Michael jumps at a chance to spend more time with George-Michael, who seeks a clueless president for Fakeblock. Tobias relocates his makeshift family.
Season 5's densest episode wraps the Bluth saga in character comedy, delivering 44 jokes across 44 minutes.
Directed by Troy Miller · Written by Mitchell Hurwitz
WAR
147.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Taste Makers” ranks #41 of 84 Arrested Development episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 95.2 — Elite. The episode packs 92 scored jokes at 2.8 per minute, averaging 7.7 on craft and 7.5 on impact, with George Michael landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Gob: Gob, leaving with the body: 'Stupid day to take an Uber.'
Gob Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George Michael: George Michael: 'That might be a setting in the printer. Let me see what we have here. Yeah. See? Right here. You have to uncheck Presume Teeth.'
Gob: Gob has sent his résumé to 'the gang over at Mailer Daemon' — and keeps missing their replies because he steps away from the computer
Gob Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Narrator · Buster · Oscar: Narrator: 'George Michael wasn't the only one who felt shackled to his father.' — cut to Buster literally in handcuffs with Oscar
George Michael: George Michael: 'That might be a setting in the printer. Let me see what we have here. Yeah. See? Right here. You have to uncheck "Presume Teeth."'
All Jokes — 92 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Oscar · Buster: Oscar and Buster handcuffed together doing 'inside/outside' routine while navigating encountering a stranger
Buster · Oscar · Stan: Buster and Oscar debate via earpiece whether to say hi to a passerby, culminating in Buster simply saying 'Hello' and the man asking 'Hurt your hand?'
Oscar · Buster: Oscar tells Buster to 'tell him to off' — Buster relays 'to F off, twinkle toes'
Buster: Buster tries to get help: 'Let me handle this. Call the police.' then immediately screams 'Ow!'
Buster Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Buster: Buster's awkward non-sequitur to the stranger: 'My son is coming in from Ojai next Tuesday.'
Buster Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Gob · Narrator: Gob misunderstands 'Guy Fawkes' as 'foxy guys'
George Michael · Narrator: George Michael discovers no one was ever fired — the HR woman was fired before she could fire everyone
George Michael: 'They never left. Remember when I said I fired everybody? What I did was, I asked Joan in HR to fire everybody for me. Then, so I didn't have to make two phone calls, I fired her there on the spot.'
George Michael: 'That's the lesson here. But, hey, this is how you learn in business, am I right?'
George Michael: 'Well, we're not paying Joan in HR. Gotta give me credit for that one.'
Maeby: Maeby's alter ego 'Annette' — 'The minute I put the teeth in, I become a completely different person'
Maeby Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Maeby: Maeby's setup in the retirement community: 'I finally got rid of my beloved Stan. He's in the hospital, massive head injury. Free rent. New neighbors every six to eight months.'
Maeby Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Maeby: Maeby objects to killing off her alter ego: 'Maeby doesn't even have a high school diploma. Not a good move, given the world my generation is leaving hers.'
Maeby Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George Michael: George Michael is 'already an hour and a half late for dinner' and is still concerned that 'Annette... she like-a the pasta'
Michael · George Michael: Michael finds George Michael in his old bedroom throwing a tennis ball against the wall — and the description of missing the ball as a metaphor for self-recrimination
George Michael: George Michael's childhood preoccupations: 'What does it take to be a good citizen and am I gonna be able to fall asleep tonight, or am I getting too wound up about this good citizen stuff?'
Michael · George Michael: The Smile Maker dental printer prints 'Gated Community' file with everything rendered in teeth — 'That explains that toothbrush next to the warning sign'
Michael · George Michael: 'And you see how they spelled "byte" without a y.' / 'No, this is for dentists.'
Michael: Michael: 'This is why you have a billion-dollar software company and your old man has to hit "popcorn" on the microwave any time I want to heat something up.'
Michael Character Comedy Observational Michael · George Michael: George Michael explains how to use the microwave; Michael insists 'mine does not work that way' then immediately pivots to 'popcorn sounds good, let's go make some'
Michael: 'But popcorn sounds good. Let's go make some of that.'
