[7.9/10] I keep saying this, but there’s a lot of good stuff here. I like the theme of people sticking together because they’re family, only to have characteristically insane Arrested Development twists on that idea at every turn.
The peak of that is Michael and GOB fighting over what to do with dad and, god help me, the Franklin CD. Franklin is just the gift that keeps on giving, and whether it’s the sound guy’s reaction to GOB’s racist song, or the narrator’s remark that Franklin “didn’t want to kiss at all” after GOB ether’s his own dad, or GOB’s hoity toity accent when he whitewashes Franklin and uses ventriloquism to tell himself that he ruined the act, the whole bit is just hilarious.
This is actually a great GOB episode all around. His tears over Michael’s reaction to the CD (which he then projects onto his brother), his awkward efforts to use his ventriloquism to get his dad to show some affection, and the literalism of his remark that “dad is going to be crushed are all outstanding.
The whole setup with Michael trying to decide whether to turn his father in so as to avoid prosecution himself is a decent enough spine for the episode (and Barry’s nonsense is great sa usual). I like where it goes with George Sr., where he delivers a heartwarming aesop to his sons and to his brother, only to throw his brother under the bus (which the narrator reveals was the plan all along). It’s a nice cynical subversion that fits the show.
It also ties nicely into Buster/Oscar storyline. It’s hilarious that for all the painfully dropped hints, what tips Buster off to his true parentage is Oscar mentioning “pop secret.” And the cornballer returning, plus George Sr. commenting about losing his hair due to stress, are great setups for the payoff that Oscar can’t prove he’s not his brother.
The other stories in the episode are solid. Getting David Cross and Judy Greer in a scene together is a recipe for success, and I like the Lucile-explicated motivation for Lindsey that she only wants what she can’t have. Better yet is another progression in the weird but compelling George Michael/Ann/Maeby love triangle. The in-universe realization of Les Cousins Dangeroux is both amusing (thanks to the meta gag of the narrator explaining that they might not be biological cousins) and a nice payoff to the setups of the house sinking.
Overall, this isn’t an absolute homerun, but it’s still full of laughs and the sort of brilliant, interconnected comedy storytelling that Arrested Development does better than anyone. A great finish to an all-time great season of television.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2018-08-14T01:39:19Z
[7.9/10] I keep saying this, but there’s a lot of good stuff here. I like the theme of people sticking together because they’re family, only to have characteristically insane Arrested Development twists on that idea at every turn.
The peak of that is Michael and GOB fighting over what to do with dad and, god help me, the Franklin CD. Franklin is just the gift that keeps on giving, and whether it’s the sound guy’s reaction to GOB’s racist song, or the narrator’s remark that Franklin “didn’t want to kiss at all” after GOB ether’s his own dad, or GOB’s hoity toity accent when he whitewashes Franklin and uses ventriloquism to tell himself that he ruined the act, the whole bit is just hilarious.
This is actually a great GOB episode all around. His tears over Michael’s reaction to the CD (which he then projects onto his brother), his awkward efforts to use his ventriloquism to get his dad to show some affection, and the literalism of his remark that “dad is going to be crushed are all outstanding.
The whole setup with Michael trying to decide whether to turn his father in so as to avoid prosecution himself is a decent enough spine for the episode (and Barry’s nonsense is great sa usual). I like where it goes with George Sr., where he delivers a heartwarming aesop to his sons and to his brother, only to throw his brother under the bus (which the narrator reveals was the plan all along). It’s a nice cynical subversion that fits the show.
It also ties nicely into Buster/Oscar storyline. It’s hilarious that for all the painfully dropped hints, what tips Buster off to his true parentage is Oscar mentioning “pop secret.” And the cornballer returning, plus George Sr. commenting about losing his hair due to stress, are great setups for the payoff that Oscar can’t prove he’s not his brother.
The other stories in the episode are solid. Getting David Cross and Judy Greer in a scene together is a recipe for success, and I like the Lucile-explicated motivation for Lindsey that she only wants what she can’t have. Better yet is another progression in the weird but compelling George Michael/Ann/Maeby love triangle. The in-universe realization of Les Cousins Dangeroux is both amusing (thanks to the meta gag of the narrator explaining that they might not be biological cousins) and a nice payoff to the setups of the house sinking.
Overall, this isn’t an absolute homerun, but it’s still full of laughs and the sort of brilliant, interconnected comedy storytelling that Arrested Development does better than anyone. A great finish to an all-time great season of television.