Arrested Development (TV Series) Justice Is Blind (2004) User Reviews

This Story Wraps Up In A Nice Fashion!

[gab-14712 · 9/10 · 4 December 2018]

"Justice Is Blind" is Arrested Development's sister episode to the last episode, "Altar Egos." These two episodes almost play together like a mini-movie, as the storylines presented in these episodes are wrapped up. The show best trait is the sharp verbal humor, but the show can surprise you from time to time with funny physical humor, as seen in this episode. Whether it is Tobias trying to avoid the touch Maggie Lizer, or Michael throwing a Bible at Maggie to test her blindness, or finding out that Maggie's guide dog is actually blind, there is no shortage of physical humor. Even the use of a thick plea agreement that Barry refuses to read has some time to shine. Just like the last episode, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is incredibly funny as the lawyer, Maggie Lizer.

In this episode, Michael receives a file of evidence in the case against George Sr. after sleeping with Maggie. However, he becomes suspicious on whether or not she is blind. He decides to send Tobias to investigate Maggie where he painfully learns the truth about her. Meanwhile, Maeby continues to pretend she is a disabled person in order to receive funds. GOB tries to divorce his newlywed wife (played by the lovely Amy Poehler), but it does not go as well as he hoped it would be.

Overall, this was a mostly satisfying conclusion to the mini storyline that began in the previous episode. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Amy Poehler were excellent guest stars. I liked the use of physical humor. The only thing that really has me scratching my head is Maeby's storyline. Maeby's character mocking the disabled for money seems a little distasteful for my liking. On a better note, the use of 'The Ten Commandments" was hilariously integrated in the episode. I love how Lindsay threatens to sue the courthouse after injuring her foot on the courthouse's display of The Ten Commandments because of her illogical thinking of "separation of church and state." GOB and Michael also hilariously misinterpret the Ten Commandments as well.

My Grade: A

Thou shalt worship AD

[gizmomogwai · 8/10 · 13 January 2010]

The last review of an Arrested Development episode I wrote was four months ago, for Altar Egos; Justice is Blind is its sister episode and this is my first AD review of the new year. Continuing the story of Michael's affair with Maggie, his dad's prosecutor, Michael finds out Maggie is faking her blindness.

Aside from Tobias struggling to evade her in a break-in, there's nothing particularly spectacular about the revelation. Michael at one point throws a book at Maggie's head, a joke used by Fox in advertisements of the show- but is this really the best AD has to offer? AD typically has more success with verbal humour than slapstick. Meanwhile, Maeby is also faking a disability, pretending to be her own sister who is ill. The reason: she gets money from sympathetic people. This may be Maeby's least ethical stunt- later we see her posing as a movie executive which involves equal deception but less hurt. So Maeby is less lovable here. Also notable from this episode is that we see some hostility and malice between George and Buster. This may be funny, but it creates the false impression that there was no love between the two. The episodes Good Grief and Out on a Limb show there actually was some.

Despite these shortcomings, Justice is Blind does shine in at least one respect- the use of the Ten Commandments. We can laugh at Lindsay's lack of understanding as to how separation of church and state works and we can laugh at Michael and GOB's ignorance of what the Commandments are. We can take note of how fitting it is that the Bluths would campaign against the Commandments. These jokes feel more like Arrested Development than simply naming a blind dog Justice.