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The axe of cancellation dangled perilously over Arrested Development during its second season, but the award-winning comedy fought against fate to deliver a hilarious if scattershot 18 episodes (reduced from the original show order of 22), and stayed alive for the beginning of a third season. Most likely, the creators and actors knew the clock was ticking down, so they didn't hesitate to throw their all into these manic, hilarious episodes, which have only the thinnest of plot arcs but an electrifying energy that makes them hard to resist. Some of the story antics were more of the same: good son Michael (Jason Bateman) tries to keep his company afloat, but is often foiled by older brother Gob (Will Arnett); the precarious marriage of Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) and Tobias (David Cross) undergoes a trial separation; and young George-Michael (Michael Cera) fights his attraction to his cousin Maeby (Alia Shawkat). Other show developments, though, were new and stunningly, uproariously bizarre: Buster (Tony Hale) joins the army, but later finds his hand bitten off by a seal (yes, a real seal), and Oscar (Jeffrey Tambor), the hippie brother of jailed George Sr. (also Tambor), rekindles an affair with sister-in-law Lucille (Jessica Walter), which may have resulted in Buster's conception years ago.
Jokes flew fast and furious, as did guest stars--Ben Stiller, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Christine Taylor, Thomas Jane, Ed Begley Jr., Ione Skye, and Zach Braff among them--making it hard to keep straight who was doing what and why. No matter, as each of the episodes was in and of itself was a perfect gem of comedy, strung together by sharp writing and fantastic performances. In addition to the regular cast, both Liza Minnelli, reprising her role as "Lucille Two," and Martin Short, as an, um, eccentric family friend, deserve special mention, with the episode both appeared in, "Ready, Aim, Marry Me," a frenetic exercise in slapstick farce. Typical examples of the show's offbeat humor were found in "Afternoon Delight," in which various members of the Bluth family discover the true meaning of the '70s ballad, "Meet the Veals," wherein the Bluths encounter the conservative parents of George Michael's girlfriend, and "Motherboy XXX," surrounding an unsettling mother-son traditional dance. The entire cast cohered perfectly through this season, and their give and take provided a perfect balance among the actors, all of whom were even better than the previous year. However, it's Bateman who should be singled out as the show's anchor, mixing dry sarcasm with impeccable comic timing. Despite plummeting ratings, Arrested Development didn't just keep its head above water, it swam with grace and hilarity. --Mark Englehart
Product Description
In this 5 time Emmy®-winning comedy's hilarious second season, Michael Bluth, once again determined to be free of his dysfunctional family, packs up the car and his son George-Michael and heads for Arizona. But he's soon pulled over by the police who tell him that his father, George Sr., has broken out of prison. Due to the company's shady business deal with Iraq, Michael could face prison time, so he returns home to clear his name even as George Sr. secretly flees to Mexico, Tobias decides to be an understudy for the Blue Man Group, and Lucille begins a torrid affair with her husband's twin brother, Oscar. Arrested Development Season 3 will begin airing this fall on FOX.
Normally I hate it when people (including myself) write reviews for DVDs that haven't even come out yet. But I'm so excited for the 2nd season of Arrested Development to come out on DVD that I'm going to write one anyway! (Don't worry, I'll come back and update the review once I actually get the DVD.)
This is, in my opinion, the funniest show on television. My favorite thing about this show is how it is a "comedy for smart people." If you like dumb and "easy" humor, then there is probably still some stuff in here that you'll enjoy... BUT if you like clever/witty humor, you'll LOVE this show. The more you watch it, the more jokes you'll understand and the more funny the jokes will be. There are even jokes foreshadowing other jokes several episodes down the road (e.g. Buster's "I never thought I'd miss a hand so much" when looking at his old hand chair in "Amigos"). There's no way you could ever catch everything on your first viewing, and that's why the DVDs are so great.
While the 1st season is incredible, I'd have to say that the 2nd season might be even better. The jokes just keep building (so it's even funnier if you've seen the 1st season). The running storyline of Tobias as an "on call" understudy of the blue man group is great... even at the end of the season (well after that story has ended) you can still see blue smudges on everything in the house. The whole thing about Buster losing his hand is hilarious and contributes greatly to my favorite episode of the season, "Motherboy XXX" (which has one of the funniest endings I've ever seen). I could go on and on: the Veals, Gene Parmesan, Mrs. Featherbottom, GOB's wife, Maeby's job, "Scandalmakers"... it just never stops!
FOX cut back this season's original order of 22 episodes to only 18 (allegedly so they could introduce "American Dad"... but there are even jokes about the cut, like when the Bluth Company's order for homes is cut from 22 to 18). While it's disappointing to think we could have had four more episodes, I'm more than willing to trade those four episodes for a whole 3rd season. This is the funniest show on TV!
74 of 94 people found the following review helpful:
Learn the true meaning of "Family Comes First" in the splendid Fox comedy "Arrested Development". For Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), running the family business and raising his teenage son George Michael would be so simple if it wasn't for his troublesome relatives. This odd group of characters includes his fugitive father George (Jeffrey Tambor), his cold-hearted mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), his bungling older brother Gob (Will Arnett), his timid younger brother Buster (Tony Hale), his selfish twin sister Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) and his clueless brother-in-law Tobias (David Cross). "Arrested Development" is the funniest well-written comedy series since "Seinfeld". The second season of the award-winning comedy contains some creative stories, great humor, memorable comic situations and outrageous characters. Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, David Cross and Jeffrey Tambor deliver great comedic performances. The second season also features guest appearances by Henry Winkler, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Martin Short, Carl Weathers, Ben Stiller and Liza Minnelli.
Bring the laughs home with "Arrested Development: Season Two". All 18 episodes of the hilarious second season are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The 3-Disc box set has a well defined video transfer and a pleasant 2.0 Dolby Digital sound. Its supplemental extras include some in-depth audio commentaries by series creator and cast members on three episodes, deleted scenes, blooper reel and the brief "Season One in 3 minutes" featurette. With such great humor and amusing extras, "Arrested Development" earns a pleasing "A-".
Customer Reviews
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I loved this series - it only lasted three seasons, but it was the funniest sitcom I have ever seen! The actors are phenomenal, the plotlines hilarious (twisted and demented), and the narration is the icing on the cake. I am so sad that there are not more episodes for me to watch!
As a fan of Get Smart while growing up, I learned to appreciate subtle wit and clever writing. In a sea of reality television and endless cable channels, television has become diluted and a poor entertainment source over the years. Arrested Development was such a pleasant surprise. I accidentally came across it while fishing for a sporting event and was hooked within the first few seconds. It was a bit where one familiy member mistakenly assumes the blueman group to be a therapy group for men who are feeling a little down. In taking it to an obsessive level, Tobias makes himself feel better by painiting himself blue. The random blue stains left behind and awkward interactions will make your stomach muscles get a workout.
The casting is brilliant and the comedy is nonstop. It is a mixture of intelligent, sardonic wit and sight gags. It's a show that each time you watch an episode again, you discover something new to laugh at. It's obvious that the writers loved working on this project. All of the seasons are wonderful. Be warned though, once you start watching, it is REALLY hard not to advanced to the next episode. It's addictive! I have pulled a pair of 9pm-4am sessions because I got sucked in.
This show was always in danger of cancellation, but it did not hinder the quality of season 2 in the least. In fact I think it made the production staff step up their game. The second season is just as good as the first and I was glad that the show survived to do a third. The writing on this show is so top notch that on re-watches you can find foreshadowing in the first episodes for things that happen at the end. Hilarious even when watched over and over again. If you're looking for great comedy, check out the Bluths!
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