Well, definitely a hair piece. Just watched a season one episode the other day and it's noticeably different
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Arrested Development S5 |OT| And the one producer who had no choice but to keep them all together
- Thread starter GK86
- Start date
One of the many annoying things about S4 is the decision to constantly return to the aftermath of the S3 finale. Not only is it not that interesting or funny, but it's just weird seeing the clips of S3 lead in to the actors looking so different.
I finished it a few days ago and I've been trying to ruminate on it, but I feel like much of it is already slipping from my mind. I didn't find most of the jokes funny. The camera angles were flat and awkward and the sets looked cheap. The uncomfortable vibe between George Michael and his father got old really quickly. Tobias felt pointless without Lindsay there, and I didn't like Murphybrown at all. I don't really like all these dismal storylines they've been giving GOB. Lucille has almost none of her razor-sharp wit from the original seasons. Buster was relatively okay I think, but I'm not really sure what his place is in it any more. In fact, I'm not really sure what the overarching plot was at all. They're still looking for the body of Lucille 2 and Buster has been locked up for trying to tamper with evidence relating to her murder (I assume murder?). Not sure about the Mexico/wall plot or where that fits in and the Lindsay running for office plot seemed so half-hearted obviously because Portia wasn't in the show for most of the season. The whole thing just felt meandering, there weren't very many jokes, even getting the cast back together (unlike S4) didn't result in the good banter it used to. Maeby was probably the sole good part of the series, with a fairly fun plotline and great acting by Alia Shawkat. George Michael was good when he was interacting with her, but I can't bare the Rebel story and it irks me how much Ron Howard and his family are involved. I'm sure they as producers find it hilarious to be referenced so much, but I find it unnecessary and distracting.
I didn't like S4 much either but I at least managed to rewatch that season (although I didn't care enough again to get more than 4 episodes through Fateful Consequences). I don't feel like I ever want to rewatch this. S4 wasn't good because they changed the format too much and split the whole cast up. S5 tried to put them back together but it still didn't work, mainly due to poor writing. I feel like Netflix bringing back AD has been a monkey's paw wish and I don't know if I'll continue with S5 when the second half releases.
EDIT - at least DeBrie was better than in S4. She was possibly my least favourite (I also hated Marky Bark) and at least her characterisation here is an improvement.
I didn't like S4 much either but I at least managed to rewatch that season (although I didn't care enough again to get more than 4 episodes through Fateful Consequences). I don't feel like I ever want to rewatch this. S4 wasn't good because they changed the format too much and split the whole cast up. S5 tried to put them back together but it still didn't work, mainly due to poor writing. I feel like Netflix bringing back AD has been a monkey's paw wish and I don't know if I'll continue with S5 when the second half releases.
EDIT - at least DeBrie was better than in S4. She was possibly my least favourite (I also hated Marky Bark) and at least her characterisation here is an improvement.
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Could be a function of being bored all the way through so I was sparsely paying attention: but I think you might be right. I don't think any arcs have developed yet.
This is so weird. I'd like to think these guys are smart enough to not bring the show back without having some great ideas and a story to tell. A wrench got thrown in somewhere. Something went wrong and I don't think it was just Portia.
Been trying to figure out why this felt so off and I think you nailed it. This, with some of the performances given is really throwing me off this show right now.
Im about halfway through 5. I have absolutely no idea what is going on in any of the plotlines besides possibly Maeby's, but I'm still laughing quite a bit.
Got a hearty laugh every time Lindsey is on screen though, Netflix really needs to up their greenscreen game
Got a hearty laugh every time Lindsey is on screen though, Netflix really needs to up their greenscreen game
I mean, at this point, this is just the Netflix Originals Brand, where it feels like a plodding eight hour movie rather than individual episodes.
That thought wouldn't occur to all the super young and attractive posters in this thread who simply can't bear the sight of a 48 year old man carrying a few extra pounds.
I have a lot of problems with Season 5 (A ton) but it does strike me as odd the number of people in this thread who focus on things like how people look as they age. What a bizarre thing to focus on. As if AD was a show about pretty people or something. I wanted to mention that a few pages back.
Now I do understand that's it weird that AD simply never aged the characters properly when it relates to the timeline of the show. That is on them. And it was a dumb thing to do. It started to feel like those Wet Hot American summer netflix seasons without the implicit joke involved there that these are 40 and 50 year old people playing teenagers.
