It looks like fan opinion of this second season episode varies and can be underwhelming, but this is one of the few AD episodes to be nominated for an Emmy, particularly for Writing (it lost to the fellow-AD episode Righteous Brothers). And this is a stand-out episode in my opinion. Like Good Grief before it, Sad Sack has the burden of explaining why goody goody Michael is letting his fugitive father George hide out in the family attic. And Sad Sack manages to not only be funny and lively but also emotional and thoughtful. This episode was also singled out by the Parents Television Council as inappropriate, and it's worthy of that distinction as well, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Michael gets an offer from the prosecution to escape punishment if he surrenders his father, since the government suspects Michael knows where he is. This allows for the two great caricatures of lawyers, Barry and Wayne Jarvis, to appear, and both are great in this episode. This also allows for Michael to rethink his father and whether George is worth the risk of being kept hidden, while George is devastated by the thought of losing his wife and is seen in a rare fragile state. Meanwhile, Michael's sister Lindsay, portrayed in this episode as having lost her voice (a nice challenge for actress Portia de Rossi) is attracted to a boy who her own 15-year-old daughter is attracted to. At the same time, Michael is so disappointed with his son's girlfriend that he even has his son's eyes examined. The scene where George Michael struggles with the eye exam is funny, but as is typical with Arrested Development episodes, so much is funny that you might have to rewind and rewatch it to appreciate it. I know I did.
Sad Sack is at the same time irreverent and smart, and definitely amusing.
Michael gets an offer from the prosecution to escape punishment if he surrenders his father, since the government suspects Michael knows where he is. This allows for the two great caricatures of lawyers, Barry and Wayne Jarvis, to appear, and both are great in this episode. This also allows for Michael to rethink his father and whether George is worth the risk of being kept hidden, while George is devastated by the thought of losing his wife and is seen in a rare fragile state. Meanwhile, Michael's sister Lindsay, portrayed in this episode as having lost her voice (a nice challenge for actress Portia de Rossi) is attracted to a boy who her own 15-year-old daughter is attracted to. At the same time, Michael is so disappointed with his son's girlfriend that he even has his son's eyes examined. The scene where George Michael struggles with the eye exam is funny, but as is typical with Arrested Development episodes, so much is funny that you might have to rewind and rewatch it to appreciate it. I know I did.
Sad Sack is at the same time irreverent and smart, and definitely amusing.
