Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.(S02E01) Here's the rundown. Michael and his son leave for Phoenix. Well, not really. Michael needs money so he ends up going back to his old life at the model home in order to track down the company check book.
While Michael tries to do something productive, the rest of the siblings are into the usual mischief. When she and Tobias decide to explore an open relationship, Lindsay falls for a real estate agent. Tobias readies himself to join the Blue Man Group, excited at this new acting opportunity. GOB, who has been put in charge of the company, finds the contracts with Saddam Hussein but inadvertently gives them to his father who is dressed up like Oscar, George Sr.'s twin brother. Buster reconnects with Uncle Oscar but gets enlisted in the army by Lucille.
And at the end of the day, the Bluths realize they all need each other. If they didn't, it wouldn't be Arrested Development.
Why I Love This Episode:
This episode of AD was the first time I realized just how important having a DVR machine was. My favorite part is when GOB tells Michael about the contracts that he found that prove George, Sr. was making homes for Saddam and exonerates Michael. "Half in English, half in the squiggly," GOB explains. My husband and I rewound that scene three times. I laughed out loud each time. And I might have peed a little in my pants. That's not the first time I've admitted that. It's all for the love of Arrested Development. Writing this got me wondering what other fans' favorite moments are. If you have one, please leave it in the comments.
I have three other favorite parts. (One could even say they're 'sub-favorites' to the main favorite mention above.) The first is when "Michael Moore" stops Lucille and Buster while she's going to meet GOB at the company. He asks her if she'd ever send her child to war. The look that she gives Buster is great. Later on, Buster complains that his mom sent him off to into combat because, "the fat man dared her to."
Second, we have a classic Tobias scene. In an attempt to find something George Sr. might be hiding, Michael takes a sledge hammer to the walls of the model home. Behind that wall, is Tobias -- painted completely blue. Turns out that while looking for a support group, Tobias found a Blue Man Group performance. Now, as with many of Tobias's pursuits, he doesn't have the gig quite yet. In fact, he's yet to ask for an audition. He tells Michael, "Oh, no, no, I'm not in the group yet. I'm afraid I just blue myself."
And third, I loved the scene where Lindsay meets up with her realtor lover at his open house. I watched the episode this weekend to write this article. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Ed Helms appear on screen. "It's Andy!" I said. But that's not why I loved the scene. Lindsay's obliviousness is at its best in this episode. She misreads everything Andy, I mean, the realtor says to feed her own ego.
Of course, there's always the little things. Here's a few: the rape horn, the Uncle Sam outfit Annyong wears, George-Michael sitting on his father's lap while driving, the eerie music every time Oscar Bluth says "father" in Buster's presence, and Barry's weird unknown diseases.
Best Lines of the Episode:
"Not a real nose. Got a picture of her when she was fourteen in a swimming cap. She looks like a falcon." --Michael on his twin sister's plastic surgery.
"Yeah, like anyone would want to 'R' here." --Buster on how his mother doesn't need a rape horn
"Well, if it isn't the boy who cried Phoenix." --Lucille to Michael
"It seems as though I may have stumbled on an acting opportunity." --Tobias
"As a member of the Blue Man Group?" --Michael
"No, you're thinking of the support group. They're called... the Blue Man Group." --Tobias
Here's the video of the episode. Enjoy!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-10-2008 @ 11:34AM
alvaro said...
"Let the Great Experiment Begin"
"He said some wondeful things"
"He looks dead"
The begging of the Running joke of Oscar as Buster's Father
The whole dont tell them we are in Phoenix bit only to have Michael tell the one preson he shouldnt have (Barry)
.............. and release
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6-10-2008 @ 11:51AM
Steve Young said...
gah. these reviews are just making me wish even more they'd hurry up and start making the movie already.
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6-10-2008 @ 5:10PM
Caroline said...
ahhh too many amazing moments from that show. can't remember the episode names but 2 of my favorites are when either Buster or Lucille are dancing (actually, whenever Buster moves, speaks, breathes, or tries to massage someone.)
1. Lucille realizing that being home alone is great and gets drunk and dances around her apartment. (also when she misreads an alcohol warning as an alcohol suggestion)
2. Buster dancing around with fake boobs in the background while Michael talks to his busty girlfriend. HAHA i'm laughing just thinking about it. it's painful how much I miss that show.
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6-10-2008 @ 9:56PM
Edd said...
There is literally nothing I wouldn't do to get back AD back on the air. It's the most sparkling comedy of our generation, I could literally cry or go kick someone at Fox when I consider we could be on season 5 or 6 right now - the show had so much life in it and could have gone strong for another season or two, at the very least. PLEASE MAKE THE FILM!!! OR PLEASE, SOME MILLIONAIRE, COMMISSION A NEW SEASON!!
I couldn't begin to list my favourite jokes. Hell, in each episode there's probably a couple of jokes which you could compare next to pretty much any comedy ever and AD would still come out on top.
Here's some:
Burger King:
Tobias: "IT'S A WONDERFUL RESTAURANT!"
Narrator: "It sure is!"
And some of GOB's classic moments:
GOB: "Come on Michael, do the right thing. Bang this blind chick so dad doesn't have to repay his debt to society!"
Gob: "Hey, guy. They tell me you're the actor who plays Marta's brother, Tio."
Spanish actor: "Como?"
Gob: "Oh, you're gonna be in a coma, all right."
Lindsay [to Michael]: "Gob doesnt do anything for the family."
Gob: "Hey, I'm f**king Lucille 2."
Lucille 2: "Today at lunch, you were ashamed to be with me!"
Gob: "No! I was ashamed to be seen with you. I like being with you."
Lucille 2: "I'm sorry, but you have no courage."
Gob: "How can you say that? Shh! Thought I heard my mom. [whispers] How can you say that?"
Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."
AGHHH OH MY GOD BRING IT BACK!!! Mitch Hurtwiz, I'll salute you for the rest of my life!
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6-10-2008 @ 10:13PM
Max said...
Wow, you reminded me how much this was a great show. I think they need to bring it back as a series of specials. I think that it was too ahead of it's time.
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6-11-2008 @ 12:31AM
Kelsey said...
The thing I love about "Arrested Development" is that I can watch an eposide six or seven times and still find clever wordplay I hadn't heard all the other times I watched them. Just thinking about the funny moments makes me laugh.
As for favourite moments:
1. The entire family doing "chicken" impersonations at Micheal because he isn't dating anyone.
2. In the third eposide of the first season, George Sr. and Micheal talking about Buster's "issuses" and the camera's slow pan to an oblivious Buster.
3. In the same eposide, GOB nonchalantly putting bread in the office paper shredder throughtout the entire scene.
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6-11-2008 @ 12:06PM
ABT said...
The Blue Man Group stuff was the best. I went to see BMG in part because of Arrested Development, and as I was leaving the theatre I heard someone in front of me make reference to AD to his friend. Occasionally I quote the "I just blue myself" comment. Michael's reaction, "There's got to be a better way to say that", is worth mentioning and one example of Jason Bateman being a hilarious straight (unfunny) man.
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6-11-2008 @ 7:07PM
dw21 said...
Still miss it. Twice over.
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