Michael Misdirection Character Comedy Callback Tobias: Tobias has nine gummy bears wrapped in tinfoil and is confused that they 'just get up and walk away'
Tobias Character Comedy Absurdist Murphybrown: Murphybrown's response to Tobias: 'Yeah, one got up and walked right into my mouth. What're you gonna do about it?'
Tobias · child character: Tobias: 'No! I'm the provider for this family. If anyone gets to leave, it's me.' / Kid: 'Yeah, you're good at that, Dad. You're good at leaving. It's kind of your thing, actually.'
Tobias: Tobias: 'I've been jammed with bigger things in tighter spots than this.'
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Callback Tobias · unnamed character: Tobias: 'Isn't that what the Bluth Company does?' / Response: 'No, you fuck— Oh!' [followed by someone eating something]
Oscar · Buster: Oscar and Buster refer to their new living arrangement as a 'Don't Tell Michael'
Oscar Buster Running Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Stan: Stan (hostage) asks if they can watch a movie 'or just leave the lights on so we can't see you'
Stan Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm Oscar · Buster · neighbor: Maeby's cover is almost blown — the neighbor asks about 'Bev' (the woman smiling in the apartment) and Oscar/Buster reveal she 'smiles all the time, even when she sleeps'
Stan · neighbor · Maeby: Stan exposes Maeby: 'Run, Annette, run!' — Neighbor asks 'Maeby? Why'd he call you Annette?'
Buster: After cover is blown, Buster holds up his hook hand and says 'Hand.' — then 'inside/outside' resumes
Buster Running Gag Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Maeby: 'And this is why I told you to buy the safety hair.' / 'Now I gotta drink the evidence.'
Maeby Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: Michael tells George Michael: 'You're dating the girl of my dreams. Your dreams. You know what I meant — my dreams are your dreams.'
Michael Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: Michael on spending 5.5 weeks at 'the Search campus' and texting with one hand as proof of tech competence
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm George Michael: 'I think there are a couple of Two Hour Teeth guys still on the payroll... there's still an active chair in the break room.'
Michael · George Michael: George Michael's rousing 'The Bluth boys, we find a way. We're winners.' immediately followed by 'Hey, so, non sequitur, what do you know about bankruptcy?'
Michael · George Michael: 'And... open your eyes.' / 'Was I supposed to close them?'
Michael · George Michael: Michael and George Michael reminisce about their dream of working together: 'Have lunch together, work out in the late afternoon... drive home together, shower up, grab dinner, PJs on, teeth brushed... a little kiss good night and off to bed.'
Michael · George Michael: George Michael: 'I'm not sure it's a good idea... I'm feeling anxious as it is.' / Michael: 'This is just gonna be great, isn't it? It's gonna be so much fun!'
Narrator · Buster · Oscar: Narrator: 'George Michael wasn't the only one who felt shackled to his father.' — cut to Buster literally in handcuffs with Oscar
Oscar · Buster: Oscar and Buster try a tandem bicycle while handcuffed — 'Wet side, dry side, wet side, dry side...' — and it doesn't fit in wherever they've gone
Oscar Buster Physical/Slapstick Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Oscar · Buster: Oscar and Buster try to be inconspicuous on a motorcycle sidecar doing 'wet side, dry side' instead of 'inside, outside'
George Michael: George Michael to Maeby about the Fakeblock offices: 'The fraud part will be more at home here, you know?'
Maeby: Maeby: 'If these walls could only testify, huh?'
Maeby Wordplay/Pun Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Maeby: Maeby on why selling a bogus company to his girlfriend is a good idea: 'It's the perfect way to end a terrible relationship.'
Maeby Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Maeby: Maeby casually reveals she hit Stan on the head with a wine bottle — 'just with a wine bottle, but it wasn't open'
Maeby Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Maeby · George Michael: Maeby: 'You're more impossible to talk to than Annette.' / George Michael: 'You talk to Annette?' / Maeby: 'No. But Stan does.'
