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"Arrested Development" (2003) More at IMDbPro »

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194 comments in total

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296 out of 320 people found the following comment useful :-
The smartest thing Fox has done yet, 14 December 2003

Author: AlphabetCity from Connecticut, USA

This is the funniest show currently on television. All you need to enjoy this show is an appreciation for high-quality acting and incredibly hilarious writing. Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth is perfect as the under-appreciated do-good guy who's just trying to keep his family together and himself sane. Other highlights of the show include Will Arnett as GOB (George Oscar Bluth II), Michael's lame-excuse-for-a-magician brother; Jeffrey Tambor as George Sr., Michael's incarcerated father (he was jailed for "shifty accounting practices"); and Michael Cera as George Michael Bluth, Michael Bluth's perpetually nervous 13-year-old son (who just happens to have a strange infatuation with his cousin, Maebe, played by "State of Grace"'s Alia Shawkat). All in all this show is sure to be a hit, at least with those people whose level of understanding of comedy is above slapstick and bathroom jokes. TREMENDOUSLY hilarious writing and outstanding performances by the whole cast will have you laughing the whole time. Ten out of ten!

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270 out of 293 people found the following comment useful :-
Very funny, 9 August 2004
Author: Snoopy1 from Watertown, MA

This show takes a few episodes before you *really* GET it. And once you get it, you'll realize why everybody thinks it's one of the best sitcoms ever.

Each character is really defined and original...with real, unique personalities. All of the actors have fantastic chemistry, making for really great interactions and relationships within the show.

The writing for this show is great, and the plots are so absurd that you can't help but find them funny.

A refreshing change in a world where people like reality shows...it's the only good sitcom left.

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362 out of 494 people found the following comment useful :-
Am I watching the same show you guys are watching?, 28 December 2004
Author: rdatsun

OK, seriously, after reading the recent past reviews of the show am starting to ask myself if you people are even giving the show at least five minutes of your time before rushing online to bash it. You guys are saying that season 2 is going downhill yet your not even explaining why the this season is so inferior to the first. I've seen the second season and I have to say it right on par with the first with more funny twist and situations that Michael and the Bluths have to deal with. Yes they changed some of the story lines now (George Sr. on the run, Gob taking over the company, Buster threating to join the army, and so forth) but THATS HOW SEASONS GO. If they kept the same storyline from the first the show would've haven't gotten repetitive before the first two episodes. And beside the show still retains it wit and subtle humor from the first show while continuing storyline from previous episodes. So really whats the problem with the second season? Cause all am hearing is whining and undeserved bashings from folks with short attention spans.

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221 out of 251 people found the following comment useful :-
Great TV, 8 December 2004
Author: metalgoth (metalgoth@gawab.com) from Pennsylvania

Strange, Fox's promos almost made me miss out on this whole thing.

It's a sit-com made with very high standards, it's a career revival for Ron Howard, Henry Winkler and Liza Minelli, and it's a show that puts Fox's profile into HBO territory. "It's Arrested Development"

"In fact...", a Ron Howard quote that has become a cliché around our house, in fact, it's all those things and more. The writing is as good as everyone says it is, the cast is on par with that of Seinfeld or Roseanne. (Say what you will about her, that was a dream cast) Whenever new characters appear, they are inevitably played by people familiar to fans of edgy, intelligent humor. People like Jeffrey Tambor and Jason Bateman are dependably good, Michael Cera is a standout, and David Cross is finally being seen for the talent that he is.

The strongest thing I can say about this is that I find myself repeating various running gags, things that, like "In fact...", have become clichés. "I've made a huge mistake." "I'm having the time of my LIFE in here!" "surprisingly cat-like" "Take a powder, willya fellas?"

This last one, uttered by Liza Minelli as Lucille Austero, sticks with me especially, and I hope that Liza stays with the show longer. As good as the principles are, she manages to outclass even them. The same with Henry Winkler, whose Barry Zuckercorn is the sort of lawyer television's been dying for. Among those main players, Lindsay and Tobias are pretty strange characters to begin with, but when you consider that they are an old married couple, that crosses the line into the bizarre. This show is full of people and situations you just won't see anywhere else, at least until other derivative shows start appearing.

Watch carefully, as there are many bit and pieces lingering in the background that you might miss. Recently, George Michael was dumped by his girlfriend. As he trudged home in a state of misery, you could hear sad Charlie Brown music. In the background, you could see a real - but bright red - dog house, with a real dog lying on top of it. It's things like these that tell me that the creators are just pleased to be doing this show for it's own sake, and that kind of love of the work shows through in the end.

Who knows if this show will last? There's an audience out there for this sort of thing, but they've generally settled into the Sunday night HBO schedule. Hopefully the Emmys, the word of mouth, and the critical raves will draw attention to this show. If not, we'll just have our A.D. dvds to keep us warm, and thank God for 'em!

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120 out of 135 people found the following comment useful :-
best comedy on TV today, 21 October 2004
Author: xircso from carmel, in

this comedy is smart where so many others are not. its one of the few shows on today that you find DO NOT have a laugh track which alone makes it unique, but with the excellent writing and acting make it a refreshing and hilarious change. after a few episodes, it all makes sense and is that much funnier once you know the characters and their very individual quirks.

this show deserved all of the awards it won plus a few more just to make sure it gets noticed. its been voted TV-lands "future classic" after only a single season if thats any clue to those who haven't seen it yet. the dry acting of jason bateman and the voice over by ron howard are both stellar and add greatly to the shows overall style.

watch this show as soon as it begins again (nov 7, 2004 after the simpsons) you wont be sorry.

