Arrested Development - Seasons 1 to 3 DVD Box Set

The rapidly diminishing ‘noughties’ have witnessed a number of high quality American comedies - The Office: An American Workplace, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Flight of the Conchords - that successfully cross the Atlantic and garner critical acclaim and popularity from British audiences. It is surprising, then, that arguably the most high quality U.S. comedy to emerge in this decade, Arrested Development, has achieved only cult success.

In an ensemble cast, Jason Bateman plays Michael Bluth, the sole voice of reason in his increasingly unhinged family of convicted felons, borderline alcoholics, vain socialites and ‘never-nudes’ (all is revealed, no pun intended, in the show). Trying to keep his family together, largely against their will, Bateman is brilliantly deadpan in his understated role, which provides sharp relief to the eccentricities of the equally brilliant David Cross, Will Arnett, Jessica Walter, Portia De Rossi and Jeffrey Tambor. Also watch out for a young Micheal Cera - he of Superbad and Juno fame, as Michael’s conflicted son, perfecting the seemingly troubled yet brilliantly timed delivery that has made him a Hollywood star.

Madcap, irreverent, bawdy, sharp, acerbic, twisted and often deceptively dark, Arrested Development did not quite have the mass family appeal required for its host channel Fox, and was cancelled in the middle of its third season. However, one need only witness the self-referential cameo’s that appear towards its close (including Ben Stiller, Zach Braff and Charlize Theron) to see the regard it was held in by the industry. It is no surprise that a movie version is on the way.

This box set collects all episodes from the three seasons, and also includes some very funny cast commentaries, a documentary with narrator and executive producer Ron Howard (yes, THAT Ron Howard) and deleted and extended scenes.

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