It's 'Arrested Development'
/Season 4: Arrested Development
Created By: Mitch Huriwitz
Starring: Michael Bateman, Will Arnett, Portia Di Rossi
While the newest season of Arrested Development , which premiered in it's entirety on Netflix in late May, is a solid and self-referential return to the beloved series, something is missing. Yes, all your favorite characters are back, including the minor players such as Lucile 2, Barry Zuckercorn, Bob Loblaw, Jean Parmesan, and Ann (her?). And sure, it deftly picks up where the third season abruptly left off. However, due to the actors scheduling constraints, each of the 14 new episodes focuses only on a singular character. By the end of the season the intertwining stores come together in expert fashion, but it's the character interaction, and their interactions with Michael, that is missing. Forcing them to be separate, the season loses out on the spark that is created when the cast is skillfully playing off one another.
As the 4th season not able to keep the cast together, Michael is less concerned about keeping the family together; finally embracing the Bluth motto of 'all-for-one.' Five years after the disastrous harbor party where Michael and his son attempted to, finally, run away from the family the only thing he needs from them is their signature. With the help of Imagine entertainment (and a very over-done cameo by Ron Howard) the Bluth story is finally going to get the big screen treatment. While Michael gathers each signature, he even mentions how glad he is to be done with the family - not entirely the Michael we know. No longer are the needs of the family the needs of Michael Bluth. And come to find out, the family doesn't really need Michael.
What held the family together, and, ultimately, the show, was Michael. Now, as Lucile battles SEC charges, George plans a border fence, Lindsey falls for a congressman, Tobias lands the wrong TV show, and GOB (in the weakest and most played out storyline) tries to seduce Tony Wonder - there's no Michael to save them. No one regrets or comments on this, which was a constant refrain during the first three seasons. Lacking this element, fails to give the show a center. Yes, the jokes (some brilliant, some forced) are there - as well as a number of fantastic inside jokes. Yes, the cast returns to these roles with great ease. Yet, everything in the first 13 episodes builds to a crescendo that is largely underwhelming. Since everyone is working towards a different end goal, it's hard to give everyone what they want. The one light at the end is that we are left with the promise of a fifth season. But, we've been here before and hopefully it's not a trick. Oh, I'm sorry, I mean an illusion.