Disjointed

I have scrolled past Disjointed multiple times since acquiring access to Netflix. At first glance, I assumed that it was a documentary of sorts, and I just never found myself interested. At least until a friend of mine enthusiastically brought it up in conversation. I caved in and decided to watch it once I finally understood the setup and plot line of the show.

Disjointed is an average cheesy sitcom about a medicinal marijuana dispensary owner, Ruth, accompanied by her employees, as well as their weed-related business ventures and shenanigans. The show offers commentary on weed culture as it depicts various issues and stereotypes such as legalization, the everyday effects it that it has on users, and the way marijuana use is viewed by non-users, among other things. With the short scenes, the random scenes in the middle of the show that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot, it is quite obvious to note that the show is structured specifically for stoners, as can be assumed for most non-educational pieces of work that focus on pot.

Episode one of season one found me experiencing a plethora of thoughts. Initially, I found myself overwhelmed with excitement to watch such a seemingly groundbreaking show. The show successfully caught my attention. However, it also succeeded in losing my attention just as fast. The first episode quickly became dry and I couldn’t finish the single 25 minute episode in one sitting. Now, this happens to me very frequently with shows and movies, but it usually takes me no longer than a day to return to whatever I’m watching at the time. I did not return to Disjointed for about a week, and my return was reluctant. However, I trudged on through to the second and third episodes.

Though the second and third episodes still found me somewhat bored, I could not help but admire the charm that this show has. The show is interesting in a “I wonder what THC pun they’ll make next” way. Or a “what kind of hemp-based product will they educate us on now” way. So while yes, it can be a little cringe-worthy and dry at moments, the show does have its defining qualities.

One thing about stoner media is that it is not required to be of high quality. With ease, any viewer, marijuana user or not, can experience Disjointed and notice the tactics employed to communicate with its target demographic. The show is a novelty. It is an interesting take on sitcoms and weed culture and by crossing the two, it makes a different strain of entertainment altogether. Though Disjointed is not necessarily impressive or of high quality, it is still something that I would encourage most anyone (save for anti-cannabis activists) to watch.

Arrested Development (Pilot episode)

Okay, I'm doing a bit of a loophole here. Arrested Development technically isn't a WHOLE Netflix Original. The first three seasons aired on FOX, the first season premiering first in 2003, and it wasn't until ten years later that Netflix funded and premiered the fourth season exclusively on the platform. So, technically it is a half-Netflix original, half-FOX original.

Now that we have that out of the way, I have to say I've only seen the first two episodes before rewatching the pilot, as I got distracted by other things happening in my life before I could watch anymore of it. I do have a few recollections of some of the jokes in the two episodes (such as "NO TOUCHING!" from the second episode, along with "There's always money in the banana stand.") But other than that, I couldn't remember too much from the first episode. And in all honesty, I think that may have benefited my second viewing of the episode.

Not remembering quite a few of the jokes made their punchlines all the more hilarious since I didn't know what to expect. I wish I could spoil some of the jokes that were featured in the episode, but I think that would ruin the surprise and punchlines (and without the proper context, the jokes don't make much sense). I can, however, summarize what the premise of the actual show is. The show centers around Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) and his son George Michael (Michael Cera) dealing with his (formerly) wealthy and dysfunctional family and ends up having to run his family's real estate business after some things go down. The show also feature antics from Michael's spoiled and materialistic sister Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) and her...interesting husband Tobias Funke (David Cross) (who she married as protest against her parents), and their daughter Mae/Maeby (Alia Shakwat). It also features Gob (Will Arnett), Michael's older brother, an ex-magician exiled from a league of magicians that created after one of his tricks was revealed as fake, and Buster (Tony Hale), Michael's younger brother, a bumbling and dependent man that is prone to panic attacks. Then there are his parents, his mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), a vain, materialistic, and hypercritical woman, and his father George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), a corrupt real estate developer who is arrested for his actions in the first episode, thus forcing Michael into running his business while in jail.

Yep. And it gets even crazier when you watch it.

The whole show is formatted very similarly in the style of The Office (even though it came 2 years before the office, although it did come two years AFTER the British TV show which the US show is based on). It's in the style of a mockumentary with unsteady cams and zoom-ins on characters used very often. The comedy is also very dry and witty, in a similar manner to The Office. In fact, I would consider this show to be a sort of "prequel" to The Office. I mean, there ARE differences (from what I've read up on and seen online about Arrested Development, it seems to go to far more absurd lengths than The Office), but otherwise they are very similar. And I would recommend both of them, especially Arrested Development. It appeals to my senses of humor, and who knows. It might appeal to yours. I can't wait to continue watching more episodes of this show. Hopefully I'll actually get more than TWO episodes in me this time.