Michael is increasingly frustrated over being abandoned by the family, and when the staircar is found in Mexico, Michael vows to find his father and give him a piece of his mind. Also, Buster spends time with Lupe's family and thinks he's in Mexico.
Steady callback barrage sustains 81-point episode despite absent standout moments.
Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel · Written by Brad Copeland
WAR
146.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Amigos” ranks #8 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 99.4 — Elite. The episode packs 81 scored jokes at 3.0 per minute, averaging 7.8 on craft and 7.8 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: Teaser: Buster reclaims his hand chair — 'Make love in your own hand, Mother!'
Buster Dark/Subversive Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Gob · Michael · Ice: Gob: 'See? You are a friend.' — Michael nearly has a genuine moment — then Ice tackles Gob from behind
Gob: Gob: 'I figured if I blued myself early, I'd be nice and relaxed for a 9:00 dinner reservation.'
Gob Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Buster · Lucille: Tag scene: Buster reclaims his hand chair. Then: 'Make love in your own hand, Mother!'
Buster Lucille Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Michael · Narrator · Buster: Michael: 'I'm gonna have to start putting people in the trunk.' Narrator: 'In fact, at that moment, Buster was climbing into the trunk.'
All Jokes — 81 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Gob: Gob's motivational poster reads 'Don't be afraid to make a mi-' — cut off mid-word
Gob Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Gob: Gob: 'My legs are so powerful.'
Gob Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Gob · Michael: Gob reads 'circumvrent' then 'circumverate' — Michael corrects: 'Circumvent.' Gob: 'The old reach around.'
Gob Michael Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Michael · Starla: Starla brings photo-sized photocopies. 'When you said you wanted photocopies, I thought you meant you wanted them on a photo printer.' Michael: 'Tell you what. From now on, we're gonna use just the big printer.' Starla: 'Okay. You're a perfectionist.'
Narrator · Starla: Narrator: 'Flashes of Quincy. Starla claimed to have had a relationship with music legend Quincy Jones.'
Gob · Michael · Lindsay: Gob: 'No problem. I'll just call up some of my friends.' Michael and Lindsay beat: 'What?' / 'What friends?'
Gob: Gob: 'I've got friends, Michael. I just don't talk to them because... I work all the time.' [long pause]
Gob Character Comedy Awkward Silence Deadpan/Understatement Callback Gob: Gob, in Michael's old office, staring into the distance: 'I think the plant lady's wearing a thong.'
Gob Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Lucille: Lucille: 'Allow me. I'll just circumvrent you.'
Lucille Callback Running Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Lucille · Michael: Lucille: 'I hired him a hundred years ago to find out if your father was cheating on me. He never did find anything.' Michael: 'Well, he can't be very good then.'
Gene Parmesan: Gene Parmesan's entrance: 'Don't get up. I just a-find-a the supplies... because I'm a- Private detective.' [Gene appears from hiding in the office]
Lucille · Narrator: Lucille's reaction to Gene Parmesan: 'Gene! Oh, Gene!' — followed by narrator: 'Gene was far from the best.'
Gob · Gene Parmesan · Michael: Michael: 'If I could find Dad, I'd be off the hook. I could be president again.' ... Gene: 'Mexico.' Gob: 'You get the country for free. The city — that's gonna cost ya.'
Gob · Gene Parmesan: Gob: 'It's a $200 fine. Oh! I feel like such an-' [Gene cuts him off] 'The car is in a town called Encanta.'
Lucille · Michael: Lucille: 'You know, he's doing it [joining the army] just to spite me.' Michael: 'Then why are you throwing him a party?' Lucille: 'Just to spite him.' Michael: 'You guys have such a healthy thing going.'
Gob · Narrator: Gob, inspired by his mother's private detective, decides to hire someone to follow Michael. Narrator: 'He decided to hire someone to keep an eye on his brother.' Gob: 'I think I might have someone who's going to cirsumvrent the law.'