Maeby: Maeby: 'Three times in one week. People are gonna start asking, you know, elderly abuse? Which apparently is a real thing.'
Maeby Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George Michael · Maeby: George Michael needs 'a clueless president — someone stupid and lazy enough that he doesn't ask any questions about the actual software.' / Maeby: 'Oh, I love how you're assuming it's a he.'
Gob: Gob complains about being given a floor 'without so much as a "feel free to use the third floor" joke'
Gob Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch George Michael: George Michael tells Gob: 'Dad said we could use the offices for Fakeblock.' / 'He actually said, "Feel free to use the third floor."'
Gob: Gob: 'Mm. Now I'm glad I gave one of those offices away.'
Gob Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement George Michael: He actually said, 'Feel free to use the third floor.' (George Michael, after Gob's complaint)
Tobias: Tobias's actor has set up a full actor's studio in a Bluth Company office: 'an actor's body is his instrument. Come get my shower ready and then take over on the elliptical.'
Tobias Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tobias's group: Food in the Bluth offices: 'Turkey jerky, popcorn, and leftover Jeff.' / 'Aw. There's no Linda left?'
Tobias: Tobias, living in a Bluth office: 'I don't want to jinx it, but this certainly is better than living in that attic, yes?'
Tobias Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Tobias · family member: Family rule: 'Don't tell Michael.' / Tobias: 'Well, yes, but I also meant, 88 more days, and squatter's rights kick in.'
Murphybrown · Tobias: Someone (perhaps Murphybrown) starts singing '88 days and squatter's rights kick in' to a tune — then Tobias says 'This is going too fast now'
Gob · George Michael: Gob on his email setup: he goes down to the third floor to check Gmail because 'I don't want wires going everywhere.' George Michael: 'You can use your phone for that.' Gob: 'Yeah, and I could use a pigeon. But for this particular task, I've chosen e-mail.'
Gob: Gob has sent his résumé to 'the gang over at Mailer Daemon' — and keeps missing their replies because he steps away from the computer
Gob Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Gob: Gob's email stutter as he reads the job requirements: 'Why-why... when... when... what kind of... when... what...?' — trailing off into confusion over the email asking about Wednesday at 'nap'
Gob Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Callback George Michael · Maeby · Gob: George Michael and Maeby recruit Gob to be Fakeblock's president by promising he 'won't need to get his e-mail redelivered' and 'won't have to learn new snacks'
Gob: Gob negotiates: 'Can I get back to you?' pause, 'I'm in.'
Gob Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement George Michael · Maeby · Gob: Gob's pay: 'stock. Right. Money never has to change hands.' / George Michael: 'That's it. We're done talking.' / Gob: 'I'm in.'
Tobias · Gob: Tobias's toast: 'To my brother-in-law Gob. Long may...' — immediately interrupted by Gob kicking them out
Gob: Gob: 'Thanks, guys. My first day as president, and kicking people out makes it... makes it seem real.'
Gob Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Gob · George Michael: Gob receives an invitation from 'Powerful Gay Tastemakers' and George Michael explains: 'That's the Gay Mafia.'
Gob · Tobias's group: Gob muses that the Gay Mafia invitation might be from Tony Wonder: 'I guess sometimes things do work out, after all.' / Everyone else: 'So we can stay?' / Gob: 'No. For me. Things work out for me.'
Michael · George Michael: The 3D dental printer has printed the 'Gated Community' file — and it comes out as a map made entirely of teeth
George Michael: George Michael: 'That might be a setting in the printer. Let me see what we have here. Yeah. See? Right here. You have to uncheck "Presume Teeth."'
George Michael: George Michael: 'That might be a setting in the printer. Let me see what we have here. Yeah. See? Right here. You have to uncheck Presume Teeth.'
Gay Mafia boss: Gay Mafia boss opens the meeting by tap-dancing and announcing: 'That was me tap-dancing on your grave, all right?'
