"Taste Makers" is the tenth episode of Arrested Development's fifth season.
Synopsis[]
Buster, Oscar, and Stan Sitwell arrive at the Spotted Palm retirement community, while a neighbor ignores Stan's plea to call the police. In another part of the community, George Michael visits Maeby to thank her for filling Fakeblock with fake employees for Rebel's recent visit to the office. He thinks that she fired the real employees months ago. However, she explains that she told Joan in HR to fire everyone at Fakeblock and then she fired Joan, who apparently didn't fire anyone else. Speaking as Annette, she also talks about killing off Maeby so she can live in the Spotted Palm forever. Meanwhile, George Michael worries that he'll be so deep in debt he'll have to live in his old bedroom.
Later at the model home, Michael finds his son in his old bedroom, having a minor regression. Michael tells him about a "Gated Community" file in the Bluth Company computers. He is trying to print it out on the 3D dental printer and asks his son to help him with the error messages. George Michael confesses to his dad about Fakeblock being in debt, so Michael offers to move them to the third floor where the Bluth Company used to be, before moving up to the fourth floor.
Up in the attic, Tobias argues with Murphybrown and Debrie about not having enough food. Tobias decides to get them a new place to live at the Bluth Company.
Maeby, as Annette, returns to her condo while Buster, Oscar, and Stan are there. Buster recognizes Maeby at the door and asks "Why'd he call you Annette?" Panicking, she hits Stan on the head, then Buster and Oscar escape. Going to the beach, Buster and Oscar rent a Zorb ball before deciding to get a tandem bike instead.
Soon George Michael shows Maeby the offices on the third floor, and she tries to convince him to let Rebel buy Fakeblock. She also talks about Annette as another person and wonders how to make Stan go away without hitting him on the head again. George Michael is hoping to sell Fakeblock to someone else, but first he needs a new clueless president that won't ask questions about the software. Just then Gob comes downstairs to check his email, and he tells them he's looking for a new job since he quit the Bluth Company. He mentions that he also let Tobias and his family move into the office kitchen.
Maeby and George Michael decide to hire Gob to be the president of Fakeblock. He evicts Tobias and family from the office kitchen. Not wanting to return to the attic, Debrie suggests they move to a nearby tent city. Then Tobias gives Gob an invitation from the Gay Mafia. Gob thinks this might be a message from Tony Wonder.
Michael and George Michael check the 3D printer and find a map of a border wall (but printed out as a row of teeth). They uncheck the "presume teeth" setting on the printer and print the "Gated Community" file again.
Meanwhile Gob goes to Quick Hard Cement to meet the Gay Mafia. Argyle Austero is threatening to tap dance on somebody's grave. Argyle tells Gob that they know he is really straight, that he only came out as gay for his parade trick. They also saw his TV announcement that he is going into Christian conversion therapy, and they are angry at him. Argyle wants Gob to go to the therapy but then announce that it didn't work. He says Gob has to stay gay for seven years, then they'll let him "age out." Argyle says this is more generous than what they did to Tony Wonder for pretending to be gay. Gob tries to tell Argyle that Buster probably didn't kill Lucille Austero. Argyle says he fought all the time with his sister, so he's not worried about her.
Then two guys bring in a body bag and Argyle tells Gob to make it disappear. He says that they got most of the cement off of it, implying that it's Tony's body. Gob is upset, but drags the body bag away after Argyle threatens to tap dance on his grave.
On the next AD, Tobias and family move into a Tent City store in a mall.
Appearances[]
Recurring
- Maria Bamford as DeBrie Bardeaux
- Ed Begley, Jr. as Stan Sitwell
- Isla Fisher as Rebel Alley
- Kyle Mooney as Murph
- Tommy Tune as Argyle
- Guy Stevenson as Hugo
- Emerson Brooks as Douglas
- Alan Tudyk as Pastor Veal
- Bruce McCulloch as Father Marsala
Guest
- Kenneth Zanchi as Bernard
- Cici Lau as Bev
- Bernadette Birkett as Rose
- Clayton Early as Protester #1
- Joey Manderino as Protester #2
Recurring themes[]
On the next Arrested Development...[]
- "Tobias' family settles in at a tent city."
References[]
- Chita Rivera - Argyle Austero has tickets to see this Broadway star perform although G.O.B. doesn't know who she is.
- Liza Minnelli - When G.O.B. says he dated Lucille 2, played by Liza Minnelli, Argyle says that he might be gay. This could be a reference to Minnelli's first husband being gay.
- Oklahoma - Argyle sings the song "You're doin' fine, Oklahoma" from the musical Oklahoma.
- The Tom Green Show - George Michael wanted to watch this comedy show. Despite Michael's comment about it being new, the show aired from 1994-2000 and in 2003.
Callbacks/Running Jokes[]
- George Michael's Minor Regression is a reference to his Total Regression in "Everyone Gets Atrophy"
- Abbreviated swearing - Buster wants Stan Sitwell to tell his friend to "F off". He also says "nice try, B" when Stan tries to escape.
