Charity Drive
Encyclopedia
"Charity Drive" is the fifth episode aired, though the sixth episode in DVD continuity, of TV comedy series Arrested Development.
has impounded most of the family's vehicles, so Michael is forced to ride his bike to work. However, he soon realizes that he needs a car. When he finds out that Gob has been secretly driving their father's car, he confronts him about it at the banana stand. Gob admits to it, but says that Lindsay is currently using it. Michael realizes that Gob has been receiving free frozen bananas from the stand. Fed up by Gob's deception, Michael instructs George Michael not to give Gob anything free. Gob offers to pay by giving Michael the rights to promote the stand with Mr. Bananagrabber, a cartoon character drawn in Gob's likeness, but Michael declines. Next, Michael tracks down Lindsay, who is busy preparing for the annual charity Bachelorette Auction
at the local country club
. Michael, unimpressed, says that Lindsay cares more about getting a high bid amount than about saving the wetlands; Lindsay says he wouldn't understand since he's not charitable. Michael asks her about the car; she says Buster has it.
Michael goes to Lucille's apartment and finds her getting ready for the Charity Auction as well; Lucille admits she's only doing it to be "sold" for a higher bid than her rival Lucille Austero. She rehearses with Buster their plan that he will bid $10,000 for her. Michael gets the car keys from Buster and sees the terrible condition his siblings have left it in: Gob scorched it while performing magic, Lindsay spilled nail polish, and Buster left items from an archaeological dig. Michael visits his father to discuss building permits for their new development, which George Sr. failed to file for. George advises Michael to send Gob, who is especially furtive, to break into the permit office, slip the application into a folder and tell the permit office they messed up.
Reluctantly, Michael approaches Gob, but Gob insists on certain conditions: a free frozen banana whenever he wants, and full creative control to the Mr. Bananagrabber character and any spinoffs that may occur. He also wants Michael to make up for humiliating him in front of George Michael. Michael agrees, and instructs George Michael he should do whatever his uncle asks. Stung by constant charges of being selfish, Michael decides to do something nice: he offers a ride to Lucille's new housekeeper, Lupe. However, Michael has actually picked up another woman; when she notices the skull left by Buster, Gob's burn marks, and the blood-colored nail polish, she becomes convinced that Michael is going to murder her.
Gob, meanwhile, cases the permit office, but decides to ask George Michael to break in. George Michael is reluctant, but Maeby's enthusiasm changes his mind. Michael gets a call from Lindsay, who begs him to pick her up from the wetlands, where she went to prove she cares about the environment, but now was finding to be too much for her. At the same time, Lucille Austero is stalking Buster, hoping he is planning some grand romantic gesture to save their relationship. Lindsay, running out of time to get to the Charity Auction, calls a cab home – but forgets to call Michael. When he arrives at the wetlands, his terrified passenger takes off running. The auction starts, and a scratched, scraped, ragged Lindsay isn't fetching any bids. Michael, seeing that she really did try to help the wetlands and feeling bad for her, pledges $1,000. Lucille Austero takes the stage, and Buster, hearing only the first name as he rushes in the door, bids $10,000 for her. Lucille assumes this is his "grand romantic gesture." Walking to the parking lot, Michael is arrested for the forced abduction of his passenger earlier in the day. And when he's tossed into the back of a squad car, George Michael is sitting there already, having been arrested during the permit office break-in.
."
Upon discovering the car usage schedule on the kitchen calendar, which features Lindsay provocatively posed, Michael says he always "tried so hard not to look at that thing," implying that part of him wanted to look at it. One of many references that Michael is secretly attracted to Lindsay, whom we find out in Development Arrested
is not actually his sister.
Plot
The SECUnited States Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is a federal agency which holds primary responsibility for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry, the nation's stock and options exchanges, and other electronic securities markets in the United States...
has impounded most of the family's vehicles, so Michael is forced to ride his bike to work. However, he soon realizes that he needs a car. When he finds out that Gob has been secretly driving their father's car, he confronts him about it at the banana stand. Gob admits to it, but says that Lindsay is currently using it. Michael realizes that Gob has been receiving free frozen bananas from the stand. Fed up by Gob's deception, Michael instructs George Michael not to give Gob anything free. Gob offers to pay by giving Michael the rights to promote the stand with Mr. Bananagrabber, a cartoon character drawn in Gob's likeness, but Michael declines. Next, Michael tracks down Lindsay, who is busy preparing for the annual charity Bachelorette Auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
at the local country club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
. Michael, unimpressed, says that Lindsay cares more about getting a high bid amount than about saving the wetlands; Lindsay says he wouldn't understand since he's not charitable. Michael asks her about the car; she says Buster has it.
Michael goes to Lucille's apartment and finds her getting ready for the Charity Auction as well; Lucille admits she's only doing it to be "sold" for a higher bid than her rival Lucille Austero. She rehearses with Buster their plan that he will bid $10,000 for her. Michael gets the car keys from Buster and sees the terrible condition his siblings have left it in: Gob scorched it while performing magic, Lindsay spilled nail polish, and Buster left items from an archaeological dig. Michael visits his father to discuss building permits for their new development, which George Sr. failed to file for. George advises Michael to send Gob, who is especially furtive, to break into the permit office, slip the application into a folder and tell the permit office they messed up.
