The Return of Arrested Development - 3/6 [Archive]

Smeghead

03-06-2005, 09:13 PM

Ahhh. A whole hour. Since no one else has started a thread yet, here goes.

"You won't be hand-fed any longer!"

"Mom, you've got to stop starting phone calls like that."

"He'll be all right. He lost his left hand, so he'll be all right."

"This was when Lindsey and Tobias rekindled their passion. It was weird."

Terminally Ill Kittens

"Uncle Gob?" "Maeby?"

The pictures of Gob's wife in Iraq.

Damn, that was hilarious.

RealityChuck

03-06-2005, 09:27 PM

Great episodes -- they're really hitting on all cylinders.

"Maybe Lucille II is my mother," and Buster's reaction to his own statement.

Lucille: "I don't know what happened."
Narrator: "I do."

The two gay cops not wanting to know who would be the father.

The "Loose Seal"

Marley23

03-06-2005, 10:11 PM

And this is why FOX shouldn't be allowed to withhold episodes of AD for weeks like that. (It's like they get off on it or something.) The first few minutes of the first episode in particular were great. I liked the unusually twisty plot, and it'll be interesting to see what happens if Lucille realizes George Sr. has to be around. Anything to get to see more of the guy.

Did You Notice: GOB hypothetically names his wife 'Amy.' And his real-life wife is Amy Poehler.

Dr. Love

03-06-2005, 10:37 PM

The pictures of Gob's wife in Iraq.
That was hilarious.

I thought seeing Buster screaming was a bit much, killed a bit of the humor for me. And there were way to many turns back and forth with the whole pregnancy story.

Tracy Lord

03-06-2005, 11:27 PM

And there were way to many turns back and forth with the whole pregnancy story.

I totally disagree. I love the random, gratuitous plot-twistiness of the show. It's just so over-the-top, and I realized about halfway through that I actually had no idea who was pregnant and who wasn't, which is so much fun. Cheers for not telegraphing the ending, Arrested Development!

I also loved the return of the Overly Literal Doctor (Dr. Wordsmith, didn't they call him?): "He's all right!"

Also, Maeby as movie producer. "Yeah, and I've got an $80 million movie with no ending." "Ah, problems seem so big when you're young."

Dr. Love

03-06-2005, 11:42 PM

The doctor was also great. And the Ford Bronco/Escape joke wasn't bad.

h.sapiens

03-07-2005, 07:36 AM

Askia

03-07-2005, 07:41 AM

Oh, man, oh man, this is a funny show. Back to back episodes is almost overwhelming.

Tobias: I believe you're evidencing something known as 'denial' -- when the mind is confronted with something so repulsive it literally pushes that thought away.

Lucille: (coldly) You're a worse psychiatrist than you are a son-in-law and you'll never find work as an actor because you. have. no. talent.

Tobias: ... well, if she's not even going to say anything, I can't help her.

****

Maebe: Ooo! I know how we can get Ann to break up with you. We'll put her in a room with gangee. She'll criticize her away!

GM: Yeah, but what can she possibly find to criticize about Ann?

Maebe: (pitingly) Oh, George Michael.

****

... and when Ann finally does come over, and Lucille is despairing about Buster's going to war...

Ann: When we're faced with difficult times one thing that can help is the power of prayer.

Maebe: ... Okay, here it comes.

Lucille: Show me how!

(Maebe and George Michael look gobsmacked.)

Narrator: Yes, it was a big "get" for God.

Lambo

03-07-2005, 08:10 AM

When Lucille started talking about George Michael taking Buster's place as baby of the family, if he (Buster) died, I kept waiting for Michael to reminder her that she did have Annyong (sp?), adopted specifically to replace Buster as a good son. Boy, the Academy has done Annyong wonders.

middleman

03-07-2005, 08:20 AM

* Funniest moment of the two part evening: Lucille:Who even remembers? Narrator:"I do."
(I don't even remember what they were talking about. But the response was funny. Is it just me or is Ron Howard the funniest thing about this show? Or at least provides the funniest moments!)

* Another funny narrator moment was Googling Sacramendie.

* I was thrilled to see that Maeby was still a producer. The Young Man and the Beach sounds like something Hollywood would do!

* Not only did we have the Bronco/Escape bit, didn't George Sr. also refer to "juice" in a different segment? Were there any other OJ references?

* I love Michael's blocking out Ann ("denial"). Especially in the restaurant when he called her "maam."

* Jimmy Kimmel Live. Michael Moore impersonator. HA!

middleman

03-07-2005, 08:22 AM

Oh! And Amazon.com's listing of thousands of baby books!

Justin_Bailey

03-07-2005, 11:01 AM

Am I the only one that's sick of the literal doctor?

He's. Not. Funny. At. All.

