George Michael runs for student body president, which Gob manages to ruin. Buster has an affair with Lupe, who is being sought after by Lindsay and Tobias attempts to move out of the model home, then develops a new persona when he regrets his decision.
Political satire engine misfires—79.5 score masks uneven pacing across scattered character threads.
Directed by Joe Russo, Anthony Russo · Written by Barbie Adler, Abraham Higginbotham
WAR
60.6
Wins Above Replacement
“The Immaculate Election” ranks #59 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 79.5 — Elite. The episode packs 60 scored jokes at 2.3 per minute, averaging 7.1 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
Tobias: I'm sure wherever your father is right now, she loves you very, very much.
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Narrator · Buster: Buster had once videotaped himself recreating moments from his then favorite film, Chicago.
Ann: Well, that's like comparing apples and some fruit nobody's ever heard of.
Ann Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Ann: And then that first time, after waiting and waiting, it's gonna be so awesome! Because it's not just gonna be my love and George Michael's, but God's love, as well. God, it's gonna be incredible!
Ann Cringe/Discomfort Escalation George Sr.: You and Gob were like those biblical brothers, Gallant and, um... Goofuth.
All Jokes — 60 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Michael · Lindsay: If you weren't all the way on the other side of the room, I'd slap your face.
Narrator: Michael had asked her to do this, but that was long before he began hiding his father in the attic.
Narrator Irony/Sarcasm Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch George Sr. · Polly: What the...? Oh, God! Polly, cover your mouth!
Narrator · Lindsay: She hadn't even done it that time, but instead, intercepted her mother's housekeeper
Narrator: Lupe never accepted a ride from Lindsay again.
Michael: I did notice we'd stopped TiVoing the Christopher Lowell show. What happened?
Michael Character Comedy Observational Tobias · Lindsay: You're going to stretch them out. That's all you can say? Well, excuse me for liking the way they shape my junk.
Lindsay: You can pack your junk and get out.
Tobias: At the beginning of pilot season?
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Narrator: took up residence in the apartment of Detective Frank Wrench on the set of the television show: Wrench.
Gob: Did he take the good video camera with him?
Gob Character Comedy Reaction Beat Gob: I'm calling it Tricks... let me finish-- Around the Office.
Gob Character Comedy Misdirection Michael: That is what we call working.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm Family member: Is that Qusay Hussein at the omelet bar?
Narrator · George Michael: George Michael had been heavily influenced by the Star Wars films, and had endeavored to recreate his favorite moments.
Family member · Narrator: Even you have to admit that that was the lamest thing ever put on tape. Not so.
Narrator · Buster: Buster had once videotaped himself recreating moments from his then favorite film, Chicago.
Narrator: He also liked Star Wars.
Narrator Deadpan/Understatement Escalation Gob: That one gets pregnant, it stays pregnant. Believe me, I dated a chick like that once in high school. No, I didn't.
Gob Character Comedy Misdirection Ann: Don't start. Smoking. It's a killer. That Sammy Davis, Jr. should still be performing.
Ann Misdirection Character Comedy Michael: You are George Michael! Who's cooler than you?
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Michael: I said, 'Let's, do not... Let's not put the school through that.' You know, I haven't thought about that for years.
Michael Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Ann: And then that first time, after waiting and waiting, it's gonna be so awesome! Because it's not just gonna be my love and George Michael's, but God's love, as well. God, it's gonna be incredible!
Ann Cringe/Discomfort Escalation Buster Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort Narrator · George Sr.: Unfortunately, it was a new friend to George, Senior. Polly!
Gob: Sometimes it's as simple as turning 10:45 in the morning into... lunch time!
Gob Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Gob · Michael: Well, you kind of have to, guy. I'm the president. No, no. I'm the president.
Gob · Security: Pound is tic-tac-toe, right? Yeah, pound is this one here.
Narrator: But the guard had recently lost half his tie to office magic.
Narrator Callback Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: Your Uncle Gob doesn't not-work here anymore.
Michael Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Ann: Marry me! I'm so sorry. I forgot who I was talking to.
Ann Character Comedy Reaction Beat Ann: And he's won three years in a row. Every year after his first junior year.
Ann Observational Deadpan/Understatement Ann: Well, that's like comparing apples and some fruit nobody's ever heard of.
Ann Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Buster · Lucille: You can't fire me. I'm your son. I'm firing you! I was firing Lupe.
Lupe: I no does Buster anymore.
Lupe Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Tobias: Also, I don't think this is a real toilet.
TV Show: You're a dirty cop, so Frank Wrench is going to clean you.
George Michael: Four more years! Four more years!
Lucille: It's a robot. I hate it. I miss Lupe.
Lucille: It's a robot. I hate it. I miss Lupe.
Lucille Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback Tobias: My name is Phyllida Featherbottom, and I can cook and I can clean and I can take care of the little ones.
Tobias: When you put a squirt of frosting down your throat before we take our medications...
Tobias Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Narrator: It was the exact plot of the film Mrs. Doubtfire. There was also some Mary Poppins in there.
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement Tobias · Michael: From Blackstool. I'm charmed, I'm sure.
George Sr.: You and Gob were like those biblical brothers, Gallant and, um... Goofuth.
Michael: See, the mere fact that you think you can says to me that I shouldn't let you.
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Buster: What do you expect, Mother? I'm half machine! I'm a monster!
Buster Character Comedy Escalation Gob: We hand out rubbers that say, 'We salute George Michael.'
Gob Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Michael · Gob: 2%, huh? Is that how little I lost by? Lost by? It was close. That's all you got.
Tobias: I'm sure wherever your father is right now, she loves you very, very much.
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Indian student: Drought, starvation... these are the things my family has had to deal with for generations, although, fortunately, not since we moved to Corona del Mar.
Student: Go home, you terrorist!
Student Dark/Subversive Cringe/Discomfort Gob: This kid's popular? Looks like a chick I did once in high school.
Gob Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Campaign video: Steve Holt is a bastard. He doesn't even know who his real father is.
Campaign video: The girls like him just fine. Young and old, it doesn't matter... in the dark.
George Michael: Uh-oh... I couldn't find another tape.
George Michael: No, I tied with 'Bart Simpson' and 'School Sucks.'
Student: George Michael... was that really you doing those light saber moves? You were incredible.
Student Misdirection Character Comedy Lindsay: Yoo-hoo! I'll take you the rest of the way!
Lab worker · Steve Holt: Well, we got some bad news. Wow. Is that what's going to happen to my hair?
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