Michael must deal with a huge mole problem in order to salvage a major real estate deal with Japanese investors. In an effort to help Michael, Gob and Buster team up with George Sr.'s surrogate, Larry, to devise a plan and save the deal, but their plan falls apart in a big way. Meanwhile, Tobias mistakes a CIA agent for a CAA agent and inadvertently betrays the family, and Michael makes Rita a proposal she can't refuse. Frankie Muniz makes a cameo as himself.
Season 3's weakest link: 61 jokes in 27 minutes can't overcome thin character arcs.
Directed by Arlene Sanford · Written by Richard Day, Jim Vallely
WAR
126.9
Wins Above Replacement
“Mr. F” ranks #74 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 91.2 — Elite. The episode packs 90 scored jokes at 3.4 per minute, averaging 7.6 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
CIA agent · Jay · another agent: Don't even think about it, Jay. She's an MRF. — MRF? What's that? — Mentally retarded female. — That explains what she's doing with him. And the hats.
Narrator · Tobias: So, as you can see, any rumor of a mole problem is completely untrue. But, unfortunately, this was just as Tobias appeared in his rented mole outfit.
George Michael: 'Fun' and 'Failure' both start out the same way.
Tobias: I shall be a bigger, hairier mole than the one on your inner left thigh.
Tobias Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback George Michael: Did you keep the receipt?
All Jokes — 90 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Narrator: I hate it when they hire Yanks to play Brits. You can always tell.
Narrator Irony/Sarcasm Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch George Sr. · Michael: A suit! Dad, it's a Jack Welch. I want you to look under the pants.
Michael · George Sr.: Dad, I hope you kept the receipt. — You wanna return that? — No, I wanna deduct it.
Michael: He would only like it for the receipt.
Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback Michael: Okay, that's, uh, that wa... that was fun. Still, the land probably shouldn't have given out beneath us.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Michael · Rita: if they find out about this... that we haven't started building... they might not come through with their investments. — I won't tattle.
Rita · Narrator: Whee! — And Rita was falling for Michael too.
Rita: 'You do the math, Rita.' Well, no, you do the math.
Rita Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch George Sr.: It probably has something to do with the 4,000 hair plugs I had in one sitting.
George Sr. Character Comedy Absurdist Deadpan/Understatement Michael · George Sr. · Tobias: Well, maybe you oughta see a doctor. — Yeah, but he's too busy going to the gym to see his friend Frank. — Oh, we're more than friends. I'm kind of his spotter. — Missed a spot.
Tobias · Frank: I've been wanting to have my own awkward talk as well. I think we can be more than just gym buddies.
Tobias Frank Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Misdirection Tobias · Frank: You're blowing my mind, Frank. — I'm an agent, and I'd like to work with you. — Oh. Oh! Well, that is great news.
Tobias Frank Misdirection Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Narrator: Frank said CIA, a government agency that was responsible for this catastrophe. But Tobias thought he said CAA, a talent agency that was responsible for this one.
Narrator Wordplay/Pun Irony/Sarcasm Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Tobias · Narrator: Her grades are terrible. She's gonna start getting F's. — Actually, she'd already gotten one...
Unnamed exec · Maeby: But didn't some people die in Hell Tunnel? — That is an urban legend. Two elderly people got badly scalded when they tried to climb into the lava cauldron, but I've got that covered.
Maeby: Just like the poster!
Maeby Visual Gag Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Tobias: You know what, you're one to talk. You've completely ignored this family since that British bird flew into your life.
Tobias Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Tobias · Michael · Narrator: She's that Rita Leeds? Wasn't she on the cover of Newsweek? — No. — Yes. — Michael was thinking of this man.
Michael · Tobias: The whole backside has moles. — That's Frank's problem too.
Michael Tobias Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback George Sr. · Michael · Larry (surrogate): So I've hired this guy to be my eyes and ears. — You know, Dad, this guy costs us a fortune. — He's worth every penny. — Hey, I didn't say that.
George Sr. · Michael · Lucille · Tobias: Somebody tipped them off that the property wasn't ready for building. Which it would have been if Michael hadn't been so busy with his English muffin. — Typical. — Delicious. — I need a drink. — I'll take an English muffin.
Michael · Gob: They, uh, come from a culture that values honor and respect. And Godzilla!
Buster · Michael · Lucille: Godzirra! — Just sit down. — Okay, guys. — Godzirra!
