FTA-TV Arrested Development - Season Four

Remove this Banner Ad

Season 5b just made me want to revisit Season 4, so I am watching the remixed version (22 minute episodes) and, man, Season 4 was so good. There's a sense of, "we only have these three actors together for so many scenes, so let's improvise a plot around these disjointed scenes" but , 1, the new structure straightens out the timeline a lot better, and 2. the jokes are worth it. I think that's my issue with Season 5 - it just wasn't that funny.

Season 4 has Gob's roofie circle, Buster's grotesquely swollen hand, P-Hound, Tobias getting his rocks off, John Slattery, same. It's as good as you can hope a new-age Arrested Development to be. I am not sure there are any gags in Season 5 as close.

The only moment I really enjoyed in 5b was the last 20 minutes when they actually got most of the cast together and finally wrapped everything up.

I'd enjoy a Season 6 or a movie if they could get most of the cast in the same room again and do a soft reset on the storylines (please no more FakeBlock).
 
Marlowe said:
Season 5b just made me want to revisit Season 4, so I am watching the remixed version (22 minute episodes) and, man, Season 4 was so good. There's a sense of, "we only have these three actors together for so many scenes, so let's improvise a plot around these disjointed scenes" but , 1, the new structure straightens out the timeline a lot better, and 2. the jokes are worth it. I think that's my issue with Season 5 - it just wasn't that funny.

Season 4 has Gob's roofie circle, Buster's grotesquely swollen hand, P-Hound, Tobias getting his rocks off, John Slattery, same. It's as good as you can hope a new-age Arrested Development to be. I am not sure there are any gags in Season 5 as close.

The only moment I really enjoyed in 5b was the last 20 minutes when they actually got most of the cast together and finally wrapped everything up.

I'd enjoy a Season 6 or a movie if they could get most of the cast in the same room again and do a soft reset on the storylines (please no more FakeBlock).
Click to expand...
The remix of season 4 is waaaaaaaay better than the original version, but there are still far too many story lines that really didn't have the payoff that rewarded all the time invested in them. And there just wasn't the same magic of all the cast being in the same scenes, which I know was out of necessity than choice. But how you felt about season 5 is how I felt about season 4 in the end. Just not enough jokes.
 
MC Bad Genius said:
Netflix model was the end of AD, to be honest. Weren't held to tight 22 minutes and lost so much of what made it brilliant.
Click to expand...

Agreed totally on the TV model but as a movie format it might find more love if they're going to expand upon the finale.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

JackNah_8 said:
I recently started watching season 4 and seems a bit flat.

I am hoping it gets better
Click to expand...

It doesn't but that spark is missing because the cast couldn't work together which was the clear magic of Seasons 1-3.

Does improve in S5.

It's always worth reminding people though that AD is a show that relies on binging and rewatching. S4 and 5 are significantly improved the more you watch them, much like the seasons beforehand.
 
The Filth Wizard said:
It doesn't but that spark is missing because the cast couldn't work together which was the clear magic of Seasons 1-3.

Does improve in S5.

It's always worth reminding people though that AD is a show that relies on binging and rewatching. S4 and 5 are significantly improved the more you watch them, much like the seasons beforehand.
Click to expand...
It's definitely a show that rewards multiple viewing, but I think that sometimes leads people to undersell how immensely enjoyable and funny it was on a surface level. My entry point into the show was watching a random episode on late night free-to-air TV and I was absolutely hooked. I can think of maybe only one episode from Season 4 or 5 where someone with no previous connection to the show might get that excited by it.

Season 5 is definitely a step up from Season 4, but it's still a long way below the first 3. The biggest issue is that they're stuck with all the terrible plot lines from Season 4, but regardless of that, the writing was just really poor in comparison to the original seasons.
Financialpanther said:
Best to pretend the show finished at S3.
Click to expand...
It's GOAT discussion-worthy in TV comedies at that point. It's irrelevant since the two later seasons.
 
MC Bad Genius said:
It's definitely a show that rewards multiple viewing, but I think that sometimes leads people to undersell how immensely enjoyable and funny it was on a surface level. My entry point into the show was watching a random episode on late night free-to-air TV and I was absolutely hooked. I can think of maybe only one episode from Season 4 or 5 where someone with no previous connection to the show might get that excited by it.

Season 5 is definitely a step up from Season 4, but it's still a long way below the first 3. The biggest issue is that they're stuck with all the terrible plot lines from Season 4, but regardless of that, the writing was just really poor in comparison to the original seasons.

It's GOAT discussion-worthy in TV comedies at that point. It's irrelevant since the two later seasons.
Click to expand...

Absolutely not disputing the first three seasons are light years ahead of the last two.
 
