Exit Strategy (10 Feb. 2006)

GOB heads to Iraq via his participation in the U.S.O., where he is quickly arrested and being held by the U.S. military. The prosecutors believe this is treasonous, so Michael and Buster ... See full summary »

Director:

Rebecca Asher

Writers:

Mitchell Hurwitz (creator), James Vallely,

Stars:

Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Bateman	...	Michael Bluth
Portia de Rossi	...	Lindsay Bluth Fünke
Will Arnett	...	Gob Bluth
Michael Cera	...	George-Michael Bluth
Alia Shawkat	...	Maeby Fünke
Tony Hale	...	Buster Bluth
David Cross	...	Tobias Fünke
Jeffrey Tambor	...	George Bluth Sr.
Jessica Walter	...	Lucille Bluth
Gary Cole	...	Richard Shaw
Richard Belzer	...	Detective John Munch
John Michael Higgins	...	Wayne Jarvis
Bronwen Masters	...	Adelaide
Mitsu	...	Cho
Al No'mani	...	Saddam (as Al No'Mani)

Storyline

GOB heads to Iraq via his participation in the U.S.O., where he is quickly arrested and being held by the U.S. military. The prosecutors believe this is treasonous, so Michael and Buster head to Iraq to free GOB. There, they visit the house they built and discover what's really inside.

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Plot Keywords:

saddam hussein

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 February 2006 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 5, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Imagine Television, Hurwitz Company, The, 20th Century Fox Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the next to last episode of the series, "Exit Strategy", Michael, Buster, and G.O.B. encounter Saddam Hussein lookalikes, one of whom is played by Larry Thomas, who famously portrayed the "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld. This is an inside joke for the series, as George Bluth comments in an earlier episode that when he first met Saddam he thought he was meeting the man who played the "Soup Nazi."

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Quotes

Adelaide: Oh Adelaide how could you do this again?
Narrator: It wasnt' the first time.
Adelaide: [flashback] Faker!
[she slaps the coma victim]
Adelaide: [flashback] Faker!
[she slaps the coma victim]
Adelaide: Oh Gary, if you love me, you'll take that first step.
[he does, she slaps him and he falls to the floor]
Adelaide: Faker!
Narrator: She was wrong on that one. It really was love that made Gary take that first step.

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Connections

References Homicide: Life on the Street (1993)

User Reviews

They set out to make great television. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Exit Strategy is the second last episode of the series, and the last to be co-authored by the amazing duo of Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Vallely. Those two have produced some of the greatest episodes (starting with Pier Pressure), and this one is no exception. Exit Strategy wraps up the Iraqi storyline, advances the George Michael-Maeby storyline and burns George W. Bush in more ways than one.

Arrested Development's plot has always been tied in with the Iraq War, and in the climax this brings us to Iraq itself. It's fitting, though not entirely relatable since so few AD viewers have probably actually been there. GOB is performing in Iraq but is captured by American troops for apparently being an enemy combatant. Michael and Buster go to Iraq to get him free. The episode ultimately confirms what George has been saying since Spring Breakout- that when it comes to the light treason charges, he was set up. This brings me to a theory some friends and I developed relating Arrested Development to The Wizard of Oz. George is, essentially, the wizard. He seemed to be a powerful head of the family but as seen here and in the series finale, the image was stronger than the man. Lindsay is Dorothy- the female protagonist who came from far away (Boston), while her siblings are the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion for reasons we can see in this very episode. GOB is the Scarecrow because he feels intellectually inadequate. Here he's too stupid to escape from the Iraqi prison despite having some opportunities to do so. Michael is the Tin Man- GOB accuses him of having no feelings, but in the next episode Michael shows he does have feelings when he cries. Buster is the lion- whether Buster is a coward is discussed several times in this episode; in other episodes he's noted for his panic attacks. This leaves Lucille as the Wicked Witch- although we'll see that side of her more in the next episode than in this one.

The laughs in this episode are good. Putting Tobias in Maeby's suit is priceless though having him recite a Vagina Monologue is a bit too much. George Michael associating Maeby with secrets is brilliant. The torment Buster goes through in his coma is hilarious, and the nurse has a great line about vegetables. The episode also turns dark when the US government comes close to killing the Bluths.

But this episode has an emotional side in addition to its comedy. There's a scene with George Michael and Maeby drinking the fake wine before eventually making out. I agree with the show's conclusion that incest is wrong, even in cases of adoption, but hearing George Michael confess his love for Maeby is oddly sweet. It's kind of a testimony to the aches of love. The scene is helped with the You Here With Me theme, unheard since season 1, which showed how they really were in love. There's no show like AD.