¡Amigos!
Encyclopedia
"¡Amigos!" is the 25th episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.
for the weekend. Gob says he plans to hang out with some of his friends, though Michael doubts that he has any. Lucille finds Michael in his office and informs him that her private detective, Gene Parmesan, has found George Sr. Actually he has found the stair-car in Encanta, Mexico
; Michael says he'll go to Mexico. Gob partially overhears; he thinks Michael is ditching the business and escaping to a foreign country. So he hires a bounty hunter. Lindsay and Maeby join the Mexico trip, as does George Michael and his girlfrend Ann.
Buster does not wish to follow through with the Army plan, so he hides in Michael's trunk. Instead of getting out in Mexico, however, he gets out in Santa Ana
, where Lucille's housekeeper Lupe lives. Meanwhile, the bounty hunter, Ice, is following Michael's car.
Lucille distrusts Gob, so has her private eye follow him. Michael and company find the staircar and meet up with Ice, whom Michael hires to look for George Sr. They don't realize that George Sr.'s funeral is underway in a nearby church, with Kitty in attendance. They all depart for home, leaving Ann behind. When Michael realizes this, he and George Michael race back to Mexico. Gob, Ice, and the private eye all meet up with Michael in Mexico and work things out. Michael pays the other two to be Gob's friends for a week. And though he now knows Ann a little better, he still doesn't like her.
Plot
Michael tells his brother Gob of his plans to take George Michael to LegolandLegoland
Legoland is a chain of Lego-themed theme parks. They are not fully owned by Lego Group itself; rather they are owned and operated by the British theme park company Merlin Entertainment.The chain currently consists of:* Legoland Billund...
for the weekend. Gob says he plans to hang out with some of his friends, though Michael doubts that he has any. Lucille finds Michael in his office and informs him that her private detective, Gene Parmesan, has found George Sr. Actually he has found the stair-car in Encanta, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
; Michael says he'll go to Mexico. Gob partially overhears; he thinks Michael is ditching the business and escaping to a foreign country. So he hires a bounty hunter. Lindsay and Maeby join the Mexico trip, as does George Michael and his girlfrend Ann.
Buster does not wish to follow through with the Army plan, so he hides in Michael's trunk. Instead of getting out in Mexico, however, he gets out in Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
, where Lucille's housekeeper Lupe lives. Meanwhile, the bounty hunter, Ice, is following Michael's car.
Lucille distrusts Gob, so has her private eye follow him. Michael and company find the staircar and meet up with Ice, whom Michael hires to look for George Sr. They don't realize that George Sr.'s funeral is underway in a nearby church, with Kitty in attendance. They all depart for home, leaving Ann behind. When Michael realizes this, he and George Michael race back to Mexico. Gob, Ice, and the private eye all meet up with Michael in Mexico and work things out. Michael pays the other two to be Gob's friends for a week. And though he now knows Ann a little better, he still doesn't like her.
Episode notes
- This episode is titled "¡Amigos!" on the Season 2 DVD, though no press releases listed the exclamation marks in the title when the episode was broadcast.
- This is the first episode where the Bluths visit a different country, which later happens again in "Exit Strategy."
- As in the previous episode, Tobias is painted blue in every scene in which he is present.
- This is George Sr.'s smallest role in an episode to date, with just one, brief non-speaking appearance.
Cultural references
- Abu GhraibAbu GhraibThe city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
- Lucille talks about Buster being in a "naked pyramid," a reference to the photos taken in the Iraqi prison. - Blue Man GroupBlue Man GroupBlue Man Group is an organization founded by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring popular music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight...
- Tobias continues to color himself blue for a chance to work with the performance group. The Blue Man Group's performances start at 8:00pm, and Tobias paints himself blue and counts down to 8:01pm on his watch every night just in case they need him as an understudy. - Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
- After Oscar goes back to unload his items, Lucille gives Annyong money and tells him to "go see a Star War."
