The One Where Michael Leaves

Infobox Arrested Development episode
episode_name = The One Where Michael Leaves
episode_no = 2AJD01
airdate = November 7, 2004
writer = Mitchell Hurwitz and Richard Rosenstock
director = Lee Shallat-Chemel
on_the_next = "Lindsay almost stumbles upon a dating opportunity, but instead is admitted to the hospital with a fever of 104; Michael finally gets the corporate checkbook, only to find that the family has gotten to it first; and Barry lands in jail." | guest_star =
Justin Lee as Annyong Bluth Ian Roberts at Dr. Wordsmith Henry Winkler as Barry Zuckerkorn John Beard as Himself Jay Johnston as Officer Taylor


season = 2
"The One Where Michael Leaves" is the twenty-third episode aired of TV comedy series "Arrested Development", and the premiere episode of the second season.

ynopsis

Michael takes George Michael to start a new life in Phoenix. G.O.B. and Lindsay speculate that Michael needs them more than they need him. The police inform Michael that George Sr. has been arrested, but find that they actually have George Sr.'s twin brother, Oscar. Michael is asked not to leave the state while his father is at large.

Michael is surprised to find that G.O.B. seems to have things under control at the company. Lindsay and Tobias discuss opening up their marriage to new partners, and Lindsay makes what she thinks is a date. Tobias, depressed about his wife's success in their newly open relationship, spots a flyer for what he thinks is a support group. G.O.B. discovers a briefcase containing a contract between George Bluth and Saddam Hussein.

Lindsay shows up for what she thinks will be a sexual adventure with a realtor, but it is actually an open house. Lucille is assailed by a documentary filmmaker, who inquires about the family's Iraq link and pointedly asks if she'd ever enlist her son or daughter in the Army. She immediately signs Buster up for duty.

Tobias, painted blue for his audition with the Blue Man Group, is hit by a car. At the hospital, the family pours out their troubles and begs Michael for help. The police mistakenly apprehend Oscar, and George Sr. escapes with the briefcase.

Notes

*Although this episode begins on the same day that "Let 'Em Eat Cake" left off, it was in fact filmed several months later, which is why some of the characters (notably Lindsay and the kids) look different.
*This episode marks the start of several new storylines, including Tobias and Lindsay's open marriage, Tobias joining the Blue Man Group, G.O.B. being in charge of the Bluth Company, and Oscar moving in with Buster and Lucille.
*Michael makes a hole in the wall with a sledgehammer. This hole remains for the rest of the season, although half of it is covered by a cabinet.

References

*Blue Man Group Tobias first sees the Blue Man Group in this episode and although he paints himself blue, he mentions that he has not yet even auditioned to be an understudy.
*Chemical Ali FOX 6's report on the Bluth-built American homes in Iraq claims that one of the houses shown is the "former home of Chemical and Mrs. Ali".
*"Friends" The title is a play on "Friends"-style episode titles, which usually start with the phrase "The One Where".
*Kegel exercise Lindsay's exercise video is actually for Kegel exercises, a set of exercises designed to strengthen and give voluntary control over the pubococcygeus muscle; the exercises are used to increase sexual gratification.
*George W. Bush G.O.B. sat with the Saddam documents for seven minutes; George W. Bush sat reading a children's story for seven minutes after being told of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
*Michael Moore The documentary filmmaker is a spoof of Michael Moore, whose documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11", included a segment in which he asked senators to enlist their sons or daughters in the army.

