
Character Analysis

Dusty
Played by Dermot Mulroney
30 jokes across 6 episodes of Arrested Development
11.5
30
7.1
6.9
Character Comedy
Dusty delivers 30 scored jokes across 6 episodes of Arrested Development, averaging 7.1 on craft and 6.9 on impact for a career WAR of 11.5. Their comedy leans toward character comedy. The highest-scoring line is below.
Funniest Dusty Lines
Gene Parmesan · Dusty:Dusty says 'as we've claimed' about Buster wearing the rock monster suit — Gene: 'Cause it was me.'
Dusty · Buster:After the devastating video evidence, Dusty shouts: 'Mistrial! Mistrial!' — then Buster responds: 'Yes, yes! I missed your trial!'
Lucille · Dusty:Well, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be your mother, but... but I'm worried about my son. / Okay. If you don't want to be my mother, then maybe stop referring to me as your son, how about that? / I... I'm talking about Buster.
Dusty · Michael Bluth:'George Bluth, Affair: Caught in Act' / 'George Bluth, Another Affair: Caught in Act, Hi-Res'
Dusty · Lottie · Judge:'Hang out, like go to the beach or something?' / 'How does that pertain?' / 'I just want to know if he'll let me see his fort, because...' / 'I'll allow it.' / 'Oh.' / 'I won't allow that.'
All Jokes — 47 total
Dusty:Care to join me for a glass of breakfast wine?
Dusty · Newport Bay Boys:Newport Bay Boys refuse to let George Sr. use their steps: 'Those steps are just for the feet of the Bay Boys. Get back in the ball, dude.'
Dusty:Dusty: 'And the law.' / 'And I play some guitar.'
George Sr. · Dusty:'Oh, you served in Vietnam?' / 'Surfed. I surfed in Vietnam. Two group tours.'
Lucille · Dusty:'We went for sushi last night, and he never touched his fork.' / 'Well, a little bit for the rice. It's the hard part. But not when the guy was looking.'
Dusty:Dusty's 'cultural expertise': 'Picked up a lot, too. Mostly tchotchkes, but some cultural elements, too.'
Dusty:Dusty's Eastern culture philosophy: 'They all are interested in honor... your opponent needs to save face, for this is the only way you, yourself, will save face.' Then: 'If you think that I enjoy... intimidating you, emasculating you, you're wrong, little guy.'
Dusty:Dusty's Far East philosophy: 'With all these Asia-y cultures and, uh, whatnot, they all are interested in honor... your opponent needs to save face, for this is the only way you, yourself, will save face.'
Dusty:Dusty exits to 'watch the big TV' upstairs — implying George Sr.'s TV is so small it's worth mentioning
George Sr. · Dusty:'Shrillary.' [Beat] 'You okay? Is everybody all right?' 'Yeah, we're fine. Go on.' 'Right on.'
George Sr. · Dusty:Dusty is introduced as an expert on 'Orient... Uh... Asian inscrutability. Very good.'
Dusty · George Sr.:'Hard to hear, I know. But there's freedom for you in the exchange.' / 'You said we'd get ice cream. I have to get Dusty ice cream.'
Dusty:Ah, I hate it! I just wasted an hour and a half working on an opening joke, till I realized that it's from Fast and Furious. It doesn't even work unless you're in a Camaro.
Dusty:Well, because my argument comes right after I state, 'If you think that's funny, wait until you hear what the opening statement the prosecution is gonna give.'
Lucille · Dusty:You're anxious?! / You're the mother of the defendant, everybody's favorite. / I'm gonna be the one everyone's staring at, and I know literally who's gonna be judging me the most. / The judge can't show favoritism. / Lottie!
Lucille · Dusty:Well, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be your mother, but... but I'm worried about my son. / Okay. If you don't want to be my mother, then maybe stop referring to me as your son, how about that? / I... I'm talking about Buster.
Surfers · Dusty:Hey! Locals only, brosef. / Turista non grata, dude. / Yo, dudes! It's me, Dusty! / What's with the tie? / Yeah, I know. She made me wear it.
Lucille · Dusty:Lucille tells Dusty: 'Believe me, the guilt will fade. I mean, I've cheated on you a thousand times.'
Lucille · Dusty:Lucille to Dusty about cheating: '...it does almost make up for the permanent damage you did to my endocrine system.'
Dusty:Dusty's completely incompetent opening statement — stammering, voice cracking, laughing at his own predicament, 'I didn't even know you could use videotape'
Dusty:Dusty: 'I feel like I got, like, totally the hard part of this case.'
