Gob attempts to make good on his promise to make the family yacht disappear. Meanwhile, Lindsay and Maeby try to track down Lindsay's grandmother, Tobias seeks George Sr.'s respect, and Michael attempts to fire Kitty, who claims to have information that could bring down the company.
Wordplay and character collision drive 48 jokes across 22 minutes—1.93 per minute, elite density.
Directed by Joe Russo · Written by Mitchell Hurwitz, John Levenstein
WAR
128.7
Wins Above Replacement
“Missing Kitty” ranks #20 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 97.0 — Elite. The episode packs 78 scored jokes at 3.1 per minute, averaging 7.7 on craft and 7.6 on impact, with Michael landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Michael · Narrator: 'It's not like there's some list of rules handed down to us from on high.' Ten Commandments fall on Michael's head.
Narrator: In fact, Maggie wasn't blind... but had been pretending to be since she found it helpful in taking the LSATs.
Narrator Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Maeby · George Michael: Maeby's fake illness charity 'B.S.' — 'Not a lot of kids have B.S. these days. What does that stand for? I don't know. It's B.S.'
Narrator · Maggie · Tobias: Her ability to see, however, was currently proving a disadvantage... as she couldn't reveal to the man she recognized as Tobias that she knew he was there without betraying her secret.
Narrator · Maggie · Michael: Unfortunately, Maggie had been temporarily blinded that day. / I can't see! / Bailiff. / That was my plan. What do you got?
All Jokes — 78 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Narrator · Michael: Narrator introduces Chareth Cutestory as the false identity Michael gave himself
Narrator · Michael: He decided to keep seeing her so as not to appear superficial — the woman is blind and can't see his face anyway
Maeby · George Michael: Maeby's fake illness charity 'B.S.' — 'Not a lot of kids have B.S. these days. What does that stand for? I don't know. It's B.S.'
Maeby: I figure I'll kill her off just before graduation. Just so everyone gets really sad before prom.
Maeby Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Gob · Michael · Narrator: Gob shows up in a garish bright sweater because 'the wife likes me in bright sweaters' — but he only got married days ago on an escalating dare
Gob · Wife: Gob's wife uses 'My parents are getting a divorce' to deflect his attempt to break up with her
Gob Wife Misdirection Cringe/Discomfort Michael: Well, least you finally consummated it, huh?
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Gob: Gob repeats 'Consummated.' with a puzzled/offended tone — reaction beat
Gob Reaction Beat Character Comedy Gob: What is with that 'prosecutie'?
Gob Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Gob · Michael: Gob: 'Okay, Michael. This makes matters better. Let's just destroy it and move on with our lives.'
Gob · Lindsay: What is with the insane moral code in this family? Yes, we did it. We're getting rid of the Ten Commandments.
Unknown bystander / protest organizer: Honey, they're just heels. They can only support so much weight.
Lindsay · Narrator: I've always been very passionate about the separation of church and state. [Lindsay, who literally just decided this hours ago]
Gob: Gob's invented Commandment: 'Thou shalt protect thy father and honor no one above him unless it beith me... thy sweet Lord.'
Gob Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: I'm not sure that one made it down the mountain, Gob.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline Callback Family member · Buster · Narrator: Buster is injured — 'He was trying to help some handicapped girl up to the bleachers, and he fell. It's just a sprain. But at least it's legitimate.'
Tobias: Ah, le clumsy adolescence. It's a phase we've all been through. Except for me. I was like a cat. I always ended up on all fours.
Tobias Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tobias: Tobias mimes/demonstrates 'like a cat' — reaction beat as others stare
Tobias Reaction Beat Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: No one's gonna sue anybody. I'm not gonna have my son start abusing the legal system like the rest of this family. After all, we're gonna need it for years to come.
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Michael: Well, I'm not the main idiot, but I'm the idiot in charge.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Maggie · Michael: You feel sincere. / Damn it. I have spent the last five hours hating you...
