Let 'Em Eat Cake (Arrested Development episode)
Encyclopedia
"Let 'Em Eat Cake" is the 22nd episode of the TV comedy series Arrested Development.
Michael goes to the prison, where George Sr. tells him to give Kitty whatever she wants, but to avoid finding out what she knows so he (Michael) can pass his upcoming polygraph test. In the waiting room, Buster and Annyong bet with each other to see who can get a girlfriend first. At the banana stand, George Michael makes a new friend, Ann. As George Michael tries to impress Ann, Maeby watches with disgust.
Michael meets with Kitty, who demands control of the Bluth Company. She tells Michael that George Sr. built houses overseas without paying taxes. Michael decides that paying the back taxes is easier than dealing with Kitty, and leaves. He returns home just as George Michael is leaving to meet Ann. In the kitchen, Lindsay and Tobias excitedly announce that a book Tobias had written years earlier has suddenly caught fire (but only in the gay community). With the influx of money, Lindsay abandons her bead business. On the news show, George Michael's piece has been bumped for a story about American-made homes built in Iraq, homes Michael realizes are identical to the model home.
Kitty and Gob scheme to take over the Bluth Company, and Lucille claims no knowledge about the Iraqi deal. Tobias, meanwhile, is doing a book reading. Lindsay arrives, sees the gay clientele, and realizes that Tobias is still oblivious. Michael argues with his father at the prison; when he realizes his mother knew about the Iraqi deal, he quits the company. Kitty, disappointed with Gob, has moved on to Buster (Buster thinks it's a date).
With Michael gone, George Sr. volunteers to take the polygraph. He suffers a heart attack just as the test gets underway; everyone but Michael gathers at the hospital (no one called him). At the model home, Michael plans to leave town with his son, but George Michael says he wants to stay, for the family's sake. Then they get the belated call from the hospital. At the hospital, Maeby kisses Annyong to make George Michael jealous, but the strategy fails. Michael announces that he will never leave the family. Just then, a doctor comes in and tells the family they have "lost" George Sr. Shocked, the family goes in to see the body. They discover an empty bed, and realize that George Sr. has escaped. Michael reverses course again and tells George Michael they are leaving.
Synopsis
The Bluth Company is in trouble. Because of the low-carb diet fad (which all the Bluths are on), the banana stand has been struggling. Meanwhile, the model home is falling apart because of shoddy workmanship. Lindsay thinks she has a solution: a new bead business. All she needs is some startup money from Michael. Gob hears Lindsay say "bee" business and vows to start his own. Michael is reluctant to give Lindsay any money, since her previous business attempts failed, but agrees to help her out. Then Kitty Sanchez calls and threatens to bring the company down unless they meet her demands.Michael goes to the prison, where George Sr. tells him to give Kitty whatever she wants, but to avoid finding out what she knows so he (Michael) can pass his upcoming polygraph test. In the waiting room, Buster and Annyong bet with each other to see who can get a girlfriend first. At the banana stand, George Michael makes a new friend, Ann. As George Michael tries to impress Ann, Maeby watches with disgust.
Michael meets with Kitty, who demands control of the Bluth Company. She tells Michael that George Sr. built houses overseas without paying taxes. Michael decides that paying the back taxes is easier than dealing with Kitty, and leaves. He returns home just as George Michael is leaving to meet Ann. In the kitchen, Lindsay and Tobias excitedly announce that a book Tobias had written years earlier has suddenly caught fire (but only in the gay community). With the influx of money, Lindsay abandons her bead business. On the news show, George Michael's piece has been bumped for a story about American-made homes built in Iraq, homes Michael realizes are identical to the model home.
Kitty and Gob scheme to take over the Bluth Company, and Lucille claims no knowledge about the Iraqi deal. Tobias, meanwhile, is doing a book reading. Lindsay arrives, sees the gay clientele, and realizes that Tobias is still oblivious. Michael argues with his father at the prison; when he realizes his mother knew about the Iraqi deal, he quits the company. Kitty, disappointed with Gob, has moved on to Buster (Buster thinks it's a date).
