I’ve just started watching Arrested Development, because whenever people talk about that awkward kid from all those teen angsty movies they invariably say something akin to “well have you seen Arrested Development, it’s so funny”.

Unfortunately for me, what I dislike about most of those angsty movies with that awkward kid is very prevalent in this show.  Everything goes wrong for what appears to be the only sane guy in the bunch.  Everyone other than Jason Bateman’s character are charicatures, acting in a way no one would.  There is basically zero believability in their roles.

Keep in mind I’ve only watched the first 3 episodes, so if it gets better please tell me because I’m thinking about giving up on the other 50.

I think the people who love this show are the same people who love Ben Stiller movies like Duplex and Meet the Parents.  I just can’t stand watching everything go wrong for someone who just needs to take control or any one thing and it would probably work everything else out.  Maybe that’s what is supposed to be good about the movie, that it evokes this not-in-control emotion.

An example of this is that the character’s sister has a spending problem and is not interested in working.  To fix this he asks her to cut up her corporate credit card and get a job, then he invites her to stay in his house and doesn’t do anything when she continues to spend all the money in the corporate account.  Simply cancel the cards and she’ll have to get a job to afford things!

It must be the complete absense of logical thought that bothers me the most, it’s the one thing that ticks me off in an arguement, using some irrational “logic” to prove a point and ignoring my facts to the contrary.

Summary: I’ll give it a few days cooling off period and maybe try the show again, I do find some parts funny, but for the most part it’s too frustrating for me to watch.

• Ben Stiller
• Jason Bateman
• TV Review