Arrested Development's tenth episode Pier Pressure would be a tough act to follow, but the eleventh episode Public Relations somehow manages just fine. I once even saw a fan name it as his or her second favourite episode of the whole series (after Pier Pressure), and although I never ranked it that high, I can totally see where he or she was coming from.
In it, Michael gets a publicist named Jessie who also becomes a love interest, but Michael is afraid a relationship would be tough on his son George Michael. The episode deals a great deal with the Bluths finally moving on after the death of George Michael's mother Tracy Bluth two years prior. When Michael breaks up with Jessie, there is a hilariously awkward scene where he says her name but has no follow-up. Meanwhile, Tobias begins getting acting lessons with real-life actor Carl Weathers, who's depicted as being absurdly cheap. Supposedly, this portrayal of Weathers was his own idea, which show runner Mitch Hurwitz instantly loved.
There's much else to love in this episode. When all nine main characters get together with Jessie they're at fine form. Tobias and Buster shine, Lucille jokes about anti-Semitism and George gives a profound lesson about genitals. At the Milford Academy Michael is amusingly disrespectful of George Michael. Lindsay is also great, claiming she knows Michael's lectures "by heart" but simultaneously revealing she does not. Interestingly, Lindsay's got some fight in her in this episode, which contrasts the later episode Righteous Brothers where Kitty knocks her down with a single punch.
On a side note, this episode is also at the centre of one of the most spectacular misinterpretations of Arrested Development I've ever seen. I heard one fan who was quite convinced a prisoner looking at George Michael strangely wanted to have sex with the boy. I think it was obvious the strange look was in response to George Michael lusting after his own cousin. It's the show's old incest theme again- and Arrested Development without incest would be like hot ham water without ham.
In it, Michael gets a publicist named Jessie who also becomes a love interest, but Michael is afraid a relationship would be tough on his son George Michael. The episode deals a great deal with the Bluths finally moving on after the death of George Michael's mother Tracy Bluth two years prior. When Michael breaks up with Jessie, there is a hilariously awkward scene where he says her name but has no follow-up. Meanwhile, Tobias begins getting acting lessons with real-life actor Carl Weathers, who's depicted as being absurdly cheap. Supposedly, this portrayal of Weathers was his own idea, which show runner Mitch Hurwitz instantly loved.
There's much else to love in this episode. When all nine main characters get together with Jessie they're at fine form. Tobias and Buster shine, Lucille jokes about anti-Semitism and George gives a profound lesson about genitals. At the Milford Academy Michael is amusingly disrespectful of George Michael. Lindsay is also great, claiming she knows Michael's lectures "by heart" but simultaneously revealing she does not. Interestingly, Lindsay's got some fight in her in this episode, which contrasts the later episode Righteous Brothers where Kitty knocks her down with a single punch.
On a side note, this episode is also at the centre of one of the most spectacular misinterpretations of Arrested Development I've ever seen. I heard one fan who was quite convinced a prisoner looking at George Michael strangely wanted to have sex with the boy. I think it was obvious the strange look was in response to George Michael lusting after his own cousin. It's the show's old incest theme again- and Arrested Development without incest would be like hot ham water without ham.