With Michael gone, George Sr. volunteers to take the polygraph. He suffers a heart attack just as the test gets underway; everyone but Michael gathers at the hospital (no one called him). At the model home, Michael plans to leave town with his son, but George Michael says he wants to stay, for the family's sake. Then they get the belated call from the hospital. At the hospital, Maeby kisses Annyong to make George Michael jealous, but the strategy fails. Michael announces that he will never leave the family. Just then, a doctor comes in and tells the family they have "lost" George Sr. Shocked, the family goes in to see the body. They discover an empty bed, and realize that George Sr. has escaped. Michael reverses course again and tells George Michael they are leaving.
Episode notes
- This episode is the finale for Season 1.
- The series had not yet been picked up for a second season, so introducing the ending sequence with “On the next season of Arrested Development” was a gamble. Similarly, the "On the next Arrested Development" segment was included in "PilotPilot (Arrested Development episode)"Pilot" constitutes the first episode and the series premiere of the Fox sitcom Arrested Development. The episode originally aired on November 2, 2003. George Sr. is about to announce his retirement when he is arrested for using his company's funds for personal expenses...
" before the show had been picked up.- Season 2's finale will follow this running joke and end with "On the next season of Arrested Development," too.
- On the DVD set, this episode is titled "Let Them Eat Cake," because the whole family is on the Atkins diet and is not eating carbohydrates; in fact much of the cast was also on the diet, and spitting out carbohydrate foods between takes.
Callbacks/Running Jokes
- "And a whole lot of love." Lucille uses love as an excuse for committing a horrible deed, which she later uses again in "Development ArrestedDevelopment 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:...
." - Attorneys George Sr. replicates his despondency from "PilotPilot (Arrested Development episode)"Pilot" constitutes the first episode and the series premiere of the Fox sitcom Arrested Development. The episode originally aired on November 2, 2003. George Sr. is about to announce his retirement when he is arrested for using his company's funds for personal expenses...
," by putting his face in hand and stating that he has "the worst fucking attorneys." In the commentary, creator Mitch Hurwitz reveals that the audio is actually from the Pilot episode. - Barry's secretary Barry's gay secretary is seen at Tobias' book reading.
- Barry's secret life In this episode, it is revealed that Barry frequents rest areas for an unspecified reason. He also lies, saying he has Lakers tickets in order to leave early to get back to the rest areas. Since the 1970s, highway rest areas have often been used as meeting places for anonymous gay sex. See Tearoom TradeTearoom TradeTearoom Trade is a title of a controversial 1970 Ph.D. dissertation and book "Tearoom trade: a study of homosexual encounters in public places" by Laud Humphreys. The study is an analysis of homosexual acts taking place in public toilets...
. - Freedom sign The gay protester, first seen in the pilot episode, holding the “Freedom” sign is seen at Tobias' book reading.
- Incest Maeby kissing Annyong to make George Michael jealous mirrors "PilotPilot (Arrested Development episode)"Pilot" constitutes the first episode and the series premiere of the Fox sitcom Arrested Development. The episode originally aired on November 2, 2003. George Sr. is about to announce his retirement when he is arrested for using his company's funds for personal expenses...
," when she kissed George Michael to get her parents' attention. Neither attempt is successful, though Annyong suggests they kiss again to teach everyone a lesson, just as George Michael did earlier.- Maeby's jealousy over Ann is indicative of her mutual feelings for George Michael.
- Lindsay asks Michael, "How do you not have sex with me?!" and Michael replies by stating "It is a struggle."
- "Is that a shot at me?" Lindsay asks when Michael complains about nobody working, the same way Barry asks in "Altar EgosAltar Egos"Altar Egos" is the seventeenth episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael Bluth and family gather to discuss George Sr.’s upcoming trial. They've received a plea offer, but lawyer Barry Zuckerkorn hasn’t read it yet because he is too busy picking up cross-dressing...
." - "I've made a huge mistake" Gob says this signature line after realizing how many problems Michael has to deal with as CEO of the company.
- Shoddy Workmanship The video from Iraq that shows a house remarkably similar to the Bluth's house shows a piece of handrail falling. In the opening scene of the episode in the Bluth's house, the same piece of railing fell too.
- Tobias is gay More jokes are made at the expense of Tobias' sexuality.
- Tobias has replaced all the gender-related pronouns in his book reading with the masculine form only, including the "her" that refers to Lindsay in the dedication.
