"...and now the review of an artistically rich television program, as championed by a novice epinion reviewer proud to champion said program. It's..."

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

Prior to its triumphant Best Comedy Series win at the Emmy Awards back in September (a well deserved triumph that I'm sure caught many in the industry off-guard), there was much speculation about the future of Arrested Development. After being touted by most critics as "the best new television program of 2003", AD (to abbreviate) struggled with lacklustre ratings and there was a genuine concern that it would not survive past its initial order of thirteen episodes (which is pointed out by show creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, on the commentary track for "Beef Consomme"...episode thirteen!).

Thankfully, despite its slightly awkward Sunday timeslot, AD has found a following...and though it may still be of the 'cult' variety...the show has survived. After experiencing the recent DVD release of all 22 episodes of Season 1 (plus extras), it is clear to me why attention must be paid to this sharply written, cleverly directed, and dynamically performed sitcom. So without further ado, I give you...

"...the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together. It's..."

...with those italicized words, we are given the basic plot of our show. Uttering those words at the beginning of each episode, while providing non-judgmental commentary throughout, is our never-seen, yet always present narrator (voiced by executive producer and an uncredited Ron Howard) - whose seemingly familiar and boyish vocal cadences invite us into a sitcom world miles away from Mayberry.

Set in Orange County, California, we find ourselves in the pilot episode on "Lucille", the Bluths family yacht, for the retirement party of George Bluth Sr. (played by the always amazing Jeffrey Tambor). Helping him celebrate this monumental day, are his wife Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter), his oldest son George Oscar Bluth or GOB (pronounced like the biblical character and played by Canadian Will Arnett), his youngest son Byron "Buster" Bluth (Tony Hale), his daughter Lindsay Bluth Funke (Portia de Rossi), Lindsay's daughter Maeby (Alia Shawkat). Not onboard the yacht but close by is Lindsay's husband Tobias Funke (pronounced Fyoon-kay), who mistakenly ends up on a smaller boat with a group of homosexuals protesting the Bluth Family.

Finally we have Lindsay's twin brother Michael(Jason Bateman, who looks like he hasn't aged since The Hogan Family), and Michael's son George-Michael (played by newcomer Michael Cera, and the second Canadian in the cast!). Michael, who for the last ten years has worked for his father, is anticipating being named the new head of the Bluth Company.

From the outset, directors Joe and Anthony Russo, employ a cinema verite/faux documentary look that will become the stylistic signature of the series. Using 'old/stock footage'(which ranges from ten years ago, to 'moments ago') the writers/directors cleverly provide us with backstory, exposition, and many fine comedic moments. As the two directors state in the commentary on the extended pilot: "the camera never leads, it always follows." Yet, for all the documentary techniques used, one gets the feeling that it's a documentary being shot without the permission of the Bluth family. It's as if cameras have been secretly hidden everywhere. There are no 'talking head' sequences, or direct acknowledgements of the camera (like in that other brilliant series The Office). Given what happens next, this isn't all that surprising.

The pilot ends with George Sr. being arrested for fraudulent bookkeeping, the family's assets and funds frozen, and Michael, the 'responsible one' choosing to take charge of the family - even though his father names Lucille (Michael's mother) head of the company. But as Michael always tells his son George-Michael: "family is always the most important thing in life." And it is for this reason, Michael decides to stick around and help his family out in this time of trouble. And that's where the rest of the series begins.

AD builds on many of the familiar themes found in your average family sitcom. You have the 'dysfunctional family', adolescent growing pains, morals vs. ethics, the impact of financial instabilities, and of course the ever popular 'never-nude' problem. By employing the 'mockumentary' style, the creators are able to free themselves from the normal 'three interior set/four camera' sitcom format, and take these characters out into the real world. Having only to worry about the two camera set-up, multiple locations can be used, and we are able to watch this once powerful family deal with the public scrutiny, and the fallout from George Sr.'s arrest.

