The essential episodes of Arrested Development
Watch these 10 in order and you've got Arrested Development — each pick states its reason.
- 01
Meet the Bluths. In the pilot, Michael decides to take a job in Arizona after being passed over by George Sr. for head of the Bluth Company. George Sr. is jailed, and the family realizes they need Michael.
- 02
When George Michael is rejected by a private school due to the family's reputation, Michael hires a publicist from his gym who he's been flirting with to change the public perspective of the Bluths. Meanwhile, Tobias is sent to Boston to reclaim his medical license.
- 03
Michael falls for his George Michael's ethics teacher, whom his son also has a crush on. Meanwhile, Lucille adopts a 14-year old Korean boy, and George Sr.'s "Caged Wisdom" tapes have given him a new admirer.
- 04
The One Where They Build a House
Due to Michael's continuing legal troubles, Gob agrees to be the company figurehead while Michael pulls the strings, an arrangement which, of course, ends up driving Michael completely crazy when Gob's showmanship and ludicrous ideas impress the board. Meanwhile, the mistaken identities continue when George Sr. is arrested in Mexico for a crime that Oscar committed, and Oscar takes George Sr.'s place in a way no one could have predicted.
- 05
Gob and Buster team up for some magic tricks with the help of Buster's fake hand, but when Tony Wonder, a rival magician, starts to mentor them, somebody gets the finger. Meanwhile, Michael is forced to delegate some work when he's hospitalized and Lindsay teaches George Michael how to drive using the staircar.
- 06
When George Michael gives Ann a promise ring, Michael is concerned it's too much, too fast and decides to talk to her parents, the Veals. But when his plan backfires, Michael takes matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, George Sr. enlists Gob's help in abducting Lucille and taking her to renew their vows in order to get her away from Oscar.
- 07
Michael is back in charge of The Bluth Co. and things appear to be on track. However, when Michael decides to take his son on a trip to the family cabin, his plan goes off course when he decides to track down George Sr. and ends up in Reno. Meanwhile, Lindsay - along with George Michael and Maeby, who are still dealing with the aftermath of their awkward kiss - goes searching for Tobias and discovers he's not blue without her. Gob goes to an event hosted by a group that reunites abandoned sons with their fathers and gets a surprise of his own, while Lucille is up to her old tricks dealing with Buster.
- 08
Buster struggles to make it on his own and break away from his overbearing mother.
- 09
Gob acquires a new office for the company with a "premium view." Michael gets a shock when he returns to a place that holds a lot of memories.
- 10
As the Bluths come together to unveil a wall, they once again discover that they deserve nothing more than to be saddled with each other forever.
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