Maggie · Michael: Maggie: 'You feel sincere.' — after Michael says she'd see how sorry he is if she could see his face
Maggie · Michael: Maggie reveals she already knew Michael was Michael Bluth — 'I'm blind, Michael. I'm not stuffed up. You smelled me.'
Maggie · Michael: I'm blind, Michael. / I'm not stuffed up. / You smelled me. / I smelled you, baby.
Maggie: I was manipulating you. This isn't the real list. This is a wish list.
Maggie Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Maggie · Michael: Well, you lied to me. Chareth Cutestory? / I know. 'Thou shalt not make up a name in vain.'
Maggie · Michael: Look at me. This could get me... Are you actually looking at me? / Yes, I am.
Maggie: It's like we're making naughty sex even naughtier.
Maggie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Michael: This is the second most unethical thing I've ever done.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Maggie · Michael: Well, it's like the Ten Commandments saying. 'Be true to thine own self, and to thine own self... Be true.' Number seven.
Michael · Maggie: I think I'm ready now. / All right. / Okay.
Gob · Narrator: Flashback: Gob switching the evidence folder while his siblings argued about the Ten Commandments
Gob: Gob reveals he secretly switched the evidence file: 'They don't call me a sleight-of-hand artist for nothing.'
Gob Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Lindsay · Narrator: Flashback juxtaposition: The SAME scene of Lindsay saying 'I've always been very passionate about the separation of church and state' plays again, immediately after showing Gob's sleight-of-hand
Barry: Barry hasn't read the evidence file because 'I had a really interesting date last night. A woman who actually works two jobs.'
Barry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Lucille · George Sr.: Uh, you. I was raising the children. When was the last time you raised children? Excuse me? I've got two in the waiting room right this moment.
Buster · Annyong: They don't tell you anything, huh? / They tell me things. [beat] / It doesn't matter though, because Dad is gonna be in here a long time. / No. We have court day today. They take plea. Daddy come home. You out.
George Sr. · Buster: Buster's flashback to George Sr.'s pre-arrest threat: 'Hey, enjoy yourself tonight, because you are out of here. I'm not gonna spend my retirement watching you wipe your nose on your sleeve.'
Buster · George Sr.: I can't breathe, Dad. / Neither can I.
Barry · George Sr.: I think I'm gonna say that I signed myself out about 10 minutes ago. / You're right. You can't afford to get caught. I don't need my lawyer in prison. We'll have Gob break in.
Gob · George Sr.: Well, gee, Dad, I've got a wife now. I don't think that I can afford to get caught either. / Good point. You might want to change out of that sweater.
Gob: Hey, there's the cat. Sorry you couldn't have been down at the prison with us.
Gob Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Gob: He feels you've been sucking off this family far too long. If you don't start pulling your weight around here, it's gonna be shape up or ship up.
Gob Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Maggie · Officer: This guy's the real deal. He's on the inside. / But, he's got some demands. / This could be the break we wanted.
Buster: I want immunity for me and my mom... and I want my dad to stay in prison. Also, can you send Annyong back to Korea?
Buster Character Comedy Escalation Narrator · Maggie · Buster: Meanwhile, Maggie's interrogation of Buster was proving fruitless.
Buster: He came back home once with a black statue with an erect penis. It stayed in our living room until my aunt objected.
Buster Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Maggie: This guy's wasting our time. Take away his grilled cheese.
Maggie Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Buster · Maggie: Buster tells Maggie the evidence is at a house on Scenic View Drive. / Isn't that where you live? / Yeah. And I'm headed there now.
Tobias · Narrator: Tobias uses his catlike agility to get the evidence. 'The cat is in.'
Tobias · Maggie · Narrator: Tobias concerned about Maggie's heightened sense of smell, sets off to cloak himself in her scent — spends extended time in her bathrobe/perfume area while she walks around the house
Tobias · Maggie: Maggie comes home unexpectedly — Tobias must hide from a blind woman, except she can see him
Vet · Michael: Justice is blind. / Justice cannot be blind, Doc. He's got a handle and everything. Come on, boy.
