Arrested Development: My Mother, the Car Rewatch
July 16, 2014 12:18 PM - Season 1, Episode 8 - Subscribe
Michael loses short-term memory after he and Lucille have a car accident. George-Michael and Maeby want to see an R-rated movie about cousins in love.
Lindsay vies for her father's attention, Lucille gives G.O.B. a scare, Buster gets closer to Lucille 2 and Tobias is conspicuously absent, on another episode of Arrested Development.
Lindsay vies for her father's attention, Lucille gives G.O.B. a scare, Buster gets closer to Lucille 2 and Tobias is conspicuously absent, on another episode of Arrested Development.
My favorite lines are the ones leading up to Buster and Lucille Austero's first kiss:
Buster: You know, we’re probably not that different, you and me. You and I. Is it I, or is it me?
Lucille Austero: Buster, it’s us.
One scene in Lucille Bluth's apartment ends very cleverly: Lucille is about to hit Michael over the head with a small bust (as in, a sculpture of a woman), but Michael turns around just in time to see her holding the bust. Lucille's cover is to hand the bust to Michael, and he takes this as a sign that she's so caring and understanding that she someone knew he needs to keep pursuing Marta.
This episode's odd title alludes to a sitcom from the '60s, My Mother the Car, which was about ... a mother who's reincarnated as a car. GOB and Lindsay are in the middle of watching the opening sequence when Michael confronts them about not going to their mom's birthday party. Wikipedia notes that the TV show lasted only one season and was "generally panned." (In 2002, shortly before Arrested Development started, TV Guide called attention to this by ranking it the 2nd worst TV show of all time.) So, the AD writers were possibly winking at their nervousness about whether the show would last long.
posted by John Cohen at 3:26 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Buster: You know, we’re probably not that different, you and me. You and I. Is it I, or is it me?
Lucille Austero: Buster, it’s us.
One scene in Lucille Bluth's apartment ends very cleverly: Lucille is about to hit Michael over the head with a small bust (as in, a sculpture of a woman), but Michael turns around just in time to see her holding the bust. Lucille's cover is to hand the bust to Michael, and he takes this as a sign that she's so caring and understanding that she someone knew he needs to keep pursuing Marta.
This episode's odd title alludes to a sitcom from the '60s, My Mother the Car, which was about ... a mother who's reincarnated as a car. GOB and Lindsay are in the middle of watching the opening sequence when Michael confronts them about not going to their mom's birthday party. Wikipedia notes that the TV show lasted only one season and was "generally panned." (In 2002, shortly before Arrested Development started, TV Guide called attention to this by ranking it the 2nd worst TV show of all time.) So, the AD writers were possibly winking at their nervousness about whether the show would last long.
posted by John Cohen at 3:26 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
One of my favorite line readings in the series is when GOB pieces together what happens and is trying to explain it to Michael:
GOB: There's no way that you were trying to hurt me. You don't hate me! Mom hates me! You kind of like me!posted by kagredon at 9:20 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Michael: Yeah, I do kind of like you...
GOB: Yeah!
Lucille Austero: Buster, it’s us.
Well, now it's my nausea.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:48 AM on July 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Well, now it's my nausea.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:48 AM on July 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
My pick for best line read: "Nothing, G.O.B. was just teaching me how to hit it with a hammer."
I was impressed at how funny this relatively grounded episode managed to be while hitting so many emotional (maybe a strong word) notes. Or in Michael's words, "It would've been funny if it wasn't so ... well, it was kinda funny."
posted by Lorin at 9:07 AM on July 17, 2014
I was impressed at how funny this relatively grounded episode managed to be while hitting so many emotional (maybe a strong word) notes. Or in Michael's words, "It would've been funny if it wasn't so ... well, it was kinda funny."
posted by Lorin at 9:07 AM on July 17, 2014
Best pointless detail: the second time Michael reveals the surprise birthday party for his mom that no one showed up to, the waitstaff are making out on the table.
posted by John Cohen at 11:19 AM on July 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by John Cohen at 11:19 AM on July 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
My favorite line read is the doctor's "Okay..." after Lucille jumps in with "Children's Aspirin!"
posted by Navelgazer at 10:04 AM on July 18, 2014
posted by Navelgazer at 10:04 AM on July 18, 2014
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Since watching the show last time I had forgotten how continuously manipulative Lucille is, it's a lot worse than I remembered it. Great fun to watch though.
posted by bjrn at 1:56 PM on July 16, 2014