Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
07.00 Arrested Development
07.30 The Incredible Hulk
Arrested Development. Season 2, Episode 5. "Sad Sack"
One of my favourite elements of AD is George Michael's unrequited love for his cousin. However, in season two, the show leaves this plotline behind and confidently moves on to new storylines for Michael Cera. A new love interest, in the form of Ann...
Ann serves to create conflict between George Michael and his father. Since they are both very nice likable guys, there's not much conflict inherent in their relationship. In Season One the show often created conflict by having the father go against his instincts and try to do something he thought was right, for his son. This season season we find that father and son have very different opinions on Ann. There's a wonderful conversation at the start of this episode where we see the show using these views, and also some miscommunication, to get laughs.
This is another episode with some quality drama. Michael and his father share some serious moments at the end of this story, moments that are not played for laughs and that really work.
And Jeffrey Tambor continues to impress: playing not only George and Oscar, but also being called upon to play George posing as Oscar.
The Incredible Hulk. Episode 4. "The Beast Within" The one with the man in the gorilla suit.
David Banner, the lead character on this show, is a man of considerable dignity. I have always admired the way the toils at many jobs, often menial ones, and does so with dedication and pride. This episode is a perfect example. We find David, a highly-educated man, working in a Zoo cleaning out the animal manure. There's nothing wrong with a job like that, of course, I did similar work in my own youth but it's impressive when you consider than Banner is one of the world's foremost scientists and here he is: shovelling animal crap.
Sometimes you watch a series and wonder what a particular actor brought to a role. This dignity is, I imagine, one of the things Bill Bixby brought to the role of David Banner.
So that, at least, is one thing I can take from this episode: one of the worst episodes of the entire series and one that I particularly hate. So much so that I subconsciously 'paused' watching the first season on DVD for over two years because this was my next episode.
So why the hatred?
One of the central characters in this episode is a gorilla. He's on-screen a lot. And he's played by a man in a gorilla suit. And it's painfully obvious that it's a man in a suit. Try as I might (and I have tried over the years) I just can not get past that bit of absurdity. Crazy when you consider that I'm a huge fan of the Planet Of The Apes franchise, but there you go...
Caroline McWilliams is a great guest star, and Karen Harris and Jill Donner have delivered a pretty good story. David has a compelling reason for being undercover at the Zoo (there's a scientist there investigating animal aggression) and the crime that he stumbles onto is certainly original (diamonds smuggled inside animals), even if it is a tad 'fantasy' for a show that - the Hulk aside - is a very serious drama series.
The fact that I can't get passed the man in the gorilla suit says more about me than it does about the episode, I suspect, but there you have it...
Highlight? Arrested Development (Ann)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Arrested Development, The Incredible Hulk
