Arrested Development Season 5 Review: 6 Ups And 3 Downs

2. And Maeby And Gob As Joint MVPs

Arrested Development Season 5 Maeby
Netflix

Even in Season 4, Gob was a real highlight despite the limitations of the format. In Season 5 his character arc is given a little more room to breathe, and Will Arnett just completely nails it.

It may help that he's spent the years since Arrested Development was last on playing BoJack Horseman, because there is definitely a tinge of that in Gob this year. It's not quite as emotionally devastating, but Arnett this year plummets to new levels of depraved tragic as he tries to make sense of what happened with Ben Stiller's Tony Wonder, and along with the manic energy and sublime comedy he also finds real pathos, which is one of the new season's biggest surprises.

Join MVP honours must go to Alia Shawkat, who is allowed to do much more with Maeby this year and flesh her out more than before. She's largely separated from her parents, and this means she comes into her own much more with a crazy scheme that gives Shawkat a chance to showcase her gifts for screwball comedy, while her relationship with George Michael is even stronger now too.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.