Callbacks/running jokes

*Abbreviated cursing Buster abbreviates the word "rape" to "R". He previously abbreviated the word "screwing" to "essing" in "Pier Pressure", and later abbreviates "bitch" to "B" in "Ready, Aim, Marry Me".
*Blender Lucille interrupts Michael's speech with a blender.
*Blue paint For the first half of Season 2, blue paint (usually in the form of a randomly-placed blue handprint) can be seen in the background on the walls of the Bluth model home.
*Bluth Company Board/workers are incompetent The board approves G.O.B. as the president of the company after he performs a magic trick for them.
*Buster's real father Several hints are made that Oscar is Buster's real father, each accompanied by the same dramatic music and knowing glances between Oscar and Lucille:
**When Buster says that they told him his father was at the police station, Oscar suggestively says, "Did they?"
**Oscar suggestively agrees that Buster needs "a father figure".
**When Oscar suggests that Buster should grow his hair long, Buster notes, "Then I'd look like you." Oscar responds, "More than you'll ever know."
*Documentary The show continues its documentary style, showing George Sr's escape using an ATM camera (captioned "ATM footage courtesy of Orange Coast Bank") and a traffic light photo (captioned "Traffic light photo courtesy of Newport Beach Police Department").
*Hiding in the walls The narrator mentions that George Sr. has a tendency to hide things inside walls. This was previously shown in "Top Banana", in which he lined the walls of the Banana Stand with $250,000.
*A huge mistake When Michael announces to the family that he's leaving, he tells G.O.B. to bail himself out next time, rather than coming to him and saying, "I've made a huge mistake." G.O.B. denies ever saying that he made a mistake, asking what he would have made a mistake about. Later, when Michael realises that George Sr. has gotten away with the evidence, G.O.B. tells him, "You've made a huge mistake."
*Lindsay's nose Michael reveals that Lindsay's nose is fake, and that she used to have a larger nose when she was younger. This is referenced numerous times in later episodes.
*Pilot callbacks
**Lindsay is wearing a "H.O.O.P" t-shirt during the Monkey Freedom Rally set-back. H.O.O.P. is her anti-circumcision movement, mentioned several times in "Pilot".
**Michael and George Michael are once again leaving for Phoenix, Arizona, like they almost did in the pilot.
**Lucille twice gives the same wink that she did in the pilot.
**This episode's ending is identical to the ending of the pilot.
*Phone This is the first episode in which G.O.B.'s inability to operate the company phones is displayed.
* George Michael tips his hand when making a phony phone call to Lucille's pretending to be Dr. Blueman's office, conceding they'll just get a hold of Michael in Phoenix (he would have no knowledge of this and his father's departure moments before). He had previously done this at a younger age, referring to his father as "Dad" while impersonating the Jerky Boys during a business meeting in "Burning Love".
*Police brutality Whenever Oscar is arrested by the police, he is beaten over the head with a baton by Officer Taylor, who always says "Yeah" after doing so. This happens four times in the episode.
*Rape horn Lucille mentions she has a rape horn, a possible callback to Buster's "rape whistle" in "Charity Drive".
*Tobias is gay Numerous jokes are made regarding Tobias' sexuality.
**Tobias "accidentally" sets off Lucille's rape horn just before Michael mentions that Lindsay thinks he's a homosexual.
**Tobias says it's "nice to be back in a queen", referring to sharing a queen bed with his wife.
**Tobias says, "No, I'm afraid I just 'blue' myself."
**When Lindsay walks in on Tobias in the bedroom, he is seen practicing her "EZ-Keglin" Kegel exercise tape.
*Wig George Sr.'s technique of using a wig to disguise himself while escaping is shown several times throughout the course of the series.
*"Wonderful things" Michael says "He said some wonderful things" in regards to Tobias' "I just blue myself" line. Michael said the same thing about George Sr.'s "Daddy horny" line in "Visiting Ours".
*George Sr. doesn't like Oscar When George Sr. is disguised as Oscar, he says, "Well I'm going to go, you don't need a piece of **** uncle hanging around."
*"Who wants to go to the hospital?" This begins a running gag in which Tobias ends his storyline for each episode by going to the hospital. It is repeated several times in Season 2.
*"I am having the time of my life" Said by the Barry Zuckerkorn in the "On the next" part of the show. Referring back to when George Sr. is first visited in prison by Michael where he says the same thing, as well as the same gestures and greetings toward another inmate.

Hidden/background jokes

*Hair Several scenes after Buster brushes Lucille's hair, it is noticeably more of a mess than usual.
*Never nude Tobias can be seen wearing his cut-offs as he walks around the model home in blue paint.
*Sign At her "Monkey Freedom Rally", Lindsay holds a sign that reads "Free this orangutan". The fact that orangutans are apes, and not monkeys, serves to reinforce Lindsay's ignorance.
*Staring When Michael and George Michael return to the penthouse, George Michael can't help but stare at Lindsay's nose, now knowing that it's fake. Lindsay covers her nose with her hand and nervously walks away.

Foreshadowing/future references

*Blue Man Group Michael pretends to be a doctor named "Dr. Bluman" on the phone to Lucille, hinting at the upcoming storyline with Tobias joining the Blue Man Group.
*Seal Attack While Buster is combing Oscar's hair, John Beard reports, "And a seal attack. Meet one surprised bather, coming up!" The camera then pans to Buster. This foreshadows Buster's attack by a seal in "Out on a Limb".
*Adopted When George Michael and Michael are driving to Phoenix, George Michael asks if Lindsay is not his real aunt, possibly hinting that Lindsay was adopted.
*Oscar During the final scene at the hospital, Buster is clearly uncomfortable with the way Oscar is massaging his shoulders, a hint that it is George Sr. disguised as Oscar.

Cameos

*Ian Roberts makes his second appearance as Dr. Wordsmith, also known as "the literal doctor".
*Jay Johnston returns as Officer Taylor, the police officer who hits Oscar over the head. He later plays a large role in the episode "Hand to God".

Goofs

*When the family sees Lindsay in the shower and goes downstairs to leave, someone (possibly a crew member) can be seen in the mirror sitting down in the background.
*When Oscar is at the police station, he can be seen wearing George Sr.'s wedding ring.
* The document which G.O.B. finds inside the briefcase does not actually have Arabic writing. The non-English text is Persian.

External links

* [http://the-op.com/episode/201 The-OP.com]
* [http://www.fox.com FOX]
* [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arrested_Development#The_One_Where_Michael_Leaves_.5B2.1.5D Quotes for this episode on WikiQuote]