Michael spends quality time with Buster. George Michael auditions for a school play to get closer to Maeby. Gob breaks up with his girlfriend and has nowhere to go.
Buster's neediness spirals into 70 jokes across 22 minutes—character comedy at peak efficiency.
Directed by Joe Russo · Written by Mitchell Hurwitz, Richard A. Rosenstock
WAR
78.4
Wins Above Replacement
“Bringing Up Buster” ranks #32 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 83.2 — Elite. The episode packs 70 scored jokes at 2.9 per minute, averaging 7.3 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
Buster · Lucille: 'Cause I'm an uptight... Buster! You old horny slut!
George Sr.: Maybe it was the 11 months he spent in the womb.
Lucille: No. I'm withholding it. Look at me getting off.
Lucille Callback Character Comedy Callback Steve Holt: You smell like my mom.
Buster: Yeah. And you might be eating... Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Buster Misdirection Character Comedy All Jokes — 70 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Michael · George Michael: Son of a bitch! Oh, look what you did! You plopped it! I'll plop you!
Michael: Never touch that.
Michael Running Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lindsay: Or, you could not eat the cornballs and let your kid lead his own life.
Lindsay Observational Character Comedy Michael: Let's not blame the bike, okay? It's the poor carpenter that blames his shoddy tools for the... Ow!
Michael Physical/Slapstick Misdirection Michael: That stupid cornballing piece of...
Michael · Lindsay: With what? Company credit card. You're returning that. Get a job.
Gob · Narrator: I thought these things were only legal in Mexico. In fact, the Cornballer wasn't legal anywhere.
Michael: No borders. No limits. 'Go ahead, touch the Cornballer. You know best.'
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Callback Callback Michael: You're still not an actor.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Tobias: Am I touching something? Hot! Hot, hot. Hot.
Tobias Physical/Slapstick Irony/Sarcasm Callback Tobias · Maeby: Now watch this. Maeby, where are you off to on this glorious Sunday afternoon? She won't tell me. I'm going to audition for a play.
Tobias: I was totally wrong. She's reaching out to her actor daddy.
Tobias Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Steve Holt: And then we actually get to kiss, right?
George Michael: And then there's a kiss, right? Louder. And then there's a kiss, right?
Steve Holt: Steve Holt! Steve Holt! Stand-in for Steve Holt? Steve Holt!
Lucille: It'll fly out on its own. Why are you calling me? What do you need?
Lucille Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Lindsay: What is it with this family and working?
Lindsay Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Lucille: You run around with everyone else, going on bike rides, making cornholes.
Lucille: Everyone's laughing, riding and cornholing except Buster.
Lucille Escalation Wordplay/Pun Callback Michael · Buster: This is not going to be a day at the beach. That's cool. Mom packed me a change of clothes.
Buster: Yeah. Mom's awesome.
Buster Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Buster: Maybe we should call her.
Buster Character Comedy Escalation Gob: Is this a business decision, or is it personal? 'Cause if it's business, I'll go away happily. But if it's personal, I'll go away. But I won't be happy.
Gob Absurdist Character Comedy Michael Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline Gob Reaction Beat Character Comedy George Michael · Maeby: Yeah. I just love the theater. That's great. I'm just doing it to kiss Steve Holt.
George Michael: Well, actually, I think I'm gonna quit. Yeah, theater's dead.
George Michael: But, no. No. I love the theater... and I gave my word, so I'm back in.
Maeby Reaction Beat Cringe/Discomfort Tobias: That just makes me wanna puke all over your head, sir.
Tobias Absurdist Character Comedy Jerry: Sure. Let the little fruit do it.
Jerry Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm Buster Reaction Beat Running Gag Buster: Mom told me to stay away from microwaves.
Buster Character Comedy Absurdist Buster: this is gonna be... the most bitchingly fast bike in all of Orange County.
Buster Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Tobias: not two young men playing grab-ass in the shower.
Tobias Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy George Michael: You know, I can't go on a million bike rides whenever you want me to.
Tobias: Not a girl? Of course.
Tobias Misdirection Character Comedy Tobias: Methinks a Cupid I shall play.
Tobias Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun George Michael: Fancy that.
Steve Holt Running Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: You're in prison.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline George Sr.: Yeah, and it's tough. We can really only play about two hands.
George Sr.: Maybe it was the 11 months he spent in the womb.
George Sr.: Wow. We're just blowing through nap time, aren't we?
Gob: Are you crazy? I'm a magician. I make my living with my hands.
Gob Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Gob: She's not 'that Mexican,' Mom. She's my Mexican.
Gob Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Gob: If I can't find a horny immigrant by then, I don't deserve to stay here.
Gob Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Buster: Yeah. And you might be eating... Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Buster Misdirection Character Comedy Tobias: I wish I could say the same for Steve Holt. I don't know what the hell her problem is.
Tobias Character Comedy Running Gag Gob: It was utterly macabre.
Gob Character Comedy Escalation Buster: I'm Mom, and I wanna shoot down everything you say so I feel good about myself.
Buster Character Comedy Observational Buster · Lucille: 'Cause I'm an uptight... Buster! You old horny slut!
Michael: Well, no one's gonna top that.
Michael Meta/Self-Referential Reaction Beat Lindsay: They beat her up, and, uh, took all her clothes.
Lindsay: Buster was right. You get off on being withholding, don't you?
Lindsay Callback Character Comedy Callback Lucille · Lindsay: Send her over. I'll take her shopping. Buster was right. You get off on being withholding, don't you?
Michael Visual Gag Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Buster · Michael: I'm flying! Buster?
Lucille: No. I'm withholding it. Look at me getting off.
Lucille Callback Character Comedy Callback Buster: Michael. I wanna go with Mom.
Buster Misdirection Character Comedy Buster: I was trying to fit in.
Buster Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Callback Buster: but a little too close to the sun.
Buster: Front seat, Mom. I sit in the front seat now. Mmm?
Buster Character Comedy Escalation Lucille: Because they usually don't.
Lucille Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Steve Holt: You smell like my mom.
George Michael · Michael: That's a little cornball. I don't mind. I don't mind either, buddy.
George Michael: That's a little cornball.
Michael: Mother of God! Oh! Every damn time! Oh! This is a big one. Oh!
Michael Physical/Slapstick Escalation Callback Tobias: onward and upward! On... Why, Tracy? Why?
Tobias Misdirection Character Comedy Buster · Lucille: Mom! What is it? I can't get down.
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