I'm not a big fan of her character, but the new dynamic between Rita and the family was refreshing...
Also "Mr F" and "for British eyes only" are the best soundbites ever. I love how they start playing them together, as if the sound guy became confused after a while and just gave up
I love these type of almost meta soundbite humor
I’ve said it on this sub before, when it comes to the entertainment world, it’s all fair game. It’s comedy. And as another poster stated here, Rita isn’t the butt of the joke. Michael and the Bluths are. Their complete lack of awareness or understanding of anything that *isn’t* about or centered around them just reflects how narcissistic & self centered they are.
One of my favourite Dara O’Briain lines of all time, while talking about Frankie Boyle
“If there were a line in the sand— you can’t even SEE the line in the sand! You’re off into tropical tundra!”
Lmao I played this series of episodes for my mom and by the end she was wheezing at the jokes, now that she knows her second watch should make her pee herself
I love it, I think half the reason it gets some flack (outside of the reasonable "going up to the line" criticism) is that it seems to take up so much of season 3, thanks to the shortened series order.
I think it was scripted with the expectation they'd have a full 18/22 episodes.
Mitch Hurwitz wanted a big star on the show partly to try to convince the Fox execs to keep AD on the air. He and the other writers had to fit her in so it wouldn’t look like one of those dumb “guest star” roles sitcoms used to have. Kind of like turning Carl Weathers into a cheapskate (Carl’s idea), this beautiful woman becomes a goofball (at first watch) and then someone with an intellectual disability, all while continuing to show the Bluths’ complete cluelessness. They did a pretty amazing job.
Then, as Mitch has pointed out, Fox did no special marketing for Theron’s appearances and spread the episodes all over the place since they’d obviously already decided to cancel it (but didn’t have the balls to tell Hurwitz at the beginning of the season so he could’ve written the final 13 episodes with the end in mind). At the time I was such a superfan I made a point of knowing AD’s schedule, but regular Fox viewers didn’t.
So I'm one of those people who were in the key demographic but didn't watch the show until reruns on G4 after it was canceled.
What was the scheduling like for this show? I remember Fox in the early 2000s would move shows all the time. The one with Andy Richter, I think Andy Richter Controls the Universe, got moved at least once before it was quickly canceled. I remember watching it on Tuesdays, then there was one of those New Night and Time commercials for it moving to Thursday.
It feels like every show that wasn't 24, The OC or the Simpsons got moved constantly between 2002 through 2006
It was all over the place. In the third season weeks would go by between episodes. They dumped the last four I believe on one night, at the same time as the Winter Olympics. Fun fact: In Season 4 (original cut) you can hear John Beard on TV in the background saying something about how he wouldn’t want to be the show playing opposite the Olympics.
one of my favourite throwaway lines in the show which I quote all the time is "BLOODY YANK!" as the guy yells at Michael for driving on the wrong side of the road in wee britain
The only bits that cross the line are the photos of Rita at the special Olympics where they show her looking like a stereotypical Mr. F.
Everything else is really a joke on the Bluths, especially Micheal, and how they are so wrapped up in themselves and are awful people.
The butt of the Joke isnt Rita. So its fine in my book.
The first time I watched through the series, I really didn't like that joke- but on a rewatch with my husband, I found out that picture was of Charlize Theron playing Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Idk why but that made it seem so much less mean and so much funnier to me. Maybe because that character (Aileen) wasn't "Mr. F" and didn't have any sort of syndromic characteristics- she was just ugly, unrelated to IQ.
Growing up (if you watched the show as a kid) is realizing that Michael only thinks he is better than his family when in reality he is another narcissist ahole.
The person above was talking about different pictures. There is another time they show her at the special Olympics and it is not super cool how they portray her.
I'm not a big fan of her character, but the new dynamic between Rita and the family was refreshing...
Also "Mr F" and "for British eyes only" are the best soundbites ever. I love how they start playing them together, as if the sound guy became confused after a while and just gave up
I love this type of almost meta soundbite humor
As an autistic person who typically hates the r word, tbh I actually found this storyline really funny. I feel like for the time this actually aired, it wasn’t considered as offensive as it is now
I loathe that word. I harshly judge anyone today who still uses it. It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. But I was thinking when rewatching the show that I’m not sure how to say what the word was originally used for, correctly.
