But in this sitcom titled "Arrested Development", maybe we should think the other way around-this is actually a black comedy about trials.
Family theme. Comparing the widely acclaimed "Modern Family" in recent years, we can see that the development is hindered by the black: the first episode (actually Pilot), the family suffered a hit (or several) and tended to fall apart ( Finally, I had to live in a "model house" that gradually fell apart even in a physical sense). "Modern Family" is the opposite. It begins with three small families connected into one big family. If the gay home in a modern family represents a certain kind of political correctness, modernity, openness, and warmth, then the combination of Tobias and Lindsay in "Blocked", a normal woman and a man who suppresses his gay identity, is gay. The most acrimonious option in the joke.
In fact, our mindsets when watching "Modern Family" and "Development Obstructed" are also subtly opposed. For the former, we are watching the trivial things in the development of a happy family, but after all, nothing can stop the ship from sailing forward. Regarding the latter, given its name is "Development Arrested" and its final chapter is "Development Arrested", even if we don’t secretly hope that the ship will sink ("Why is it not sinking yet?" Ah!"), at least enjoying it stranding indefinitely. In short, this is sadomasochism.
What we encounter here is almost the definition of zombie by the Lacan School. "The Development Blocked" tells the story of a zombie family that has been hit hard but can't die. They are not only undead but extremely active! (The banana shop is also such a weird existence.) Everyone has failed countless times, and eagerly failed again. Sexless marriages can never be separated, love can never be possible, jobs can never be found, investments are always wrong, courts are always desecrated, those that are controlled are always controlled, and those that are out of control are always out of control... Money from the beginning ("This family lost Everything") is not enough, but in fact, this family has never really been short of money, ghost-like money, zombie-like money...
Most people like Barney in "How I Met Your Mother", just like Da Most people also like Joey in "Friends". Partly because they are all "supermen" who focus on breaking the laws of reality-Barney is of course much more complicated and interesting than Joey. Reality, as a rule or texture, is distorted or even completely cancelled in a pretentiously frivolous way in "Hindered Development". There are very few truly serious moments in the play, and therefore very few "moving" moments. This may be one of the reasons why it was eventually cut short.
(By the way, most of the love in the play is incest, it seems that the screenwriter has some kind of complex for "forbidden love". And Lindsay, the only woman in charge of beauty in the play, did not even get an appointment!)
and Barney The role of Joey's analogy is Uncle Gob in "Blocked"-yes, we all subtly love Uncle Gob. This is almost a cult character (look at him like that!): He is the most ridiculous and complete display of this type of "King of the Hunting". Lacan's phallic signifier is also a castration signifier, and this is Uncle Gob who is omnipotent and useless. In the play, he seems to have very few successful and normal track records, and of course there is not even a successful magic show. Under the wonderful pen of the screenwriter, he was completely schizophrenic...No one in the play loved Uncle Gob (or his puppet clone Frank), so we audiences love him delicately and decisively...
The world outside the family in the play also fully implements the principle of failure. Workers, white-collar workers, lawyers, soldiers, priests, police officers, detectives, doctors, middle school students, college students, CIA, rich men, actors, directors, magicians, even Mexicans, The British, Japanese, Koreans, and Iraqis can never find a decent person! ——Not only the Bluth family, but the entire social machine is malfunctioning, because every part is broken. Everything is being blocked.
Don't we still feel that there is only a thin line between Comedy and Cult? It all depends on the courage of the screenwriter-of course, the screenwriter of "Blocked" basically has no bottom line. (Reiterate: This is a comedy powered by unlimited abuse!) The wild and calculating screenwriter, knowing that funds and schedules are not allowed, seems to be getting wilder... so miraculously Rachaelitz · Theron came to be the protagonist's girlfriend for half a season, so in the show, he bluntly called on the audience to "tell your friends this play is good!"
Friends, this play is really good!
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