And what a family it is! Save for Michael, the rest of this family has been coasting on their wealth and security for most of their lives. I would even go as far to say that their wealth has [thankfully(?)] allowed them to have very little contact with each other. Of course once the fit hits the shan, the family must learn to live with each other if they are to get through this most recent legal debacle in one piece.

Given the flurry of insults, the backstabbing, the lying, the cheating, and the self-importance...these characters always remain likeable. Granted, the proceedings never get overly sentimental. All we require is a certain look, or a touch between these family members, and we know that deep down they love each other. Of course, these moments are fleeting, and within seconds of that 'touch' or 'look' a piece of disastrous information is revealed, or a compliment is backhanded, and the vicious cycle of nastiness starts all over again. If you're looking for a sugarcoated family, this definitely isn't your slice of dessert.

Thankfully we have a cast of comic actors who make this family a joy to spend time around. Their timing is impeccable, and the chemistry in the ensemble is palpable. Watch how they play off one another with ease. They have unique acting rhythms which create fascinating spontaneity in their performances. These actors know how to milk a laugh whether through a slight inflection in their voice, a broad piece of physical comedy, or a simple moment of silence. The humour always feels organic, and never forced. When actor and writer are in sync...it's sympatico! And boy, is there a lot of sympatico...

For me, this cast is a joy to watch because they constantly surprise. When I first heard about AD, the only familiar names in the cast were Jeffrey Tambor, whose work as the somewhat vapid Hank "Hey Now" Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show was absolutely priceless, Portia de Rossi, who played ice queen Nelle Porter on Ally McBeal, and Jason Bateman whose television work runs the gamut from Silver Spoons to George and Leo.

Here, Tambor plays a character who knows exactly what's going on, but shares only enough for everyone's own good. He imbues George Sr. with a quiet strength coupled with a slightly zany disposition. Wait until you see the videos he markets from jail after he 'finds' Judaism.

Portia de Rossi's Lindsay is a wannabe activist who can't live without her material possessions. In fact, for Lindsay, it's more about being seen at these charitable functions than it is about supporting these charitable functions. Her relationship with her daughter Maeby is more that of a flighty older sister, and her marriage to Tobias is static and unfulfilling (of course, there are many reasons for that too!). While showing a real flair for comedy, de Rossi also allows us to see glimpses of the wounded little rich girl who is constantly seeking validation.

Bateman's Michael is at first glance, the 'normal one' in the family. Of all the characters in the show, his would appear to be the archetypal 'do-gooder'. However, the writers and Bateman have crafted a character who may very well be the most responsible one of the bunch, but that doesn't mean he isn't angry, frustrated, and prone to making questionable decisions. He can be just as sarcastic and insulting as the rest of his family. In the end though, Michael knows it is up to him to hold the family together, and it is often through him that we get many of the show's most touching moments.

Two of the biggest surprises of AD are Will Arnett and Tony Hale. Arnett's GOB is an out of work magician who thinks he's a lot more charming than he actually is, and Hale's Buster is a lifelong graduate student (studies include cartography, archaeology, and native drumming) who is trying to crawl out from under the blanket of his overbearing mother, but isn't brave enough to actually 'cut the cord.' These two actors are comic gems, and their work is filled with so much specific detail, that a simple hand gesture or look proves hilarious.

The rest of the cast matches the aforementioned with gusto. Jessica Walter's manipulative matriarch Lucille is every child's nightmare (though I'm sure Freud would have a field day!). The two child actors who play cousins George-Michael and Maeby show maturity well beyond their teenage years. Then again, when you're saddled with a storyline not often found in your average sitcom, a little maturity goes a long way.