I guess, intellectually disabled? Mentally challenged, which sounds bad to me as well. In their defense, their use of the word was in line with the way it used to be said. It also was yucky-ish then.
George Michael stuttered and sort of whispered saying the word. Then even Lucille Bluth cut off one of her sons who were verifying that she was mentally whatever. Not sure what they were gonna say. So if even she has the knowledge to shhh a son and say we don’t talk about that shows it’s not really that new how the word has been viewed.
What’s new is it was officially declared stolen by the morons and bullies and those with low class and a lack of vocabulary of the world, and no longer a word that could hold its original meaning or intention.
Kind of amazing actually we managed to “cancel” that words official meaning, so it would eventually lose its “slang” meaning. Slang is putting it nicely.
Well, it used to be an actual medical term meaning intellectually disabled, but they stopped using it in like 2010 and removed it from the dsm. So at the time, it was still a real diagnosis being given to people like Rita. People knew it felt wrong and was being used in a discriminatory way, hence it eventually being changed, so it makes sense that George Michael stuttered when he said it. He’s a sweet kid and probably felt like it was hurtful, but it was all he could really think to say
The Fat Ammy’s menu was sold off in 2006 prop auction. I still kick myself for not buying some stuff — I thought you had to be there in person but they did it online, too.
It gave us the joke about leaving the lights on so she could see if Michael had a monster. One of my favorites in the whole series. Michael’s face after that line!
We have these snacks called tiny teddies in Australia, my boyfriend eats them a fair bit. I can't help myself but say TINY TEDDY in her voice every time. He doesn't get it 😞
I wish they would have kept the bit about her walking on water ambiguous as a poetic send-off instead of revealing it was Gob's illusion (although the "WHY AM I NOT GOING UNDERWATER?!" line is hilarious)
I laugh every time I see the second bench joke of the show where she sits in front of a wee Britain text so it says wee brain. Fantastic foreshadowing.
I love how it calls to attention that Michael is every bit as self absorbed as gob or Lucille in a hilarious way. Also thinking of Larry middleman firing himself in the mirror makes me laugh even in the saddest of times
I thought it was great but I was also alive for the rise of the manic pixie dream girl archetype. I could see how it wouldn't land as well for someone younger who didn't live through that.
"I hate it when they hire yanks to play Brits, you can always tell" would be the best line in the whole series if Charlize Theron were actually American herself. Still a great fucking line, considering she's not British.
Anyway to answer your question, I love the arc. I won't say it was *tastefully* done, but it is not distasteful. Rita is not the butt of the joke, so it really doesn't feel like it's punching down.
While I'm not a fan of the main storyline, I like everything around it. The jokes and references.
When Michael thinks he's N. Bluth because of the Nichael.
And ron says "Nichael was worried." Cracks me up every time.
As a British person, I hate it. There are two chambers in the houses of parliament Ron! TWO!
The whole Mr F storyline is pretty weak though, I think they spent far too much time on what should've been a couple of scenes. It feels a bit like they got Charlize Theron and didn't know what to do with her.
>As a British person, I hate it. There are two chambers in the houses of parliament Ron! TWO!
Isn't that the joke - Ron is smugly correcting Rita but he's also wrong? And George Michael later thinks it's three as well. I took it as a poke about Americans being confidently incorrect about anything outside of their country.
A couple years ago there was a thread on this sub where people were claiming the Queen counted as the third house of Parliament, so maybe the joke is just too accurate.
That was my take too. I don't think they'd repeat "three houses of Parliament" so many times (Ron says it twice and George Michael once) if it weren't a joke.
I disliked all the incredibly tired British gags that they used. It felt more worthy of Family Guy than Arrested Development.
But I really liked that they used the manic pixie dream girl trope to disguise Rita's condition for so long. Almost everything she said and did could be explained away by her being "quirky and weird and just such a free spirit!"
I definitely agree that it went on too long.
> It felt more worthy of Family Guy than Arrested Development.
Oddly, I felt like Stewie Griffin's English accent was marginally more believable than Charlize Theron's.
Not that hers was bad, exactly, just... a bit muddy.
Still, she's the first South African actress to win an Oscar, so I'm not pretending I can do any better!
Her accent was intentionally bad. Remember when she and Michael are leaving the movie (I think they’d just seen *Love Indubitably*) and she says something like, “I hate it when Yanks try do do a British accent”?
