Review: Arrested Development returns

The beloved comedy, "Arrested Development" will be airing its fourth season, not on television, but on the online streaming site Netflix starting May 26 (photo couresty of MSN.com).

As the video begins, I’m greeted with Ron Howard’s voice as he introduces the scene in front of me. A man in a sweater vest, taking in the smoke of an older woman, rushes to the balcony to blow out the smoke for his mother who is under house arrest.

The man, known by the name of Buster (Tony Hale), looks positively ridiculous and borderline creepy as he rushes to blow out the smoke for his mother, Lucille (Jessica Walter). As eccentric and strange as this scene may seem, this is exactly what fans have been waiting for ever since the saddening cancellation of “Arrested Development.” This preview episode that was released on April 26 brought anticipation to every die-hard fan.

The long awaited revival of “Arrested Development” will finally be airing its fourth season on May 26, 2013. Since its cancellation from FOX in February of 2006, there have been nothing but rumors of a fourth season and even a movie. With a dedicated fan base, there was always an eagerness to revive the show, but it wasn’t until 2011 that the announcement of a fourth season was in the making and would premiere on Netflix.

“Arrested Development” centers on the Bluths, a once wealthy family that loses everything due to the arrest of the patriarch of the family and CEO of the Bluth Company, George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tampor). As a result of George Sr.’s arrest, Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) decides to take over not only to restore the Bluth Company reputation but also to keep his family from falling apart.

This proves to be a harder task than he imagined considering that the members of his family refuse to part ways with their extravagant lifestyles due to having not worked a real day in their lives. The adjustments the Bluth family must make as a result of their loss of wealth affect everyone, even those outside of the family.

“Arrested Development” has a huge cast that include other great talents such as Will Arnett, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Michael Cera and even Liza Minnelli. It’s this stellar cast that make the show great. Each of these characters and the actors that play them bring a new and hilarious dynamic to the mix of so many outrageous personalities that help create comedic gold.

While these characters are not always shown to have the most likeable qualities, as seen in the preview, the show’s theme of family stands out the most. As much as all of these characters fight with one another, there is a strong desire to get along, even when they recognize that they’re all terrible human beings. Many times it is the characters’ attempts to be good people that not only make viewers laugh but also tie in a sense that the show is reflective of a real family.

While I can’t say I know where the show will go next in its fourth season, I can say that even if the fourth season isn’t that great, I would recommend watching the first three seasons to anyone who enjoys comedy and a great show about family. The characters have diverse and charismatic personalities and the show ties in a family theme in a relatable and likeable fashion. "Arrested Development" is one of the best comedy shows that has ever been on television, and I have high hopes for the fourth season when it premieres on May 26. Until then, during your study breaks, I would recommend watching the first three seasons on Netflix to tied you over until the season premier.