Previously, On Arrested Development

NPR's guide to the running gags from the show.

Season 4, Episode 13

It Gets Better

Originally aired Sunday, May 26, 2013

At UC Irvine things get steamy when George-Michael finds himself in a love triangle with his best friend Ray and his girlfriend Becky.

15 recurring jokes in this episode

The Bluths

  • ... reference Peanuts

    Michael walks dejectedly from the dorm room he was recently voted out of.

  • The Chicken Dance

    George Michael doesn't like the name "block block" for their software because he thinks it sounds like a chicken.

  • ... don't understand Spanish

    George Michael, on his new double-castle dorm room: "Todo mio. Todo ... mia? Mio."

    Michael says, "Adios, brodiero." This is not a word.

  • ... flirt with incest

    Tutoring coordinator, to George Michael about tutoring Maeby: "Stay on top of her. You may need to ride her pretty hard."

    Related Joke: Maeby is terrible at math

  • ... drive a stair car

    George Michael drives the stair car into a low overhang on a parking garage on his first day at college.

  • hop-ons

    Paul and George Michael discuss who is the hop-on when it comes to their fake internet company.

George Sr.

Maeby

  • Maeby is terrible at math

    When George Michael is deciding to tutor Maeby in Algebra, her latest grade is reported as, "an Elvis Presley head."

    Maeby doesn't get George Michael's come-on line because she doesn't know what it means to "solve for x."

    George Michael: "I'm not 100 percent finished with it." Maeby: "How finished are you with it? 200 percent? 500 percent?

George Michael

  • Les Cousins Dangeroux

    George Michael loved Rebel Alley in the remake of Les Cousins Dangeroux.

  • ... has perfect rhythm

    George Michael's perfect rhythm makes him think that Julliard might start a new program for his wood block percussion.

    George Michael was raised on a program called BabyTock to give him a head start on math. "It's a sharp metal box you put in a crib."

    He waited 41 seconds to reply to Michael's question about his software — and knew it was precisely 41 seconds.

  • Star Wars kid

    The mother he nannied for while on a year abroad in Spain sees George Michael's video and says, "I f****d that guy!" She's noticeably pregnant.

Miscellaneous

  • "He's very good."

    Barry tells George Michael to "take to the sea," which is still terrible legal advice several decades later.

    Related Joke: Maritime law

  • banners

    The family puts up a banner reading "Good Luck In College George Michael."

  • meta

    George Michael says he signed up for Netflix to see the remake of Les Cousins Dangeroux.

  • Maritime law

    Barry tells George Michael to "take to the sea," which is still terrible legal advice several decades later.