.gif)
Out on a Limb (Arrested Development episode)
Encyclopedia
"Out on a Limb" is the 33rd episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.
Buster has her to the beach so that they could be photographed together before the Army shipped him over to Iraq
. Lucille, in denial, chooses to believe that Buster is trying to punish her and that he really wants to go swimming in the ocean. Michael and Gob track down their attorney, Barry Zuckerkorn, at the courthouse. He is representing Skip Church's Bistro against a waitress who claims that eating the Skip's Scramble—an egg dish containing everything on the menu—several times a week is making her fat. They inform Barry that they need him to get G.O.B. out of his marriage. Barry says, "I got Michael out of his marriage, didn't I?" and Michael reminds him that his wife died. Barry mentions that the attorney for the other side in his case is Maggie Lizer. Michael goes to catch up with Maggie and learns she's 8.5 months pregnant (they haven't seen each other in 8.5 months). Maggie tells Michael that the child is not his, but he isn't convinced. On his date with Sally, Michael tells her that he thinks Maggie's child might be his, because she's a liar and told him that it wasn't.
Sally explains that she broke up with Michael because she thinks that he is always looking for things to come between them. Lindsay, Michael, and G.O.B. discuss Michael's dilemma, and G.O.B. says that he would make Maggie pee in a cup right in front of him to make sure that she isn't lying about being pregnant. Lindsay and Tobias decide to break into Maggie's house and collect the specimen, mentioning that they have been looking for some excitement in their relationship. Lucille appears, complaining that Buster is pushing her buttons by "pretending" he's going to war. George Sr. summons Michael to the attic with his wolf howl to try to convince him to get Buster out of going to war. George Michael and Maeby, watching Lucille's cruelty to Tobias, devise a way to get rid of Ann: they'll bring her to Lucille's and she'll criticize Ann until she drives her away. When Michael goes to Maggie's, she opens the door pretending to be blind so she can rip off the pizza guy by giving him $5 and telling him the keep the change. The waitress she's representing is there and Maggie is making sure the witness stand creaks when she sits on it. Lindsay and Tobias sneak into the house and head to the bathroom to get a urine sample.
Dressed as Oscar, George Sr. visits Buster to convince him that he should hide to avoid going to war. Buster tells him that he's a good uncle, and George replies, "I'm not your uncle, I'm your father." Buster confronts Lucille, who unwittingly confesses that Buster's true father is Oscar. Buster angrily storms off, shouting, "Here's something you should know: I'm going to war!" Finally, Lucille snaps out of her denial. Michael brings Maggie to a bar to talk about his potential fatherhood while Lindsay and Tobias search the house for proof that Maggie is faking her pregnancy. Maggie tells Michael that the baby is his, but at her home, Lindsay and Tobias discover a box with a pregnant suit in it. They leave a message on Michael's phone confirming that the pregnancy is a scam. Later, Maeby and George Michael set their plan into motion by bringing Ann to Lucille's penthouse. Unfortunately, Lucille is too distracted by the thought of losing Buster to criticize anyone. Ann introduces her to the power of prayer.
Michael listens to Lindsay's message about the pregnancy suit, calls Maggie a liar, and dumps her. She shows him her very real pregnant stomach, and Lindsey and Tobias burst in to say that the urine from the sample they had collected was positive: "You're going to be a daddy!" Barry comes to see Michael at his office with news of a big break in his fat case: the waitress wasn't fat at all, just wearing a fat suit. Barry also announces that he has another case: Maggie is suing Michael for paternity. For the first time in her life, Lucille prays, begging God to take anything from the family to keep Buster from going to war. Buster is on his way to the Army when he decides to finally go swimming in the ocean, where a loose seal bites off his hand, after he misinterprets a warning from a coastguard about a "loose seal" by retorting that he doesn't care about Lucille.