Gamaliel

03-07-2005, 11:11 AM

The episodes didn't work for me.. Ugh. Maybe it'll get better next week, or whatever week Fox decides to bring it back.

Morbo

03-07-2005, 01:01 PM

Am I the only one that's sick of the literal doctor?

He's. Not. Funny. At. All.
I think he's funny. What gets me is that I *know* he's going to say the exact wrong thing, but I can't figure it out. I knew Buster lost his hand and I was still unable to get the "he's going to be all right" comment.

One of the best parts I thought was the Google results for "Sacramendie" - which of course I verified (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-13,GGLD:en&q=sacramendie).

I also loved Buster's reaction to Michael's attempt at a "hand" joke.

Askia

03-07-2005, 01:32 PM

Am I the only one that's sick of the literal doctor?

He's. Not. Funny. At. All. Okay, he's not that funny. But Lucille wanting to tear him apart *IS* funny, so they should keep him.

"You son of a BITCH!!"

Cliffy

03-07-2005, 10:18 PM

Did You Notice: GOB hypothetically names his wife 'Amy.' And his real-life wife is Amy Poehler.

Who, in fact, plays the part of GOB's wife (as noticed by the astute h.sapiens upthread.

Thank goodness there was more Maeby in these episodes!

--Cliffy

ISiddiqui

03-07-2005, 11:38 PM

Oh come on, the literal doctor is hilarious! After he explained 'all right', I couldn't stop laughing. That was awesome!

Though the narrator's "I do" was great as well :D. The joke with the two gay cops not wanting to know who the father was and Micheal's reaction was just gutbustingly funny.

This show just gets better... hopefully it stays away from going against "Deadwood". I mean, I'm willing to watch "Deadwood" later, but many aren't.

ISiddiqui

03-07-2005, 11:39 PM

Who, in fact, plays the part of GOB's wife (as noticed by the astute h.sapiens upthread.

Thank goodness there was more Maeby in these episodes!

--Cliffy

How about the part where Tobias and Lindsey totally forgot they had a daughter! LOL, that was great!

Marley23

03-07-2005, 11:45 PM

Oh come on, the literal doctor is hilarious! After he explained 'all right', I couldn't stop laughing. That was awesome!
You know the best part? It's everybody's reaction after Dr. Wordsmith (I didn't realize that was his name) makes his announcement.
Lindsay: Finally some good news!
George-Michael: There's no other way to take that! :D :D

More Maeby is a HUGE plus.

pokey

03-07-2005, 11:51 PM

The spinning of the comfy chair and then later the patio chair really really made me laugh.

I wonder if Gob calls Amy "Blamey" in real life?

Portia DiRossi has really done a good job of completely destroying her image in my mind. Remember when she first came on Ali McBeal and it was like she was the most beautiful goddess second only to Lucy Lui in her great beauty and hotness? Now every week I feel so sorry for her and her ineptness and now it seems completely right and natural that she can't get laid to save her life and that some people believe she is a dude.

Marley23

03-08-2005, 12:20 AM

Portia DiRossi has really done a good job of completely destroying her image in my mind. Remember when she first came on Ali McBeal and it was like she was the most beautiful goddess second only to Lucy Lui in her great beauty and hotness? Now every week I feel so sorry for her and her ineptness and now it seems completely right and natural that she can't get laid to save her life and that some people believe she is a dude.
You must be pretty picky. Sometimes she does look too thin, but yiy, she's still freaking Portia di Rossi!

Marley23

03-08-2005, 12:21 AM

amarinth

03-08-2005, 01:14 AM

The joke with the two gay cops not wanting to know who the father was and Micheal's reaction was just gutbustingly funny.That was hilarious. It was just done so perfectly.

And Michael's reassurance after Lucille's prayer.

And the plan to break up with Ann.

BTW, did I miss them explain Maeby's birth? Or have there just been the side references?

woodstockbirdybird

03-08-2005, 01:59 AM

That was hilarious. It was just done so perfectly.

And Michael's reassurance after Lucille's prayer.

And the plan to break up with Ann.

BTW, did I miss them explain Maeby's birth? Or have there just been the side references?

It was actually explained in season 1 - George Michael was determined to find out if he was related to her and asked Lucille, who said something to the effect of her coming from a test tube.

Fiver

03-08-2005, 08:38 AM

Have we ever seen Amy Poehler on the show as that character?

Hey, It's That Guy!

03-08-2005, 08:49 AM

Have we ever seen Amy Poehler on the show as that character?

