Arrested Development (TV Series) Exit Strategy (2006) User Reviews

They set out to make great television. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

[gizmomogwai · 10/10 · 1 February 2010]

Exit Strategy is the second last episode of the series, and the last to be co-authored by the amazing duo of Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Vallely. Those two have produced some of the greatest episodes (starting with Pier Pressure), and this one is no exception. Exit Strategy wraps up the Iraqi storyline, advances the George Michael-Maeby storyline and burns George W. Bush in more ways than one.

Arrested Development's plot has always been tied in with the Iraq War, and in the climax this brings us to Iraq itself. It's fitting, though not entirely relatable since so few AD viewers have probably actually been there. GOB is performing in Iraq but is captured by American troops for apparently being an enemy combatant. Michael and Buster go to Iraq to get him free. The episode ultimately confirms what George has been saying since Spring Breakout- that when it comes to the light treason charges, he was set up. This brings me to a theory some friends and I developed relating Arrested Development to The Wizard of Oz. George is, essentially, the wizard. He seemed to be a powerful head of the family but as seen here and in the series finale, the image was stronger than the man. Lindsay is Dorothy- the female protagonist who came from far away (Boston), while her siblings are the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion for reasons we can see in this very episode. GOB is the Scarecrow because he feels intellectually inadequate. Here he's too stupid to escape from the Iraqi prison despite having some opportunities to do so. Michael is the Tin Man- GOB accuses him of having no feelings, but in the next episode Michael shows he does have feelings when he cries. Buster is the lion- whether Buster is a coward is discussed several times in this episode; in other episodes he's noted for his panic attacks. This leaves Lucille as the Wicked Witch- although we'll see that side of her more in the next episode than in this one.

The laughs in this episode are good. Putting Tobias in Maeby's suit is priceless though having him recite a Vagina Monologue is a bit too much. George Michael associating Maeby with secrets is brilliant. The torment Buster goes through in his coma is hilarious, and the nurse has a great line about vegetables. The episode also turns dark when the US government comes close to killing the Bluths.

But this episode has an emotional side in addition to its comedy. There's a scene with George Michael and Maeby drinking the fake wine before eventually making out. I agree with the show's conclusion that incest is wrong, even in cases of adoption, but hearing George Michael confess his love for Maeby is oddly sweet. It's kind of a testimony to the aches of love. The scene is helped with the You Here With Me theme, unheard since season 1, which showed how they really were in love. There's no show like AD.

Exit Strategy

[lassegalsgaard · 10/10 · 28 July 2022]

What I've started to notice with these last few episodes of "Arrested Development" is that they've seem to disregard any sense of reality. In this period of time, it seemed inevitable that the show was going to get the boot and be cancelled, ending three seasons of high entertainment in a weird stage of limbo. So, Mitchell Hurwitz decided not to leave the audience with a sense of finality, but instead, delve into obscurity and go crazy with these last episodes. None of that has been confirmed, but I've been told by a lot of fans of the show that this is what they think was going on during this period of time, and with the direction that these episodes are going in, I can kinda see where they are coming from. And weirdly enough, I don't think that any of those points to any bad things as these last few episodes have been highly entertaining, and while they have been a little crazy, I'm not going to say that I didn't enjoy that they went in this direction. It still carries a lot of heart and is focused on showing the Bluth family at its best and definitely also its worst. This latest episode featured a trip to Iraq, several people trying to get out of testifying at George Bluth's hearing, and two people finally getting to second base after a lot of anticipation. If this isn't the recipe for success, then I don't know what it, because this was absolutely a hilarious episode.

If people were ever in doubt that this show featured a large amount of political satire, this episode should finally lay that to rest, as Iraq is literally portrayed as a pseudo-American state in this episode, which is probably why they went in there in the first place. It features a pretty big reveal that puts the entire show in a different light and showcases the issues of having a foreign government on your ground. It's a classic "Arrested Development" episode, yet also a very different one; not only because of the Iraq setting, but because it actually concludes storylines.

This episode feels like an episode that was just developed on the spot. I didn't see anything in this episode that had to be told, which kinda makes it even better. It kinda goes against the crazy nature of the previous few episodes in the way that it actually feels like a real episode of television, trying to cap off certain storylines that had been going on for a long time. I could have seen them going further with some of them and not actually revealed the conclusion, but I'm happy that there's some sort of conclusion in the ridiculousness.

Another storyline that I didn't necessarily think I wanted to see go any further was the romance between George Michael and Maeby. I honestly thought that it would be used as a running gag and then nothing more. However, dead wrong as always, 'cause this episode finally featured a big moment in their relationship. On one hand, I am slightly disgusted by it, largely due to the film's "next week" segment; however, it's also just hilariously over-the-top and another sign that this show simply didn't care about the boundaries set by Fox or new viewers finding the show at this point.

It's difficult to imagine a better ensemble cast on a primetime comedy show than this. I mean, looking at it, there are some people here who became bigger stars after this show, but it also has some of the funniest performances of its day. Jessica Walter never really got the praise she deserved for this show, I don't think, because she ascends the praise that she's gotten. She's so great and portraying this kinda awful person in the most neutral way possible, giving the show so much of its charm and making it an absolute blast to watch her.

"Exit Strategy" marks the end of a lot of storylines, but also sets the stage for what's going to be a rather wild and cathartic finale. It has peak social commentary, peak humor, and peak craziness in one of the best penultimate episodes of a show that I've seen and I can't wait for the finale.