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121 out of 145 people found the following comment useful :-
HI-Larious as Well As Intelligent, 7 November 2004
Author: Nicholai from Minnesota

In this age of lazily-conceived, hastily-produced, fill-in-the-blank reality shows that the FOX network seems to corner the market on, it's refreshing to see them invest in a show that doesn't fit a clichéd formula and challenges the audience's intellect with hilarious results.

Previously, I had written off this show without giving it a chance, assuming that it's just another show about rich people with problems, a la "The OC". It's too bad I didn't give it a chance because I just happened to watch a random episode right while waiting for "Malcom in the Middle". Little did I expect to laugh so hard at George Michael continuously wearing a muscle suit just because his COUSIN. Maebe, gave him a passing compliment. And the absurdity of the situation was amplified by Ron Howard's deadpan narration of the episode, giving it the seriousness the situation doesn't deserve.

The show was still confusing because I wasn't clear on all the relationships and the origninating humor that the episodes look back to. Good think FOX did a marathon of the show in order to set me straight.

Bottom line, this show did not win all those Emmies for nothing. It could give Frasier, Friends and Seinfeld a run for their money any day. Let's hope the Emmys shielded the show from the FOX cancellation bug that afflicted other good shows such as "Action", "Titus", "Greg The Bunny" and ESPECIALLY "Family Guy".

**** out of ****

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105 out of 142 people found the following comment useful :-
First Season on DVD Disk 1 - Highly Recommended!!!, 21 October 2004
Author: kd4ml from United States

We enjoyed re-discovering the amazing antics of the Bluth family and preparing ourselves for the much anticipated second season. Arrested Development is my kind of situation comedy. No laugh tracks, thank you for respecting our intelligence! When it's funny, we know when to laugh. There are lots of surprises, special guests, great acting and excellent writing. Ron Howard's narration is a bonus. When someone asks me what it's like, I compare it to "Scrubs" but less mean spirited and more family values. I hope it represents the beginning of a trend toward great but gentle humor. I'm just about fed up with "reality" programs. Thank you very much. Keep up the good work.

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85 out of 104 people found the following comment useful :-
Hilarious comedy!, 25 November 2003
Author: Chuck Rothman (crothman) from Schenectady, NY, USA

Probably the best show of the 2003 season, and the best new comedy in years. It's very hard to describe, since the comedy is entirely character-based, not plot- or wisecrack-based.

Basically, it's the story of the Bluth family, developers who are in bankruptcy with the father in prison for fraud. One son, Michael, tries to be responsible and keep things going, while the rest of the group is entirely self-centered and can't seem to focus on the fact they are broke and in disgrace.

The various family members go off in various directions: George (GOB) fancies himself a magician, Buster is a momma's boy, Lindsay goes off supporting odd causes, Lindsay's husband Tobias fancies himself an actor. It's a show you need to watch closely, but the laughs are all over the place, from unexpected directions.

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111 out of 157 people found the following comment useful :-
Funniest Show in Television- Brilliant!!, 28 March 2004

Author: Lynnie-3 from Michigan

Annyong (Hello)! I absolutely love this show and so will you! If you haven't seen it- give it a second week and you will be laughing at all the subtle things and be caught up on the storylines. I usually tape it and watch it a second time with friends so I can catch the things that I missed the first time around or just because I like to watch it again! Yes, that is Ron Howard narrating the show. In an early episode the did make an Opie reference and last week Henry Winkler did a trademark Fonzie move in front of a mirror when they were combing hair. Don't let FOX cancel another brilliant show! P.S. Annyong is the Korean boy that Lucille adopted because Buster would not eat his cottage cheese (it might be one of those had to be there to understand)! His name really is not Annyong- Annyong means Hello in Korean!

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75 out of 117 people found the following comment useful :-
Nice... very nice, 13 January 2005
Author: ckmec-1 from Los Angeles, CA

During the show's debut in 2003-2004, I would quickly turn off my television set when that ukulele started to strum at the opening credits.

I was dead wrong at what I would eventually envision.

After viewing several episodes, I found this to be a witty, and sometimes delightfully funny program. Droll, hardworking, and recently widowed Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) has to endeavor with his father's (Jeffrey Tambor) imprisonment (in part to his real-estate company trading practices) his pampered mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), twin sister Lindsay, younger brother Byron "Buster" Bluth and his out-of-work oldest brother magician GOB. (or George Oscar Bluth II, pronounced "Jobe"). After George Sr. is sent to prison, the unbearable family members turn to Michael to head the corporation and handle their funds. Through it all, Michael has a son, George Michael, a timid and rather confounded young man who idolizes his daddy, has a mild infatuation with his only cousin, Maeby (Lindsay's daughter), and is in charge of the semi-popular Bluth frozen banana stand at Newport Beach's Balboa Island.

Not to mention the unexplainable Carl Weathers guest appearances, Ron Howard's uncredited narration, and brother-in-law Tobias' acting attempts, this program deserves its merit.

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