Gay Mafia boss · Gob: Gay Mafia boss: 'We know you're as straight as an Oklahoma highway.' / Gob: 'They're straight, right? I wouldn't know. I've never been in Oklahoma.' / Boss: 'You were in Oklahoma!' / Gob: 'You're right. In the bus and truck.' Then sings Oklahoma.
Gob · Gay Mafia Boss: Gay Mafia: 'We know you're as straight as an Oklahoma highway. They're straight, right?' / Gob: 'I wouldn't know. I've never been in Oklahoma.' / Boss: 'You were in Oklahoma!' / Gob: 'You're right. In the bus and truck.' ♪ You're doin' fine, Oklahoma ♪
Narrator: Narrator explains Gob's 'premature emulsification' during the sexuality switch illusion
Narrator Wordplay/Pun Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Gay Mafia boss · underling: Gay Mafia boss asks about the religious program name: 'And As It Is Such, So Also As Such It Is...what is it?' / Underling: '"Unto you," boss.' / Boss: 'Unto You. Yes.'
Gay Mafia boss · Gob: Gay Mafia explaining conversion therapy's harm: 'And we're the ones doing the hurting.' / Gob: 'Oh, right, then there'd be less gays that would suck the gays out. I mean, off.'
Gay Mafia boss: Gay Mafia boss calls conversion therapy 'a destructive sham that thinks that homosexuality can be cured through shame and fear, you pathetic little dipshit.'
Gay Mafia boss · Gob: Gay Mafia: 'You said on TV you're going into conversion therapy, so you are going to go. And then you're going to announce it didn't work.' / Gob: 'So... I have to stay gay?'
Gay Mafia boss: 'Just for seven years. Then we'll let you age out.'
Gay Mafia boss: Gay Mafia boss: 'It's a lot more generous than what I did to that last guy who faked being gay. You know him. Your pal Tony Wonder.'
Gob · Gay Mafia boss: Gob tells the Gay Mafia boss: 'I think I was shacking up with your ex-wife.' / Boss: 'She was my sister.' / Gob: 'My apologies. Think I was shacking up with your sister.'
Gay Mafia underling: After Gob says he was 'shacking up with your sister,' boss's underling mutters: 'Maybe he is gay.'
Gob · Gay Mafia boss: Gob assures the boss: 'My brother probably didn't have anything to do with your sister's disappearance.' / Boss: 'I'm not worried about it. To be honest, we fought all the time, so it's probably better for our relationship that she's no longer around.'
Gob: Gob: 'Tell me about it. My sister and I don't get along, either. She just left...' — then cuts off, suddenly aware he's admitted something
Gob Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Gay Mafia boss · Gob: Gay Mafia presents Gob with what they need him to 'make disappear' — implying it's a body or body part covered in cement
Gob · Gay Mafia boss: Gob asks: 'You're gonna... tap-dance on my grave?' after being threatened with 'this is the last sound you're going to hear.' / Boss: 'Oh, hell, you saw the matinee. Out you go.'
Gay Mafia boss: Gay Mafia boss, after dismissing Gob: 'Chop-chop. I want it off my floor and somewhere no one will find it. I don't have all day. I've got to get out of these work clothes. I have house seats for Chita Rivera tonight.'
Gay Mafia Boss · Gob: 'I've got to get out of these work clothes. I have house seats for Chita Rivera tonight.' / Gob: 'I don't know who he is.'
Gob: Gob, leaving with the body: 'Stupid day to take an Uber.'
Gob Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tobias · family members: On the next Arrested Development: Tobias's family at 'tent city' — 'I bet this place gets a lot quieter after dark.' / 'Also, we could always go to the food court.' / 'Oh, and maybe we can ask them to turn down the birds.'
Tobias · Murphybrown · DeBrie: On the next Arrested Development: Tobias's 'tent city' is a mall food court. 'We need to keep a low profile.' / 'We could always go to the food court.' / 'Maybe we can ask them to turn down the birds.'
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