Reluctantly, Michael approaches Gob, but Gob insists on certain conditions: a free frozen banana whenever he wants, and full creative control to the Mr. Bananagrabber character and any spinoffs that may occur. He also wants Michael to make up for humiliating him in front of George Michael. Michael agrees, and instructs George Michael he should do whatever his uncle asks. Stung by constant charges of being selfish, Michael decides to do something nice: he offers a ride to Lucille's new housekeeper, Lupe. However, Michael has actually picked up another woman; when she notices the skull left by Buster, Gob's burn marks, and the blood-colored nail polish, she becomes convinced that Michael is going to murder her.
Gob, meanwhile, cases the permit office, but decides to ask George Michael to break in. George Michael is reluctant, but Maeby's enthusiasm changes his mind. Michael gets a call from Lindsay, who begs him to pick her up from the wetlands, where she went to prove she cares about the environment, but now was finding to be too much for her. At the same time, Lucille Austero is stalking Buster, hoping he is planning some grand romantic gesture to save their relationship. Lindsay, running out of time to get to the Charity Auction, calls a cab home – but forgets to call Michael. When he arrives at the wetlands, his terrified passenger takes off running. The auction starts, and a scratched, scraped, ragged Lindsay isn't fetching any bids. Michael, seeing that she really did try to help the wetlands and feeling bad for her, pledges $1,000. Lucille Austero takes the stage, and Buster, hearing only the first name as he rushes in the door, bids $10,000 for her. Lucille assumes this is his "grand romantic gesture." Walking to the parking lot, Michael is arrested for the forced abduction of his passenger earlier in the day. And when he's tossed into the back of a squad car, George Michael is sitting there already, having been arrested during the permit office break-in.
Episode notes
- Although this episode was broadcast as the fifth episode of the season, it was made as the sixth episode (and appears on the DVD as the sixth episode, too). Technically, while there's no lack of continuity, this episode should go AFTER "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:...
," as Kitty is in both episodes, but receives a more in-depth introduction in "Visiting Ours." Also, George Michael is scared of prison in "Visiting Ours," but in this episode he and his father both go to prison at the end. - The title refers to both a charity and transportation event.
- Tobias does not appear in this episode, except in newspaper photographs.
Callbacks/Running Jokes
- Gob's Segway - Gob is seen riding on 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....
, which he remains on while talking to other characters. - From whence it came - When Gob hears from Michael that Tobias drove the staircar back to the airport he uses the phrase "from whence it came," just as he did when throwing a dead dove into the ocean in Top BananaTop Banana (Arrested Development episode)"Top Banana" is the second episode aired of the TV comedy series Arrested Development. The story takes place a week before the banana stand is burned down. George Sr. attempts to control the Bluth company from prison using his cellmate T-Bone.-Plot:...
. - "I need a favor" - Michael tells Gob that he needs a favor, a phrase used by many of the members of the Bluth family throughout the series.
- "I hope you have an exit strategy" - Lucille says this to her housekeeper. It is another reference to the Iraq War.
- Ice cream - George Sr. doesn't like anybody else driving his car; a flashback shows this is at least partly because Michael spilled ice cream in it. Later, when Michael drives the car, he decides to get ice cream.
- Mr. Bananagrabber - Gob invents the character of Mr. Bananagrabber as an insult to Michael. The Mr. Bananagrabber commercial appears periodically throughout the rest of the series.
- Michael the Murderer - Thinking she is Lucille's housekeeper, Michael picks up a woman he doesn't know and tries to give her a ride home. The skeleton in the backseat, spilled red nail polish and shovel make her think Michael is a serial killer. While on the phone with Lindsay, several phrases he utters could sound malevolent; when he drives to the wetlands she is convinced he is a serial killer and flees the car.
- "No touching!" - When Gob tells George Sr. that George Michael was breaking into the permit office, George Sr., with full awareness of the likely consequences, hits Gob with a newspaper to a chorus of "No touching!" from the guards.
Hidden/Background Jokes
- The stand where Gob buys the candy apple also sells frozen bananas, according to a sign in the background.
- Lindsay is wearing a "Neuter Fest 98" shirt when she goes to clean up the wetlands. Neuter Fest was first mentioned in Key DecisionsKey Decisions"Key Decisions" is the fourth episode aired of the TV comedy series Arrested Development.- Plot :When Gob ditches his girlfriend, Marta Estrella, for a publicity stunt at the penitentiary that holds his father, Michael is left to accompany her to the Desi Awards...
.
Character cameos
- This is the first time Lupe appears in the show, replacing one-time character Luz as Lucille's maid.
- If the episodes are viewed in broadcast order, this is the first appearance of Kitty Sanchez, George Sr.'s secretary.
Foreshadowing
Buster leaves various items from his archaeological dig in the car, notably a giant rock, which becomes an important plot point in the following episode, "My Mother, The CarMy Mother, The Car
"My Mother, the Car" is the seventh episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael Bluth, fed up with his mother Lucille's extravagant spending, says she cannot throw a lavish birthday party for herself. But when Lindsay, prompted by Lucille, suggests a surprise party, Michael...
."
Upon discovering the car usage schedule on the kitchen calendar, which features Lindsay provocatively posed, Michael says he always "tried so hard not to look at that thing," implying that part of him wanted to look at it. One of many references that Michael is secretly attracted to Lindsay, whom we find out in Development Arrested
Development Arrested
"Development Arrested" is the 53rd episode aired of the TV comedy series Arrested Development. It is the season finale for Season 3, as well as the series finale before the announcement of Season 4 over five years later.-Episode:...
is not actually his sister.
External links
- The-OP.com
- FOX
- Quotes for this episode on WikiQuote