Arrested Development

Exit Strategy

Season 3, Episode 12, Aired 2/10/06

Episode Summary

Gob goes to Iraq to perform his Christian magic act on the USO tour and ends up incarcerated. Michael learns George, Sr. sent Gob to Iraq to burn down the model home he built there, so Michael and Buster fly to Iraq to spring their brother from prison. George Michael throws Maeby a surprise birthday party.moreless

9.4

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Cast & Crew

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Portia de Rossi

Lindsay Bluth Fünke
Ron Howard

Narrator
Tony Hale

Byron "Buster" Bluth

Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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Michael and Buster go to Iraq to save Gob.

8.2

"Great"

By marysuperfly, Dec 17, 2006 Report Abuse

This episode has a lot of funny dialogue, as usual. Rather than quote anything specifically, I recommend you check out what is listed on this episode's page. Very funny stuff.

I really liked Detective Munch, from Law and Order: SVU, appearing as a guest star. His scrapbook class intended to get information out of Tobias was a "hoot." It's always nice to see characters move around from show to show and make the plot work with the addition of their character. It doesn't always work, but it did in this episode.

As usual, the plot was very cleverly created and demonstrates why this show is so unique.moreless

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And the gloves come off.

9.3

"Superb"

By montaigne61, Oct 02, 2006 Report Abuse

So, George Jr. finds religion, goes to Iraq to clean up after his daddy, lands himself in a real mess, and fails to find any weapons of mass destruction. No, it's not Bob Woodward's latest book, it's Arrested Development. The show has always danced around the politics a little bit, but I guess with the end so near it was finally time to let the gloves come off. Mission accomplished, indeed.

Hey, Maebe's little double life is finally exposed. I'm kind of surprised that the revelation of her age made any difference to her career as a movie producer at all; seems like people are kind of born into it these days. At least she got to find out who her real mother is. Most people would probably prefer proof of a less graphic nature, but anything that turns those little kissing cousins off to sex (particularly with each other) can't be too bad. And so closes the show's most awkward story line.

In spite of the best efforts of himself, his family, and the U.S. Army, Buster finally made his way to Iraq, where he somehow managed to solve all of the Bluths' problems with a cell phone. Not bad, Baby Buster, not bad at all. I really enjoyed the scenes of Iraqis being trained to manage their own security; that's something that we've heard about so often but never really envision happening. Can't forget those metal detectors.moreless

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Gob goes to Iraq

9.8

"Superb"

By jimbo_001, Jul 11, 2006 Report Abuse

As the series reaches its end, Arrested Development still brings out fantastic episodes like this one with great jokes involving Buster trying to be a hero and Gob in prison for his burning Bush illusion which was taken a different way by the Iraqis.

The highlights of this episode would have to be the attempts by the government to get Gob to escape, Maeby and George Michael getting drunk on fake wine and the model home in Iraq filled with Saddam Hussein look-alikes and the WMD that wasn't real.

This episode marks the end of Maeby's career in the movie business as George Michael sends the information about her age to her co-workers and thus ends Maeby's continuing subplot.

Overall, this episode is very funny and I can't wait to see the last one.moreless

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great episode

10

"Perfect"

By metzjedi, May 04, 2006 Report Abuse

The most brilliant part of this episode is that Larry Thomas aka the Soup Nazi, plays a Saddam H. look-a-like.
Back in \\\"for British Eyes Only\\\" George claimed that when he met the real Saddam, he thought he was meeting the Soup Nazi instead. This is another outstanding reason why this show was so good.

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The Bluths ended (unfortuntely) their run as TV's greatest family or lack there of. One of the greatest endings with Ron Howard making a comment on the whole thing.

10

"Perfect"

By cartman2004, Apr 01, 2006 Report Abuse

I thought that the greatest show on TV went out on top.....well not really not even on in their time slot in their catagory. it wrapped everything they had been doing over the 3 seasons including Anyong...who was a spy for the US government. I wish this show would continue on Showtime or ABC or somewhere so we do not have to suffer. This was the only show where I could literally laugh so hard I would miss the next two jokes. I should have been recording them all along. So long A.D. we harldy knew ye.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Gary Cole (the CIA agent) and Jason Bateman previously worked together in 2004's Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story as the commentators for the dodgeball tournament. Edit
- Although the nurse's name is mentioned as Adelaide, her nametag says "Nurse Julia". Edit
Notes
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- The following names are listed in Maeby's address book: Grazer, B; Grey, B; Hilton, P; Holt, S; and Howard, R. They are probably the entries for Brian Grazer, Brad Grey, Paris Hilton, Steve Holt, and Ron Howard. Edit
- Richard Belzer (Det. John Munch) crosses over his role from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Michael: Don't tell me he's not in Iraq. Wayne: Oh, no, he is. In fact, he is on the news right now. Turn the TV! Man on the news: Coming up next: Are bees better at sniffing out drugs than dogs? Wayne: I'm sure it's coming right up. You see, they won't take all day. (Minutes later, and still not on) I bet it's after these unserious ads. It's like they're always there when I turn the TV on. Cho: Why don't we go online? Wayne: Cool your Japanese jets. This is just go -- Uh, it's on! Edit
- Adelaide: Take a single step to share your love, Gary. (The disabled guy takes a step) Ahh! Faker! (slaps him in the face and Gary falls down) Narrator: She was wrong on that one. It was love that make Gary take that step. Edit
- Wayne: Imagine the impact of that scene if it would appear just right after I'd turn the TV on! Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Hidden nuclear warhead: Michael, Gob & Buster finding a nuclear warhead in Iraq is an allusion to the fact that Bush claimed to have invaded Iraq to find nuclear weapons (WMDs) that Saddam had hidden. Edit
- Buster: When I miss your lips, I'll put a fig in my mouth... The scene with Buster and the nurse is an allusion/recreation of the same scene in Notapussy, except there Buster says the actual British term for a cigarette. That term was (comedically) bleeped, as it is used as an anti-gay slur here in North America. Edit
- The hospital at which Buster has been pretending to be in a coma is called "John Wayne General Hospital," which is named after the famous western movie actor. Edit