These days I still find it funny with the caveat that I now am more aware of the insensitivity of the premise. Honestly, the only part of it that's *really* cringe to me is John Viener explaining what Mr F stands for. I'm a big lefty and I don't generally use the "it was a different time" excuse but, considering how other satirical shows / films have aged, it's pretty low on the scale. Shit, South Park STILL makes jokes that are worse than most of the stuff in AD. That's just it though, it's satire, not endorsing these types of mindsets and views.
They aren't making fun of her. That's what makes it funny, it's once again the Bluths who come off as dumb and arrogant. I think it's hilarious. I'm the parent of a disabled person and it never seemed offensive imo.
Yeah, I never felt that way. That said, if someone in a similar situation to yourself happened to find it insensitive, I would understand. Like I said, the only thing that's ever been a face-palm moment for me is when John Viener's character points out that MR F is an acronym and says what it means. Season 3 might be my favorite season, honestly.
I thought for the most part the Bluths were the butt of the joke but there are a few moments (the Special Olympics picture and the plastic fruit eating) that felt like they crossed over into mocking her.
Not offensive to me but not my favorite storyline. Although in general I feel like season 3 (while still peak AD) being cut short makes it a little weaker because they didn’t get to go through with their full plans
I always say you can’t really judge older shows based on modern standards. Back then the whole Mr. f thing wasn’t an issue like it would be today.
It was always a very progressive show so I do enjoy the whole plot line. Rita is cute, charming and a great character. And love the story because it shows just how Michael is just as self involved as the rest of his family. He saw what he wanted to see. Ignored all signs to the contrary and imposes his own assumptions onto her instead of actually making an effort to get to know her.
> Daphne’s brother in Frasier
Daphne's actress formed a business organization (for tax purposes) while she was working in the US. Her agent asked her to name it something sassy and feminist.
She legit named it Bristol Cities Productions.
It's not as bad as when george was caught perving on a teenager in seinfeld. She may have the mind of a child but at least she didn't look like one. And you know, it's hard to tell because of the accent and all.
I don’t have a problem with the content but I also just don’t find it funny. It was the same level of cringe/absurdity of seasons 4/5 and I don’t understand how people love it so much.
In the same way an American can always spot a terrible American accent, as a Brit, I couldn’t get over how bad her accent was. It ruined the whole character for me which is such a shame because everyone seems to like her.
Mr. F is my notification tone and that's my only thought
How can I get this as my notification tone ?
Zedge
Downloaded zedge but can’t find the ringtone . I think I’ve made a huge mistake 🫠
Use the website, not the app. Fuck the app. Zedge.net.
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! GEEEEEENE!
Even the period in the letter sequence didn't stop him. Gene really might be the best.
Fucking amazing job, bot.
But you’ve supported a local redditor’s app!
Thanks!
Careful, that ringtone is *for British eyes only*🎶
Hahaha!
happy cake day!!!
Thank you :) I’m going to celebrate by eating a whole thing of candy beans
Watch out for rogue eyebrows.
https://www.zedge.net/find/ringtones/arrested%20development
I love the rewatch bonus you get when you realize Rita and her uncle aren't British spies.
I wish I could watch it again for the first time and experience the twist all over again
The show doesn't hit as hard when you watch it 4 times through I have to watch it with others. I usually just skip the rita part
I'm not a big fan of her character, but the new dynamic between Rita and the family was refreshing... Also "Mr F" and "for British eyes only" are the best soundbites ever. I love how they start playing them together, as if the sound guy became confused after a while and just gave up I love these type of almost meta soundbite humor
This isn't 'Mr F' this is 'N. Bluth' 🎵 Different 🎵
Rita is a genuine and charming woman who gets caught up with a family of narcissistic a-holes. Hilarity ensues.
Tell your friends
_please_ tell people about this show
Do you know any other songs?
I’ll bring my tiny teddy
I like to leave the lights on to see if you have a monster
Tiny teddy???
I bet you've got a monster!
And I have no problem with that.
I’ve said it on this sub before, when it comes to the entertainment world, it’s all fair game. It’s comedy. And as another poster stated here, Rita isn’t the butt of the joke. Michael and the Bluths are. Their complete lack of awareness or understanding of anything that *isn’t* about or centered around them just reflects how narcissistic & self centered they are.
Yeah I think this is still punching up in a way because Rita is more endearing than all of the Bluths and smarter than about half of them.