Callbacks/running jokes
- Banner - The first of many of the Bluth family's suggestive banners, which says "You're killing me, Buster" can be seen at Buster's party. This banner later appears again in "Hand to GodHand to God (Arrested Development episode)"Hand To God" is the 34th episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.- Plot :Michael tells George Michael about Maggie Lizer's baby, whom Michael thinks is his. George Michael gets excited about being a big brother, but Michael lets him know that Maggie wants nothing to do with him...
," and "Forget-Me-NowForget-Me-Now"Forget-Me-Now" is the 43rd episode aired of the TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Synopsis:Michael, G.O.B., Lindsay and Tobias are meeting with the family's new attorney, Bob Loblaw, at the model home regarding the family's legal situation...
." - "Blue myself" - Tobias mentions that he "blue [himself] early so he'd be nice and relaxed for a 9:00pm dinner reservation." Tobias first used the term "blue myself" in "The One Where Michael LeavesThe One Where Michael Leaves"The One Where Michael Leaves" is the twenty-third episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development, and the premiere episode of the second season.-Synopsis:...
." - Buster's real father - Oscar hints that he is Buster's father, saying that Lucille is not having an affair with Buster's "uncle." Overly dramatic music plays after this is said.
- As Oscar is leaving prior to Lucille finding out Buster has gone to Mexico, his things can be seen packing in exactly the same manner as Buster would pack, with possessions wrapped in a blanket which is dragged on the ground.
- Charlie Brown - Lucille and Buster refer to testicles as "Charlie Browns." Buster first did this in "The One Where They Build a HouseThe One Where They Build a House"The One Where They Build a House" is the twenty-fourth episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael plans to save the Bluth Company by beginning construction on a new model home and holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Gob, now president-in-name-only of the company, promises...
." He later refers to Michael's penis as his "Linus" in "Out on a LimbOut on a Limb (Arrested Development episode)"Out on a Limb" is the 33rd episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael and Sally Sitwell are having Sunday brunch at Skip Church's Bistro when he spots George Michael and Maeby at the same restaurant, and Michael introduces Sally to them. Once Michael leaves, Ann arrives...
." - Chicken dance – Gob does his chicken dance for the first time since the season one episode "Staff InfectionStaff Infection"Staff Infection" is the fifteenth episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael Bluth had begun working weekends, but he keeps up the weekly "bike ride" with son George Michael. He receives an emergency call from Lucille and heads over to her apartment...
," and it's revealed in this episode that, in Mexican culture, the chicken dance is considered an offensive gesture. - Circumvent - This is the first instance where Gob fails to pronounce the word "circumvent" properly. This later becomes a running gag, and eventually spreads to other words too.
- Ann - This episode continues the running gag of jokes made at the expense of George Michael's girlfriend, Ann.
- When George Michael mentions wanting to spend time with Ann, Michael has no idea who he is talking about.
- When George Michael calls Ann his girlfriend, Michael replies, "Her?"
- Michael calls George Michael an "Ann-hog," in reference to him spending all his time with his girlfriend. This nickname transfers to Ann herself and is mentioned multiple times in the episode.
- Lindsay says to Michael, "Check out who's on that hog in the rearview mirror." She means Ice, but thinks it's Ann.
- Michael and Maeby's talk in the stair car, the narrator mentions how "there were only four people in their group," implying that the narrator forgot about Ann (there were five in their group).
- After returning to Mexico to find Ann, Michael still doesn't recognize her.
- Michael refers to Ann as "Plant" after George Michael says, "Way to plant, Ann!"
- When Gob learns that Ann is George Michael's girlfriend, he asks, "What, is she funny or something?"
- Incest - Short mention is made of George Michael's feelings for his cousin, and the general theme of incest.
- After Michael tells George Michael that his cousin (Maeby) is "one hell of a girl" and "it's too bad you can't date her," George Michael does a double take and asks Michael if he "would have a problem with that," and then tries to cover it up.