Gob Narrator Callback Running Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Michael · George Michael: Michael mentions Ann; George Michael shows a photo. Michael: 'I guess I thought she was with another family.' George Michael: 'She's kind of my girlfriend.'
Michael: Michael: 'It's like you're hoggin' her — like you're a little Ann hog. Okay? Don't be such an Ann hog.'
Michael Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Michael · Narrator: 'And 8:01. Curtain has risen.' — Michael checks his watch as soon as he asks Tobias if he's free
Tobias: Tobias: 'Might as well keep this makeup on since it takes so long to get off.' — Tobias is covered in blue paint
Tobias Character Comedy Visual Gag Running Gag ★ Rewatch Lindsay: Lindsay: 'I'm sorry. I forgot. Your wife is dead.' [long pause]
Lindsay Dark/Subversive Cringe/Discomfort Awkward Silence Lindsay: Lindsay: 'I'm sorry. That was 100% inappropriate, and I do apologize profusely.'
Lindsay Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback Michael · Gob · Narrator: Narrator: 'Michael and Gob had been to Mexico once before. Chiclet? Chiclet?' / 'You're the Chiclet! Not me!' — Narrator: 'Unfortunately, in Mexican culture, this was a much more inflammatory gesture.'
Lucille: Lucille giving Buster a camcorder: 'That's so you can videotape it when they put you in a naked pyramid and point to your Charlie Browns.'
Lucille Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Buster: Buster: 'I ought to point to Uncle Oscar's Charlie Browns next time you're on top of him, Mother.'
Buster Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Lucille · Narrator: Lucille: 'Just because he thinks I'm having an affair with the boy's uncle.' / Narrator: 'Yes. And she's not having an affair with the boy's... uncle.'
Lucille Narrator Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Buster · Michael: Buster dramatically declares 'It's too late for apologies. I'm going to the army.' — then immediately: 'Get me out. You've got to get me out.'
Michael · Starla · Gob: Blueprint of George Sr.'s face printed on the big printer — 'She used the big printer. I'll give her that.'
Gob · Ice · Narrator: Ice introduced as Gob's 'friend' on the couch. 'Ice may be my best friend.' Narrator: 'In fact, the man was Ice, a bounty hunter that Gob hired to follow Michael.'
George Michael · Michael: George Michael: 'Ann Hog's coming? I thought it was just the two of us.' Michael: 'Just Ann.'
Michael · Narrator · Buster: Michael: 'I'm gonna have to start putting people in the trunk.' Narrator: 'In fact, at that moment, Buster was climbing into the trunk.'
Buster: Buster records a farewell message in the trunk: 'Mother, when you see this videotape, you'll know that I left. Not out of cowardice, but out of—' [pause] 'Oh, man. It's tiring in here.'
Buster Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Misdirection Buster · Narrator: Narrator: 'Six minutes later, Michael dropped off his mother's housekeeper.' / Buster emerges: 'Mexico.' / Narrator: 'In fact, he was in Santa Ana, a town six minutes inland from his own.'
Buster: Buster in Santa Ana, holding a sombrero: 'Oh, this shall keep me safe from the hot Mexican sun.'
Buster Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Visual Gag Gob · Ice: Ice reports to Gob: 'Still on his tail, about 20 miles from LEGOLAND.' Gob: 'Go get him, friend.' Ice: 'You're not my friend. You're a client.'
Gob Ice Character Comedy Running Gag Deadpan/Understatement Callback Narrator · Gob: Narrator: 'Gob realized that perhaps he really didn't have any friends.'
Narrator Gob Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Callback Oscar: Oscar: 'Here's some money. Go see a Star War.'
Oscar Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Lucille · Gene Parmesan: Lucille calls Gene Parmesan to spy on Gob spying on Michael. Gene is already hiding nearby and answers her call.
