"Arrested Development" Pilot (2003)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Directors:

Anthony Russo
Joe Russo

Writers:

Mitchell Hurwitz (creator)
Mitchell Hurwitz (written by)

TV Series:

"Arrested Development" (2003)

Original Air Date:

2 November 2003 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Widower Michael Bluth has been working for his father's development company since he was a teenager manning the family's frozen banana stand...

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Self Referential | Narrator | Sitcom | Magician

Cast

Jason Bateman	...	Michael Bluth
Portia de Rossi	...	Lindsay Bluth Fünke
Will Arnett	...	George "Gob" Bluth II
Michael Cera	...	George-Michael Bluth
Alia Shawkat	...	Mae "Maeby" Fünke
Tony Hale	...	Byron "Buster" Bluth
David Cross	...	Tobias Fünke
Jeffrey Tambor	...	George Bluth Sr.
Jessica Walter	...	Lucille Bluth
John F. Beard	...	Himself (as John Beard)
Jonathan Schmock	...	Captain
Hira Ambrosino	...	Executive
Paul Mendoza	...	Enrique
Stacey Grenrock-Woods	...	Trisha Thoon (as Stacey Grenrock Woods)
Chad Einbinder	...	Birthday Party Man

Runtime:

21 min | 28 min (extended version) | Argentina:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:13

Company:

Hurwitz Company, The

Trivia:

Both the model house and Lucille's houses were completely different than in the later episodes. Tobias also had different glasses, Buster had longer hair and George-Michael had darker skin.

Goofs:

Continuity: When at the Jail Lucille is seen putting on make-up with a green Clinique compact than is next seen pulling out a Black Chanel Compact than in the next shot she is seen putting her Green Compact away in her purse.

Quotes:

Narrator: On the next "Arrested Development", Michael finds it difficult to get his father out of prison.
Michael: You LOVE IT here?
George Sr.: I'm having the time of my life! Hey, T-Bone.
[high-fives another prisoner]

Soundtrack:

Free at Last

Classic episode, great start to a great series

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

...although I'm particularly talking about the Extended Pilot, which didn't air on TV but is available on the DVD. I've heard people say that pilots are typically weak episodes, but if that's the general rule, the AD pilot is the exception that proves the rule. It's one of the best episodes in the whole series. In it, the hard-working Michael Bluth finds himself in charge of the family business when his father is arrested for massive corruption. The episode has the burden of introducing all the characters and storyline, but in the process we get classic dialog from the character GOB, who informs us that magicians practice illusions, not tricks, because a trick is something "a whore does for money." Additionally, we learn the head of the family George can't be considered a mastermind because "he can barely work our shredder." We learn the family is composed of shallow people and snobs who don't get along, and yet by the end we get the sense that they care about each other... even when they're still trading insults. This is what made The Simpsons brilliant, and AD catches that dynamic just as well or better.

There's sort of a cinematic feel to this episode, particularly the extended version, and there's definitely an exciting feeling at the end that the Pilot has set up an amazing roller coaster ride of a series. If you don't believe me, this Pilot won more Emmys than any other AD episode, for writing, directing and editing.