"Arrested Development" (2003) TV series 2003-2006

Creator:

Mitchell Hurwitz

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

2 November 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Get Arrested

Plot:

Level-headed son Michael Bluth takes over family affairs after his father is imprisoned. But the rest of his spoiled, dysfunctional family are making his job unbearable.

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Self Referential | Narrator | Sitcom | Magician

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 22 wins & 38 nominations

Cast

Jason Bateman	...	Michael Bluth (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Portia de Rossi	...	Lindsay Bluth Fünke (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Will Arnett	...	George 'Gob' Bluth II (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Michael Cera	...	George-Michael Bluth (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Alia Shawkat	...	Mae "Maeby" Fünke / ... (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Tony Hale	...	Byron "Buster" Bluth / ... (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
David Cross	...	Tobias Fünke (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Jeffrey Tambor	...	George Bluth Sr. / ... (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Jessica Walter	...	Lucille Bluth (53 episodes, 2003-2006)
Ron Howard	...	Narrator / ... (53 episodes, 2003-2006)

Runtime:

USA:30 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-14 | UK:12 | UK:15 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (season 1) (season 2) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Imagine Entertainment

Trivia:

Three actresses played Marta during the three seasons. In the first two episodes ("Bringing Up Buster" and "Key Decisions"), she was played by Leonor Varela. But in the next few episodes she was in, she was played by Patricia Velasquez. In a later episode, during a montage of Michaels former girlfriends, one of them are labeled "Martha", played by an uncredited actress. According to the DVD commentaries, this was an after-throught when they were adding names in post-production, to have a third actress take on the role, even if this version had no lines and only appeared on screen for a few seconds.

Quotes:

Michael: It's the carpenter who blames his shoddy -
[touches cornballer]
Michael: [bleep] stupid corballin' piece of
[bleep]
Michael: .

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Screenwipe: (#2.2)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Arrested Development

Nice... very nice

During the show's debut in 2003-2004, I would quickly turn off my television set when that ukulele started to strum at the opening credits.

I was dead wrong at what I would eventually envision.

After viewing several episodes, I found this to be a witty, and sometimes delightfully funny program. Droll, hardworking, and recently widowed Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) has to endeavor with his father's (Jeffrey Tambor) imprisonment (in part to his real-estate company trading practices) his pampered mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), twin sister Lindsay, younger brother Byron "Buster" Bluth and his out-of-work oldest brother magician GOB. (or George Oscar Bluth II, pronounced "Jobe"). After George Sr. is sent to prison, the unbearable family members turn to Michael to head the corporation and handle their funds. Through it all, Michael has a son, George Michael, a timid and rather confounded young man who idolizes his daddy, has a mild infatuation with his only cousin, Maeby (Lindsay's daughter), and is in charge of the semi-popular Bluth frozen banana stand at Newport Beach's Balboa Island.

Not to mention the unexplainable Carl Weathers guest appearances, Ron Howard's uncredited narration, and brother-in-law Tobias' acting attempts, this program deserves its merit.