Michael attempts to fire the family's incompetent, but likeable attorney. George Michael impresses Maeby with a muscle suit for a "Living Classics" pagent. Tobias has a psychological affliction where he is unable to take off his clothes.
Bluth family dysfunction peaks at 2.14 jokes-per-minute despite middling 78 score.
Directed by Joe Russo · Written by Abraham Higginbotham
WAR
50
Wins Above Replacement
“In God We Trust” ranks #71 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 78.4 — Elite. The episode packs 51 scored jokes at 2.1 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 6.7 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: You strike one more person, and it's technically a spree.
Michael Dark/Subversive Observational Buster: I just jumped through a plate glass window on a date.
Buster Character Comedy Absurdist Lucille: You're my third least-favorite child.
Lucille Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lindsay · George Sr.: Gob's got the charm, Buster's got the... - High-fastening pants. - Have you said that? No. I'm saying that now.
Gob: She didn't. I dummied her up a new one. Not my best work though. She wanted to look 48. I nearly airbrushed her into oblivion. We ended up checking 'Albino' on the form.
Gob Escalation Absurdist ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 51 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Michael: I enjoy bicentennials as much as the next guy, Mom, but we're not doing that.
Narrator · Buster: Buster had been avoiding Lucille Austero since he accidentally flirted with her while not wearing his glasses
Narrator · Buster: And then accidentally entered her apartment, thinking it was his mother's
Lucille 2: Oh, here comes the 10:15 conniption, right on time.
Lucille: Get away from that stove. You're going to light your hair on fire.
Lucille Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Lucille Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Lucille: You're my third least-favorite child.
Lucille Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Narrator: Michael came home to find his mother's fourth least-favorite child
Narrator Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Gob: Well, they got the Asian right. 'Hotties' might be a stretch.
Gob Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Gob: Well, let's start with the little one.
Gob Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Lindsay: Michael, do you have any idea what would happen if I were to visit prison? - Hmm. - It would be pandemonium.
Lindsay Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Michael: Yeah, I got some of that... except he also didn't like my looks.
Michael · Lindsay: Come on. That would never happen. - She can't drive herself. - I mean, she's the world's worst driver.
Narrator: Lucille had recently been featured on Fox's World's Worst Drivers
Gob: She didn't. I dummied her up a new one. Not my best work though. She wanted to look 48. I nearly airbrushed her into oblivion. We ended up checking 'Albino' on the form.
Gob Escalation Absurdist ★ Rewatch Lindsay: She was having trouble even lifting up this bag of groceries.
Lindsay Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch George Michael · Michael · Maeby: For Gangy? - Yeah, how did you know? - She called and invited us.
Michael: Come on. This is a Bluth family celebration. It's no place for children.
Michael Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm Lindsay · George Sr.: Gob's got the charm, Buster's got the... - High-fastening pants. - Have you said that? No. I'm saying that now.
Narrator: Lindsay was surprised once again that no heads were turned
Narrator: It was a love between two cousins that the world thought was wrong. But it was the world that was wrong.
Narrator Dark/Subversive Misdirection ★ Rewatch Michael: You strike one more person, and it's technically a spree.
Michael Dark/Subversive Observational Narrator: And she was surprised that her family didn't show up
Narrator: In fact, Buster was worried about running into Lucille 2. So he never left his mother's apartment. Lucille 2 was also supposed to go, but was waiting until she saw Buster emerge.
Gob: What frail act got you this time, Michael? She couldn't open a jar? What, did a clump of her hair come out in your hands?
Gob Character Comedy Escalation Lucille · Michael: I've been a horrible mother. - No, Mom. You're great. You've been a great mother.
George Michael · Michael: Um, is it okay if I do it for Mom and not you? - Yeah. - 'Cause I really like Mom.
Lucille 2 · Buster: Yes. I'm foolish and I'm funny and I'm needy. - No. Are you sure I'm not needy? 'Cause I feel needy sometimes.
Lucille 2 · Buster: You and I. Is it 'I' or is it 'me'? - Buster, it's us. - Yes. It is us. Us.
Narrator: And once again, no one showed up.
Michael: I let you drive, didn't I?
Michael Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Callback Lucille: It's an idiot on a scooter at night? It's gotta be Gob.
Lucille Character Comedy Observational Lucille: I was thrown clear. I only care about you.
Lucille Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Michael: 'Scoot'? Scooter. Was there a scooter involved?
Buster: It was a wild, wild ride.
Buster: My God, for the first time in years I felt like I was standing on solid ground.
Michael: Totally cool. Didn't feel a thing. You know, Mom, I'm crazy about this aspirin. I can't believe we give it to children.
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Gob · Woman: Look, I don't want you thinking that your uncle is some sleazy character from the docks. - Good morning. - How are you? She's an Olympian... hopeful.
Buster: I just jumped through a plate glass window on a date.
Buster Character Comedy Absurdist Michael: Oh. Well, women love to laugh.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Buster: Gob was just teaching me how to hit it with a hammer.
Buster Absurdist Character Comedy Buster: Nothing. Gob was just teaching me how to hit it with a hammer.
Buster Absurdist Character Comedy Lindsay: It is obvious I'm not wearing a bra, right?
Lindsay Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy George Sr.: Your mother snuck 'em in here stuffed in energy bar wrappers
George Sr. Callback Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Lindsay: That's all I ever wanted from you, Daddy. For you to spend money on me.
Lindsay Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Gob: Turn this skiff around. - We haven't even left the dock. But 'skiff' is appropriate, right?
Gob: Which was behind the passenger seat. Which means that she picked you up and dragged you over to the driver's seat.
Gob Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Gob: I was halfway to South America, but I couldn't let you get away with it because we're brothers, Mom, and we kind of like each other.
Gob Character Comedy Callback Michael · Gob: No, no, Mom. You're great. That's crazy talk. You're a fantastic mother.
George Michael: I knew society would never accept this. And they never will.
Lucille: I was definitely driving that time.
Lucille Running Gag Character Comedy Callback Top Episodes — Arrested Development