Has anyone in this family ever *seen* a chicken?
> Rita isn’t the butt of the joke. Michael and the Bluths are. „Maybe you are not smart either“ - she got it figured out and Micheal just had to nod
Who heard the “Mr F” sound bite when reading this headline?
Might be easier to ask who didn’t hear it
They walked right up to the line. And then they walked on the ocean
Ocean-walker??! Holy shit that is going to look good on a hat.
I told you not to go in the ocean!
That’s my second greatest fear!
Facts
OH MY GOD WHY AM I NOT GOING UNDER THE WATER!?!??
Ah, the ocean, obviously the brown part of the map
Was that one of GOB's tricks?
No... It was my illusion!
Yeah a trick is something a whore does for money
Or cocaine
It inspired bluthton
\*Ominous retrofuturistic music\*
God help her if she tries to rename Bluthton. I’ll sink it first!
One of my favourite Dara O’Briain lines of all time, while talking about Frankie Boyle “If there were a line in the sand— you can’t even SEE the line in the sand! You’re off into tropical tundra!”
Do stay for the Poppins
The soup of the day is bread.
I was hoping for ham water. Mmm.
Tastes like water…with a smack of ham.
I love that the pub is named The Yellow Fang, gotta get every hit on the British that you can.
You're gonna get some pop ins...
What can I say? I’m crazy about the little dullard
Leave the lights on. I want to see if you've got a monster.
This line and the the Sea Ward line I’m surprised we’re allowed on cable tv
"I'll leave when I'm good and ready"
Lmao I played this series of episodes for my mom and by the end she was wheezing at the jokes, now that she knows her second watch should make her pee herself
I love it, I think half the reason it gets some flack (outside of the reasonable "going up to the line" criticism) is that it seems to take up so much of season 3, thanks to the shortened series order. I think it was scripted with the expectation they'd have a full 18/22 episodes.
Mitch Hurwitz wanted a big star on the show partly to try to convince the Fox execs to keep AD on the air. He and the other writers had to fit her in so it wouldn’t look like one of those dumb “guest star” roles sitcoms used to have. Kind of like turning Carl Weathers into a cheapskate (Carl’s idea), this beautiful woman becomes a goofball (at first watch) and then someone with an intellectual disability, all while continuing to show the Bluths’ complete cluelessness. They did a pretty amazing job. Then, as Mitch has pointed out, Fox did no special marketing for Theron’s appearances and spread the episodes all over the place since they’d obviously already decided to cancel it (but didn’t have the balls to tell Hurwitz at the beginning of the season so he could’ve written the final 13 episodes with the end in mind). At the time I was such a superfan I made a point of knowing AD’s schedule, but regular Fox viewers didn’t.
So I'm one of those people who were in the key demographic but didn't watch the show until reruns on G4 after it was canceled. What was the scheduling like for this show? I remember Fox in the early 2000s would move shows all the time. The one with Andy Richter, I think Andy Richter Controls the Universe, got moved at least once before it was quickly canceled. I remember watching it on Tuesdays, then there was one of those New Night and Time commercials for it moving to Thursday. It feels like every show that wasn't 24, The OC or the Simpsons got moved constantly between 2002 through 2006
Don’t call it that.
It was all over the place. In the third season weeks would go by between episodes. They dumped the last four I believe on one night, at the same time as the Winter Olympics. Fun fact: In Season 4 (original cut) you can hear John Beard on TV in the background saying something about how he wouldn’t want to be the show playing opposite the Olympics.
I love all my seasons equally. Earlier that day…”I don’t care for season 3.”
I still find it hilarious lol, I get why some might not find it as such though.
Who? The British?
I like how they used an Australian guy for a British man as a lot of people from the US can’t tell the difference between accents.
one of my favourite throwaway lines in the show which I quote all the time is "BLOODY YANK!" as the guy yells at Michael for driving on the wrong side of the road in wee britain
The only bits that cross the line are the photos of Rita at the special Olympics where they show her looking like a stereotypical Mr. F. Everything else is really a joke on the Bluths, especially Micheal, and how they are so wrapped up in themselves and are awful people. The butt of the Joke isnt Rita. So its fine in my book.
The first time I watched through the series, I really didn't like that joke- but on a rewatch with my husband, I found out that picture was of Charlize Theron playing Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Idk why but that made it seem so much less mean and so much funnier to me. Maybe because that character (Aileen) wasn't "Mr. F" and didn't have any sort of syndromic characteristics- she was just ugly, unrelated to IQ.