- When talking with Maeby on the ride home from Mexico, Michael asks why people date, and states, "Isn't family enough?"
- "It'll be an adventure" - Michael promises George Michael they'll have one looking for George Sr. in Mexico. He promises this again to him later in "Hand to GodHand to God (Arrested Development episode)"Hand To God" is the 34th episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.- Plot :Michael tells George Michael about Maggie Lizer's baby, whom Michael thinks is his. George Michael gets excited about being a big brother, but Michael lets him know that Maggie wants nothing to do with him...
." - "Don't be Afraid to make a Mistake" - Gob's inspirational poster is in response to his denial of making mistakes in "The One Where Michael LeavesThe One Where Michael Leaves"The One Where Michael Leaves" is the twenty-third episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development, and the premiere episode of the second season.-Synopsis:...
." - Labeling - Gob's laptop bears his name, in similarity to his SegwaySegway PTThe Segway PT is a two-wheeled, self-balancing transportation machine invented by Dean Kamen. It is produced by Segway Inc. of New Hampshire, USA. The name "Segway" is a homophone of "segue" while "PT" denotes personal transporter....
. - Legoland - Michael states that he is going to buy tickets to Legoland for him and his son; in season 3, Lucille tells Uncle Trevor that she thought she heard Michael saying he was taking Rita to Legoland.
- Michael the murderer - Michael's comment about putting people in the trunk and Lupe's facial expression is a reference to the misunderstanding in "Charity DriveCharity Drive"Charity Drive" is the fifth episode aired, though the sixth episode in DVD continuity, of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:...
." - Stair car - Mexicans use the stair car to jump over the border, just like the prisoner tried to use the stair car to jump the prison fence in "Visiting OursVisiting Ours"Visiting Ours" is the sixth episode aired, and the fifth episode in the DVD continuity of, the TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:...
." - Tracy - Another joke is made at the expense of Michael's dead wife Tracy, again proving how insensitive the Bluths are. However, unlike the other times, Tobias actually apologizes to Michael.
- "Who wants to go to the hospital?" - Tobias is again injured when Ice tackles him.
- Yawning - While Buster prepares a videotape telling Lucille of his escape to Mexico, he begans to yawn in the middle of his sentence. This is a reference to the Season 1 episode "Bringing Up BusterBringing Up Buster"Bringing Up Buster" is the third episode of the American television series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael is making cornballs for breakfast in preparation for another tradition: the Sunday bike ride. However, George Michael is ambivalent about the plan...
," in which Buster often did the same thing. - Michael sees the truth - Even though he often is unable to see what's going on in front of his face, most notably with George Michael, Michael sometimes sees the simple truth through the convoluted behavior of the family. When Michael says he will help Buster get out of the Army after returning from Mexico and Buster says he thinks "it will be worked out by then," Michael realizes Buster intends to escape to Mexico.
Hidden/background jokes
- When the Narrator says "At no point were Maeby and Michael talking about the same person and there were only four people in their group" there were actually five people in their group. The narrator is forgetting about Ann just like all the characters.
- Blue paint - Blue hand-prints can be seen in various places in the model home.
- When Ice tackles Tobias we see a long smear of blue paint on the floor, and a section of Tobias' face has no blue paint, indicating his face was rubbed along the floor for several feet.
- Tobias makes an off-hand remark to Michael that he wears the blue paint all the time because it takes an extremely long time to get the paint off. This is a subtle reference to the fact that David Cross had to constantly apply and reapply the makeup throughout Season 2.
- Cloudmir - A Cloudmir sign is seen in Mexico.
- Gob's Kleptomania - In reference to Gob frequently using sleight of hand to commit theft, at the beginning of the episode he takes a coffee cup off of Michael's desk.
- "Keep An Open Mind" - The poster in the background when Michael is talking to Ann on the phone.
- Maeby - Lindsay comments that she has "sensed [Maeby] feeling a little left out lately," in reference to the small role Maeby played in the first two episodes of the season.