Lottie · Dusty:The DA (Lottie) whispers to Dusty across the courtroom: 'You can do it. You're ready.' — having slept with him the night before believing he was someone else
Lottie · Dusty:Lottie to Dusty in court: 'I've known you since you were 30! And you can call me Mom.'
Dusty · Judge Stanley:Dusty asks: 'If the judge will allow it, permission to hug the defense counsel.' Judge: 'Hell yeah. Let's get the hug on.'
Lucille · Dusty:Lucille to Dusty: 'That was humiliating.' Dusty: 'For my first murder trial, though, my first anything trial, not bad, right?'
Lucille · Dusty:Lucille: 'Oh, for God's sakes, stop talking like a child. I mean, how old are you?' Dusty: 'Fifty-six and a half.' Lucille: 'Jesus!'
Dusty:Dusty: 'Not gonna let that ruin my recess.'
Tobias · Dusty:Dusty tells Tobias they don't need him to 'play Buster on the stand, more just talk about him as a person.' Tobias: 'Oh. Well, you don't think I'd be more appealing as the accused?'
Tobias · Dusty:Dusty accidentally says 'the night of the murder' and Tobias corrects him: 'Alleged murder. Alleged.' Dusty: '...Yes, yes, alleged.'
Dusty · Gene Parmesan · Judge Stanley:Dusty asks Gene 'How many looks are you capable of creating?' — and then accidentally directs the question at the judge.
Gene Parmesan · Dusty:Dusty says 'as we've claimed' about Buster wearing the rock monster suit — Gene: 'Cause it was me.'
Dusty:Dusty, shocked by the video evidence: 'My dad made us give up Netflix when they went up by two dollars.'
Dusty · Buster:After the devastating video evidence, Dusty shouts: 'Mistrial! Mistrial!' — then Buster responds: 'Yes, yes! I missed your trial!'
Lucille · Buster · Dusty:Lucille confronts Dusty: 'So you sell me out to Warden Gentles?' Dusty: 'And we both know you said I wouldn't get in trouble. You made a promise!' Lucille: 'No, Buster, it was a mistake!'
Lucille · Dusty · Buster:Lucille to Dusty: 'So you sell me out to Warden Gentles? And we both know you said I wouldn't get in trouble.' Dusty: 'No, Buster, it was a mistake!' Lucille: 'You can live with her, Dusty. She can be your mother.'
Lottie · Dusty:Lottie to Dusty after the trial disaster: 'Now you made it almost impossible for me to win this case. I mean, was that an option? Because you did almost kill my dad.'
Buster Bluth · Michael Bluth · Dusty:'She's so mean. I wish I could shove her down the st...' 'Hey! Shh! No more talking about shoving, pushing...' 'No touching!' 'Or touching.'
Dusty:'Yeah, feel it. It's a rental.'
Michael Bluth · Dusty:'She asked you to get rid of family memories?' / 'It's just that, typically, the drinking does that.'
Dusty:'Oh, that's good, because she called it "evidence." But I don't think you're supposed to admit to destroying evidence in court.'
Dusty · Michael Bluth:'George Bluth, Affair: Caught in Act' / 'George Bluth, Another Affair: Caught in Act, Hi-Res'
Michael Bluth · Dusty:'I know which one I would watch with a gun to my head.' / '...Not the hi-res.' / 'Oh.'
Michael Bluth · Dusty:Michael and Dusty try to recall what happened in 1982 — Michael trails off, then: 'Awesome. '82 was awesome. Good year.'
Dusty · Narrator:'These are three-quarter-inch, Michael. This is not a TV station in the '70s.' / 'But, fortunately, Michael knew someone at a news station in his 70s.'
Dusty · Lottie · Judge:Dusty's courtroom examination of Gob: 'You and I are friends, don't you think?' / 'Objection. Is this going somewhere?' / 'Yeah, that's what I wanted to find out.'
Dusty · Lottie · Judge:'Hang out, like go to the beach or something?' / 'How does that pertain?' / 'I just want to know if he'll let me see his fort, because...' / 'I'll allow it.' / 'Oh.' / 'I won't allow that.'
Dusty · Lottie · Judge:'Oh, that'll be great timing, because I've been drinking this free court water.' / 'Does the prosecution have any objections?' / 'I need a break.' / 'Oh, let him go. Oh, he worked through recess.'