Tobias: First of all, I love it. Quick question, though: am I panicked about the fire, or am I being brave for everyone else?
Roger Danish: The fire? It’s ... it’s a fire sale.
» Arrested Development: Top Banana - Watch it on Fancast
Season 1: Episode 2
Air Date: November 9th, 2003
Episode Written By: Mitch Hurwitz
In the debate over the best television comedy of all time, only two shows need be mentioned. 'Arrested Development' and 'Seinfeld.' And while 'Arrested' never managed to garner the widespread appeal of 'Seinfeld,' history will remember it no less fondly. In fact, with the advent of TV on DVD and the ability to watch television online, the legend of 'AD' will only grow with time.
And in an amazing season, 'Top Banana' stands (a pun for fellow AD fans) ahead of the pack. The episode is a classic example of how 'AD' utilized the single-camera formula better than anyone. Absent the constraint of a laughtrack the writers ability to pack so much into a single episode is unrivaled.
There are no A and B storylines in 'Arrested.' Just one side-splitting joke after another. In 'Top Banana' alone we had T-Bone the flamer ("He's an arsonist not an embezzler."), George Senior's love affair with Ice Cream sandwiches, "No touching!", GOB's frozen dove and maybe the best scene in the series, Tobias' audition for the 'Southwest Boutique Fire.... Sale.'
Honestly, if you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and watch the episode. And if you have, well, you probably started watching two paragraphs ago.