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 to find George Michael, who she thought was skipping church to work. She complains that he does not find church or study fun, and leaves to return to church. Maeby pokes fun at her cousin, and when she learns that George Michael doesn't want to break up with Ann, she says they may have to speed up the process. Michael and Lindsay are discussing his relationship with Sally when Gob interrupts to announce that he's being sued for divorce. He explains that when his wife went off to war, she left him in charge of the seals that were in her care. Gob tried to include them in his act, but it didn't work, and taking care of the animals was a hassle, so he "released them from whence they came". Michael mentions that their parents prepaid Barry for Lindsay and Tobias's divorce, so they can use him. All three blame their failing relationships on their mother, who then turns around in a chair outside. She wants to know why Buster has invited her to the beach the following day: "Because if it's about going in the ocean, the answer is 'No'."Buster has her to the beach so that they could be photographed together before the Army shipped him over to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Lucille, in denial, chooses to believe that Buster is trying to punish her and that he really wants to go swimming in the ocean. Michael and Gob track down their attorney, Barry Zuckerkorn, at the courthouse. He is representing Skip Church's Bistro against a waitress who claims that eating the Skip's Scramble—an egg dish containing everything on the menu—several times a week is making her fat. They inform Barry that they need him to get G.O.B. out of his marriage. Barry says, "I got Michael out of his marriage, didn't I?" and Michael reminds him that his wife died. Barry mentions that the attorney for the other side in his case is Maggie Lizer. Michael goes to catch up with Maggie and learns she's 8.5 months pregnant (they haven't seen each other in 8.5 months). Maggie tells Michael that the child is not his, but he isn't convinced. On his date with Sally, Michael tells her that he thinks Maggie's child might be his, because she's a liar and told him that it wasn't.
Sally explains that she broke up with Michael because she thinks that he is always looking for things to come between them. Lindsay, Michael, and G.O.B. discuss Michael's dilemma, and G.O.B. says that he would make Maggie pee in a cup right in front of him to make sure that she isn't lying about being pregnant. Lindsay and Tobias decide to break into Maggie's house and collect the specimen, mentioning that they have been looking for some excitement in their relationship. Lucille appears, complaining that Buster is pushing her buttons by "pretending" he's going to war. George Sr. summons Michael to the attic with his wolf howl to try to convince him to get Buster out of going to war. George Michael and Maeby, watching Lucille's cruelty to Tobias, devise a way to get rid of Ann: they'll bring her to Lucille's and she'll criticize Ann until she drives her away. When Michael goes to Maggie's, she opens the door pretending to be blind so she can rip off the pizza guy by giving him $5 and telling him the keep the change. The waitress she's representing is there and Maggie is making sure the witness stand creaks when she sits on it. Lindsay and Tobias sneak into the house and head to the bathroom to get a urine sample.
Dressed as Oscar, George Sr. visits Buster to convince him that he should hide to avoid going to war. Buster tells him that he's a good uncle, and George replies, "I'm not your uncle, I'm your father." Buster confronts Lucille, who unwittingly confesses that Buster's true father is Oscar. Buster angrily storms off, shouting, "Here's something you should know: I'm going to war!" Finally, Lucille snaps out of her denial. Michael brings Maggie to a bar to talk about his potential fatherhood while Lindsay and Tobias search the house for proof that Maggie is faking her pregnancy. Maggie tells Michael that the baby is his, but at her home, Lindsay and Tobias discover a box with a pregnant suit in it. They leave a message on Michael's phone confirming that the pregnancy is a scam. Later, Maeby and George Michael set their plan into motion by bringing Ann to Lucille's penthouse. Unfortunately, Lucille is too distracted by the thought of losing Buster to criticize anyone. Ann introduces her to the power of prayer.
Michael listens to Lindsay's message about the pregnancy suit, calls Maggie a liar, and dumps her. She shows him her very real pregnant stomach, and Lindsey and Tobias burst in to say that the urine from the sample they had collected was positive: "You're going to be a daddy!" Barry comes to see Michael at his office with news of a big break in his fat case: the waitress wasn't fat at all, just wearing a fat suit. Barry also announces that he has another case: Maggie is suing Michael for paternity. For the first time in her life, Lucille prays, begging God to take anything from the family to keep Buster from going to war. Buster is on his way to the Army when he decides to finally go swimming in the ocean, where a loose seal bites off his hand, after he misinterprets a warning from a coastguard about a "loose seal" by retorting that he doesn't care about Lucille.
