How Well Do You Know Arrested Development?

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As time goes by and technology advances, it would seem that we as a species are turning away from the usual ways we take in entertainment. While we used to rely on television studios to throw money towards the more deserving shows rather than the ones who would make them the most profit, now we rely almost entirely on streaming services like Netflix. This allows creatives to go directly to the source and for the streaming services to learn from the mistakes of their televisual ancestors.

Netflix has been reliably throwing money at various comedians, television writers, and film directors, knowing that if they create enough Netflix Original content, they'll not only be able to make their money back but also convince other artists to come to them as well. This has not only allowed them to give newer people a chance, but also resurrect old favorites.

One of those old favorites is Arrested Development, a show that proved to be a critical darling among the critics and fans, but didn't prove to be the rating winner that Fox was hoping for. This lead to numerous cut episodes before the show was eventually dropped by Fox. Unsurprisingly, the ravenous fans were upset as they watched one of the smartest television comedies removed from the air. Are you one of those fans? Do you think you know everything there is to know about Arrested Development? Let's find out!

Question 1

What Is The Name Of The Song That Gob Plays While He Performs?

Everything about Gob's obsession with showmanship was made gaudy on purpose, thereby making the audience of the show just as sick as the in-show audience that was forced to watch this tragic magician constantly fail. Failure can be funny when it happens to somebody with an insane ego, which is certainly something that Gob had a problem with, but it also came down to how badly you never wanted the man to succeed anyway. Nothing about his show was endearing, including his choice of music.

Question 2

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Michael?

In a lot of ways, Michael was written in to act as the person attempting to puppet master the Bluth family. We quickly learn that the real puppet master is Lucille, but that doesn't stop Michael from attempting to bring the rest of his family to task while ignoring as many of his Bluth genes and family traits as possible. I mean, Michael is the good guy in all of this, so he would never do anything as awful as the rest of his family, right?

Question 3

What Part Of His Body Does Buster Lose When Attacked By A "Loose Seal?"

One of the many bits of wordplay seen throughout the series, this loss actually caused a lot of worry to the actor who played Buster, Tony Hale. He was worried that without this part, he wouldn't be able to emote as well, thereby making his performance lackluster when compared to the previous episodes or his colleagues. The writers must have disagreed and went through with it anyway, wringing as many laughs as possible from Buster's loss while also allowing the actor the chance to show off his abilities.

Question 4

What Is The Name Of Gob's Puppet?

One of the greater bits of satire throughout the show for many was the introduction of Gob's black puppet. With an overwhelming sense of irony, the actor Will Arnett was asked to put on a racist accent and wield a black puppet on his hand to highlight how out of touch many members of the Bluth family really are. Throw in a tee that says "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black Puppets" and you've got a recipe for hilarity right there.

Question 5

What Is The Name Of The Man Who Voiced The Narrator?

Believe it or not, this guy was just a placeholder for the pilot version of the show, but they felt that he did such a good job and fit the vibe of the show so well that they'd keep him on for the entire series. It's funny how sometimes you can go from helping someone out to essentially having a job within the space of one television show, isn't it? I wish it was that easy for me to get a job!

Question 6

What Is The Name Of Henry Winkler's Character?

The idea of taking old actors that were once famous and bringing them back for a career swan song is one that has worked for many different people, Henry Winkler included. Since his reemergence into the cultural psyche through Arrested Development, he has gone on to appear in various other projects that were far more successful than his previous endeavors to cast off his younger image. Just look at people like John Travolta after Pulp Fiction and you'll see that this can be a smart career move.

Question 7

Where Is There Always Money?

The reason that Arrested Development won so many awards and gained the trust of so many viewers is that it was bringing smart writing to television. While the rest of television comedy continued to roll about in the same jokes and canned laughter in the hope of bringing in audiences, the Arrested Development team decided that they'd use visual cues and wordplay to show just how smart television comedy can be. There's no need to dumb everything down when you trust the intelligence of your audience.

Question 8

Which Actor Plays The Character Of George Michael?

Honestly, the choice to call him George Michael was a stroke of genius on the part of whichever writer originally came up with it. There's something so simple and yet hilarious about a shy/unassuming boy being named the same as a man who was not only flamboyantly gay but also constantly in the news due to his sex life and drug use. I wonder if they ever realized how funny this choice would eventually become for them? I doubt it.

Question 9

Which Actress Plays The Character Of Lucille?

After Arrested Development, this woman moved onto working on things like Archer, along with another member of the Arrested Development cast! While older viewers may have noticed that this actress also appeared in many of their favorites from the past, she was entirely new to the younger audience, and she left quite the impression! Her ability to play a strong female who essentially lorded over everyone else was loved by the entire audience and she managed to get just as many laughs as well.

Question 10

What Other Famous Character Did Henry Winkler Also Play?

Henry Winkler did a fantastic job of playing the incompetent lawyer in Arrested Development. In comedies, it seems that the most basic character that gets written over and over again is the professional that is in way over their head. For some reason, we're not sick of it yet, so the character keeps getting written. What is it about the inept professional that tickles our funny bones so much? Is it just the basic juxtaposition that is getting the laughs out of us?