Lucille · Gob · Gene Parmesan · Narrator: Lucille: 'Gene?' / Narrator: 'It's just some idiot with balloons.' / Lucille: 'Oh, is it?' / Gob appears with balloons. Lucille: 'I knew it!'
Buster: Buster in Santa Ana discovers Lupe's home has his old shirt and his childhood hand chair. 'I never thought I'd miss a hand so much.' / 'You people are just like me.'
Buster Character Comedy Running Gag Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Michael · Mexican workers: Michael finds the stair car in Mexico. Mexican workers interpret the blueprint of George Sr.'s face as construction plans. Worker: 'Oh, yeah. Sure, señor. No problem. When do you want us to start building?'
George Sr. · Kitty · Narrator: George Sr. is in a church in Mexico, being mourned by Kitty — he's been declared dead.
Michael · Ice: Ice stops Michael. Michael: 'Gene? There's no way you're that good.' Ice: 'Name's Ice. Gob hired me to stop you from fleeing the country.'
Michael Ice Character Comedy Misdirection Irony/Sarcasm Callback Michael · Ice: Michael tries to show Ice a photo of George Sr.: 'No, this — That's actually him. He's just — He's much smaller in real life.' Ice: 'I can see that's a man.'
Michael Ice Callback Visual Gag Deadpan/Understatement Callback Ann: Ann: 'What did he say? Did he ask about me?' [re: Ice, the bounty hunter]
Ann Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Misdirection George Michael · George Sr.: George Michael answers his phone in front of Michael: 'Oh, hi, Dad. Yeah. They think you're in Mexico. I'll see you when I get home.'
George Michael · George Sr.: George Michael (to grandfather on phone): 'Ye— Oh, yes. Thank you. No, I found my birth control pills. Thanks for asking, Dad.'
Michael · Maeby · Narrator: Michael and Maeby conversation: Michael thinks they're talking about Ann; Maeby thinks they're talking about Lindsay. Narrator: 'At no point were Michael and Maeby talking about the same person.'
Narrator: Narrator: 'And it's not a race thing.' — as punctuation on the Michael/Maeby miscommunication
Narrator · Michael · Ann: Narrator: 'Unfortunately, this left the girl Michael was determined to get to know alone in Mexico.'
Buster: Buster: 'I love being Mexican.' Lupe's family: 'We must work now, amigo. Adiós.' Buster: 'I am one of you now. Ssí?'
Buster Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Absurdist Callback George Michael · Michael: George Michael: 'Yeah. We won.' [Re: the drive back from Mexico]
Michael · George Michael: Michael: 'That cousin of yours is a hell of a girl. Too bad you can't date her.' / George Michael: 'No. I meant — Wait, you wouldn't have a problem with that?'
Michael · Narrator: Michael realizes he left Ann in Mexico. Long pause. 'She's gonna be fine. We just gotta beat the sun.'
Michael: Michael: 'Hey. You think I'm happy about this? But, hey, we are getting that trip together we wanted, huh? And look. Two exits to LEGOLAND.'
Michael Character Comedy Running Gag Irony/Sarcasm Callback Gob: Gob: 'I figured if I blued myself early, I'd be nice and relaxed for a 9:00 dinner reservation.'
Gob Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Gob · Ice: Ice is lurking outside, startles Gob. 'What are you doing? You're gonna scare away the Ice.' Gob: 'Ice? Ice is out there?'
Gob Ice Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Running Gag Callback Ice · Lucille · Narrator: Ice tackles a man, declares 'George Bluth, you're coming with me.' The man is George Michael's grandfather (Oscar? or wrong person entirely). 'It's an honest mistake. Also, I think your knee is on my heart.'
Lucille · Ice · Man on ground: Lucille: 'He's my husband. My father is probably still in Mexico.' Ice: 'I was just hoping to have sex with you.' Man on ground: 'Why am I not blacking out?'
Gob: Gob: 'He set me up. Michael set me up.'
Gob Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Buster: Buster at a dishwasher job: 'This is great. We're like slave buddies.'