Yes, she appeared in a few episodes in the first season as GOB's wife (we saw her in the pictures in this last episode). They got married on a dare, but we never learn her name--apparently, neither did he.

middleman

03-08-2005, 09:04 AM

But apparently Michael wanted her. ;)

pokey

03-08-2005, 11:08 AM

You must be pretty picky. Sometimes she does look too thin, but yiy, she's still freaking Portia di Rossi!
I'm not! It's a real testament to Portia di Rossi's acting ability that she has made me believe she's an awkward freak of nature. When her mouth is closed, she is still Portia. But as soon as she starts talking or even her actions, she is the most amazing spaz! She is just acting, but damn she is good because like I say, that's a real task to make me believe Portia di Rossi would not be able to get a date. But with this character it's totally believable. Part of it is her loss of mojo due to misunderstandings and Maeby's sabotage with the shemale rumour, and her mom telling her she's fat all the time and being married to a man who isn't attracted to women but pretends that he is. But she's also totally inept at being hot. Remember when she aspired to being a cage dancer? Heh, and when she took too much of that herbal supplement and got all wonky at the bachelorette auction and nobody wanted to pay for her.

Ivar

03-08-2005, 04:26 PM

Best lines of last night

George Michael to father when he says he's dating Maggie Lizer - "Her?"
just like his father does to him with Ann.

Michael to Lucille

"Oh come on Mom, after all this time, God's not accepting calls from you."

Marley23

03-08-2005, 04:34 PM

I'm not! It's a real testament to Portia di Rossi's acting ability that she has made me believe she's an awkward freak of nature.
Oh, I get it. I agree with that.

Gala Matrix Fire

03-08-2005, 04:42 PM

I thought the overly-literal doctor was funnier when he reassured Gob that "we've removed the hook and there's no damage," but he was referring to removing the hook from Buster's stump, not removing the hook from Gob's ass.

Or was it his testicles? Where exactly was it?

Marley23

03-08-2005, 04:56 PM

The line was "you've still got a hook in your ass."
;)

quixotic78

03-08-2005, 06:47 PM

My favorite part was when Lucille said, "And for God's sake, don't salute him like that idiot downstairs did." Huh? A flat joke? Then, seconds later, we see Buster putting a Band-Aid on his forehead. Ha! Add to that the fact that he's "all right," so he saluted with his left hand :)

Am I the only one who has noticed and/or is amused by the fact that Buster always calls is "Army" instead of "the Army"? As in, "Mother, I've joined Army and I'm going to war!" Hehe, makes me chuckle.

Marley23

03-08-2005, 07:19 PM

Am I the only one who has noticed and/or is amused by the fact that Buster always calls is "Army" instead of "the Army"?
Nope and nope. :)

LavenderBlue

03-09-2005, 12:28 AM

I liked the loose seal/Lucille joke and Julia Louie-Dryfus muttering, "You've got to be kidding" at an apparently positive pregnancy test.

Merijeek

03-09-2005, 07:25 AM

mouthbreather

03-09-2005, 07:33 AM

She is just acting, but damn she is good because like I say, that's a real task to make me believe Portia di Rossi would not be able to get a date. But with this character it's totally believable. Part of it is her loss of mojo due to misunderstandings and Maeby's sabotage with the shemale rumour

lofl at "It's a shemalé!" :D

gobear

03-09-2005, 07:50 AM

Two questions for the peanut gallery out there.

Regarding Gay Black Cop - where have I seen him before? He looks too familiar.

Regarding Gay White Cop - is that the same cop that was always a little gratuitous against George Sr. with his nightstick?

-Joe

I don't recognize the gay black cop, but his gay white partner has been on the show before in the same role. He's played by Jay Johnston, who most people recognize from HBO's Mr. Show, in which David Cross headlined with Bob Odenkirk.

Kaspar Hauser

03-09-2005, 08:55 AM

Not only are David Cross and Jay Johnston on the show, the "fat" defendant was played by Becky Thyre, a semi-regular cast member on Mr. Show. Also, Bob Odenkirk had that guest role in the first season as the marriage counselor.

There also seems to be a Daily Show connection, with Stacey Grenrock-Woods as the reporter and Ed Helms as the cop.

Marley23

03-09-2005, 11:04 AM

I think my favorite was George-Michael's attempts to apologize to Ann: "I like not having fun! I like your idea of fun. Our idea of fun. I like not having that."

Cliffy

03-09-2005, 11:45 AM

I think my favorite was George-Michael's attempts to apologize to Ann: "I like not having fun! I like your idea of fun. Our idea of fun. I like not having that."

The last sentence was the kicker -- one of the funniest things in the episode.

There also seems to be a Daily Show connection

Plus Rob Corddrey as Moses Taylor in the gun control episode.

--Cliffy

Tracy Lord

03-09-2005, 11:58 AM

Plus Rob Corddry as Moses Taylor in the gun control episode.

Moses Taylor! Charlton Heston! :smack:

Smeghead

03-09-2005, 01:03 PM

Also, did everyone notice the "Hot Cops" music playing in the background when we first realize what the cops' relationship is? "Hot Cops", of course, being the name of the male stripper group that keeps popping up.