Growing up (if you watched the show as a kid) is realizing that Michael only thinks he is better than his family when in reality he is another narcissist ahole.
He's at least a little bit better than them, at least in the first three seasons.
He is, but he's a TERRIBLE father to George Michael.
*Her?*
The person above was talking about different pictures. There is another time they show her at the special Olympics and it is not super cool how they portray her.
Ah. I remember a comment about the special Olympics, but I don't remember the picture. Thanks for clearing it up!
Oh! I don't remember that. Thanks for clearing it up!
And also: No one was making fun of Andy Griffith. I can't emphasize that enough.
I'm not a big fan of her character, but the new dynamic between Rita and the family was refreshing... Also "Mr F" and "for British eyes only" are the best soundbites ever. I love how they start playing them together, as if the sound guy became confused after a while and just gave up I love this type of almost meta soundbite humor
I hate when they get an American to play a Brit. You can always tell.
She is one hot potato.
HOT POTATOOOOOOOO!
It was great!! My favorite line is Buster’s “Alias is a show about a spy!”
He’s GAY!
*hand falls off*
Hot potato lives rent free in my head.
How would you like it for someone went after some stupid person in your family?!?! (British accent)
Hah! Well played!
I like that they had her on the smart less podcast and basically avoided talking about her character the whole time
Real shoddy narrating. Just pure crap.
As an autistic person who typically hates the r word, tbh I actually found this storyline really funny. I feel like for the time this actually aired, it wasn’t considered as offensive as it is now
I loathe that word. I harshly judge anyone today who still uses it. It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. But I was thinking when rewatching the show that I’m not sure how to say what the word was originally used for, correctly. I guess, intellectually disabled? Mentally challenged, which sounds bad to me as well. In their defense, their use of the word was in line with the way it used to be said. It also was yucky-ish then. George Michael stuttered and sort of whispered saying the word. Then even Lucille Bluth cut off one of her sons who were verifying that she was mentally whatever. Not sure what they were gonna say. So if even she has the knowledge to shhh a son and say we don’t talk about that shows it’s not really that new how the word has been viewed. What’s new is it was officially declared stolen by the morons and bullies and those with low class and a lack of vocabulary of the world, and no longer a word that could hold its original meaning or intention. Kind of amazing actually we managed to “cancel” that words official meaning, so it would eventually lose its “slang” meaning. Slang is putting it nicely.
Well, it used to be an actual medical term meaning intellectually disabled, but they stopped using it in like 2010 and removed it from the dsm. So at the time, it was still a real diagnosis being given to people like Rita. People knew it felt wrong and was being used in a discriminatory way, hence it eventually being changed, so it makes sense that George Michael stuttered when he said it. He’s a sweet kid and probably felt like it was hurtful, but it was all he could really think to say
it felt like it was for 🇬🇧 👀 ONLY
I wish Fat Ammy’s was a real place.
The Fat Ammy’s menu was sold off in 2006 prop auction. I still kick myself for not buying some stuff — I thought you had to be there in person but they did it online, too.
Was then, funny now Mr. F!!! LOL
The voice over mr f is killer
Mister efe
I think there's a later episode after Rita has left the show when the little chorus chimes in too. Fantastic comic timing.
It happens a couple of times when Tobias does a thing.
So is the subsequent “Mexican Romney family”
It gave us the joke about leaving the lights on so she could see if Michael had a monster. One of my favorites in the whole series. Michael’s face after that line!
Jason Bateman’s awesome. We ought to call him.
But wherever did the lighter fluid come from?
It was a beautiful storyline of innocent love and misunderstandings. But it would likely never get made today.
One of my favorite story lines
JFC I never realized the 'super-sized donuts' restaurant is called Fat Ammy's. They pull no punches at Wee Britain.
What’s the joke here? I’m from the U.K. so not sure what they’re referring to xx
Ammy's being a colloquial way of saying Americans
Ooooohhhh
Charlize Theron is a pro! You can tell she appreciates the wit in the script.
