Arrested Development: Love each other. (s5 May 29th, s4 remix out now)

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > TV IV > Arrested Development: Love each other. (s5 May 29th, s4 remix out now)

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Escobarbarian posted:

Ugh that Australia thing is poo poo. Sorry to hear.

You can just say "Australia."

# ¿ May 9, 2018 17:22

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 07:22

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

LividLiquid posted:

Can this not be a thing? Can this not have happened? I never liked the nevernude joke because at is core, the real crux of the jokes are "aren't marginalized people without public support the worst?" "Aren't mental illnesses wacky?"

Like, straight-up, let's talk about this like never-nudes aren't really a thing, though they are. The entire joke is predicated on disability being funny if it's uncommon and doesn't make sense to the average person.

It's not a good joke.

Anything that's "LOL because people are different from the rest of us" is a lazy-rear end joke.

I love Arrested Development, but it punches down sometimes. You can absolutely joke about anything, but how you do it matters. The punchline of George Sr.'s involuntary transition is, at its core, "isn't it funny that some dudes think they're women? Aren't hormones weird?" There's nothing deeper there. It isn't an exploration of something worth exploring. It's just "haha man becomes woman. Ridiculous."

And the nevernude thing isn't as bad as that, but what makes it funny? What's the joke? The joke is "aren't people with disorders I don't understand hilarious?"

Like Seinfeld with Tim Watley, I'm less offended as a nonbinary person with mental illness than I am as a comedian. It's cheap. It's poo poo. It doesn't do any work. There's no there there. It doesn't deconstruct anything. It just points at difference and laughs.

Again, I still love this show, but not everything it does is perfect.

You're wrong about the macca subplot. It's not about trans people, it's just reversing the power dynamic between George and Oscar. The point isn't that it's funny that George is taking on feminine traits. It's funny because his status relative to Oscar's had changed in a way he would find humiliating.

# ¿ May 13, 2018 16:44

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Which isn't to say that AD has never done transphobic jokes, just that the macca plot isn't one of them.

# ¿ May 13, 2018 16:45

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

The Walrus posted:

I mean I guess that would be 08 or 12, right?

Lindsey gives a Love rally at the same Cinco de Quatro rally that Tobias' play is at and Michael confronts Lucille 2.

During this, Gob is having same sex with Tony Wonder.

# ¿ May 14, 2018 20:01

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Small White Dragon posted:

So Sally Sitwell has alopecia, but what's her other secret?

(Also, I really want to hear more about the Lucille's pet Ostrich when she was a kid.)

She murdered Lucille 2

# ¿ May 15, 2018 18:18

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

It just sounds like a divorce.

# ¿ May 25, 2018 17:25

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Chairman Capone posted:

Just finished the half-season. It doesn't quite blow me away, and there are parts of it I think are weaker than 4, but parts that I also think are stronger. Though the almost complete lack of Lindsey is very noticeable, as is the green-screen. I do think it gets stronger as it goes, especially the last 3-4 episodes.

I'd agree with this. I think it gets too caught up in trying to keep hold of its plot - the plot isn't as interesting or told as well as Season 4's - but it's also funnier and has better individual moments. There's a lot of great bits I liked, but I'd struggle to explain what was happening. I felt the opposite about 4, which I think told a great story and had some fantastic character moments but wasn't especially funny and struggled for memorable scenes.

The Keystone Kops bit in this could never have happened in 4, because the episodes weren't structured right, and it's my favorite moment in 5. But in terms of plot and character development I would have been okay if the show ended with Michael getting punched in the face.

# ¿ May 29, 2018 21:43

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

It's a shame because Kyle Mooney is fantastic.

# ¿ Jun 1, 2018 18:53

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

It's mostly weird how amateurish it feels. It's like a promising pilot for a new show, but this is a very experienced cast and writing team.

I didn't hate it - that Keystone Kops bit is fantastic and easily a season highlight - but it's not that memorable. They should have had another time jump, it struggles living in Season 4's shadow.

# ¿ Jun 3, 2018 01:17

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 07:22

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Data Graham posted:

This season didn't have any good quotes

The raped murderer bit with George-Michael and Maybe is fun.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2018 22:43

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > TV IV > Arrested Development: Love each other. (s5 May 29th, s4 remix out now)