I found it jarring on first watch, but Season 4 sits alongside the first three seasons for me now. It doesn't try to be the same show, and it gets so much better with every re-watch. Not sure how you can ignore S4 when it has some of the best gags/concepts of the series:

  • The sweat lodge
  • To entrap a predator
  • Michael dealing with Imagine
  • ANUSTART
  • Gob's wedding
  • Gob and Tony Wonder
  • George Michael living in Sudden Valley
  • Maeby as a grifter
  • Forget me nows

From watching Mitch Hurwitz interviews, S4 seems to be where his movie idea ended up. He wanted to show all the characters living their lives before coming together at the end. It really should have ended there. A season that itched an AD scratch but had it's own point.

S5 tries to be the old show, but now has an extended universe of all these (less interesting) characters that the Bluths met in Season 4. With none of the clever story crafting, and even some awful shoehorned backstory stuff (George Michael snorkelling? A beach house?). They came home okay but it has none of the creativity that S4 had. The first half of S5 is what I'd remove from existence, so much setup before any actual gags began.
 
AngryRanga said:
I found it jarring on first watch, but Season 4 sits alongside the first three seasons for me now. It doesn't try to be the same show, and it gets so much better with every re-watch. Not sure how you can ignore S4 when it has some of the best gags/concepts of the series:

  • The sweat lodge
  • To entrap a predator
  • Michael dealing with Imagine
  • ANUSTART
  • Gob's wedding
  • Gob and Tony Wonder
  • George Michael living in Sudden Valley
  • Maeby as a grifter
  • Forget me nows

From watching Mitch Hurwitz interviews, S4 seems to be where his movie idea ended up. He wanted to show all the characters living their lives before coming together at the end. It really should have ended there. A season that itched an AD scratch but had it's own point.

S5 tries to be the old show, but now has an extended universe of all these (less interesting) characters that the Bluths met in Season 4. With none of the clever story crafting, and even some awful shoehorned backstory stuff (George Michael snorkelling? A beach house?). They came home okay but it has none of the creativity that S4 had. The first half of S5 is what I'd remove from existence, so much setup before any actual gags began.
Click to expand...

Probably the best interpretation of S4 and 5 I've seen.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

JackNah_8 said:
I find binge watching the show makes it more enjoyable, it's addictive.

I am curious to see how some of the characters develop and change in season 4
Click to expand...

Which version are you watching by the way? There's two editions - the original which was character focused episodes and a condensed chronological order which was later released. I believe both are on Netflix - the first way is fine but the later cut was much better.
 
The Filth Wizard said:
Which version are you watching by the way? There's two editions - the original which was character focused episodes and a condensed chronological order which was later released. I believe both are on Netflix - the first way is fine but the later cut was much better.
Click to expand...


I did not know there were two editions.

I Am watching the remix version which still seems disjointed but i think it comes down to the lack of chemistry. Did the show change script writers?

Anyway I'm only up to ep 3. I'll watch a few more episodes later on.
 
JackNah_8 said:
I did not know there were two editions.

I Am watching the remix version which still seems disjointed but i think it comes down to the lack of chemistry. Did the show change script writers?

Anyway I'm only up to ep 3. I'll watch a few more episodes later on.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure there was a a lot of new writers, but as it's been mentioned, the biggest issue was having to write a season of an ensemble show without having the ensemble in the same room. But even with that, the writing wasn't even close to the first 3 seasons.
 
MC Bad Genius said:
Pretty sure there was a a lot of new writers, but as it's been mentioned, the biggest issue was having to write a season of an ensemble show without having the ensemble in the same room. But even with that, the writing wasn't even close to the first 3 seasons.
Click to expand...
The first 3 seasons were priceless, it would be hard to top that after a long break of filming.


I've watched a few episodes now, finally the story is developing.

So far, Micheal is annoying in season 4.

Lindsay and Tobias are still clueless lol
 
JackNah_8 said:
The first 3 seasons were priceless, it would be hard to top that after a long break of filming.


I've watched a few episodes now, finally the story is developing.

So far, Micheal is annoying in season 4.

Lindsay and Tobias are still clueless lol
Click to expand...
The bar was set way too high after season 3, particularly given the time since finishing season 3, the show only accelerated in popularity as well as nostalgia when time moves on.

Season 4 still had some good parts but I think the bar was set too high that anything would have fallen short.

Ninja Please made me laugh for a long time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bungalow_bill
FTA-TV MasterChef Season 16
Replies
2
Views
53
JamisonRun40
JamisonRun40
Ticky009
Streaming Good Omens Season 2
Replies
0
Views
230
Ticky009
Ticky009
CaptchaProofBot
Streaming Warrior Season 3 - HBO Max
Replies
9
Views
870
CaptchaProofBot
CaptchaProofBot
Gasometer
Streaming The Test - Season 2 - Prime Amazon
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
AFDogs
AFDogs
Seeds
For all mankind season 3
Replies
2
Views
344
footyfan1978
footyfan1978

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top