Arrested Development: Season 3

I love "Arrested Development" and consider it to be one of the most original, funny, offbeat, and intelligent television shows of all time. Having said that, I waffled between a four and five star rating for season three solely because while great, it still wasn't quite up to the amazingly high standards of the first two seasons. In the end, though, I couldn't bring myself to give it anything less than five stars, because it just isn't fair to punish the third season simply because the first two seasons were so far off the charts and warranted a rating greater than five stars.Season three is shorter than the first two seasons, and the jokes are both a bit more biting, and a bit more off-color compared to the earlier shows. As always, Ron Howard's narration is a clear winner, and helps viewers new to the show to get their bearings on what's going on. One of the chief delights of the show for me is the long-running plotlines that span seasons: this season they become even more otherworldly and convoluted. Jason Bateman is a great actor and centers the off-kilter ensemble cast. This season he dates a British woman (Charlize Theron) and explores the British section of Orange County, in a lengthy subplot that was my least favorite of the entire series. I never thought this story helped flesh out Michael's character, nor did it further the flow of the show in what was an already truncated and busy season.As always I loved Jeffrey Tambor as the lunatic patriarch of the Bluth family, and especially enjoyed the subplot about his trial for treason and the bizarre aftereffects of his dealings in Iraq. The guest stars this season were also great and included luminaries like James Lipton and Andy Richter. My favorite piece of casting was Scott Baio as attorney Bob Loblaw (who even has his own Internet site, the "Bob Loblaw Law Blog"). Baio is brilliant here, as is Justine Bateman who makes a sultry appearance in an amazing turn of events. The entire cast is strong, the vast majority of the material is great (the rest is very good), and the finale is totally unexpected, which is exactly what you would expect from "Arrested Development." This is a great show, and while season three is not my favorite season, this is still genius on a disc.

I'm a big fan of Arrested Development. I've seen all 4 seasons multiple times, know the running jokes by heart, and can talk extensively about the humor and foreshadowing in the show.Season 3, in my opinion, is probably the weakest of the 4 seasons. Subplots drag on longer than they should, some main plot elements are breezed through quickly, and at times it feels like the writing is based around the concept of it being cancelled rather than presenting a good story. That being said, however, the show is still great. The humor is still there. Some great lines and running gags are developed. Plus the last four episodes really do give the show a proper (at the time) ending that feels right for the show. Furthermore, a lot of the weaker subplots do get better upon a second viewing, once all the jokes are explained.Overall, season 3 might not satisfy you as much as the phenomenal season 2, but it's still Arrested Development, and it's still fantastic.

The third, and sadly final, season of Arrested Development, ended with a hilarious bang as opposed to a whimper; which fans of the show had come to expect. Thanks to sinking ratings, the critically acclaimed, Emmy winning show was finally axed by Fox after struggling for three seasons. However, creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co. poked fun at their own demise with runaway glee. The season picks up where the second season left off: George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) is on the run while his twin brother Oscar (also Tambor) sits in prison, and Michael (Jason Bateman) tries to sort everything out. Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) is off after her runaway husband (David Cross), and George Michael (Michael Cera) and Maeby (Alia Shawkat) experience a new kind of awkwardness after their first kiss. Oh yeah, in case you don't know by now, they're cousins. Yeah, it's business as usual for the much maligned Bluth family. In the meantime, G.O.B. (Will Arnett) judges over an Inner-Beauty Pagent, Buster (Tony Hale) goes into a fake coma, Michael meets a woman who may be his long lost older sister (real life sister Justine Bateman), Lucille (Jessica Walter) has plans to show the family in a newer, better light (which doesn't go very well), and Michael and Buster venture to Iraq to save G.O.B. and learn just what George Sr. has been behind over the years, as well as who is the real brains of the family. The series comes to an end the way many would expect, with most of the loose ends tied up, but with an open window as well for the series to return in a different medium, hopefully (please, please). There's plenty of guest stars throughout this season, most notably the beautiful Charlize Theron as a love interest for Michael who may be more (or less) than she seems, and Scott Baio as a divorce lawyer for Tobias and Lindsay. All in all, the third season of Arrested Development is pure hilarity all the way through these 13 episodes, and a fitting, bittersweet end to a series that redefined the sitcom as being more than a predictable, boring comedy, and just what it could be capable of doing.

Fantastic and hilarious comedy about a dysfunctional family. The cast is brilliant and the writing is superb. Although this season isn't quite as good as the two previous ones, it is still worth watching and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud funny moments. It was a huge mistake to cancel this excellent series!

This series is so off the wall ! I normally enjoy rather the british production but there is always one of two american sitcoms that break the mould and this is one of the best. Love the story line and the weirdness of it all. Also the casting has been done superbly. I real gem in my collection. Overjoyed that they made now a season 4 !

If you know and love (and love to hate) the Bluth family, you will love the third season. The formula remains the same (and sometimes similar gags from previous seasons get a little boring), but this also means guaranteed laughs. There are some good extras on the DVD, like the blooper reel, that nicely complement this edition. Too bad there are only 13 episodes in this last season!

Nothing to hate

Excellent