Michael takes Maeby to work with him on Take Your Daughter to Work Day. After being slighted by Michael, Tobias, George-Michael and Gob all go to the mall to prove that they are just manly. Oscar takes Lucille and Buster to Annyong's soccer game.
Escalating absurdity reaches fever pitch: 74 jokes in 27 minutes fuels Season 1's tightest finale.
Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel · Written by Mitchell Hurwitz, Richard A. Rosenstock
WAR
81
Wins Above Replacement
“Not Without My Daughter” ranks #30 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 83.4 — Elite. The episode packs 74 scored jokes at 2.7 per minute, averaging 7.2 on craft and 7.0 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
Lindsay: MICHAEL, IT WAS SHOPLIFTING, AND I'M WHITE. I THINK I'M GOING TO BE OKAY.
Lindsay Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Buster: NO, SHE'S HAPPY. SHE'S JUST MEAN ALL THE TIME.
Buster Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George Michael · Gob: LIKE, UH, WERE-WERE YOU EVER AWKWARD AROUND GIRLS? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? LIKE IF THERE WERE THREE OF US AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO START?
Lindsay: WELL, THEY EXPECT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THEFT, MICHAEL. IT'S BUILT INTO THE PRICE. IF I DIDN'T TAKE IT, THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE OVERPAYING FOR NOTHING.
Lindsay Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George Michael: I CANNOT KILL THIS JOKE.
All Jokes — 74 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ George Michael: HEY, DON'T FORGET ME. FOR WHAT? IT'S BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO WORK DAY. AND UNLESS YOU HAD A DAUGHTER I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, I'M YOUR GIRL.
Michael · George Michael: WELL, SHE'S NOT MY DAUGHTER, BUT IT'S ABOUT AS CLOSE AS I'M GONNA GET. I'M A GOOD LITTLE GIRL.
George Michael: THEY'RE OUT OF SANITARY NAPKINS IN THE LADIES' WASHROOM.
George Michael: PRETTY SOON I'M GOING TO HAVE TO START WEARING A BRA. RIGHT, DAD?
George Michael: I CANNOT KILL THIS JOKE.
Lindsay: WELL, EXCUSE ME, MICHAEL, FOR NOT RAISING THE PERFECT DAUGHTER THAT YOU DID.
Lindsay Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Narrator: AS A PSYCHOTHERAPIST, TOBIAS WAS ON THE FOREFRONT OF THE SELF-ESTEEM MOVEMENT.
Narrator Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tobias · Maeby: HOMOSEXUAL. MAEBY, PLEASE.
Lindsay: SHE'S RIGHT THOUGH. YOU PROBABLY ARE A HOMOSEXUAL.
Lindsay Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tobias: OH, BLESS HER. IT'S LIKE SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO NEXT.
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Narrator: GIRLS WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM.
Narrator Dark/Subversive Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Michael: NOT REALLY. KIDS LOVE BOUNDARIES.
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy TV Host: THE ONLY THING THIS GUY COULD MAKE FLY AWAY WAS THE CROWD. DOUCHE CHILL.
TV Host Setup/Punchline Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Gob: YEAH, WELL, IF YOU GIVE SOMEONE PERMISSION TO USE A TISSUE, YOU CAN'T BE UPSET IF THEY BLOW THEIR NOSE.
Gob Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: ONLY TWO OF THOSE WORDS DESCRIBE MOM, SO I KNOW YOU'RE LYING TO ME.
Michael Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Narrator: APPLIED FOR A JOB.
Narrator Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lindsay: WELL, THEY EXPECT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THEFT, MICHAEL. IT'S BUILT INTO THE PRICE. IF I DIDN'T TAKE IT, THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE OVERPAYING FOR NOTHING.
Lindsay Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lindsay: YEAH, I'VE SEEN YOUR TAPE.
Lindsay Callback Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Lindsay: I DON'T KNOW... MY ASS.
Lindsay Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Lindsay: MICHAEL, IT WAS SHOPLIFTING, AND I'M WHITE. I THINK I'M GOING TO BE OKAY.
Lindsay Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement Callback George Michael: DOUCHE CHILL.
Michael: HEY, MAEBY! MAEBY!
Michael Physical/Slapstick Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Maeby: OKAY, SO YOU CAN RUN FASTER THAN ME. BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE ME WORK.
Maeby Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Michael: I LIKED IT BETTER WHEN HE JUST SAID ANNYONG.
Michael Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Buster: NO, HE'S NOT! I CAME OUT OF YOU! HE DIDN'T!
Buster Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kitty: DID YOU HEAR THAT EVERYONE? MICHAEL BLUTH IS THREATENING ME!
Kitty Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Narrator: IN FACT, THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE WHO LOOKED LIKE LUCILLE'S HUSBAND... HIS TWIN BROTHER, OSCAR.
Narrator Setup/Punchline Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Tobias: YEAH, MAYBE A NEW PAIR OF SHOES WILL CHEER ME UP.
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Michael: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU COULD GO ONE DAY WITHOUT TELLING A LIE. JUST ONE WHOLE DAY WITHOUT BEING LIKE YOUR MOM.
Michael Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Michael · Maeby: AND 50 BUCKS. FINE. I'LL DO IT IF YOU DO IT. THAT-A-GIRL. THIS IS GONNA BE FUN. I WIN.
Michael: I'M ON IT. HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
Police Officer: OR AROUND TOWN OR WHATEVER.