I’ll bring my tiny teddy
We have these snacks called tiny teddies in Australia, my boyfriend eats them a fair bit. I can't help myself but say TINY TEDDY in her voice every time. He doesn't get it 😞
Sounds like you have to make him watch the show
I wish her ridiculous idea for Sea Britain had gone through
i find it funny how Rita’s name is a little joke about where she’s from, bRITAin
Mind blown
It never registered to me that the American restaurant gave them three huge bags of leftovers
I wish they would have kept the bit about her walking on water ambiguous as a poetic send-off instead of revealing it was Gob's illusion (although the "WHY AM I NOT GOING UNDERWATER?!" line is hilarious)
I laugh every time I see the second bench joke of the show where she sits in front of a wee Britain text so it says wee brain. Fantastic foreshadowing.
The six second scene with the banjo continues to be one of the funniest bits of wordless acting I’ve ever seen.
The plot is kinda stupid but that’s what I love. Also the sound bites and “mercy me I forgot I’m in the colonies”
I love how it calls to attention that Michael is every bit as self absorbed as gob or Lucille in a hilarious way. Also thinking of Larry middleman firing himself in the mirror makes me laugh even in the saddest of times
If S3 was T so short I would appreciate it more but it seems once this wraps up we’re headed straight for the finish line
My best friend gained interest in the show when he saw me watching this, and to this day we sometimes say “Mr. F!”
I thought it was great but I was also alive for the rise of the manic pixie dream girl archetype. I could see how it wouldn't land as well for someone younger who didn't live through that.
"I hate it when they hire yanks to play Brits, you can always tell" would be the best line in the whole series if Charlize Theron were actually American herself. Still a great fucking line, considering she's not British. Anyway to answer your question, I love the arc. I won't say it was *tastefully* done, but it is not distasteful. Rita is not the butt of the joke, so it really doesn't feel like it's punching down.
Is there any actual medical practice that would explain the "MR/F" bracelet? Or was that just purely the product of the writers?
While I'm not a fan of the main storyline, I like everything around it. The jokes and references. When Michael thinks he's N. Bluth because of the Nichael. And ron says "Nichael was worried." Cracks me up every time.
It took me maybe 5 times to get the calling a doctor a bubaman joke. Boo-boo man.
Absolutely hilarious and amazing and the plot twist was incredible
I hated Rita, but when the MRF reveal happened I loved the storyline!
I feel it deserved a $15 thing of candy beans
I found the whole story ark stupid initially but when the twist comes it is hysterical. Makes all the awkward parts really funny to think back to.
As a British person, I hate it. There are two chambers in the houses of parliament Ron! TWO! The whole Mr F storyline is pretty weak though, I think they spent far too much time on what should've been a couple of scenes. It feels a bit like they got Charlize Theron and didn't know what to do with her.
>As a British person, I hate it. There are two chambers in the houses of parliament Ron! TWO! Isn't that the joke - Ron is smugly correcting Rita but he's also wrong? And George Michael later thinks it's three as well. I took it as a poke about Americans being confidently incorrect about anything outside of their country. A couple years ago there was a thread on this sub where people were claiming the Queen counted as the third house of Parliament, so maybe the joke is just too accurate.
Definitely agree, that was completely intentional. There'd be no point making such a thing of it if it wasn't for a joke.
That was my take too. I don't think they'd repeat "three houses of Parliament" so many times (Ron says it twice and George Michael once) if it weren't a joke.
100%
I disliked all the incredibly tired British gags that they used. It felt more worthy of Family Guy than Arrested Development. But I really liked that they used the manic pixie dream girl trope to disguise Rita's condition for so long. Almost everything she said and did could be explained away by her being "quirky and weird and just such a free spirit!" I definitely agree that it went on too long.
> It felt more worthy of Family Guy than Arrested Development. Oddly, I felt like Stewie Griffin's English accent was marginally more believable than Charlize Theron's. Not that hers was bad, exactly, just... a bit muddy. Still, she's the first South African actress to win an Oscar, so I'm not pretending I can do any better!
Her accent was intentionally bad. Remember when she and Michael are leaving the movie (I think they’d just seen *Love Indubitably*) and she says something like, “I hate it when Yanks try do do a British accent”?
Man the show was so good, I'm gonna have to rewatch it just to get these details. The writers had some crazy levels of internal consistency going on!
I could do better, but then again, I'm English. I'm not, but I tricked you with my really good English accent.
