Michael loses his short-term memory, which Lucille uses to her advantage. Gob attempts to use the family yacht before Michael sells it. George Michael and Maeby attempt to see an R-rated movie about cousins having an affair. Buster and Lucille 2 take "the next step".
Absurdist character comedy sustains 63 jokes across tight 24 minutes without standout peaks.
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar · Written by Chuck Martin
WAR
70.9
Wins Above Replacement
“My Mother, The Car” ranks #27 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 83.8 — Elite. The episode packs 63 scored jokes at 2.6 per minute, averaging 7.4 on craft and 6.9 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
Lucille · Michael: You're my third least-favorite child. I can live with that.
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 Michael: You strike one more person, and it's technically a spree.
George Sr.: High-fastening pants.
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 All Jokes — 63 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Michael: I enjoy bicentennials as much as the next guy, Mom, but we're not doing that.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist ★ Rewatch Narrator · Buster: Buster had been avoiding Lucille Austero since he accidentally flirted with her while not wearing his glasses. And then accidentally bid on her at a charity bachelorette auction. And then accidentally entered her apartment, thinking it was his mother's.
Buster · Lucille Austero: Ten thousand dollars! Buster.
Lucille: Oh, here comes the 10:15 conniption, right on time.
Lucille Character Comedy Observational Lucille: I have no idea where you get that from. Get away from that stove. You're going to light your hair on fire.
Lucille Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Lucille: Protein bars for your father. He's pumping up in prison.
Lucille Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lucille · Michael: You're my third least-favorite child. I can live with that.
Narrator: Michael came home to find his mother's fourth least-favorite child.
Narrator Callback Character Comedy Callback GOB: Well, they got the Asian right. 'Hotties' might be a stretch.
GOB Character Comedy Observational GOB: Well, let's start with the little one.
GOB Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort GOB: I know, Michael. That's why this is the perfect opportunity to throw her a surprise party. She'd never suspect it.
GOB Absurdist Character Comedy Lindsay: Michael, do you have any idea what would happen if I were to visit prison? 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.
GOB: Come on. That would never happen.
GOB Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Narrator: Lindsay was not exaggerating. 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 George Michael · Michael: 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 Character Comedy Narrator: But didn't get the reception she was expecting.
Narrator Setup/Punchline Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback George Sr.: High-fastening pants.
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 Lucille: It's better than sitting here with Buster's stupid rock behind me.
Lucille Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Narrator: Buster had recently brought the rock home from an archeological dig, but had yet to find a way to get it out of the car.
Narrator Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: You strike one more person, and it's technically a spree.
Narrator: And she was surprised that her family didn't show up.
Lucille: So this is what my children think of me.
Lucille Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy 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.
Narrator Absurdist Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: Well, it was kind of funny.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Lucille: I've been a horrible mother.
Lucille Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy GOB: Um, is it okay if I do it for Mom and not you?
GOB Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Buster: I've already got a Lucille in my life.
Buster Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Lucille 2: Yes. I'm foolish and I'm funny and I'm needy. Am I needy? Are you sure I'm not needy? 'Cause I feel needy sometimes.
Lucille 2: You and I. Is it 'I' or is it 'me'?
Lucille 2 · Buster: Buster, it's us. Yes. It is us. Us.
Michael: I hate to tell you, Mom, but they don't support me either.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Michael: I let you drive, didn't I?
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Lucille: It's an idiot on a scooter at night? It's gotta be Gob.
Lucille Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Lucille: I was thrown clear.
Lucille Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist Doctor: Your mother asked me to pump you full of... Children's aspirin.
Doctor Misdirection Deadpan/Understatement Michael: I hardly felt it. In fact, actually, uh, I didn't feel it.
Michael Physical/Slapstick Escalation Buster: It was a wild, wild ride.
Buster Cringe/Discomfort Wordplay/Pun 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 Irony/Sarcasm Callback George Michael: Oh, and, uh, preferably French. I like the way they think.
GOB: She's an Olympian... hopeful. Swimming and some coaching. Yes, I will make the I.D.'s for you.
GOB Cringe/Discomfort Wordplay/Pun Narrator: That's when Gob decided to take the yacht to South America for the summer.
Buster: I just jumped through a plate glass window on a date.
Buster Physical/Slapstick Absurdist Dr. Miller: Oh. Well, women love to laugh.
Buster: 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 Callback George Sr.: Your mother snuck 'em in here stuffed in energy bar wrappers to keep me from getting strangled in the shower or worse.
George Sr. Dark/Subversive Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback George Sr.: But you keep coming back here, honey, and I'm going broke.
Lindsay: That's all I ever wanted from you, Daddy. For you to spend money on me.
Lindsay Dark/Subversive Character Comedy GOB: But 'skiff' is appropriate, right?
GOB Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun 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 Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: Mom can't pick me up. She could barely pick up that bag of protein bars.
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Lindsay: Guess what? They weren't protein bars. They were gold Krugerrands. And Dad finally paid attention to my intellect.
Lindsay Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback GOB: because we're brothers, Mom, and we kind of like each other.
GOB Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback Lucille: I'm a horrible mother.
Lucille Character Comedy Callback Callback Michael · GOB: That's crazy talk. You're a fantastic mother.
George Michael: You know what? I knew society would never accept this. And they never will.
Lucille: I was definitely driving that time.
Lucille Callback Deadpan/Understatement Callback Lucille: I was definitely driving that time.
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