- Tobias is oblivious to the fact that his book appeals only to the gay community.
- After George Sr. fakes his heart attack during the polygraph, there is a cut to the same clip of an ambulance seen in the earlier episode ("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:...
"), after White Power Bill stabs Gob with a shivShiv (weapon)A shiv is a slang term for any sharp or pointed implement used as a knife-like weapon. However, the word in practical usage is frequently used when referring to an improvised bladed weapon. Shivs are commonly made by inmates in prisons across the world...
.
Hidden/Background Jokes
- Amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
Amazon.com sells Tobias' book, The Man Inside Me, for $14.97. The site indicates that customers who bought the book also bought: Families with Low Self-Esteem, Caged Wisdom: Musings From Prison, Girls with Low Self-Esteem on VHS, and The Low-Carb Gay, Bi, and Transgender Diet by B. J. Zuckerkorn. - Mommy, What Will I Look Like? According to the sign: “Easy one-step process. Simply put your baby on our patented bed and snap, it's done! In just moments you will receive a print of what [your] beautiful child will look like when he or she [...] Disclaimer: Not responsible for end results. For complaints, contact God at 800-555-[...]”
- "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:...
" The hospital sign with “Visiting Hours” has the “H” missing. "Visiting Ours" was the title of an earlier episode. - "Livres Aux Folles" The bookshop's name is "Livres Aux Folles", which translates roughly from French as 'Books for the Birds'.” This is probably a reference to The BirdcageThe BirdcageThe Birdcage is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Mike Nichols, and stars Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, and Christine Baranski. The script was written by Elaine May...
, based on a French play and film, La Cage aux Folles (film)La Cage aux Folles (film)La Cage aux Folles is a 1978 French-Italian film adaptation of the 1973 play La Cage aux Folle by Jean Poiret. It is co-written and directed by Édouard Molinaro and stars Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault.-Plot:...
.
Character Cameos
- This episode marks the only appearance of Alessandra Torresani as Ann. In all future episodes, Ann is played by 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...
. Ann will become George Michael's girlfriend in Season 2, and Gob's in season 3. - Ian RobertsIan Roberts (actor)Ian Michael Roberts is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe.-Life and career:...
makes his first appearance as "The Literal Doctor," Doctor Wordsmith, a doctor whose choice of words often gives the family false hope or, as in this episode, unnecessary grief. - Barry Zuckerkorn's gay secretary, first seen in "In God We TrustIn God We Trust (Arrested Development episode)"In God We Trust" is the eighth episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael Bluth has called a meeting with his family's longtime attorney, Barry Zuckerkorn, to discuss his father's incarceration. But Barry proves difficult to work with. Michael and his sister, Lindsay, are...
" can be both seen and heard standing in front of the audience that attends Tobias's book reading at the bookstore.
Foreshadowing/Future References
- For the first time, Maeby appears not only to be aware of George Michael's crush on her, but also to have feelings of her own toward her cousin. This will become a major theme toward the end of Season 2 and in Season 3.
- Michael tells George Michael, “Pack your bags,” and the two are absent from "on the next..." scenes. We find out 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:...
" that they are going to Arizona, although the rest of the family think they have only gone home. - George Sr. admits that Lucille convinced him into the model home deal with Saddam HusseinSaddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, a possible hint into the revelation that Lucille was secretly the one controlling George Sr. and the business, as revealed in "Development ArrestedDevelopment 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:...
."
Goofs
- In the opening scene when Michael uses the remote to turn the TV off, the trim work of the entertainment center comes loose and swings into a speaker, knocking it from the wall onto the floor. A moment later Lindsay enters the room and as the camera pans back to Michael we can see over his shoulder that the speaker is back on the wall. In the audio commentary Mitch Hurwitz reveals that the speaker was not intended to fall, which may account for the goof.
- George Michael has a sandwich and a soda despite being on the Atkins diet when Michael approaches him to leave. (According to the DVD commentary, this was a mistake.)
- When Tobias is walking down the street eating a corndog, the man behind him (to the camera's right) turns around to look at Tobias. In the next camera cut, the man is suddenly facing forward, only to turn around and look at Tobias again.
- After Lindsay arrives at the hospital and embraces her mother, a boom mic pole can be seen briefly in the upper left corner of the screen.