Officer Carter: NOT ALIVE. OR DEAD OR WHATEVER.
Michael: I CERTAINLY DIDN'T... DIDN'T KILL HER AND DROP HER IN A BACK BAY. BOY, I HOPE THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER. I'M SURE IT ISN'T.
Michael Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Police Officer: PLEASE SEND OFFICER DAVIS AND LITTLE HANNA TO THE BACK BAY.
Maeby: SO YOU KILLED KITTY, HUH?
Maeby Reaction Beat Character Comedy Maeby: AND APPARENTLY A FUN ONE.
Maeby Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Office Worker: I THINK THAT'S HER RIGHT BEHIND YOU THERE.
Tobias: I DO KNOW STAGE COMBAT IF THE PARTNER IS WILLING AND A BIT MORE PETITE THAN I.
Tobias Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch George Michael · Gob: LIKE, UH, WERE-WERE YOU EVER AWKWARD AROUND GIRLS? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? LIKE IF THERE WERE THREE OF US AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO START?
GOB: HOW MANY MICE WILL $13 BUY?
GOB Absurdist Setup/Punchline George Sr.: YOU WERE... YOU WERE JUST A TURD OUT THERE, YOU KNOW? YOU COULDN'T KICK AND YOU COULDN'T RUN. YOU KNOW, YOU WERE JUST A-A TURD.
George Sr.: YOU MAKE HIM WISH THAT HE'D NEVER SHOWN THAT LUDICROUS HEAD OF HAIR... AND THAT NICE FACE OF HIS.
Guard · George Sr.: NO TOUCHING! OH! HER SELF-ESTEEM IS THROUGH THE ROOF.
Police Officer · Michael · Maeby: I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD A DAUGHTER? I DON'T. I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO CALL YOU DADDY?
Barry: OOH! CHILLS. WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THESE BRUISES?
Barry Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Michael · Barry: IF I LIE IN FRONT OF HER, IT COSTS ME 50 BUCKS. I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD LIE.
Gob · George Michael: SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT AMERICA... 13 BUCKS STILLS GETS YOU A HELL OF A LOT OF MICE. WHO SAID ANYTHING BAD ABOUT AMERICA?
Gob · George Michael · Store Customers: MICE! MICE! CALL SECURITY!
Narrator: AND A SURPRISINGLY CATLIKE ONE.
Narrator Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lucille: WHAT ARE THEY GONNA TAKE, THE ONE CAN OF COMET YOU'VE GOT IN THERE?
Lucille Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Oscar: OH, YOUR TONGUE IS AS SHARP AS YOUR BODY IS STILL TAUT.
Oscar Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Lucille: OSCAR, THIS IS A CHILDREN'S SOCCER GAME, NOT WOODSTOCK.
Lucille Character Comedy Observational Buster: NO, NO, NO. NO, NO, NO. NO! NO! NO! I CAME HERE TO SAY SOMETHING.
Buster Escalation Character Comedy Buster: NO, SHE'S HAPPY. SHE'S JUST MEAN ALL THE TIME.
Buster Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Barry · Michael: ARE YOU NUTS? NOT WITHOUT A BETTER LAWYER.
Police Officer: ♪ TOO RA LOO RA LOO RA ♪
Michael: I GIVE YOU EVIDENCE AGAINST MY FATHER, AND YOU PRETEND THAT I DIDN'T KILL KITTY? I MEAN, I-I DIDN'T KILL KITTY.
Michael Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Officer Taylor: YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GROVER BOOK... I CAN'T HOLD IT IN. WORKED FOR US.
Police Officer: YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GROVER BOOK... I CAN'T HOLD IT IN.
Kid · Buster: IF YOU CAN KICK, FATTY. I'M A MAN.
Lindsay · Gob: I WASN'T SHOPLIFTING, YOU TWIT. YES, THANKS TO ME. NO. I WORK HERE. AT LEAST I USED TO.
GOB · Tobias: THERE'S ONLY ONE MAGICIAN IN THIS FAMILY AND THAT IS ME. AND YOU GOT CAUGHT BY A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL.
Gob: I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU COULDN'T PULL IT OFF. THERE'S ONLY ONE MAGICIAN IN THIS FAMILY AND THAT IS ME. AND YOU GOT CAUGHT BY A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL.
Gob Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George Michael: BECAUSE I'M NOT DAUGHTER ENOUGH FOR YOU.
Michael: I'VE PUT A BOUNTY ON MY OWN HEAD.
Michael Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Maeby · Police Officer: NO, IT'S OKAY. I'M DETECTIVE FELLOWS'S DAUGHTER. OH. OH, SORRY. IT'S FOUR-THREE-FIVE. AND THAT OPENS ANY DOOR IN THE BUILDING.
Maeby: RELAX. THEY GOT NOTHING ON YOU. THEY'RE BLUFFING. KITTY'S ALIVE. I JUST SAW HER IN THE BACK ROOM.
Maeby Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Maeby: YEAH. I'D SAVE YOUR MONEY. KITTY'S GOT A LOT OF EVIDENCE, AND SHE THINKS THAT YOU TRIED TO KILL HER. SO YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED A BETTER ATTORNEY.
Maeby Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Maeby · Michael: LO SIENTO. I HATE BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO WORK DAY.
Barry · Michael: LO SIENTO. I HATE BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO WORK DAY.
Annyong · Buster: WHERE IS EVERYBODY? HEADS UP, FATTY!
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