[7.4/10] This episode suffers from a lot of the same problems that the whole season does. Its efforts to connect disparate story threads together make the end result lumpy and disjointed. Why oh why does every character’s episode have to stop dead in its tracks to service Michael and his bullshit? Why do we need GOB to be wrapped up in the wall-building business, or competing over women with his brother again, or boy-fighting with Michael in a children’s play place?
But good lord, the story with Tony Wonder is so out there and bold and committedly transgressive yet wholesome that I cannot help but love it. Mitch Hurwitz packs plenty of crud into this one, but what’s left is pure gold.
The absurdity of GOB and Tony Wonder pretending to be gay to try to get revenge on one another and screw one another over, only to accidentally fall in love, is downright brilliant. Will Arnett and Ben Stiller play the scenes perfectly, walking the line between malevolent manchildren and lovesick goofs with incredible precision. Honestly, the two are weirdly adorable together. GOB experiences feelings for the first time, possibly ever, and his first real human connection with someone, with all the little joys and hurt feelings it brings on, is strangely endearing.
It helps that “A New Attitude” gestures to the convolutedness of it all. Tony Wonder winking at all the blatant exposition necessary to explain this cat's cradle of a plot and noting his own propensity to say things other characters already know helps the medicine go down. The return of Ann is a little out of nowhere, but even she comments on the ridiculousness of her erstwhile beaus’ schemes, and manages to get a win for once.
Plus, god help me, the over-the-top absurdity of GOB and Tony Wonder each posing as the other and sleeping together in a misguided attempt to expose one another as straight is just the kind of insanity stacked on insanity that makes Arrested Development sing. I’ll admit, the jokes with GOB trying to pretend George Michael was his date made me almost as uncomfortable as George Michael, but GOB and Tony Wonder’s “merry mixup” is so bonkers and yet bizarrely sweet that it may be the sole masterpiece in season 4 of the show.
On the whole, there’s a lot of junk and weirdness in this episode, but also some of the rare transcendent big swings that the series’ original run used to pull off on a regular basis.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-06-09T01:30:37Z
[7.4/10] This episode suffers from a lot of the same problems that the whole season does. Its efforts to connect disparate story threads together make the end result lumpy and disjointed. Why oh why does every character’s episode have to stop dead in its tracks to service Michael and his bullshit? Why do we need GOB to be wrapped up in the wall-building business, or competing over women with his brother again, or boy-fighting with Michael in a children’s play place?
But good lord, the story with Tony Wonder is so out there and bold and committedly transgressive yet wholesome that I cannot help but love it. Mitch Hurwitz packs plenty of crud into this one, but what’s left is pure gold.
The absurdity of GOB and Tony Wonder pretending to be gay to try to get revenge on one another and screw one another over, only to accidentally fall in love, is downright brilliant. Will Arnett and Ben Stiller play the scenes perfectly, walking the line between malevolent manchildren and lovesick goofs with incredible precision. Honestly, the two are weirdly adorable together. GOB experiences feelings for the first time, possibly ever, and his first real human connection with someone, with all the little joys and hurt feelings it brings on, is strangely endearing.
It helps that “A New Attitude” gestures to the convolutedness of it all. Tony Wonder winking at all the blatant exposition necessary to explain this cat's cradle of a plot and noting his own propensity to say things other characters already know helps the medicine go down. The return of Ann is a little out of nowhere, but even she comments on the ridiculousness of her erstwhile beaus’ schemes, and manages to get a win for once.
Plus, god help me, the over-the-top absurdity of GOB and Tony Wonder each posing as the other and sleeping together in a misguided attempt to expose one another as straight is just the kind of insanity stacked on insanity that makes Arrested Development sing. I’ll admit, the jokes with GOB trying to pretend George Michael was his date made me almost as uncomfortable as George Michael, but GOB and Tony Wonder’s “merry mixup” is so bonkers and yet bizarrely sweet that it may be the sole masterpiece in season 4 of the show.
On the whole, there’s a lot of junk and weirdness in this episode, but also some of the rare transcendent big swings that the series’ original run used to pull off on a regular basis.