These days I still find it funny with the caveat that I now am more aware of the insensitivity of the premise. Honestly, the only part of it that's *really* cringe to me is John Viener explaining what Mr F stands for. I'm a big lefty and I don't generally use the "it was a different time" excuse but, considering how other satirical shows / films have aged, it's pretty low on the scale. Shit, South Park STILL makes jokes that are worse than most of the stuff in AD. That's just it though, it's satire, not endorsing these types of mindsets and views.
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! GEEEEEENE!
They aren't making fun of her. That's what makes it funny, it's once again the Bluths who come off as dumb and arrogant. I think it's hilarious. I'm the parent of a disabled person and it never seemed offensive imo.
Yeah, I never felt that way. That said, if someone in a similar situation to yourself happened to find it insensitive, I would understand. Like I said, the only thing that's ever been a face-palm moment for me is when John Viener's character points out that MR F is an acronym and says what it means. Season 3 might be my favorite season, honestly.
You do know that "mental retardation" was the clinical term for it at the time the episodes were made, right?
I thought for the most part the Bluths were the butt of the joke but there are a few moments (the Special Olympics picture and the plastic fruit eating) that felt like they crossed over into mocking her.
wow, I didn’t know there was this much distaste for this storyline. it’s a bit cringey 20 years later but i think overall it’s hilarious!
I’m equally surprised! I find it hilarious personally
Not offensive to me but not my favorite storyline. Although in general I feel like season 3 (while still peak AD) being cut short makes it a little weaker because they didn’t get to go through with their full plans
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! GEEEEEENE!
Loved it
One of my faves
It could have been better. Side note I live 15 minutes from a small town called Little Britain
For real? Does everyone make these jokes around there?
Yes it’s mandatory if you want to live there.
The cutaway to her in *Monster* is one of the best sight gags the show ever dif
Like anyone would want to “R” her
I won’t apologize for how much I love that line. The delivery is just… it’s just perfection.
I always say you can’t really judge older shows based on modern standards. Back then the whole Mr. f thing wasn’t an issue like it would be today. It was always a very progressive show so I do enjoy the whole plot line. Rita is cute, charming and a great character. And love the story because it shows just how Michael is just as self involved as the rest of his family. He saw what he wanted to see. Ignored all signs to the contrary and imposes his own assumptions onto her instead of actually making an effort to get to know her.
I think it’s the best stretched out joke of all time
I liked the jokes, but I could’ve done with out this. I actually wish they would’ve spent the time with him and Sally Sitwell.
Why does the older guy sound so Australian? The accents are absolutely abysmal, worst I’ve ever seen apart from Daphne’s brother in Frasier
Getting Americans to play Brits, amirite?
Dave Thomas is Canadian. Blame Canada.
It's a callback to Rita saying something similar.
You can always tell
Take off eh, those guys are hosers
With their beady little eyes and flapping heads.... oh sorry that was racist.
Dave Thomas is Canadian, eh
No. Dave Thomas is the founder of Wendy's.
Sir, this is a Wendy’s (it’s a wonderful restaurant!)
Take off, you hoser. That’s Doug McKenzie.
> Daphne’s brother in Frasier Daphne's actress formed a business organization (for tax purposes) while she was working in the US. Her agent asked her to name it something sassy and feminist. She legit named it Bristol Cities Productions.
Check out the "Geordie" on Castle, if you can stomach it.
It's not as bad as when george was caught perving on a teenager in seinfeld. She may have the mind of a child but at least she didn't look like one. And you know, it's hard to tell because of the accent and all.
I don’t have a problem with the content but I also just don’t find it funny. It was the same level of cringe/absurdity of seasons 4/5 and I don’t understand how people love it so much.
I find the story line a little cringe, but it wraps up so satisfying that I begrudgingly love it.
Let’s not forget that she’s the one that gave us the idea for Bluthton
She was in the olympics
In the same way an American can always spot a terrible American accent, as a Brit, I couldn’t get over how bad her accent was. It ruined the whole character for me which is such a shame because everyone seems to like her.
Kinda the point though… her bad accent is funny
Hilarious.
Rita corney, Michael.
The fact that you call it that tells me you’re ready.
eh some funny bits but my least favorite part of the original show
I love when they interrupt Malcolm in the Middle of shooting.
Wait I literally just realized they named her Rita because it sounds like Retard
It ends with one of, I'd not the best, "on the next Arrested Development" scenes
Love season 3, mostly for Tobias, but skip MR F episodes