Fare thee well, Bluth Family

I loved the Bluths - they used to visit regularly, bringing intelligent wackiness with them. Then their schedule became irregular (damn tv programming) and last week, opposite the opening ceremonies in Torino, was a two hour finale.

They won Emmys, made it to three (ok, 2.5) seasons, featured cameos/recurring roles by a vertigo-afflicted Liza Minnelli, hapless attorney Henry Winkler, Jason Bateman's sister as a prostitute, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Charlize Theron, William Hung, Amy Poehler, Zach Braff, Christine Taylor, Scott Baio (as Bob Loblaw), Carl Weathers, and so many more. Really clever writing - if you blinked during the show you were sure to miss a subtle, well placed comment or sight gag. Hilarious. One of my all time favorite shows.

Their deadpan delivery, clever narration, documentary-esque camera work, and layers of humor were amazing.

My friend J's favorite episode is when Lucille Bluth realizes their membership at the country club is no longer valid. With her husband in prison (for questionable accounting practices) their assets are frozen. Unable to dine at the country club, she eats out poolside. When her cocktail comes, the waiter's fingers are touching the lip of the glass. She fires out something like "if I wanted to eat something that your finger had touched, I'd bite your ear." Anyway, it's delivered much more brilliantly than I can capture here, without spending hours crafting it.

I too got hooked in season one. From Motherboy to Tobias being outed as a 'never nude.' GOB's moonwalking on stage (with the 80s tune "The Final Countdown" playing), while doing magic tricks. The spoof on "Girls Gone Wild' - renamed "Girls with Low Self Esteem." The modes of transport for the family - the stair car, segway, bicycles. How each and every family member is in some stage of arrested development.

I'll miss it - but luckily I have it on dvd. I highly suggest you check it out too.