A Love Letter to Arrested Development

Last year, per the request of my friend, I started the show, "Arrested Development." My first couple of thoughts I conceived about it was that Gob Bluth is played by the same actor (Will Arnett) that voiced Batman in the "The Lego Batman Movie," and that is it quite possibly the most absurd show I have seen--but its absurdity translates very well into humor.

The humor in "Arrested Development" is a great example of deadpan, which is done masterfully through the usage of a narrator. In one specific scene (first clip), Gene Parmesan (a private detective that disguises himself) appears in front of two of the main characters, Michael and Lucille Bluth. Upon recognizing him, Lucille remarks "Isn't he the best?", to which the narrator states "Gene was far from the best". The delivery of the narrator's line is done in a very neutral and collected tone, which directly parallels Lucille's excitement. The narrator's comments are brief but impactful, creating a perfect formula to generate dry humor.

Alongside the humor added due to a narrator, the scene cuts provide a large source of why "Arrested Development" is so funny. In the show's pilot, Lucille Bluth exclaims that she "loves all of her children equally", but the scene cuts to her mentioning, earlier in the day, that she doesn't "care for Gob". This happens often in "Arrested Development," where one character's folly is revealed through scene cuts, and the predicament they are in so ridiculous that it becomes laughable.

"Arrested Development" earned its spot as one of my favorite shows because of its humor--the simplistic but effective way the humor is showcased makes it so genius. Overall, I would recommend "Arrested Development" to anyone that is looking for a chuckle.

Until next time,

Gene Parmesan.

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currently reading: hwang bo-reum's welcome to the hyunam-dong bookshop