The Immaculate Election
Encyclopedia
"The Immaculate Election" is the thirty-sixth episode aired of the TV comedy series Arrested Development.
With nowhere to go, Tobias ends up at the studio where he occasionally works as a guard, and takes up residence in the apartment of Detective Frank Wrench on the set of Wrench. G.O.B. is concerned that Tobias took the video camera, which he needs it to make a magic video of tricks around the office. Michael wants G.O.B. to concentrate on work more, needing him for an upcoming project vote. G.O.B. laughingly mentions the time that George Michael used the video camera to recreate a Star Wars
battle in the garage (a parody of the Star Wars kid
).
Realizing that George Michael might be having self-esteem issues, Michael talks to his son, only to hear Ann has beaten him to it by suggesting George Michael run for student body president. She has offered to run his campaign and create a campaign video. Lupe takes pity on Buster for losing his hand, Lindsay feels sorry for herself for her loss of Lupe, because Lindsay now has to clean the model home by herself.
While looking for a spot to store all the garbage she's collected, Lindsay goes into the attic and comes upon an old friend, the doll she had as a girl, which had become George Sr.'s only friend in the world. At the office, Michael has come to regret having given G.O.B the video camera. During a meeting on the latest Bluth Company project, G.O.B. performs a magic trick. Michael, frustrated that G.O.B. didn't show to give his vote in support of the project, fires his brother. Michael then runs into Maeby, who is using the office copier to make campaign posters for Steve Holt. Michael, now informed that George Michael isn't as popular as he once imagined, heads to the school to prevent his son from signing up for the presidential race. Having been defeated himself in a high school race, Michael knows what a devastating blow this could be.
Lucille finds Buster in bed with Lupe and promptly fires her. Lindsay then comes upon the just-fired Lupe, but Lupe won't work for her. Michael arrives at the school to talk his son out of running for office, but George Michael has already collected the required signatures and is excited to run. Ann is hanging posters highlighting George Michael's chaste nature. G.O.B. arrives at Lucille's to complain that Michael has fired him. Lindsay finds a replacement maid, Tobias, who is dressed like Mrs. Doubtfire
. He borrowed the costume from the studio in an attempt to see his daughter and prove to his wife that he has what it take to become an actor.
Michael returns home. He and Lindsay both immediately recognize Tobias in his costume, but neither say anything to him. Michael is more concerned with his son being crushed by Steve Holt in the school election. Lindsay says it's too bad that George Sr. isn't around because they could have used some of his dirty tricks to rig the election for George Michael. Unfortunately for Michael, George Sr. stumbles across a religious pamphlet left by Ann and has a profound realization. Michael instead goes to G.O.B., who he fired earlier that day. G.O.B. agrees to help, on the condition that Michael re-hire him.
Michael, G.O.B., Ann and George Michael meet to discuss the campaign. G.O.B. asks for every awful rumor about Steve Holt, which causes Ann to walk away in disgust. Maeby meets her new singing nanny, which doesn't go well. After a few days, G.O.B. is ready to unveil George Michael's new message. Steve Holt plays his campaign video, which has been produced by his new campaign manager, Ann. In the Christian-themed video, Steve says that although he didn't know his father, he felt like he had a new father, Jesus. Produced by G.O.B, George Michael's video is an offensive hit piece mocking the fact that Steve Holt doesn't know his own father, accidentally followed by George Michael's Star Wars scene, which was on the tape previously. Steve Holt drops out of the race to find his father. The Indian kid wins with 97% of the vote and George Michael finished dead last. However, he does win back Ann as she is wowed by George Michael's mock lightsaber
skill.
Plot
Michael is surprised to find the house still a mess a week after the fumigation, which Michael had Lindsay call and arrange, long before Michael had begun hiding his fugitive father in the attic. Michael complains about Lindsay's laziness, but she is preoccupied, having finally kicked Tobias out of the house, telling him that he would never work as an actor and that their relationship wouldn't work either.With nowhere to go, Tobias ends up at the studio where he occasionally works as a guard, and takes up residence in the apartment of Detective Frank Wrench on the set of Wrench. G.O.B. is concerned that Tobias took the video camera, which he needs it to make a magic video of tricks around the office. Michael wants G.O.B. to concentrate on work more, needing him for an upcoming project vote. G.O.B. laughingly mentions the time that George Michael used the video camera to recreate a Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
battle in the garage (a parody of the Star Wars kid
Star Wars Kid
"Star Wars Kid" is an Internet meme involving a video of a high school student from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, wielding a golf ball retriever in imitation of Darth Maul's lightsaber moves from the Star Wars films....
).
Realizing that George Michael might be having self-esteem issues, Michael talks to his son, only to hear Ann has beaten him to it by suggesting George Michael run for student body president. She has offered to run his campaign and create a campaign video. Lupe takes pity on Buster for losing his hand, Lindsay feels sorry for herself for her loss of Lupe, because Lindsay now has to clean the model home by herself.
While looking for a spot to store all the garbage she's collected, Lindsay goes into the attic and comes upon an old friend, the doll she had as a girl, which had become George Sr.'s only friend in the world. At the office, Michael has come to regret having given G.O.B the video camera. During a meeting on the latest Bluth Company project, G.O.B. performs a magic trick. Michael, frustrated that G.O.B. didn't show to give his vote in support of the project, fires his brother. Michael then runs into Maeby, who is using the office copier to make campaign posters for Steve Holt. Michael, now informed that George Michael isn't as popular as he once imagined, heads to the school to prevent his son from signing up for the presidential race. Having been defeated himself in a high school race, Michael knows what a devastating blow this could be.
