Just as Michael's relationship with Sally starts to flourish, Maggie Lizer returns nine months pregnant, and Michael immediately assumes he's the father. George Michael attempts to break up with Ann, and Buster learns he's being deployed to Iraq.
Buster's amputation crisis spawns 40 jokes in 22 minutes—character chaos at peak density.
Directed by Danny Leiner · Written by Jim Vallely, Chuck Martin
WAR
53.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Out On A Limb” ranks #20 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 86.0 — Elite. The episode packs 40 scored jokes at 1.4 per minute, averaging 7.5 on craft and 7.2 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 · Narrator: Loose seal! Watch out for loose seal! I don't care about Lucille! She lies! [Narrator] And then a seal bites off his hand.
Michael · George Michael: - Who? - W-Ann. - Yes. Yes. - Yeah, we had- Of course I know Ann.
George Sr.: What if I never get a chance to reach out and touch that hand of his again?
Michael: All I could see was her giant chest- box. She had this- Some people call it a chest. I call it a box.
Michael Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort Maeby: I know how to get rid of Ann. You put her in a room with Gangy. She'll criticize her away.
Maeby Character Comedy Setup/Punchline All Jokes — 40 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Narrator: Which included a record-tying... three lovemaking sessions in one night for Michael
Narrator Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback George Michael: There isn't? This is unbelievable. Can I get a virgin piña colada when you get a chance?
Michael · George Michael: - Who? - W-Ann. - Yes. Yes. - Yeah, we had- Of course I know Ann.
George Michael: I like not having fun. I like your idea of fun, I mean. Our idea of fun. I like not having that.
Lindsay · Tobias: Oh, big deal, three times. I've had three times plenty of times. Yes! Did you call my name? Absolutely not.
Gob: Look at this delicious piece of irony. I'm being sued for divorce.
Gob Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Gob: She was a seal dealer. She raised and sold seals to aquariums and marine parks
Gob Absurdist Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Gob: There's a reason you don't typically see live seals in a magic show. - So with a simple wave of my- - [Barking]
Gob Physical/Slapstick Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Gob: Bad example- if her name's Amy, I'll call her Blamy.
Gob Character Comedy Absurdist Michael: First of all, it wasn't Michael Moore. It was a look-alike. And it wasn't in front of the whole country. It was for a bit on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Lucille: We haven't done this since the Balboa Bay Window magazine
Lucille · Buster: Whatever happened to 'Keepin' It Fresh'? - I was 30 years old then, Mother. I'm 32 now!
Narrator: In fact, there are thousands of books written on child-rearing. But Lucille was in denial.
Michael · Barry · Gob: Actually, she died. - You're kidding. I've been taking credit for that for years. - Credit?
Barry: Save it for the stand, okay, Tom Jane?
Barry Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Narrator: It was with her he'd first set the three-time record. Yes!
Narrator Callback Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Maggie: It's not my belly we have to worry about, Your Honor. It's Loretta's. Being tempted day in and day out by those Skip's Scrambles.
Maggie Callback Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Juror: I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to do this... but we just spend so much time in that box. - I knitted you something.
Juror Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Michael: Eight and a half months. Wow. Really? Could've sworn it was a year.
Michael Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Maggie · Michael: Don't worry. You're not the father, Michael. - [Exhales] - No problem. - Really? - Right. - You sure? I mean, uh- I could be.
Maggie: You can hurl a Bible at the baby.
Maggie Dark/Subversive Absurdist Michael: All I could see was her giant chest- box. She had this- Some people call it a chest. I call it a box.
Michael Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort Michael: All I could see was her giant chest- box. She had this- Some people call it a chest. I call it a box.
Michael Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort Gob: You know what I do, Mike? Check their urine. Make 'em pee in a cup, and pee in a cup right in front of me.
Gob Character Comedy Absurdist Tobias: Seems like only yesterday you were bursting forth from your mother's fertile womb.
Tobias Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Lindsay · Tobias: We will be like Tracy and Hepburn. - Yeah! - 'What do you say, you old poop?' - Oh, God, he's Hepburn.
Lucille · Oscar: You're high! - Oh, well, you can win every argument like that, but that does not make you right. - I need macaroons. - Oh, you're high!
Lucille: You will never get work as an actor because you have no talent.
Lucille Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Maeby: I know how to get rid of Ann. You put her in a room with Gangy. She'll criticize her away.
Maeby Character Comedy Setup/Punchline George Sr.: What if I never get a chance to reach out and touch that hand of his again?
Maggie: Fine. Let me get Miss Fat Ass outta here and I'll meet you in the car.
Maggie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Buster · George Sr.: You're a good uncle. I'm not your uncle. I'm your father. - What? - Shh. Shh. Quiet courage. Quiet courage. Hide.
Narrator: But it didn't weigh 60 pounds.
Narrator Setup/Punchline Visual Gag Callback Michael: This one kinda does that too.
Michael Observational Character Comedy Maggie: Of course it is, Michael.
Maggie Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tobias: Okay, the box was light 'cause it had a fake stomach in it. It looks like she's faking it.
Tobias Setup/Punchline Visual Gag Ann · George Michael: You know, when times are tough... you can always turn to the power of prayer. Here we go. - Show me.
Maggie: Oh, you're so right, Michael. I really can't be trusted. 'Cause I'm fakin' it- not.
Maggie Misdirection Callback Callback Tobias: Well, my wife and I... finally had the thrill of seeing a plus sign on a pregnancy test. You're gonna be a daddy!
Tobias Misdirection Cringe/Discomfort Buster · Narrator: Loose seal! Watch out for loose seal! I don't care about Lucille! She lies! [Narrator] And then a seal bites off his hand.
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