Petey

03-09-2005, 01:15 PM

Regarding Gay Black Cop - where have I seen him before? He looks too familiar.

Jerry Minor - also a Mr. Show performer.
But I recognize him from that Comedy Central show, Crossballs

Odinoneeye

03-09-2005, 03:58 PM

Did anyone notice the bench Buster was sitting on?

it said "Army Officer" but the way he sitting blocked it so it said, "Arm Off"

Also, in the flashback when GOB was letting the seal go, he said, "No more hand feeding for you." I guess he was wrong.

fiddlesticks

03-09-2005, 04:04 PM

Jerry Minor - also a Mr. Show performer.
But I recognize him from that Comedy Central show, Crossballs
He was also on SNL for a season ('00-'01), but if you blinked you probably missed him. And even if you saw him, you probably don't remember him.

Kaspar Hauser

03-09-2005, 04:28 PM

Plus Rob Corddrey as Moses Taylor in the gun control episode.

--Cliffy

Oops, that's who I meant. I always get their names confused. I think Ed Helms was also on once, but I forget in what role.

Tracy Lord

03-09-2005, 07:39 PM

Oops, that's who I meant. I always get their names confused. I think Ed Helms was also on once, but I forget in what role.

He played a realtor whom Lindsay thought she had a date with.

Sampiro

03-10-2005, 12:02 AM

I can't believe nobody's mentioned "I gave her quite the spanking in court today."

I think I know why this show is doing so poorly in the ratings: I watched it with my mother, who has never seen an episode, and because it's a continuum rather than a "Start Any Sunday" style sitcom (like most sitcoms) it's very hard to follow for novices.

Smeghead

03-10-2005, 12:14 AM

Yeah, that's true. My brother kept prodding me to watch it, and when I caught the occasional episode, I wasn't all that impressed. It wasn't until I went back and watched it all from the beginning that I became a fan.

Judith Prietht

03-10-2005, 02:07 AM

"Up yours, Granny!"

For the life of me, what is Lucille's response? It's something like "You couldn't handle it!"

Marley23

03-10-2005, 02:08 AM

For the life of me, what is Lucille's response? It's something like "You couldn't handle it!"
That's exactly what it is. She can be pretty crude when she wants to, eh?

middleman

03-10-2005, 06:50 AM

I think I know why this show is doing so poorly in the ratings: I watched it with my mother, who has never seen an episode, and because it's a continuum rather than a "Start Any Sunday" style sitcom (like most sitcoms) it's very hard to follow for novices.

Lost and Desperate Housewives are continuous and they are top ten shows! Will people accept that in a drama but not a sitcom?

RealityChuck

03-10-2005, 07:33 AM

My daughter (who doesn't watch but is home from college) got confused at the second episode, saying they skipped a show. I realized that she hadn't understood that the "On the next AD" gags were not showing what was on the next show, but were gags for the current show. It's a great gag, but I'll bet it was confusing to others.

Kaspar Hauser

03-10-2005, 10:23 AM

I think I know why this show is doing so poorly in the ratings: I watched it with my mother, who has never seen an episode, and because it's a continuum rather than a "Start Any Sunday" style sitcom (like most sitcoms) it's very hard to follow for novices.

I'd been trying to get my girlfriend into it for a while, and she just didn't like it. Last weekend she watched the two eps back to back and I guess something finally clicked, because she said they were hilarious. She seemed amazed that, in her own words, "You actually have to pay attention."

Kaspar Hauser

03-10-2005, 10:24 AM

(I hope that last remark isn't construed as any kind of slight against your mother!)

Monstre

03-10-2005, 11:28 PM

I don't think anybody's mentioned the banner...

When they had the "Welcome Home Buster!" sign up there, when Buster came back from the hospital, I noticed the break and the different typeset between "Welcome Ho" and "me Buster". And wondered what that was all about.

So all the more hilarious when Buster goes on his hook rampage and tears down the first part to reveal, "You're killing me Buster". BWAHAHAHAHA!

Man, I love this show.

And Michael's straight man reactions to things are great (i.e. the two cops "We don't want to know who the father is"). I especially love his reactions every time George Michael brings up Ann.

...

"ooooh, my water just broke, too!"

Monstre

03-10-2005, 11:30 PM

And Tobias stuck in the doggie door as Lindsay just opens it (Maggie's house). *grin*

There's just so much packed into every one of these.

ISiddiqui

03-11-2005, 01:21 AM

It was also great when Michael was going to send George Michael to sneak into the house, only to be told afterwards that there was a cop with a gun drawn inside (even though there wasn't). George Michael's reaction and Michael's reaction to George Michael's reaction were just priceless!

audiobottle

03-11-2005, 07:43 AM