gob singing the final countdown... i love a gay idiot
[7.4/10] I enjoy this one as an “everybody's unexpectedly fucked” episode. Usually the coincidences and clockwork happenings on Arrested Development are more purely for comedy. But this feels almost like Breaking Bad where it seems like bad fortune and bad decisions coalesce to make life harder for the protagonist.
There’s something cringey but comical about Lucille and George Sr. thinking they’ve used honesty to get out of scrutiny from the Chinese, George Michael and Maeby thinking they’re out from under the pressure of Fakeblock, and Michael thinking he’s found a way to help and invest in his son, only for them all to be totally screwed from the same deal. Michael using the symbolic money the Chinese gifted to the elder Bluths in order to buy Fakeblock is the perfect storm of bad ideas to mess everyone up.
Serious kudos owe to Michael Cera in this one. His acting is pretty phenomenal. The “Why Not?” speech he gives to his employees hits the right note of awkward but inspirational, and his clear devastation at thinking he’s solved the Fakeblock problem only to feel like things are even worse, especially for his dad, is honestly a little heart-rending. Cera sells it all like a champ, and I didn't know he had it in him.
The elder Bluths do a great job as well, especially at the dinner scene. Their attempt to stack lies upon lies, their coming clean and telling the truth, and their shock and glee that it actually worked are all infectiously fun.
The Tobias crew continue to feel pretty superfluous, but maybe there’s more coming there. I do appreciate that they’re a wedge to finally get Stan out of “Anet’s” house. That said, GOB is still very funny, adding to the shit sunday when Michael realizes that his dumbass brother is in charge of the company he just bought. GOB’s terrible, Tony Wonder-inspired catch phrases are a laugh, and the physical comedy with Buster’s late entrance and hand in the elevator are great too. Frankly, GOB’s whole failure to read the room, coupled with everyone else’s low grade disgust, is very funny.
Overall, this sets up the show for a big conflict and a lot of humor to round out the show’s final four episodes. I appreciate Arrested Development raising the stakes like this in a way that feels natural to the various characters’ missteps, giving them a taste of glory only to throw them back in the muck.
Shout by justinpinkmanBlockedParent2020-04-27T21:52:56Z
okay this was a huge step up from the last episode’s series low. “It’s like my nose shrunk.”
“Well wouldn’t be the first time.” Classic Bateman/Michael humour. Frequent laughs, almost felt like the old AD.