“Arrested Growth” is without doubt one of the finest TV comedies of all time. Created by Mitchell Hurwitz, it is a present stuffed with memorable dialogue, expertly written and delivered punchlines, and sufficient working gags and callbacks to make it reward (nay, demand) a number of viewings. Most of all, the dialogue is so good it concurrently feels improvised but too effectively structured to be improvised. In truth, the authentic plan was for all the dialogue on “Arrest Growth” to be improvised, however the scripts turned out to be too good for that.
Narrated by Ron Howard, “Arrested Growth” facilities on the previously rich and at all times dysfunctional Bluth household, who made a fortune in property growth. The present follows what occurs once they lose every thing and their eldest son Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) tries to maintain the household collectively after their patriarch goes to jail.
Whereas “Arrested Growth” has loads of nice and in any other case memorable installments, there’s one, particularly, that not solely managed to prime /Movie’s rating of the present’s finest episodes but additionally holds the best ranking amongst IMDb customers (with a 9.1 rating). That might be “Growth Arrested,” the thirteenth episode from season 3 and the unique collection finale again when Fox canceled “Arrested Growth” in 2006 (earlier than Netflix later revived the collection for a fourth and fifth season).
“Growth Arrested” sees George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) launched from jail after his prices are totally dropped, and the household lastly has entry to cash once more. To rejoice, they host an enormous celebration on the RMS Queen Mary, not less than till Michael discovers that each shady, unlawful, treasonous misdeed the Bluths has ever dedicated was really the doing of his mom Lucille (Jessica Walter) — together with her mendacity about Michael’s sister, who was actually adopted but made to imagine she was Michael’s twin sister.
The unique Arrested Growth collection finale was an excellent callback
“Growth Arrested” is an excellent piece of storytelling that brings each main subplot on the collection to a neat conclusion, all of the whereas offering fixed callbacks to the pilot episode. These aren’t simply low cost references both; the episode immediately attracts a direct line between the place the Bluths have been initially of the present and the place they’re now. Within the “Arrested Growth” pilot, for instance, Michael was decided to go away his household behind perpetually, but within the finale he’s reluctant to go away them. Equally, it is Lucille who’s wished by the SEC this time round, not George.
Finally, this episode works in addition to it does due to the groundwork laid by the remainder of season 3, which is a terrific self-reflexive work unto itself. Understanding that the present was coming to an finish, the “Arrested Growth” writers made no effort to hide their disappointment within the scripts for season 3 and had the characters always joke concerning the impending cancellation of the present in a cheeky, meta style. There’s even an episode the place the Bluths throw a fundraiser to save lots of their firm, with the dialogue making it clear the story is actually concerning the collection’ creatives hoping to seek out somebody to save lots of the present (therefore the episode’s allusion to HBO, the House Builders Group).
Likewise, “Growth Arrested” is filled with gimmicks designed to make the collection extra interesting within the hopes of securing a renewal, just like the promise of a “Cavalcade of Stars,” riffs on 3D, and even a live-audience stunt. “Arrested Growth” knew it was coming to an finish and went out with a bang (effectively, till Netflix resurrected it, anyway).