Arrested Development Season 04 Episode 01 - Flight of the Phoenix

I won't give each episode this through of a review.  This particular review is giving both my review of the episode and my first impressions about the season as a whole.

FOCUS - Michael

PLOT

Several years after the events of the previous season, Michael has hit his lowest moment. Everything in his life has fallen apart, and he's even struggling to connect with his son George Michael.

FIRST IMPRESSION

As the first episode of the new season, it affirmed some of my fears, assured me it's still funny, and sparked my interest in he new direction.

THE NEGATIVE

By focusing on a single character instead of the ensemble robbed the show of some of it's appeal. I want to see the Bluth family together.  This is almost certainly due to budget issues and the difficulty of working with the actors schedules.

Another problem with the new season is the humor and insanity feel forced for the first time.  In the past they were simply writing what they thought would be funny. However, in the shows seven year hiatus, it grew a reputation and legacy.  As the writers and actors have matured, the show must remain the same.  Thus, they're trying to write and act like a previous version of themselves.  They're trying to capture the magic of the past. It doesn't always work.

Lastly, not all of the cameos worked. I don't want to spoil anything, but certain celebrity cameos are playing some of the main cast at a different age.  The actors are fine, but since the cast are so distinct the performances come off as parody.

THE POSITIVE

With all that said, the show still works.  These guys have a knack for writing intricate, cross-crossing story lines. These actors careers were launched by these characters for a reason.

One of the nice things about the new season is there a sense of mystery throughout. We're not really sure where things are headed, and there are some genuine mysteries established. We're left waiting to for another characters episode to discover what was really happening.


RATING - 7.5 out 10

The show is still funny, but it doesn't flow as naturally as before.