Lucille finds Buster in bed with Lupe and promptly fires her. Lindsay then comes upon the just-fired Lupe, but Lupe won't work for her. Michael arrives at the school to talk his son out of running for office, but George Michael has already collected the required signatures and is excited to run. Ann is hanging posters highlighting George Michael's chaste nature. G.O.B. arrives at Lucille's to complain that Michael has fired him. Lindsay finds a replacement maid, Tobias, who is dressed like Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy film starring Robin Williams and Sally Field and based on the novel Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. It was directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup...
. He borrowed the costume from the studio in an attempt to see his daughter and prove to his wife that he has what it take to become an actor.
Michael returns home. He and Lindsay both immediately recognize Tobias in his costume, but neither say anything to him. Michael is more concerned with his son being crushed by Steve Holt in the school election. Lindsay says it's too bad that George Sr. isn't around because they could have used some of his dirty tricks to rig the election for George Michael. Unfortunately for Michael, George Sr. stumbles across a religious pamphlet left by Ann and has a profound realization. Michael instead goes to G.O.B., who he fired earlier that day. G.O.B. agrees to help, on the condition that Michael re-hire him.
Michael, G.O.B., Ann and George Michael meet to discuss the campaign. G.O.B. asks for every awful rumor about Steve Holt, which causes Ann to walk away in disgust. Maeby meets her new singing nanny, which doesn't go well. After a few days, G.O.B. is ready to unveil George Michael's new message. Steve Holt plays his campaign video, which has been produced by his new campaign manager, Ann. In the Christian-themed video, Steve says that although he didn't know his father, he felt like he had a new father, Jesus. Produced by G.O.B, George Michael's video is an offensive hit piece mocking the fact that Steve Holt doesn't know his own father, accidentally followed by George Michael's Star Wars scene, which was on the tape previously. Steve Holt drops out of the race to find his father. The Indian kid wins with 97% of the vote and George Michael finished dead last. However, he does win back Ann as she is wowed by George Michael's mock lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
skill.
Cultural references
- The title is a play on the Christian Feast of the Immaculate ConceptionFeast of the Immaculate ConceptionThe Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is celebrated on 8 December, nine months before the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on 8 September. It is the patronal feast day of the United States and the Republic of the...
, referring to G.O.B.'s fathering of Steve Holt. - Many references compare the school election in this episode to the 2004 U.S. Presidential election that took place the preceding fall. Michael parodies John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, while Steve Holt represents George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Rav Nadir (Omi VaidyaOmi VaidyaOmi Vaidya is an Indian American actor who is best known for his performance as Chatur Ramalingam or "The Silencer" in the 2009 Bollywood film, 3 Idiots. In addition, Vaidya has directed two short films and worked as an editor on others. He has also appeared in a number of television programs and...
) has a name which is similar to Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
. - After his religious awakening, George Sr. compares G.O.B. and Michael to the "brothers, Gallant and Goofeth".
- The wedding anniversary video with the living statue is a parody of the famous birthday party video used by prosecutors in the Dennis KozlowskiDennis KozlowskiLeonard Dennis Kozlowski is a former CEO of Tyco International, convicted in 2005 of crimes related to his receipt of $81 million in purportedly unauthorized bonuses, the purchase of art for $14.725 million and the payment by Tyco of a $20 million investment banking fee to Frank Walsh, a former...
trial during the Tyco scandalhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rcxO6urHTE. - The song that Tobias sings as Mrs. Featherbottom is a parody of a Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (film)Mary Poppins is a 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, produced by Walt Disney, and based on the Mary Poppins books series by P. L. Travers with illustrations by Mary Shepard. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, with songs by...
song, "A Spoonful of SugarA Spoonful of Sugar"A Spoonful Of Sugar" is a song from Walt Disney's 1964 film and the musical versions of Mary Poppins, composed by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman....
".
- Tobias disguises himself as a British nanny in order to spend time with his daughter, which mirrors the plot of the film Mrs. DoubtfireMrs. DoubtfireMrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy film starring Robin Williams and Sally Field and based on the novel Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. It was directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup...
. - George Michael videotapes himself pretending to fight with a lightsaber. During the parody, George Michael play-acts the loss of his hand; the camera immediately cuts to a close-up of Buster. This is a parody of the Star Wars KidStar Wars Kid"Star Wars Kid" is an Internet meme involving a video of a high school student from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, wielding a golf ball retriever in imitation of Darth Maul's lightsaber moves from the Star Wars films....
video that had been popular on the internet of an overweight boy swinging a fake lightsaber.
Cameos
- Gary (the gay employee at the Bluth Company) makes his third appearance, operating the camera for G.O.B.'s "Tricks Around the Office" video.
- An actor referencing Frank Wrench is heard off-screen while Tobias is using the bathroom of the Wrench set. "This cop is dirty, so Frank Wrench is gonna clean them!.. Why is this door locked?" Then Ron Howard says "Is somebody using the set bathroom!?"
- Phyllis Smith makes a brief credited appearance as "Carla" during the office meeting, but has no lines. Within several weeks of this episode's original air date, she would begin appearing regularly in NBC's The Office.
- When George Michael's campaign video is shown, Mr. Banana Grabber appears in the fast cycle of superstitious symbols.