"Arrested Development" Fakin' It (2006)

Director:

Lev L. Spiro

Writers:

Mitchell Hurwitz (creator)
Dean Lorey (writer) ...

TV Series:

"Arrested Development" (2003)

Original Air Date:

10 February 2006 (Season 3, Episode 10)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

As the family's upcoming deposition nears, they participate in a mock trial, hosted by Judge Reinhold...

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Narration | Identical Twins | Orange County California | Sibling Rivalry

Cast

Jason Bateman	...	Michael Bluth
Portia de Rossi	...	Lindsay Bluth Fünke
Will Arnett	...	George 'Gob' Bluth II
Michael Cera	...	George-Michael Bluth
Alia Shawkat	...	Mae "Maeby" Fünke
Tony Hale	...	Byron "Buster" Bluth
David Cross	...	Tobias Fünke
Jeffrey Tambor	...	George Bluth Sr. / Oscar Bluth
Jessica Walter	...	Lucille Bluth
Judge Reinhold	...	Himself
Carrie Preston	...	Jan Eagleman
Peter Michael Goetz	...	Dr. Farmer
John Michael Higgins	...	Wayne Jarvis
Bud Cort	...	Himself
Michael P. Byrne	...	Bailiiff

Runtime:

Argentina:30 min

Certification:

Argentina:13

Trivia:

Franklin's shirt reads "George Bush doesn't care about black puppets." This is a reference to Kanye West's comment, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Adelaide (Buster's nurse) leans over him, her ID card becomes visible and reads 'Nurse Julia'.

Quotes:

Narrator: And so like two people who no longer felt anything for each other, George Michael and Maeby decided to get married.

Movie Connections:

References "Clerks: A Dissertation on the American Justice System by People Who Have Never Been Inside a Courtroom, Let Alone Know Anything About the Law, But Have Seen Way Too Many Legal Thrillers (#1.4)" (2000)

The beginning of the end is terrific

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Fakin' It is the first part of the four-part finale of Arrested Development, which was aired in its entirety on February 10, 2006 (against the Olympics!). These last four episodes were a considerable artistic accomplishment, much like the first four episodes of the show in season 1.

Here, the Bluths prepare for George Sr.'s trial with a televised mock trial, with actor Judge Reinhold presiding. GOB, who has fixed his black puppet Franklin, gets Franklin on the witness list while Michael handles the defense. Buster doesn't want to testify and goes into a fake coma, and George Michael and Maeby stage a wedding to entertain hospital patients.

Like other episodes of Arrested Development, Fakin' It has a title that fits for more than one reason- fake sleeping, fake son (Franklin), fake trial, fake coma, fake wedding, fake Tobias-Lindsay intimacy. But an episode has to have more than a clever title, and there is indeed more substance that makes for quintessential AD. For starter's, Franklin's back, in his first major role since Righteous Brothers. We get more of the characters ridiculously treating him as an actual person ("Franklin guess what"). Then we get something new (and clever)- GOB manages to write a whole routine with a talking Franklin with just the recorded phrase "My name is Judge." We have returning themes of family unity and loyalty, and the episode ties in well with the Peter Pan lawyer jokes from season 1 (a less gratuitous call-back than others we got in season 3). There are good laughs, with the use of the word "mockery," George's "wedding speech," and the line "seven minutes heals all wounds." It's even got good deleted scenes and bloopers (thankfully available on the DVD)- the "Michaelment" gag is hilariously lame, and Cross' "gift certificate" joke is sharp.

Are there any flaws? I've heard at least one fan say the scene where the doctor suggests the fake wedding is forced, but personally I think it was convincing. My real gripes about this episode is that GOB taking the doctor's tape is cruel (hopefully the patient will be okay), and that George Michael in lying to Maeby becomes unlikeable for the first time (but on AD, no one's perfect). Still, these are minor problems. The beginning of the end is terrific.