tek's rating: ½

Arrested Development, on FOX (s1-3) / Netflix (s4-5)
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It's about this rich, dysfunctional family, the patriarch of which, George Bluth, Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) has just been arrested. The main character is one of his sons, Michael (Jason Bateman), who's been waiting a long time to be made head of the family's company, but that doesn't happen immediately, even though he's like the only normal, competent one in his family. But once they realize they're no good at running things, they ask him for help. He takes over, but they continue to make things hard for him, just by being themselves.

Anyway, Michael has a sister named Lindsay (Portia de Rossi), who can be a little out there, in some of her... causes. Lindsay is married to Tobias Fünke (David Cross), who wants to be an actor, but isn't very good at it. They have a daughter called Maeby (Alia Shawkat). Michael has a son, George Michael (Michael Cera), who secretly has a crush on Maeby and is always trying to impress her. Michael's brothers include Gob (pronounced "Jobe"; played by Will Arnett), an out of work magician; and Buster (Tony Hale), a man-child who lives with their mother, Lucille (Jessica Walter). The series is narrated by exec producer Ron Howard. George Sr.'s incompetent lawyer is played by Henry Winkler. And that's all I can think to say, for now. Except it's a fairly smart and amusing show, even if I don't like it quite as much as the critics. There were some changes over the (too) few seasons it aired, but... nothing I can think to mention, and probably nothing that important. But it definitely deserved to last longer, anyway.

...And then, seven years after it was cancelled, a fourth and fifth season were produced for Netflix, but I didn't get to see them. Hopefully I will someday, though.


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