Michael · Vet: Maybe his peripheral isn't great... but he's been leading a blind woman around. / I think she's been leading him around. / But that would mean that Maggie isn't blind.
Michael Vet Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: Michael: 'Justice cannot be blind, Doc. He's got a handle and everything.'
Michael Character Comedy Absurdist Callback Narrator: In fact, Maggie wasn't blind... but had been pretending to be since she found it helpful in taking the LSATs.
Narrator Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Maggie: Don't worry. You're so ahead. [Maggie to a witness in court]
Maggie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Narrator · Maggie · Tobias: Her ability to see, however, was currently proving a disadvantage... as she couldn't reveal to the man she recognized as Tobias that she knew he was there without betraying her secret.
Narrator · Tobias · Maggie: Narrator: 'Tobias was finding her an uncannily difficult blind girl to outmaneuver.' — as Maggie tracks his every move while pretending not to see
Tobias · Maggie: Their game of cat and mouse continued. [Extended visual sequence of Tobias sneaking while Maggie 'navigates blind']
Michael · Maggie: Oh, Justice, what is it, boy? What is it? Is there some jackass in my bathrobe?
Tobias: Oh! I can't see! [Tobias, revealed from the bathrobe]
Tobias Callback Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Callback Gob · Lucille · Tobias: They don't have a case against us. I took care of everything. / Something smells wonderful. / Well, thank you. Would that I could say that I wore it to impress you, but no, I'm afraid it's merely a cloaking agent from a sadly blunderous afternoon.
Gob: Gob re: Buster as the family's potential informant: 'Worst-case scenario he gets caught, no more Buster.'
Gob Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Buster · Lucille: I'm not going anywhere. You're the one who's staying put. Not me. You. / What's gotten into you? Have you been eating cheese?
Maeby: Surely Fünke address the crowd: 'Not just to me, but to all handicapped kids out there who are sick and tired of sitting in the front rows at basketball games.'
Maeby Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Narrator · George Michael · Michael: George Michael spotted his father and, not wanting to appear to be abusing the legal system, found a place to hide. / Michael, determined to expose Maggie, hid to avoid tipping his hand.
Michael · George Michael · Narrator: Michael also hides — 'Michael, determined to expose Maggie, hid to avoid tipping his hand.' Both Michael AND George Michael are hiding from each other at the courthouse.
Michael · George Michael: And for what it's worth, George Michael, you cannot let people get away with that. / It's just so hard to know what the right thing to do is. / I know it. It's not like there's some list of rules handed down to us from on high. / Watch your head.
Michael · Narrator: 'It's not like there's some list of rules handed down to us from on high.' Ten Commandments fall on Michael's head.
Michael: Your Honor, the purpose of a court of law is to find the truth... after all, they say justice is blind. Surely, she has enough sight to catch the truth before it hits her in the face.
Michael Wordplay/Pun Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Narrator · Maggie · Michael: Unfortunately, Maggie had been temporarily blinded that day. / I can't see! / Bailiff. / That was my plan. What do you got?
Maeby · Crowd · George Michael: And he will carry on my legacy and put an end to B.S. / Surely can beat this thing. / No more B.S. No more B.S.
Crowd: Crowd chants 'No more B.S.! No more B.S.!' — unknowingly chanting for the end of bullshit
Crowd Wordplay/Pun Running Gag Callback Maggie: I think I'm gonna go for 'I was struck by the Bible and it restored my sight.'
Maggie Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Michael · Maggie: You know, we're saying good-bye, and this is actually the first time that I feel you can really see me. / Yeah. / We're just two people staring at each other fully exposed in a court of law.
Barry · Narrator: On the next Arrested Development: Barry gets a sign from God. / I will obey your will. I will lead a good life. / Well, the hell with this then!
New Prosecutor · Narrator: Maggie is replaced with a new, less generous, prosecutor. / I was made to understand there were grilled cheese sandwiches here.
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