. Still, as a series of running gags, it doesn't hold a candle to the comparative timelessness of the “take your daughter to work” bit from just the prior episode.
At the same time, the Season 1 finale also goes for a bit of drama that falls flat. Between Michael complaining to his dad about having all of this crap fall in his lap, and George Michael telling his dad that he doesn't want to pack up and ship off because he likes their family, it’s just more melodramatic than Arrested Development normally is, and isn’t a great fit for the show’s more irreverent style.
But the irreverence is great when the show goes to it. GOB and Lindsey’s beads/bees confusion is the stuff of legend in the Bloom household, and GOB’s subsequent fixation of bees and half-hearted desire to be the head of the family is very amusing. Plus it’s the first appearance of the “file not found” card, to great effect, and the editing-based gags are especially sharp here (see, for example, the smash cut after Barry Zuckercorn wonders how he got poison oak).
At the same time, the gags about Lindsey only wanting to stick with Tobias because of his money, and then feeling ready to bolt herself after she finds out that it’s only resonating with gay men is another bit of humor that doesn't age especially well, and feels like it’s driving at an emotional force the show just hasn’t really earned. Kitty trying to grab power of the Bluth company using Buster doesn't really go anywhere. And while it’s kind of cute that Maeby’s jealous that her cousin is no longer fawning over her, her kissing Annyong to to try to teach him a lesson is a cute way to bring things full circle, but pretty meh in the comedy department.
That said, the final scenes of the episode are pretty great. The details about Iraq are a nice way to pay off the “light treason” bit. Michael and Lucille’s “more lies” exchange is outstanding. And George Sr.’s great escape and the overly literal doctor are both good bits.
Overall, it’s not the strongest note for the show to go out on, but there’s still some classic stuff in this one that mostly makes up for it.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2018-06-19T02:02:31Z
[7.3/10] Some aspects of this episode take it down a notch for me. For one thing, the Atkins humor hasn’t really aged well, since the diet is not the phenomenon now that it was then, but maybe that’s the point. Still, as a series of running gags, it doesn't hold a candle to the comparative timelessness of the “take your daughter to work” bit from just the prior episode.
At the same time, the Season 1 finale also goes for a bit of drama that falls flat. Between Michael complaining to his dad about having all of this crap fall in his lap, and George Michael telling his dad that he doesn't want to pack up and ship off because he likes their family, it’s just more melodramatic than Arrested Development normally is, and isn’t a great fit for the show’s more irreverent style.
But the irreverence is great when the show goes to it. GOB and Lindsey’s beads/bees confusion is the stuff of legend in the Bloom household, and GOB’s subsequent fixation of bees and half-hearted desire to be the head of the family is very amusing. Plus it’s the first appearance of the “file not found” card, to great effect, and the editing-based gags are especially sharp here (see, for example, the smash cut after Barry Zuckercorn wonders how he got poison oak).
At the same time, the gags about Lindsey only wanting to stick with Tobias because of his money, and then feeling ready to bolt herself after she finds out that it’s only resonating with gay men is another bit of humor that doesn't age especially well, and feels like it’s driving at an emotional force the show just hasn’t really earned. Kitty trying to grab power of the Bluth company using Buster doesn't really go anywhere. And while it’s kind of cute that Maeby’s jealous that her cousin is no longer fawning over her, her kissing Annyong to to try to teach him a lesson is a cute way to bring things full circle, but pretty meh in the comedy department.
That said, the final scenes of the episode are pretty great. The details about Iraq are a nice way to pay off the “light treason” bit. Michael and Lucille’s “more lies” exchange is outstanding. And George Sr.’s great escape and the overly literal doctor are both good bits.
Overall, it’s not the strongest note for the show to go out on, but there’s still some classic stuff in this one that mostly makes up for it.