In television dramas, the second episode tends to retread the themes of the pilot, reintroduce the characters, and hold your hand through a stand-alone episode until you feel safe and have committed your life (and money to the show's advertisers) to the series. But in sitcoms, they throw in a snappy title sequence that explains the series premise and the character relationships and then just worry about making you laugh. Thankfully this seems to be a trend that's dying off as early episodes of new shows are more easily accessible than the pre-DVR days. But Arrested Development has never played by the rules but it's second episode does a fine job of making their own.
“Top Banana” hits the ground running with an in medias res opening of the Bluth banana stand on fire. Fire's a recurring visual and thematic device, with Tobias' hilarious melodramatic fire sale audition (“Amaaazing Grace...!), T-Bone “the flamer” burning down the storage locker, Lucille's banana flambe and GOB's attempt at shooting a fireball from his sleeves (“my least consistent trick...”). Michael's final decision to burn down the stand, after realizing the true destructive nature is his father, leads to one of the funniest jokes and greatest strengths of the series; wordplay. “There was $250,000 lined in the walls of the banana stand!” only works because Jeffrey Tambor played the quips of “money in the banana stand” to the connotation of insurance, only to be outraged when Michael didn't comprehend the true meaning (see also: flamer/arsonist vs flamer/homosexual).
George Michael and Maebe, Tobias and Lindsay, and GOB (kinda) all play the job market. George Michael's lust for his cousin is put to a test when confronted with her horrible business acumen (“Banana. Buck.”). Add the promotion to Mr. Manager and his belief that adults “can have fun whenever they want, we're kids, we're supposed to be working!” leads him to over-react and grab the gasoline. Tobias loses a job to Lindsay (and proceeds to cry in the shower, introducing us to his never-nude syndrome) and she confirms her incompetency (except when it comes to hair) by oversleeping and missing the commercial. Meanwhile GOB wants more responsibility but doesn't want to be in charge (but he'd like to be asked). His dramatic hurling of the letter into the sea plays off Will Arnett's talent at physical humor, buttoned with the apathetic toss of the dead rabbit into the ocean.
No Buster in this episode and the theme song has this weird electric guitar ditty that they lose henceforth, but “Top Banana” is another very funny outing into the world of the Bluths, strengthening character relationships (Lucille and Lindsay's passive aggressive rivalry, Michael realizing he's putting too much pressure on his son) and memorable moments involving ice cream sandwiches, mis-read magazine titles, and Luz lugging a rack of furs on an Los Angeles city bus.
- “No touching!”
- “I don't know what I expected.”
- “Oh, that's how we joke. She doesn't even have a house!”
- “Furs, or...I don't know, just a heads up.”
- “Don't take that tone. He's my son. I want you to make him stop calling me.”
- “We're like the Lunts!”
- “You might want to let that fire go out before you stick your face in it.”“Oh that's funny cause I was gonna say you might want to lean away from that fire since you're soaked in alcohol.”“Mine was better.”
- “Michael...having a nice day at the beach, while the rest of us are busting our asses to deliver your mail?”
- “I got a rabbit to buy.”
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