Lucille · Michael: What? We're out of vodka. — Sorry. I thought you were doing Godzilla.
Gob: Maybe we should do to the Japanese what they do in their movies. Build a miniature city. Put it outside their window. Tell them it's far away. It'll look real if you squint. God knows they're squinters.
Gob Character Comedy Absurdist Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch George Sr. · Gob: Another brilliant idea, Einstein. — Really?
Larry (surrogate) · Narrator: You like to build it with me? — Larry really never knows how to sell the sarcasm.
Bob Loblaw: Life is not some cheesy Japanese movie where the hero pulls on a pair of jet pants and flies off the balcony like Astroboy.
Bob Loblaw Setup/Punchline Misdirection Absurdist ★ Rewatch Narrator · George Sr.: And that's when George Sr. Did a Web search for the words, 'Jet pants.'
Bob Loblaw: You need to find that leak and plug it.
Lucille · family members · Narrator: And she's 'Britishish.' — She's a spy. — I haven't told Rita anything. — This was not strictly true.
Michael: Let's start with my family's misdemeanors and then push right on through to the lighter treasons.
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Michael · Rita: Then he siphoned off the entire pension fund into a dummy corporation, filed for bankruptcy, and used... Do you know any other songs?
Michael Rita Misdirection Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Buster · Michael: What doesn't make any sense is why she's dating you. — No, that's a good point.
Buster Michael Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Deadpan/Understatement Gob · Lucille: Ah, Mister F. Rita's not a man. — As far as you know.
Gob Lucille Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Gob: Alias is a show about a spy!
Gob Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Absurdist George Sr. · Gob: Gob, I'm sending you a package. You'll know what to do with it.
George Michael: 'Fun' and 'Failure' both start out the same way.
Narrator · George Sr. · Larry (surrogate): And Larry, the surrogate, showed up to pick up the jet pack... What is that, a train set? Look down, Larry. — No, not down at your feet. — Left. — My left, your right.
George Sr. · Gob: What is the matter with this guy? — saying all that too.
Narrator · George Sr.: Actually, George Sr. was in the kitchen trying to soothe himself with an ice cream sandwich. And that's when he discovered a way to possibly slip by the sensors.
Buster: If mother sees this, she will blow a cow.
Buster Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Buster · Narrator: Maybe we could build our Tiny Town together. Do you want to, Dad? — Buster had always wanted to do the same with Gob.
Narrator: Only Larry was disappointed. But he was such a pro you'd never know it.
Narrator Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Callback Tobias: I shall be a bigger, hairier mole than the one on your inner left thigh.
Tobias Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Tour guide · Rita · Michael: Look! It's Malcolm in the Middle! In the middle of shooting, I guess. Oh, that's okay. It's more important to show how we make the show than actually make it.
Actor (Malcolm in the Middle): !@%$# Tantamount.
George Michael · Michael · Narrator: They dropped off the package you sent, but I don't think I'm old enough for it. — Of course you are. I want you to have a little fun. You're not gonna break anything. — But of course, Michael thought he was talking about the train set. Not the extremely dangerous jet pack the boy had just found at the front door.
George Michael · Michael: Well, what if I crash it? — That's half the fun.
Narrator: Michael had just noticed that Rita was wearing a suspicious bracelet.
Narrator Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Michael: You lied to me, Rita! You made me turn against my family. But it's over now.
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Maeby: Oh! Me!@%s are wet.
Maeby Physical/Slapstick Dark/Subversive Narrator · Maeby: And Maeby received a call about the latest lava cauldron accident. Already? It's only been an hour.
Narrator Maeby Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Callback Callback Maeby: I'm gonna lose this job. Maybe I should let Mort take me out to dinner.
Maeby Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Michael: Rita set me up. She set us all up. This beautiful, funny, brilliant woman was a spy. Everybody was right. It was too good to be true. And I... am turning her in. Let me tell you something else. I would not want to be the next woman who tries to fool me.
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Setup/Punchline Maeby: Well, that was a freebie.
Maeby Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Narrator · George Michael: George Michael, meanwhile, was trying to solve a mystery of his own. The jet pack had come with an instructional DVD that seemed to confuse more than clarify.
Narrator: And it did seem like a lot of work for a little payoff.
