| Arrested Development Season 2: Switch Hitter
“Switch Hitter,” which aired on 1/16/05 (as Mr. Bateman was winning his Golden Globe for best actor!!), opens with Michael preparing for a meeting at the model home with the Bluth Company’s chief competitor, Stan Sitwell. Michael claims that he’s having the meeting at home to show Stan that he’s not the only one who builds solid houses, which would certainly have been a poor decision (seeing that the house is falling apart) if it were the truth; Michael’s really having the meeting at home so that his fugitive father can eavesdrop from the attic. GOB, however, finds the timing of the meeting rather suspicious—it is, after all, right before the Bluth team plays Stan’s company in softball. Michael’s confident that Stan sees an opportunity in the Bluth’s failing enterprise, and wants to show Stan the family in their element, which is why he is dismayed to discover that George Michael is once again with Ann. Maeby isn’t happy about this either, since George Michael had promised to help her with her essay on “The Old Man and the Sea;” of course, in seeking “help,” Maeby’s looking for somebody to read the book and explain it in “her own words.” Tobias isn’t so much concerned with Maeby’s lack of responsibility as he is busy accidentally shoving the refrigerator through the wall and into the garage; unfortunately, Tobias can’t stick around to help fix the mess he’s made—he’s up for a minor but meaty role as Confidence Man 2! Maeby is anxious to accompany her father on his dry run to the studio, seeing that George Michael has not written the book report she needs, but Tobias is unsure that Maeby knows anything about con men; Maeby, however, explains to Tobias that it’s “help your dad follow his dream day” at school, and it all makes much more sense to him. Lindsay’s really glad that Sitwell’s coming over, so that he can see that the only help the Bluth family needs is from each other; Michael’s pretty sure that Lindsay also needs help from the pills she’s shoving into her mouth. The pills are Teamocil, a supplement which promises better unity and teamwork—Lindsay, however, is taking them to stunt her sex drive so that she can better manage her marriage. Meanwhile, Lucille and Oscar show up, upset about a recent telegram they’ve received from Buster, which is all blanked out by the government. Lucille has done everything she can to get Buster out of the army—she even tried convincing them Buster was gay, but nobody would believe that she could have a gay son (even though she and Buster did wear matching outfits until he was 12). Neither Lucille nor GOB can believe that Stan Sitwell is coming to the house—Stan has a disease called alopecia, which basically means he can’t even grow his own hair…come on! Despite everybody’s misgivings, Stan does come to the model home, proposing a co-venture between the two companies on the Bluth’s Sudden Valley development and suggesting that the name “Sudden Valley” go since it conjures up images of a sinkhole. Michael’s excited to hear this, seeing as he’d mentioned the idea to his dad two years ago; George, Sr., using his time honored management tool to keep Michael working for his approval, had shot down Michael, accusing him of taking stupid pills. Sitwell’s only condition is that one home in the development must be given to a disadvantaged family from the inner city; GOB is horrified at the idea of forcing the other 449 families to live in fear, but his diatribe is cut short when Sitwell’s eyebrow floats off his face and into the bowl of “candy beans.” Michael is impressed with Stan’s offer, and goes upstairs to seek his father’s approval; George, Sr, however, is curious as to whether or not Michael has started taking stupid pills again…it’s pretty obvious that Sitwell is just trying to get the company’s batting order before the game on Saturday. George, Sr. orders Michael to go downstairs and tell Sitwell to screw himself, but Michael finds that GOB has already done the job, as well as accepted a new job offered by Sitwell himself—they’re going to go pick up his “just woke up hair” together right now! Meanwhile, Maeby, having finished mapping the route to the audition with her father, convinces him to sneak on to the studio lot and talk up the Funke name. George Michael stops by Michael’s office, surprised to find him reinstated as president after GOB’s departure, and suggests that his girlfriend Ann play for the Bluth team on Saturday; the team has previously had difficulty keeping girls on the team because of GOB’s ass-slapping third base coaching and celebratory wet t-shirt contests. Michael’s not on board—he’s got Lindsay on the team this year and can’t pull her off the roster, but tells George Michael that Ann can be back-up (which is a very good way to think about her). George Michael goes off