Now I do understand that's it weird that AD simply never aged the characters properly when it relates to the timeline of the show. That is on them. And it was a dumb thing to do. It started to feel like those Wet Hot American summer netflix seasons without the implicit joke involved there that these are 40 and 50 year old people playing teenagers.
This is the same forum where people said Donald Glover should've gotten in shape before taking his shirt off in the This Is America video.
I'm almost done with the season and I don't know what you all are complaining about, this shit is GREAT. I'm literally crying due to laughter. Why are people complaining about the plot? Since when has AD been about plot, it's about the characters and their interactions. So far this season has been a pure win for me. The only weak point is Tobias who really doesn't have much to do without Lindsay.
First episode was pretty heavy on the recaps. I felt like I should have been taking notes or something.
Man. That was the worst season so far for me. I just didn't find it very funny at all. I hope the second part of S5 steps it up big time.
actually actually Aanyong was 18 during season one (mentioned in a Next Time), which was older than Maeby and George-Michael.
Nah, the question was about the kids of George and Lucille. If anything Buster shouldn't have been included
Ah good catch. Hadn't hit that point in the video when I replied lol. Though, if you disqualify Buster (who's father is still a "Bluth," assuming traditional name-taking), you definitely couldn't include Lindsay.
Finally finished, and I barely had the willpower to make it through the final episode. There were like 5 good jokes in this half season, and one good recurring gag with the beach house rules bit. The green screen stuff with Portia and Ben Stiller are just embarrassing.
Time to lay this series to rest.
Time to lay this series to rest.
I'm on episode 5 or so. The show's not as bad as the original cut of season 4 was, but I find myself feeling much more fatigued by the plot this time around. I know AD has always had layered plot elements that pay off in some way, but I find it simultaneously more convoluted in season 5 and less interesting. None of the narrative threads are as hilarious as I hoped... Tobias is doing poor impersonations of family members, Maeby is up to her hijinks, Buster is often not even present, Michael and George Michael have an awkward relationship. None of it is really clicking with me.
Season 4 at least had a couple of quotable lines, but I haven't found any such humor in season 5 yet. It's less disappointing than the original cut of season 4, but based off season 5 I'd honestly be okay with the show coming to a permanent end.
Season 4 at least had a couple of quotable lines, but I haven't found any such humor in season 5 yet. It's less disappointing than the original cut of season 4, but based off season 5 I'd honestly be okay with the show coming to a permanent end.
Finished the (half)season yesterday, still not sure what to think about it. It feels like watching the first half of the original season 4 and never getting to the great payoffs in the later episodes. Even then, these episodes don't seem to setup much, so I'm not sure what to expect from part 2 later this year...
I just wish they had time jumped a couple of years ahead and left most of season 4's things alone, it really drags the whole thing down.
I just wish they had time jumped a couple of years ahead and left most of season 4's things alone, it really drags the whole thing down.
Last post for me here until the new season starts as I don't want to beat my dislike into the ground.
There were so many corny or dated jokes in the show for this season. I won't bother to list them because a lot of humour is subjective so I'm sure somebody found them funny but for me it was sad to not laugh very much during the episodes because of the lack of jokes and then inwardly groan to myself at the jokes that were supposed to be funny.
Sure it wasn't plugs? Look at Steve Carrell during season 1 of the Office and look at him now, same for Jeremy Piven, dude was going bald back in PCU and has hair now.
why would you cut the season in half like this, it didn't end in a good place
also, i must be blind because i never noticed the green screened Lindsay
also, i must be blind because i never noticed the green screened Lindsay
I don't understand how you couldn't notice that, same with Ron Howard being green screened in. The body double doesn't even look right from the back and the eyelines were so bad. It was sad watching Portia's eyeline veering all over the place when she's arguing with Lucille in the beach house. They should have just had her on the phone like they did with Ben Stiller.
The worst part was when they were in Lucille 2's apartment in an early episode and Lindsay goes to sit in front of some cameras for a promotional thing with her back to everyone but they keep cutting to her for reaction shots. But if you didn't notice it I envy you! It was so distracting and took me out of it every time.
Yes. I was going to include this specific example in a longer post about how this season seems to continue the trend started in Season 4 of replacing rapid fire jokes common in S1-3 with long, drawn out jokes that lack rhytmn and never seem to land right.