Narrator Deadpan/Understatement Visual Gag George Sr. · Narrator: Where the hell am I? — He was actually somewhere between the linen closet and the guest room.
Buster · Gob · Narrator: I'm really glad that we're doing this together. I've never felt so close to you. — Oh! I feel the same way. — He's crying now. — Oh, God, look at us. We're like a couple of girls on the last day of camp.
Frank (CIA) · Tobias: We need to capture George Sr. — Capture George Sr.? What... Is that what you hired me to do? — You didn't realize that? — No. But it does make perfect sense. I have played him before.
Narrator: He had, in the poorly narrated reality series, Scandalmakers.
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement Tobias: It's gonna be tough to work that into the character and it's going to fight the costume I rented, but I didn't take six weeks of improv classes at the Groundlings for nothing.
Tobias Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Irony/Sarcasm Gob: but if you stand absolutely still right there and just squint in-into the light, and behold, Sudden Hill!
Gob Character Comedy Absurdist Setup/Punchline Callback Narrator: Motoyoshi said, 'I thought the woman was pretending as a monster but she was just out of vodka.'
Narrator Callback Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Callback Michael: Let's go ahead and close the curtains, and not accept any money while we're ahead.
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement Narrator · Tobias: So, as you can see, any rumor of a mole problem is completely untrue. But, unfortunately, this was just as Tobias appeared in his rented mole outfit.
Tobias · Gob · others: I'm a mole! — Not the village! — Families can come... Ow! Ow! — I'm very particular about building codes. — The water tower.
Tobias · Gob: Families can come... Ow! Ow! — I'm very particular about building codes. — The water tower. — And this water tower does not pass muster.
Narrator · Gob · Lucille: Lucille! — Who can save our village? — Michael! — As it turned out, it was George Michael who had finally gotten his grandfather's jet pack to work.
George Michael: Hard to breathe in this thing. It's really hot. I'm sweating all over myself.
George Michael Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Physical/Slapstick George Michael · Tobias: I can't stop this thing! — You're blowing my audition! — I ache with embarrassment.
Narrator: The Japanese were never to be heard from again.
Narrator Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm Michael · George Michael: Okay, that's no surprise. George Michael? — Dad, I-I'm sorry. I can't fly it very well, all right? I think I would rather have the Welch.
Michael: I didn't buy you that. I bought you the train set, which you guys just destroyed.
Michael Misdirection Character Comedy Callback Callback George Michael: Did you keep the receipt?
Michael · Tobias: What is that? It's feedback. Is someone else wired? — Oh, that's me. My friend Frank wired me.
Michael Tobias Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Michael: Oh, my God. Tobias Fünke. You're Mr. F. Which means that man was Rita's uncle. What have I done?
Michael Setup/Punchline Irony/Sarcasm Misdirection ★ Rewatch Callback Tobias: I have to get this suit back.
Tobias Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Gob · Buster: They destroyed our town. — But they can't take away our memories.
Gob Buster Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Cringe/Discomfort Buster · Lucille · Gob: Oh! I've had... the time of my life. — I think he's being sarcastic, Gob. — No, I'm not, Mother. I mean lover.
Buster: I like making love to Mother. — I mean lover!
Buster Cringe/Discomfort Running Gag Escalation Callback Gob: It took some idiot parrot man with a camera in his hat to bring us together.
Gob Character Comedy Absurdist Deadpan/Understatement Narrator: But even a pro like Larry has a breaking point.
Narrator Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Callback Michael · Rita: Marry me. — What? — Let me marry you. You can get a green card, you can stay and we can just see if this works, you know? It sounds crazy, but this will give us a chance to get away from both of our families and see if this works. Might be fun.
Michael Rita Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Rita: Yes, yes, yes! But let's go right now, okay? Before my uncle gets out of the shower for some more cigarettes.
Rita Character Comedy Misdirection Absurdist ★ Rewatch CIA agent · Jay · another agent: Don't even think about it, Jay. She's an MRF. — MRF? What's that? — Mentally retarded female. — That explains what she's doing with him. And the hats.
CIA agent: Oh, my God! She's gonna marry him.
Narrator · George Sr.: George Sr., disoriented in the walls, almost makes contact with a new mole. — Not that one. Wait for it.
Michael · Rita: What's that? — A prize. A lovely, lovely prize.
Michael Rita Character Comedy Misdirection Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Top Episodes — Arrested Development
