S.O.B.s

"S.O.B.s" is the ninth episode of season three and forty-ninth episode overall of the TV comedy series Arrested Development. The episode aired less than a month after Variety announced that the episode order for season 3 had been cut from 22 to 13.^[1] The plot of the episode, revolving around the Bluth family's desperation, seems to be a satire of the desperation of the show in general.

Synopsis

The Bluth family is sitting at a meeting at the company offices after losing Bob Loblaw as a lawyer. Michael tells the family that if they want to keep going for the next few weeks, they must get a new lawyer and "pull out all the stops." They need $100,000 to retain their lawyer. Lindsay mentions that Maeby has been accepted at a new-age feel-goodery known as Openings and she has even sent in the check for tuition fees. Michael suggests that everyone get a job to raise money for the family. He suggests that Lindsay do all the housework at the model home to pay off her debt. Gob and the rest of the family ridicule Michael for suggesting this. George Sr. instead suggestes that they hold a legal defense fund dinner in order to raise money - a "Save Our Bluths" event.

Later, Michael arrives at the model home to find Lindsay actually cooking and cleaning. Lindsay, not really knowing what to do, was making "hot ham water." Lindsay suggestes that George Michael should also go to Openings, so that he can properly express his feelings. George Michael walks into the kitchen to take a break from his SAT preparation and get a cream soda. Lindsay offers to get one for him, but George Michael nervously hurries to the fridge to get it himself. He also checks the stove. Tobias then tells Michael that George Michael has been acting strange. We then see how George Michael has been constantly cleaning and checking things. Tobias believes that George Michael has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder because he is afraid to express himself. The truth is, though, that George Michael was simply cleaning up after Lindsay, who wasn't doing a good job cleaning and cooking. Lindsay again recommends Openings for George Michael and gives Michael a letter showing "how great" Maeby was doing at the school. Lindsay and Tobias, not having read the letter despite having had it framed, are surprised to find out that Maeby has not been attending classes and is going to be expelled. They both thought it was a boarding school. Maeby has actually been working at the studio the whole time, filming her film "Snowboarding School 2" on location. Michael is annoyed that the non-refundable tuition is gone, and Lindsay, trying to act like a traditional parent, quips that Maeby should be punished. Michael then decides to send George Michael to Openings instead.

Meanwhile, Lucille is soliciting for the Bluth fundraiser at the club restaurant. Gob, who is also at the restaurant at the time, decides to play a trick on Lucille by pretending to be a waiter. Lucille never looks at her waiter, so she does not know that Gob is playing a trick. Gob means to keep his charade up until Lucille notices, but is so successful that he even fools the other waiters. Lucille leaves the restaurant not knowing Gob was there. A fellow waiter, played by Jack McBrayer hands him the tips he earned during his accidental shift.

At the penthouse, Michael comes over to discuss the plans for the fundraiser with George Sr. Michael remarks that the "Home Builders Organization" would not support them, so they have to put on a show during dinner. They decide to invite celebrities to the event. George Sr. also tells Michael to write a speech for the restaurant. Michael then tells George Sr. how Andy Richter's brother teaches at Openings, so it may be possible to have Andy Richter come to the fundraiser. George Sr. also advises Michael not to send George Michael to Openings because they will poison his mind. George Sr. also poisoned the teachers at Openings by sending them poison muffins.

At Openings, George Michael is asked to express himself in an essay for an assignment. It is also revealed that his teacher, Donnie Richter, is just one of five quintuplets, with Andy Richter being one of the others. At the house, Tobias, who is trying to enforce some discipline, confronts Maeby about not going to school. Tobias tells Maeby she has to help him make some gift bags to send to casting directors if she does not want to go to school.

At the country club, Gob finds out he accidentally worked a day after he receives some tips. Lindsay and Buster are bonding in the model home, when Buster wanders over to get some food, since George Sr. had eaten the food Lucille had left for him. Meanwhile, George Michael is struggling to write an essay criticizing his father, so he asks Maeby for help. George Michael tricks Maeby into writing his essay for him, partly because it gives him the opportunity to smell her neck as he leans over her shoulder.

The next day, Michael goes to Openings to see how George Michael is doing at his new school. He finds George Michael reading the essay in which Maeby criticized Tobias, and thinks the criticism is directed at him. Gob continues to work at the restaurant, and begins flirting with the women to garner better tips. He unknowingly begins flirting with Lucille, and they both are disgusted when they realize what has just happened. Michael then goes to confront Donnie Richter about poisoning George Michael, but runs into Andy Richter, who agreed to go to the Bluth's fundraiser. He then threatens Donnie Richter about his son. Michael then decides to pull George Michael out of Openings, while George Sr. implicitly says he will poison Donnie. Lucille, mad that Gob is a waiter and that Lindsey is a "housewife", says she does not want them to come to the dinner. Maeby, tired of spending time with Tobias, arranges for him to get a bit part in a movie.

Michael, meanwhile, tells George Michael he cannot go to Openings anymore. Then, George Michael reveals that Maeby had written the essay, not him. Michael then flip-flops and says George Michael must return to that school. Rocky Richter, the stuntman Richter, then confronts Michael about poisoning Donnie. George Michael is angered about this, and is also mad that Michael never listens to his opinion. Over at the penthouse, Lucille is panicking because the caterers refused to come because she had run up a high balance at the clubhouse.

The party begins and several celebrities are in attendance. Lindsay, who is doing the cooking, is making some dubious dishes. Andy Richter, pretending to be Emmitt Richter, refuses to sing. George Sr. also accidentally reveals to Michael that he was the "muffin man", and that he poisoned Donnie. George Michael then apologizes for criticizing his father. Michael then gives a speech in which he says that "maybe the Bluths are not worth saving." He then tells everyone that he threatens people and that George Sr. poisons them. All of the guests rush out in a panic upon hearing this.

Michael then tells George Michael he does not have to go to Openings any more and that he was just worried about his possible Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. George Michael then reveals that he was simply cleaning up after Lindsay this whole time. Michael then pledges to always listen to George Michael in the future. George Michael then tells him (for the second time in the series) that he loves his cousin, Maeby. However, his father ignores him and simply says "I love you too."

In the "On the Next Arrested Development" segment, it is revealed that checks have been pouring in from the attendees of the party. Lucille believes this to be a result of the family not looking desperate. In reality, it is likely due to the many explicit and implied threats that Tobias, Michael, George Sr., and Gob inadvertently make as the guests are leaving.

External links

• "S.O.B.s" at the Internet Movie Database
• "S.O.B.s" at TV.com
• "S.O.B.s" at The-OP.com

References