Buster Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Absurdist Michael · George Michael: Michael rescues Ann in the church. 'You are Ann, right? Yes. Of course you are.' / 'It is. We got her.' / 'I think we're crashing some poor guy's wake.'
Gob · Michael: Gob runs up: 'Michael, Michael, Michael! / Fleeing the country. You bastard.' — Michael: 'No. I'm still not fleeing.'
Michael · Ann: Michael to Ann: 'Yeah? Way to plant, Ann.'
Michael Ann Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Michael: George Michael: 'I'll be in your car.' Michael adds: 'George Michael, uh, listen. Why don't you and Plant wait in the stair car.' [calling Ann 'Plant']
Michael Callback Character Comedy Running Gag Callback Gob · Michael: Gob: 'That's his girlfriend? Is she funny or something?' Michael: 'Don't worry about it.'
Gob Michael Character Comedy Running Gag Deadpan/Understatement Callback Michael · Gob: Gob: 'The only reason I didn't ask you to come is because of your chicken impression. We sure did get in a lot of trouble for that last time.' / Gob starts doing the chicken impression. Michael: 'Hey, no. You're doing it again.'
Michael Gob Callback Running Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Gob · Gene Parmesan · Mexican man: Mexican locals attack Gob because of the chicken impression. Gene Parmesan appears: 'Get off him. He doesn't know what he's doing. He's American.' Mexican man: 'Americano, eh? Just like me.'
Gob · Michael: Gob does his chicken impression — Michael says 'We sure did get in a lot of trouble for that last time.'
Gob · Michael: Gob: 'I went to our mother because I don't have any friends.' Michael: 'Oh, that's funny.' Gob: 'Thank you.'
Gob Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Running Gag Callback Michael · Gob: Michael: 'Not crazy about? Or not crazy about your son growing up?' / Gob: 'Maybe — Maybe you're right about that.' / 'See? You are a friend.' Michael: 'You know, I'm — I'm always gonna look out for you.'
Gob · Michael · Ice: Gob: 'See? You are a friend.' — Michael nearly has a genuine moment — then Ice tackles Gob from behind
Gob · Ice · Michael: Ice tackles Michael. Gob: 'Sorry. I did see him coming. It's just... I kind of wanted to see where you were going with that.'
Michael · Gob · Gene Parmesan · Ice: Michael arranges for Gene and Ice to be Gob's paid friends for the weekend while they look for George Sr.
Michael · Narrator: Michael pays Gene and Ice to be Gob's friends for the weekend while they search for George Sr.
Michael · Ann: Michael sits with Ann to get to know her: 'Ann, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?' Long silence. Reaction beat.
Michael Ann Reaction Beat Awkward Silence Character Comedy Callback Buster · Lucille: Buster: 'Mother!' Lucille: 'Buster!' — Buster has been delivered to their building by Lupe's relatives, thinking he was in Mexico the whole time.
Michael · George Michael: Michael returns to work and rattles off Ann's school details: algebra test, Mr. Mason, Kim Cho cheating. George Michael: 'Wow. You really got to know her.' Michael: 'Well, we did spend three hours together in that car ride.' / 'So, what'd you think?' Michael: 'I don't like her.'
Buster · Lucille: Tag scene: Buster reclaims his hand chair. Then: 'Make love in your own hand, Mother!'
Buster Lucille Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Buster: Teaser: Buster reclaims his hand chair — 'Make love in your own hand, Mother!'
Buster Dark/Subversive Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Tobias · Narrator · Lucille · Gene Parmesan: Tag scene: Tobias seeks medical attention. 'Thank God! A new doctor. Finally we can get a straight answer in this place.' Doctor: 'Uh, I've got some bad news.' Then Gene Parmesan appears. 'I'm Gene Parmesan. How you doing?' Lucille: 'He got me again!' Narrator: 'But I did overhear that he's bleeding internally.'
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