Question 11

What Is Lucille Austero's Nickname?

I wonder if they will manage to sign Liza Minelli for the new series? She felt like a cameo appearance at first but quickly spread out into becoming a main cast member. Sadly, the years have been ever so slightly cruel to Liza Minelli. She has become somewhat of a recluse and even when she does appear in public, you can see the amount of damage that time has had. It'll be interesting to see if they get her for the new series.

Question 12

What Is The Name Of The Defective Product That George Sr. Attempted To Make And Sell?

Believe it or not, they actually got Richard Simmons to make a small cameo on the show, playing himself and advertising this very product! I can't remember why this was so funny, but I do remember that George Sr proceeded to call him a string of rude names when the advertisement didn't exactly go as planned. Actually, I would wonder if you'd get away with some of those names in the modern day, but I suppose if you're laughing at the character not with them then it's fine?

Question 13

After Barry Zuckerkorn, What Is The Name Of The Lawyer The Bluth Family Replace Him With?

It actually surprised me that the writers did this. While it made a lot of sense for the characters to bring in a lawyer who was actually good at his job, and it allowed them to make a meta joke that they were so fond of making, it seems to me that it might be difficult to make something as boring as a couple of lawyers funny. Thankfully, the writers lived up to the task, but if you're a writer consider how difficult this could've been.

Question 14

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Gob?

Before Arrested Development, this man had appeared in various pilots for projects that never took off, which is why he almost swore off them entirely. However, after reading the script for the Arrested Development pilot, his agent pushed him into doing it. Now, the role has arguably changed his life. Before he had struggled with alcoholism and a stagnant career. Now he's clean and working on various projects for Netflix. Have to say that that is quite the career reversal!

Question 15

Which Actress Plays The Character Of Lindsay?

Lindsay is the Bluth child that inherited the good looks. That's not to say that she can't also be smart or charming either, but it's certainly her looks that have got her through most of her life. She attempts to lead a better life than the one handed to her by her family, pretending that she cares so much for charitable causes, but it becomes quickly apparent that it is more about the appearance of caring that she is interested in.

Question 16

What Career Does Maebe Funke Acquire After Lying About Her Age?

One thing that endeared entire audiences to this show is the fact that each character had their own clearly defined personality that allowed them to bring their own spin to the show. While Maebe certainly started out as a way to highlight the terrible parenting skills of the Funke family, it was these terrible skills that then lead to her being written in as a smart kid who was able to get whatever she wanted. She was used to being in the background, and she used this to her advantage.

Question 17

What Is The Name Of The Bluth Company's Rival Firm?

Giving the ridiculously cruel and unpleasant Bluth family a rival was a smart decision. While we're meant to understand that they're horrible, they also seemingly never have to make much retribution for their actions, so to know that there was somebody out there actively attempting to make them fail was cathartic for the audience. This way, it seemed as if the time for the Bluth family's failure was just around the corner for them, rather than always out of the writer's grasp.

Question 18

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Tobias?

This guy definitely has more of a following now than he did before Arrested Development. Interestingly enough, he was originally asked to come in and read for the part of Gob, but he said that the character of Tobias was much more conducive to him as a human being. He had no idea how he would play a character like Gob, as his own personality was nothing like his. He saw much more of himself within the character of Tobias. Is that a good or a bad thing?

Question 19

What Is The Name Of Charlize Theron's Character?

The whole satirical look at the way we have little cultural hotspots within major cities with the introduction of Charlize Theron and "wee England" seems like a great addition to an already loved show. It also allowed for them to utilize the acting talents of Charlize Theron! However, there's a joke that I won't spoil that I can tell you now always comes as a surprise when I see it to this day regarding Theron's character, purely because of the use of a single word that now seems shocking.

Question 20

Finish The Quote: "I've Made A Huge" What?

While it's usually Gob who is finishing off this quote, most of the main characters get a chance to use it in some way throughout the four seasons we have so far. One thing that many people love about the show is its use of running gags, with the writers coming up with more and more interesting ways to incorporate them into the show. This is more than just a catchphrase, this is a challenge to the writers to make us laugh every time they write the joke in.

Question 21

What Is The Name Of The Show's Creator?

Before creating the show, this man had a very limited amount of major work within in showbiz. Sure, he had done his fair share and had helped co-create The Ellen Show, a show business connection that would show up later on within the life of Arrested Development, but it wasn't until this show that he seemed to really spread his wings and find what he was looking for. It allowed him the chance to create the truly smart and original comedy, Arrested Development.

Question 22

Which Fox News Anchor Regularly Appeared On The Show?

Unless you're so obsessed with Fox News that you know the name of every anchor that they have, this one will probably only be answerable by the people that live in the same area as the Arrested Development characters. That's right, they were able to get the actual newsreader for the area that the show was set in! If you ask me, that's pretty impressive. To be fair, the guy has also appeared in various other movies and television shows as well.

Question 23

What Is The Name That Tobias Identifies As Due To His Condition?