- Mentally challenged - Lupe thinks Buster may be mentally retarded.
- Quincy JonesQuincy JonesQuincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
- Starla is wearing a "Q" necklace, in reference to her love of Quincy Jones (it should be noted that Quincy Jones is one of the producers of the FOX sketch show MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
and the actress who plays Starla is Mo CollinsMo CollinsMaureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
, who was a castmember on the show from 1998 to 2004). - Spanish translations: There are four instances of Spanish sentences being translated into English:
- In the silent film-style flashback of how the chicken dance came to be offensive in Mexico, there's a title card that reads, "Usted baila como un hombre que vive como mujer", which the subtitle translates to "You dance like a homosexual." Literally, it means, "You dance like a man who lives like a woman."
- When Lupe finds Buster on her front lawn, she remarks "Ahora tengo que cuidar para retardo," which the subtitle translates to, "So now I must take care of Buster" but actually means "Now I have to take care of the retard." The sentence in Spanish however is wrong and should be "Ahora tengo que cuidar al retrasado."
- The Cloudmir sign in Mexico is in broken Spanish, reading "La feliz beber: hay Cloudmir si tienes sed" Translated, it means, "The happy drink: There's Cloudmir if you're thirsty."
- When George Sr.'s phone call gets cut short, the teller says, "Gracias por usar Tijuana Bell." Translated, it means, "Thank you for using Tijuana Bell." This may be a reference to Jessica Walter who once was the voice of Southwest Bell.
- The Cornballer - The Cornballer, the Cornballer box, and a box of Cornballer mix can be seen in Michael's office.
- A Cornballer advertisement can be seen in Mexico (even though it was stated that the Cornballer was illegal in every country).
Foreshadowing/future references
- Blue Man Group - The blue picture of George Sr., and Ice confusing him with Blue Man-wannabe Tobias, foreshadows him joining the Blue Man Group in "Righteous Brothers."
- Buster's Hand - Upon seeing his former "hand chair," Buster comments, "I'd never thought I'd miss a hand so much." He then touches the chair with the hand he later loses in "Out on a LimbOut on a Limb (Arrested Development episode)"Out on a Limb" is the 33rd episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael and Sally Sitwell are having Sunday brunch at Skip Church's Bistro when he spots George Michael and Maeby at the same restaurant, and Michael introduces Sally to them. Once Michael leaves, Ann arrives...
."
Character cameos
- The angered Mexican, the chicken-dancer and the piano player who ends up getting shot in the black-and-white video are played by Jason BatemanJason BatemanJason Kent Bateman is an American television and film actor. After appearing in several 1980s and 1990s sitcoms including It's Your Move, and The Hogan Family, Bateman came to prominence in the early 2000s for playing Michael Bluth on Arrested Development, for which he won a TV Land, a Golden...
(Michael), Will ArnettWill ArnettWilliam Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
(Gob), and Tony HaleTony HaleTony Hale is an American actor, best known for his role in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development as the neurotic Byron "Buster" Bluth.-Early life:...
(Buster), respectively. Portia de Rossi plays the dancer sitting on the piano. - Gene Parmesan makes his first and only appearance in the show with this episode, though is mentioned again several times throughout the series.
- Ice makes his first appearance in this episode, making a brief cameo later in the next episode, "Good GriefGood Grief"Good Grief" is the twenty-sixth episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:The bounty hunter that Michael hired has found George Sr. supposedly died in Mexico, and George Michael is dumped by his girlfriend, Ann. Maeby seeks advice from Barry Zuckerkorn on divorcing her parents...
." - This is the first episode where Mae WhitmanMae WhitmanMae Margaret Whitman is an American television, movie and voice actress. She is known for her role as Ann Veal in the TV series Arrested Development, her role as Amber on the TV series Parenthood, her role as Roxy Richter in Scott Pilgrim vs...
has a speaking role as Ann.
Sources
- The-OP.com
- FOX
- Quotes for this episode on WikiQuote