Finally we have David Cross' Tobias Funke, a former psychiatrist turned aspiring actor, who suffers from 'never-nudeness', and continues to make references that indicate he is in fact a closeted gay man. Tobias enters every scene as though he is about to say the most important thing in the world. In fact what we have is a shell of a man who is hiding a host of insecurities. Originally, the Tobias character was only supposed to appear on a couple of episodes (surprisingly enough, so was Tambor's George Sr.). One can see however, how much inventiveness Cross brings to the table, and I for one am thrilled that they decided to make Tobias a regular character.

I also wanted to briefly (no really!) mention some of the recurring characters that appear throughout Season One. Henry Winkler plays Barry Zuckerkorn, the family lawyer who consistently seems to be in more legal trouble than the Bluths. Winkler plays Barry with an energetic zeal that seems to emphasize the fact he doesn't know what he's doing. Watch for a Fonzi reference in episode 16 - "Altar Egos."

Judy Greer is deliciously wacky as Kitty, George Sr.'s secretary who knows a lot about the family business, and is not afraid to use this knowledge for personal leverage. Oh, and she also likes to flash the results of a recent operation.

Turning up in various guest starring roles are Julia Louis-Dreyfus (a blind attorney), Amy Poehler (real-life wife of Will Arnett playing GOB's wife, if all too briefly), James Lipton (yes, THAT James Lipton - as a Prison Warden!!), and perhaps most bizarrely, Liza Minelli as Lucille Austero (best friend/rival of Lucille Bluth, and paramour of one Buster Bluth).

Arrested Development is one of those shows that gets better with every viewing. Each episode is loaded up with a plethora of one-liners, visual gags, and non-sequiturs. What makes it truly special though, are the little details that add to the richness of this show. One example occurs in Episode 11 - "Public Relations", where Michael hires a publicist named Jessie to help with the family's image. Jessie tells each member of the family what he or she should be doing to maintain a good public profile. When Jessie gets to Buster, she informs him that it is better for the family's image if he is not seen or heard from at all. For the remainder of the episode, Buster appears sporadically, cautiously peeking his head around corners. Now this would be funny enough with the way Tony Hale executes these 'hide-and-go-peeks.' What makes it even funnier, is the fact his shirt top has exactly the same pattern as the wallpaper, and his pants blend in perfectly with the rest of the room. Buster appears to have taken Jessie's advice, literally.

In that same episode, Jessie negatively refers to George-Michael as an 'Opie.' This prompts our trusty narrator to say: "Jessie had gone too far, and had better watch her mouth." Those kind of moments are pure bliss.

I will leave you to discover the other treasures this television show has to offer. The giddy viewer in me wants to share; the reviewer in me wants to leave you with more than enough to discover on your own.

With regards to the DVD extras, there are three commentaries, two behind the scenes featurettes, deleted/ extended scenes, a panel discussion with the cast, original songs by David Schwartz, and the presentation of "The Future Classic Award" at the TV Land Awards. I found all three commentaries to be both fun and informative (even more gags and subtleties are pointed out!), although having the whole cast in there together often makes it difficult to catch everything that's being said.

In addition to the original pilot, the 'extended pilot' which was never aired has been included. Do yourselves a favour and watch the extended pilot. Not only does it contain longer scenes, and more backstory (hence the 'extended' moniker)...it also has swearing! Woo Hoo!!(Which is significant cause any swearing in the series is bleeped out).

Every once in awhile a new sitcom comes along that re-defines the rules. It is a product of its time, of course, but its overall artistic craftsmanship will endure because the work is a seamless tapestry of acting, writing, and directing. Arrested Development is only entering its second year, so to make grandiose pronouncements about its future as a classic television show may be a little pre-mature. How often have we seen brilliant programs fall by the wayside because of low ratings, or insecure network executives? (Yes, I still mourn the loss of the short- lived, late eighties sitcom "Doctor Doctor" with Matt Frewer).

It is for this reason I throw down the television gauntlet and encourage you to get 'arrested' too. At least try it...it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for some of us, it's a fine scotch on the rocks.

"...this was the epinion of a novice reviewer, and the sitcom he's come to unabashedly applaud. It's..."


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older