to tell Ann the good news, and Michael calls Lindsay to tell her he needs her play on the softball team this year; Lindsay, feeling the intended effect of Teamocil, is happy to help the team and brush her hair with the phone. GOB, having decided to leave Sitwell Housing after being asked for work ideas, comes back to Michael to reclaim his title as president (and his stuffs), but Michael, desperate to show his father he can do the job, offers to help GOB with his work over at Sitwell. Meanwhile, Lucille and Oscar continue to worry about Buster. It is revealed that Oscar and Lucille actually met in Vietnam when Oscar was serving as a croc-spotter on a swift boat and Lucille was a USO dancer; Lucille had been with an army sergeant named Bill Anderson before leaving him for Oscar, and they decide to contact Anderson to see if he can pull some strings to get Buster out. Tobias is making great progress in talking up the name Funke all over the studio, and Maeby manages to con a studio reader into reading “The Old Man and the Sea” and writing her report for her. GOB’s really happy that Sitwell loved his ideas(which were Michael’s ideas), but he needs more since he read six months worth of proposals in a row at Sitwell’s meeting. Sitwell is happy as well, and presents GOB with a brand new mitt for Saturday’s game. GOB is both angry and overwhelmed by Sitwell’s kindness, but Michael is less torn and goes to brag to George Sr. about the great reception his ideas received at Sitwell. George, Sr. is upset to hear that GOB is over at Sitwell, still convinced that GOB was only recruited so that Sitwell could have the advantage in Saturday’s game, and tells Michael that he’ll only be comfortable with him running the company if Michael can beat Sitwell’s team. Lindsay’s suffering from some adverse reactions to Teamocil, such as numbness of the extremities and memory loss, so Michael informs George Michael that Ann will be playing in the game after all; George Michael’s convinced that Ann will be an asset to the team due to her low center of gravity—they call her The Wall! Meanwhile, after a rousing performance of “Downtown,” Lucille persuades Sergeant Anderson to put Buster in USO rather than combat training, a decision which becomes effective immediately. Michael convinces GOB that Sitwell did indeed hire him for the softball game, and GOB promises to throw the game so that the Bluth team can win. Tobias, having spent a considerable amount of time talking up the name Funke, introduces himself in the audition as Tobias and is passed over. Maeby, however, cashes in on the Funke name when an executive sees her book report, mistaking it for a new project proposal, and agrees to fast track the film. At the long awaited softball game, GOB is playing worse than ever until Sitwell gives him a fatherly pep-talk and hug. With Sitwell’s support and his eyebrow, GOB decides to forget his deal with Michael, slamming the ball into the outfield. GOB is safe at the plate, but the umpire calls him out; this is because the umpire is George,Sr. Michael, furious at his father’s need to control him, admits that GOB was safe and informs George Sr. that he no longer needs his approval. George, Sr. is proud to see Michael asserting himself, and tells him so before randomly running off the field before anyone else can see him. GOB apologizes for not blowing the game, and bonds with Michael over their frustrating father…GOB’s still conflicted though, because he also misses his father so much already and it’s only been 35 seconds…. Bits that make “Arrested Development” the best show on television: Tune in Sundays at 8:30 on Fox for Season Two of Arrested Development Tune in Sunday at 8:30 on Fox for Season Two of Arrested Development. |
Quotes from “Switch Hitter” Michael: I’ll help you with that later. Lindsay: I’m glad Sitwell’s coming over..let him see we’re doing fine as a family. The only help we need is from each other. Lucille: Get me a vodka rocks.. Michael: It’s called alopecia, and I’d appreciate it if we could all be sensitive to it, ok, he happens to be a very modest and generous man. G.O.B: He’s waiting for me outside. We’re gonna swing by his wig maker—his “just woke up” hair is finally ready! Michael: What do you think of when you hear the name “Sudden Valley”? George Michael: She’s gonna be so excited! Michael: I need to do this job, ok I need to prove that I can do this job… Maeby: I need a report by tomorrow before gym—lunch--With Jim--Carrey. It’s the Grinch guy, you’re too young…. Michael: I’ll win the game, and I’ll show him that his little plan didn’t work, alright. We can build houses, we can win games. Michael: He just wants you for the softball game because he’s trying to make our family look foolish.. G.O.B: Sorry I didn’t blow the game…
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