While I don't think it has a real name, this condition always seemed way too real for me. If you don't know, Tobias' character is unable to get naked because of a psychological problem. There are a lot of people on this planet who suffer from the shame of not being clothed, a problem that often affects most people at some point during their life. The fact that it was played for laughs never felt mean to people in real life though.

Question 24

Which Actress Plays The Character Of Maeby?

Since Arrested Development, this woman is the only member of the cast who has chosen to take a particularly low profile. That's not to say that she hasn't taken part in various projects, including her part in a fantastic online show that you should all take a look into, but she hasn't gone on to star in major Hollywood blockbusters like the rest of the main cast have. In a lot of ways, that may be better, as there's likely more freedom on the set of an indie film.

Question 25

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Oscar?

For fans of the show, you'll know exactly why we weren't able to show you a picture of this character, but anybody who doesn't immediately know the answer will be able to see by the choices we've given you as well. The choice to enter this character into the mix, both comedically and narratively, will have been met well by fans of the show. It allowed one actor to really show off their acting ability while adding a whole new dimension to the relationship between Lucille and George.

Question 26

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Bob Loblaw?

This was actually used as a meta reference when the actor first appeared in the show, which may give some of you a clue as to who the answer is, but unless you recognize this guy's face I imagine you won't be able to get this one. Apart from a single major project in his life, this guy hasn't gone on to much either successful or impressive. To this day, I'm surprised that they asked him to appear on Arrested Development.

Question 27

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Annyong?

The introduction of Annyong was great as it allowed us the chance to see how truly callous the matriarch of the Bluth family was, especially when she then sent him away once she was done using him as a prop to make her other son jealous. However, his use as a narrative character, eventually coming round to be revealed as a major player behind the scenes once we get to the end of the third season, was a great bit of narrative work.

Question 28

What Is The Milford School's Motto?

Often played for laughs at the expense of Buster, the Milford School clearly had a lot of effect on some of the Bluth children. While Michael hopes that the school will have the same effect on his son, for some reason, they're not willing to let him in because of the family's reputation in the media. They don't choose to make a point of it, but there could've been a lot of satire dug from the concept of a rich family being turned down due to their own infamy.

Question 29

Which Actress Plays The Character Of Ann?

Ann was actually played by two women, but we only want to know the actress who played her for most of the series, not the woman who played her for a single episode during her first appearance. This sudden change was actually played for laughs throughout the entire series, as they were able to find another actress who looked like her and decided to constantly make meta-references to this fact by making the Bluth family unable to differentiate Ann from various other people and objects.

Question 30

Which Actor Plays The Character Of Buster?

It only makes sense that with a mother as conniving and cruel as Lucille Bluth that one of the children would end up pretty messed up by the time they made it to adulthood. Why she waited until the youngest son we'll never know, but it's interesting to note that each one of the Bluth children has their own defining characteristic within their personalities, while Buster is entirely Lucille's plaything. No brains, no charm and no beauty, Buster is a helpless case.

Question 31

What Problem Does Lucille Austero Suffer With?

It's generally accepted that while the show is great, it does have its flaws, one of those being the entirely cynical nature of it. Even though comedy shows have made fun of people's health problems in the past, we often expect more from more modern comedies, which is why it's interesting that Lucille Austero's predicament was rather regularly played for laughs throughout the series. It's not absolutely horrific, but it does stray into some pretty cynical territory during the many episodes.

Question 32

Who Is Buster's Real Father?

Yeah, we thought we'd throw in a hard one right at the end because there is no chance you'll get this one unless you've spent some time with the series. The show managed to throw together quite a lot of plot threads while still remaining funny, something that is often very difficult to do. This is why dramatic shows tend to get the impressive narratives while comedies put all of their efforts into making sure that they're funny. Makes sense, but I like a good mix of both.

Question 33

Which Actor Plays The Character Of George Sr?

Tambor was actually only meant to appear sporadically throughout the series, just as Tobias Funke was as well, but when the writers saw how well the actors worked with the cast and how great their delivery of the lines was, they decided that they'd put them in as main characters instead. This was a great choice, as Tobias Funke was a fan favorite and the ever-changing relationship between George and Lucille is a brilliant part of the show as well.

Question 34

Which Actress Plays The Character Of Kitty?

Of all the female characters in Arrested Development, I feel like Kitty got it the worst, which was always a surprise to the audience because she's a lovely looking woman. Before seeing her in Arrested Development, you likely saw Kitty in more mainstream projects before her longstanding career as a voice actor for Archer, a role that she shares with the woman who plays Lucille! It's nice to see people get jobs with old colleagues, isn't it? Let's hope they actually get along!

Question 35

What Is The Name Of Michael's Late Wife?

We don't often hear about Michael's late wife throughout the series. Apart from a flashback during the much later era of the show, we don't even get to see what she looks or sounds like, and yet her absence is played for laughs at various points during the series, including a moment where Tobias accidentally mocks Michael for giving him marriage advice before realizing that he is actually laughing at a man for having a dead wife. A great bit of foot in mouth comedy from Tobias there!

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