Netflix has released Season 4 of Arrested Development in its entirety, which means we'll be binge-watching the series' revival and sharing our reactions with you over the next couple of days. The recap below contains spoilers from Episode 3 - "Indian Takers." Read no further if you haven't seen the episode yet!
Watching these new episodes of Arrested Development is like a game. The series has always been big on foreshadowing and setting us up for what's ahead for the characters with little clues, but Season 4 is already taking that to the next level. It's to the point where in some cases, it's like there are multiple scenes playing out in front of us. Take Gob's moaning and groaning in "Borderline Personalities." What was going on there? We don't know, because we haven't gotten to Gob yet, but signs point to things not going so well for Gob, though Ep. 3 revealed that he got his "yes," whatever that means. "Indian Takers" was "Lindsay's Arrested Development" and the third installment was all about her… and a little bit about Tobias. Not so much about Maeby, who was denied twice in the installment, but did make an appearance.
Lindsay's post-Season 3 follow-up had her getting inspired by the pray-section of Eat, Pray, Love, packing her bags (leave the pictures, take the jewelry cleaner) and jetting off to India in search of wisdom and knock-off purses. Lindsay's acquisition of the "best bag on the mountain," which was torn by an Ostrich Shaman, was only one souvenir obtained on her trip overseas. She also picked up some wisdom - and a contagious bout of prayer-hands - and was sent back to the States by said Ostrich shaman, and back into the arms of her (acting) husband Tobias. Lindsay and Tobias are truly the won't-the-won't-they TV couple of the modern day, aren't they? Of course, their rekindled romance collapsed in on itself not long after they purchased a ridiculously huge house, that - as it turns out - were set up on the wetlands that Lindsay once so passionately tried to save, and also got lost in. Just to give us some perspective on how big this house is, not only did we see Tobias and Lindsay sleeping in different (custom-designed) beds, we watched a Roomba run out of juice before he could reach his…
Of course, buying a giant a house using a NINJNA (No Income. No Jobs. No Assets.) loan right before the housing market crashed wasn't such a good idea. But it did lead Tobias and Lindsay to taking acting classes together at the Method One (or methadone - it's all about how you pronounce it) clinic. While Tobias developed an addiction to confession monologues, Lindsay buddied up with Marky Bark, son of Clint Howard's character Johnny Bark. Or should I say, the late Johnny Bark, who has apparently died - of natural, bee-related causes (Bees?!), not breaking his neck falling out of a tree. While Tobias was busy appreciating the "acting" talents of Marky's girl DeBrie while at dinner at CW Swappigans, a dumpster-dive restaurant that is no longer accepting lava lamps or hotel soaps within their barter system, Lindsay fell head over heels (or heel, since she left one shoe on the table) for Marky, who - as it happens - can't even see how pretty she is because he suffers from face blindness.
Lindsay ended up going at it with Marky in his camper while stuck in traffic. They had another equally-quick romp in the desert together, after Lindsay left Tobias an "I'm leaving you" message on his voicemail. Following a night of hot (fast) desert lovin', Lindsay woke up on the ground next to Marky's ostriches, and was greeted by his cranky mother. The ostriches are everywhere! And in the end, poor Lindsay tried to wreck her looks by chopping off her hair, but only ended up making herself look cuter. Can she ever catch a break?
The episode gave us a solid re-introduction to Lindsay, who hasn't changed much, apart from the haircut. We know she's among the empty chairs at the trial, but why? And will she be able to stay with a ostrich farmer who can't recognize her beauty?
The Rest of the Developments:
Ed Helms played the Carr Realty realtor. And he wasn't the only Office actor to drop by. Marky Bark was played by Chris Diamantopoulos, who played Brian the Boom-guy in The Office.
Lucille was featured on the cover of Balboa Bay Window (the magazine of the American Society of Ladies who lunch -- a lot), posing in a wedding dress next to Buster, who sported a gorilla costume emblazoned with the words "The New Normal?" under the headline, "Proposition Ape - Lucille Bluth Protests Gay Marriage by Marrying a Gorilla"). I feel bad for Buster, but Lucille's banana bouquet was just lovely.
"Sorry, I was thinking of Mike, the hot seaman." - Tobias
Who was kicking Lindsay's chair? Does it matter?
Did anyone notice the film crew shooting a group of adventurers at the airport?
"Anything under a small is considered a David Spade."
Lindsay thinks anyone who asks her if she has kids is hitting on her. And she will always say no… even when her daughter is standing within earshot.
"No, Michael, I'm not a whore. I don't get any of the money until after I do the disgusting thing."
Loretta returns! It looks like Becky Thyre's character has taken up new employment. The former Klimpy's waitress once waited on Lindsay and Lucille. Lindsay didn't seem to recognize her when she took their order at Swappigans.
"I'm Lindsay. And you are, Ba-tee-me?" (misreading Marky's "BITEME" name tag).
Marky-Bark - of the tree-freer barks - once joined Al-qaeda to get a free beard brush.
"It's hard to tell because there are so many people in it, but yes, is it a pool."
"And that way, you have it!"
Buster attended camp at Camp Kissamee Mommy, which was actually a tent in Lucille's bedroom.
There was a "Feeling Blue?" support group sign in the background at the Method One clinic.
Lindsay bought herself a self-cleaning litter box, in case she ever got a cat. And an inflatable hat box, in case she ever got a hat. I think the narrator is having fun rhyming.
"25 and Homeless" is not a new hit reality show.
"Do I like barter?"
Lindsay and Tobias cooked a goose alive on Thanksgiving. It's a wetlands miracle!
"Live truthfully and skate through life."
Face blindness is a real condition. It's called Prosopagnosia. Not to be confused with alopecia… or alpaca.
Read more Arrested Development recaps here.
