A show can also take some dumb. I thought that "Arrested Development" was going to lose its charm after a little while, because it seems like they were playing around in the same sandbox with the same results and never really came to any new conclusions. This season has only really added to that, and while it's been an excellent season, I do think that there has been a big lack of consequences to any act committed throughout the show. It seems like George Sr. Always gets away from the long arm of the law and never faces justice, which is funny, but maybe not the most watchable thing in the world. However, for some reason, watching this episode, I think I finally got it. This episode is not interesting in providing cases where you'll have a big emotional payoff that sends all the character in the right direction. The family chaos is the only way that this family can function and the only thing that actually makes sure this show works. These characters can't even learn anything, because the basic structure of the show would fall apart. That's the level of brilliance that Mitchell Hurwitz has reached, and with this episode, he just continues on those trends. This was another brilliant episode and a great finale to a season that has been full of incredible episodes. To be able to end it on such a high note is a compliment and something some shows would die to actually have.
The purest relationship in this whole show is definitely the relationship between Michael and Gob. They began out the show on rocky ground, but as the episodes have gone along, it seems like there's more and more mutual ground for them both to stand on. This entire season has really been about their growth and how they could learn to accept each other in the positions they had. The climax is a very touching moment of brotherly love, which followed a nice little classic brotherly fight over who messed up in the situation they were in the most, which is a classic thing in families.
A relationship that's definitely not pure is George Michael and Maeby's. It's actually really messed up, and the fact that they're continuing to take it out further is actually quite impressive. I would have thought a studio head would have shot this subplot down long ago, but they're now going out of their second season, and it may have actually hit its peak at this point. It's props to both the actors, but especially Michael Cera, who continues to impress with his constantly confused state of mind, which I'm not even sure is acting anymore, as much as it's him.
Also, finally the show touches on the fact that these people live in the worst home imaginable. A model home is not made to house all these people and given that none of them ever want to move out, it seems inevitable that it would fall apart. Guessing that they're still going to be there in the third season, it's going to be interesting to see how they'll touch on the threads that the season finale left dangling. Are they even going to touch upon it? Probably not, but it would make sense for someone to at least mention it.
For some reason, this was also the episode that carried a big revelation that we'd known for a long time. I was actually under the assumption that everybody already knew of this revelation, but apparently, I'm as dumb as Buster on this subject. With that said, I do think that he's revelation was very in-character, and it didn't feel like one of those elements that they're just going to throw away like that. If anything, I think Tony Hale needs to get some credit for his performance in this show, which is constantly hilarious and the most pathetic thing ever.
"Righteous Brothers" finishes off the brilliant second season on a note of realization for the characters and for me as an audience member. The chaos is the reason why it works so well, and the fact that none of the characters have come even one step closer to being better is why this show's awesome.