Lucille abducts George Michael for a mother-son dance, Buster adjusts to having a hook for a hand and Gob reunites with his estranged wife. Also, Tobias stars as George Sr. in a biopic about the Bluth family, which causes Lindsay to become more attracted to him.
Motherboy pageant spawns 58 jokes in 58 minutes—character-driven chaos at near-perfect density.
Directed by Joe Russo · Written by Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely
WAR
65.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Motherboy Xxx” ranks #44 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 81.4 — Elite. The episode packs 58 scored jokes at 2.0 per minute, averaging 7.4 on craft and 6.9 on impact, with Narrator landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Maeby · Buster: The only thing more terrifying... than the escaped lunatic's hook was his twisted call! - Hey, campers. - [Kids Screaming]
Tobias: There's dozens of us. Dozens!
Tobias Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Narrator · J. Walter Weatherman: The Bluth children had been uneasy about missing limbs... since their father used a one-armed man to teach them lessons. That's why you don't yell.
Narrator: As one entered sexual maturity, and the other one left it... it became harder to win.
Narrator Dark/Subversive Observational ★ Rewatch Narrator: Both things he just said were lies.
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Irony/Sarcasm All Jokes — 58 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Narrator: Which put her wake-up time in the 3:00, 3:30 area.
Narrator Observational Deadpan/Understatement Narrator: Lucille had gone over 25 times with Buster... and on a few occasions, had won Cutest Couple.
Narrator Cringe/Discomfort Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Narrator: As one entered sexual maturity, and the other one left it... it became harder to win.
Narrator Dark/Subversive Observational ★ Rewatch Buster: If you were hot, Mother, we would win.
Buster Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Michael · Lucille · Narrator: That could have something to do with the fact that a seal ate his hand. - I don't know what it is. - I think that's what it is. - Who knows? - [Narrator] It was that.
Lucille: I mean, look how he zips now.
Narrator · J. Walter Weatherman: The Bluth children had been uneasy about missing limbs... since their father used a one-armed man to teach them lessons. That's why you don't yell.
Lindsay · Lucille: Of course they have father-daughter dances. - They do? He never took me? It was before we did your nose.
Narrator: He had even gotten a vanity plate made up announcing the achievement.
Narrator Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Narrator: And this wasn't the first time.
Narrator · George Sr.: Actually, George Sr. was secretly living... in the attic above them and was starved for company- - Nellie. Now- who wants to take their top off?
George Michael · Maeby: That's a cross. - Across from where?
George Sr.: Hey, there's booze in this.
George Sr.: I had to take all pumps out of here a long time ago.
George Sr.: Okay, I should've never taken the pumps out of here.
George Sr. Dark/Subversive Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Narrator: Gob had once gotten married on a dare... a fact he'd only remembered when he was served with divorce papers.
Gob: I like to look in the mirror.
Gob Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Narrator: [Narrator] They didn't, but it would have been.
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Barry Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort Tobias: I swore I'd not go reality.
Tobias Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Carl Weathers · Narrator: Did you know that you can get a refill on any drink you want here, and it's free? - It's a wonderful restaurant.
George Michael · Buster: Let's rock-paper-scissors for it. - No! You would've-You would've won that, so-
Lucille · George Michael · Buster: Can I open a can of soup for you? - Can it open a can? - Can what open a can? Oh, God!
Lucille: Actually, I just wanted to spend some time with my Knuckle Buster.
Lucille Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Narrator: No, he was going south. South to Motherboy.
Michael · Gob: Or we could make sure it's the right seal first? - I mean, why get his hopes up? - Yeah, that's better.
Michael · Buster · Gob: Monster! - Hey, Brothers. - Bonster!
Gob: There's not enough room for you and me and the stump and the thing- stuff.
Gob Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy George Sr.: I'm havin' a- [Bleeps] tea party. What does it look like? I live here.
George Sr.: Stop licking my hand, you horse's ass.
George Sr.: I get those names confused. Apologies. Apologies all around.
George Sr. Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Buster: He couldn't wait to swoop in and throw on that sailor suit, because he's not damaged goods.
Buster Character Comedy Callback Barry · Buster: Left flipper. - So, the seal lost his hand too. Yeah, poor guy's probably out there without a flipper... swimming around in a circle, freaking out his whole family.
Michael: You both were too sheltered to learn how to protect yourselves... and we can't let that happen to George Michael.
Michael Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lucille: Oh- [Bleeps] me. The exact same color. What are the odds?
Narrator: Motherboy was also a heavy metal band... That used to rock pretty hard in the '70s. We are legally obligated to make the distinction.
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tobias: You don't need the calories.
Tobias Character Comedy Visual Gag Maeby: For as it is written... you shall be with whom you have formed a more perfect union with under God.
Maeby Absurdist Character Comedy Wrong child · Michael: Take me with you! No, please! Please! - It's the wrong child.
Buster: And yet, anything goes at bath time. [Chuckles]
Buster Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Narrator: Both things he just said were lies.
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Irony/Sarcasm Gob · Barry: What were you doin' there? - Wow. You should be the lawyer.
Buster: Either I zip down or he zips up! And that is a mighty long zipper on Mother's Cher jumpsuit. You have to get on your knees to start it.
Buster Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort Dave Attell · Costume person: Whoa. This guy's straight? - Yeah. Then what the hell am I wearin' these for?
Tobias: There's dozens of us. Dozens!
Tobias Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Dave Attell: If that man's straight, then I am sober.
Gob: You lost a lot of weight in Iraq, especially up in the northern region.
Gob Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Gob's wife: Wow. I mis-underestimated you.
Judge · Lucille: Is this your son? - No, I'm his grandmother. - He's an orphan.
Lucille: Well, that little bit of honesty helped nothing.
Lucille Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Buster · Michael · Narrator: Maybe 'Operation Hot Mother.' - No, let's try to top that. - [Narrator] They never did.
Michael: You know, you're as good a brother as you ever were.
Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Buster: George Michael still has a chance. Take him!
George Michael: I'm Peter Pan, and you're Captain Hook. We'll pretend it's a costume.
Michael · Buster: And I saw some of those people. That was a very competitive category. - Oh, don't I know it.
Judge · Gob: There's no way to tell who this man is. - That's me, Your Honor. I- [Bleeps] my wife.
Maeby · Buster: The only thing more terrifying... than the escaped lunatic's hook was his twisted call! - Hey, campers. - [Kids Screaming]
Buster · Narrator: I'm a monster! This may have been a step backwards.
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