- Is Tobias gay?
- Tobias says that he's been jammed with bigger things in tighter spots than the attic
- Tobias is grateful that Gob put "Jeff" in his mouth
- And As It Is Such, So Also As Such Is It Unto You - Argyle mentions G.O.B.'s appearance on the programme.
- Banging your head in the attic - Tobias bangs his head on the attic rafters again, as he did in "Unexpected Company" and like George Sr. does in "Sword of Destiny".
- Beach ball - Buster and Oscar run in the ball on the ocean as George Sr. did in "Unexpected Company".
- Cutoffs - Tobias' cutoffs can be seen under his shorts when he is exercising.
- "Don't Tell Michael" - Buster calls Stan's apartment this, as a reference to the beach cottage's second rule. DeBrie and Murphybrown also say it and George Michael calls a situation a "Don't tell Gangie".
- Father B. - Father B.'s is printed on the 3D map, in the Mexico section.
- Gangie - At the Bluth Company, George Michael says that Michael looking through the books is a "Don't tell Gangie".
- George Michael's bedroom - Michael finally finds George Michael there, having found Tobias and then George Sr. there in "An Old Start".
- G.O.B. stuttering - G.O.B. starts to stutter after reading his emails, similar to his stuttering in "Afternoon Delight" and "Colony Collapse".
- "Hurt people, hurt people" - Argyle Austero says "... which will hurt us, and we're the ones doing the hurting"
- Inside, Outside - Buster and Oscar continue this style of walking from "Unexpected Company". The say "Wet side, dry side" when in the ball on the ocean.
- Michael and technology - He states his microwave "does not work that way" when George Michael tries to help him. He has a similar reaction to his phone being stuck in 2003 in "Flight of the Phoenix". Michael also boasts about texting with one hand.
- Paid in stock - Maeby offers to pay G.O.B. in Fakeblock stock which she also offers to a delivery guy in "Senoritis".
- Picturing the past - Michael is still picturing George Michael as a 10 year-old. George Michael still pictures Maeby as a teenager in "Everyone Gets Atrophy".
- Popcorn - Michael offers to make popcorn for George Michael in this episode and "Let 'Em Eat Cake". Oscar makes popcorn for Buster in "Righteous Brothers". Stan Sitwell also offers to make popcorn in this episode.
- Pretending to be old - When entering her apartment, Maeby says "I always get the wrong key". It is similar to Maeby's way of answering the phone in "Rom-Traum".
- Safety hair - Maeby tells Stan Sitwell he should have bought safety hair, which his daughter Sally did in "Premature Independence".
- Two Fingers - Michael says that the Bluth company is now on two floors.
- How did you ever find me? - Maeby, as Annette, sings this song that was first heard in "Unexpected Company".
Hidden/Background Jokes[]
- Maeby has an "Ungrateful Grandson" jigsaw puzzle in hands
- Tobias can be heard falling off the treadmill when G.O.B. enters the office with George Michael and Maeby.
- In the background of Argyle's office, near the end of the scene, flags saying "Poof!" and "Fist!" can be seen. These are from the Fantastic Four musical that Argyle and Tobias produced in Season 4.
- Argyle's business card - His card reads "Arygle Austero / austero enterprises / Stone and Cement - Drug Rehab / Party and Events - Member Actors Equity"
- Notes - The fridge at the Bluth Company has many notes on it, including one that says "Fridge will be cleaned out every Friday!!! (label your containers or food + drink will be trashed at the end of the day)". Another says "Clean up after yourself".
- Blocking a sign - When G.O.B. stands in front of the "QuickHard Cement" sign, it now reads "QuickHard Cemen". Signs are also blocked off in "Forget-Me-Now" and "Out on a Limb".
- Argyle's Posters - Argyle's office contains the posters of Bob Fosse and The Fantasticks which were in his Austerity office in Season 4.
- Mailer Daemon - The company emailing G.O.B. back is in fact an error message, saying that his email could not be sent. This is why they respond immediately after he emails someone. In fact, G.O.B. seems to be trying to send an email to himself, as the address that can't be emailed is gobchristianmagician@mail.com. His other emails are for a package delivery and emails saying that the security camera on the front of his house has noticed someone.
- Printing App - The dental printing app on Michael's phone has phrases which could mean either a dental term or a computer term. It says "Root Warning" and "Bites not viable", which is similar to "Bytes not viable".
- Shoedini - The advert plays in the background when Maeby and George Michael talk at The Spotted Palm.
- Tent City - The shop with the tents is actually called Tent City.
Foreshadowing/Future References[]
Notes[]
- Lindsay, George Sr. and Lucille do not appear in this episode
Promotional Photos[]
External Links[]
| SEASON FIVE EPISODES | ||
|---|---|---|
|
1. "Family Leave" |
7. "Rom-Traum" |
13. "The Untethered Sole" |
| Season One • Season Two • Season Three • Season Four • Season Five | ||