The marching band is the prime example. It's like, am I supposed to keep laughing the entire time they're playing quietly? I got the joke in the first 2 seconds. Why keep the camera on them for a whole minute?
Yeah, that would have been a five second cutaway joke in the original 3 seasons. Here it long outstayed its welcome and wasn't that funny to begin with.
It's not terrible, and definitely has some good moments. It's definitely worth a watch and picks up after the first couple of episodes.
Seconded. There's a lot of negativity in here and it's not a perfect half season, but I did enjoy a good amount of it.
I like Maebe but I've never found the "Marry Me" gag funny really. "Bury Me!" Got me fucking good though
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I still have two episodes left, but she's definitely the MVP of the season.
Five episodes in now. It's definitely the weakest season so far, and a lot of the actors feel rusty, or just "off," which is too bad. Actually, most of them - I think Michael, George Michael, Maebe, and Buster are the only characters that seem to be written/portrayed right. I'm most surprised by Cera, I always considered him one of the worse actors on the show, but he's been consistently funny this time.
I'm enjoying it, but yeah, it's a big step down, even from S4. But I mostly like S4, so...
I'm enjoying it, but yeah, it's a big step down, even from S4. But I mostly like S4, so...
Ron Howard too?! Jesus what the fuck is wrong with me. This also reminds me I learned Bryce Dallas Howard is his actual real life daughter.
Did you guys know beforehand about the greenscreen? Maybe if you were looking for it...
Such a poor decision to end it with episode 8. The season seemed to be improving (slightly) in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and (less so) eighth episode, and ending it right there killed the momentum of the season, left a sour impression of the season, and given that they're going for stretched out storylines, it was a very poor decision for this show since there was no real payoff or conclusion. Kimmy Schmidt at least had a consistent enough run that cutting it in half still left a satisfying run of episodes, but here it just made no sense. I can imagine they saw the 'parade' as the pay off to enough of the season to cut it in half there, but it really didn't feel that way.
Also, I'm really disappointed they didn't do more with Buster in prison. That had some great comedy potential and could have been a really good way to play off some of the jokes from George Senior and Tobias's time in the prison, but they just didn't nail it.
Yes, she told them she quit but they wrote her into 5 episodes anyway
https://www.news.com.au/entertainme...s/news-story/1223b829c2976a2e71db49988bec129b
I also never liked "Marry me", but the Maebe/maybe jokes are still great. The Reed/read jokes were funny to me. Reed is such a weird name to my non-American ears.
I didn't know about it and didn't notice anything was off with Lindsay, then I found out after about the 3rd or 4th episode and noticed it loads in the 5th, lol.
I didn't, but it's unnatural directing/editing, so it just generates a feeling that something is off. You rarely see that kind of stuff because it's bad and unnatural.
Wow, that explains a lot. I was wondering why she was barely in it.
Ok, there's a scene where George Sr drops down in the anchor into the water, and is conveniently exactly where Michael and George Michael are underwater. I don't understand how they ended up in the same place ?? Also that scene looks REALLY bad
The greenscreen on the show is one of those things where once you notice, you just continually notice it every time, and as said earlier, it produces this weird uncanny valley aspect to the show's already off feeling. It's especially jarring when the show goes from its signature handheld shots to some static medium shot of Ron Howard just standing by a poorly lit background, although admittedly these handheld shots are now pretty infrequent for whatever reason.
So this season is bad. Just like 4. Let it die, Mitch - it's over, and we'll always have the glory of the first 2 (+/- the third) seasons.
*I don't know what I expected.gif*
But if you watch carefully, i think she's not being shot with the other actors - one scene she's in the foreground and everyone's blurry in the background and in the other she has a blanket over her head whenever she's in a shot with the other actors. Also, even at about 6 episodes in, she's had about 6 lines.
*I don't know what I expected.gif*
But if you watch carefully, i think she's not being shot with the other actors - one scene she's in the foreground and everyone's blurry in the background and in the other she has a blanket over her head whenever she's in a shot with the other actors. Also, even at about 6 episodes in, she's had about 6 lines.
Yeah, not only did he write her into five episodes, he actually broke into her home, held a gun to her head and forced her into the studio against her will. It's crazy, really.