Cultural references
- G.O.B.'s wife's penchant for daring found a natural outlet in the armed services in Iraq. She is pictured in a set of photos resembling those that surfaced when the Abu Ghraib prison scandalAbu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuseBeginning in 2004, human rights violations in the form of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, including torture, rape, sodomy, and homicide of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq came to public attention...
broke. - During his magic show, G.O.B. attempts to distract the audience by telling them to look away to see one of the Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. - Lucille said that she signed Buster up for the Army because she was confronted by Michael MooreMichael MooreMichael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
. Michael corrects her to say that it was only a lookalike for a bit on Jimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
. - At one point, upon Tobias and Lindsay's finding of the prosthetic stomach, Michael tells Maggie: "You're a liar. You lie," a possible reference to Love StinksLove StinksLove Stinks is the eleventh album by American rock band The J. Geils Band, released in 1980 .The title song is a rant against unrequited love. It has been covered by industrial metal band Bile, by Andru Branch in the film Love Stinks, Joan Jett in the film Mr. Wrong and Adam Sandler in the movie...
, in which Jason Bateman (Michael) had a bit part; French Stewart's character says these same words to a lawyer.
Callbacks/Running Jokes
- G.O.B.'s wife's occupation as a "Seal Dealer" makes light of the running joke that Gob didn't consummate ("seal the deal" of) their marriage.
- While discussing his divorce situation with Barry Zuckerkorn, G.O.B. says "I just want my wife back" to which Barry replies with "Let's save it for the stand, OK, Tom Jane?" a callback to "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...
" and similar to the lead tagline (I just want my kids back!) from Homeless Dad, starring Tom Jane.
- Sally tells Michael that they should try to break a 3x lovemaking record and Michael lies to George Michael and says she means a shotputting record, a callback to when G.O.B. lied to George Michael in Pier Pressure and said the girl exiting his yacht was an Olympic hopeful he was training.
- Michael incorrectly deduces that Maggie is not pregnant when she lifts a 60-lbs box, a callback to when he incorrectly thought that Lucille couldn't lift a lightweight box of protein bars in 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...
.
- When Michael and Sally wonder what kind of child they would've had together, a photo is shown courtesy of "Mommy, What Will I Look Like," recalling Lindsay's failed business that was revealed in Let 'Em Eat CakeLet 'Em Eat Cake (Arrested Development episode)"Let 'Em Eat Cake" is the 22nd episode of the TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Synopsis:The Bluth Company is in trouble. Because of the low-carb diet fad , the banana stand has been struggling. Meanwhile, the model home is falling apart because of shoddy workmanship. Lindsay thinks she has a...
.
- Her? The way George-Michael says "Her?" in response to Michael's declaration that he has become involved with Maggie again reflects the way that other characters (primarily Michael himself) say "her?" in response to George Michael's relationship with Ann.
- From whence you came When speaking about the seal, Gob tells Michael "So I released them from whence they came" - this mirrors the way he exclaimed "Return from whence you came" as he throws the dead seagull into the sea in Top Banana.
- Come on! When Michael knocks on Maggie's door the second time, her client, realizing that Michael is (again) not the pizza delivery boy, gets out of her chair, exclaiming, "Come on!", which is a frequent exclamation among the Bluth family, particularly G.O.B.
Foreshadowing
- When Buster is sitting on the bench awaiting the bus, the "Army Officer" painted on the bench is partially covered up to say "Arm Off".
- When G.O.B. tells Michael his wife is a seal dealer, the camera focuses on his left hand on Michael's shoulder; later in the episode, a seal bites off Buster's left hand.
- When Buster, Lucille, and Oscar are at the beach, a seal can be seen jumping out of the ocean in the background while suspenseful music is played, foreshadowing how a seal would later tear off his hand.
- When George, Sr. talks about never reaching out and touching Buster's hand again, suspenseful JawsJaws (film)Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
-like music plays. - When Michael introduces Sally to Maeby, he says, "This is my niece, Maeby." This is a play on "This is my niece, maybe," referencing both the possibility that Maeby was a test-tube baby and Lindsay's being adopted.
- G.O.B.'s wife's Abu Ghraib style photos have a "Bluth Homes" sign in the background (Shopping cart race photo).