Bringing Up Buster

Last updated
"Bringing Up Buster"
Arrested Development episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 3
Directed by Joe Russo
Written by Mitchell Hurwitz
Richard Rosenstock
Cinematography by James Hawkinson
Editing by Lee Haxall
Production code1AJD02
Original air dateNovember 16, 2003 (2003-11-16)
Running time22 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Top Banana"		Next →
"Key Decisions"
Arrested Development season 1
List of episodes

"Bringing Up Buster" is the third episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development . It was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and consulting producer Richard Rosenstock, and directed by producer Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on November 16, 2003.

Contents

The series, narrated by Ron Howard, follows the Bluths, a formerly wealthy, dysfunctional family, who made their money from property development. The Bluth family consists of Michael, his twin sister Lindsay, his older brother Gob, his younger brother Buster, their mother Lucille and father George Sr., as well as Michael's son George Michael, and Lindsay and her husband Tobias' daughter Maeby. In the episode, Michael spends a day with Buster, while George Michael auditions for a school play.

Plot

In the mid-70s, George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) had attempted to market a cornball maker called the "Cornballer", but was unsuccessful, as the machine was made illegal all over the world after multiple people burned themselves while using the device. The Cornballer, however, managed to become popular in Mexico.

In the present, Maeby (Alia Shawkat) auditions for a play at her school, wanting to get closer to her crush, Steve Holt (Justin Grant Wade), who also auditioned. George Michael (Michael Cera), wanting to get closer to his cousin Maeby, also auditioned, but only got the part titled "Stand-in for Steve Holt." Tobias (David Cross), thinking Maeby auditioned so she could be an actress like him, talks to the school and becomes the new stage director, resulting in Meaby quitting the play. After a conversation with Michael (Jason Bateman), Tobias begins to suspect that George Michael has a crush on Steve Holt, which later results in George Michael quitting the play, only to learn Maeby joined the play once again. At the end of the day, George Michael watches as Maeby kisses Steve Holt, unaware Maeby didn't enjoy the kiss.

Because the family funds are frozen, Buster (Tony Hale) has to cancel his yearly summer studies and stays at home with his mother, Lucille (Jessica Walter). She becomes annoyed by his presence and begs Michael to spend time with him. Michael reluctantly agrees and spends the entire day with his brother, though he also finds his presence annoying. At the end of the day, Buster returns with his mom, and Michael and George Michael spend the rest of the day making cornballs on the Cornballer.

On the next Arrested Development...

After reading a negative review about the play, Tobias cries in the shower. Somehow getting on the roof of a building, Buster asks his mom to help get him down.

Production

"Bringing Up Buster" was directed by producer Joe Russo and written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and consulting producer Richard Rosenstock. [1] It was Russo's second directing credit, Hurwitz's third writing credit and Rosenstock's first writing credit. [2] It was the second episode of ordered the season to be filmed after the pilot. [3]

Reception

Viewers

In the United States, the episode was watched by 5.78 million viewers on its original broadcast. It received a 2.6 percent share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49, meaning that it was seen by 2.6% of all households in that demographic. [4]

Critical reception

The A.V. Club writer Noel Murray praised the episode's main message overall, stating that "A lot of 'Bringing Up Buster' is concerned with the characters’ opinions of each other’s parenting choices, which means a public family squabble suits the theme." [5] Olivia Armstrong from Decider praised the simplicity of the episode, stating that "As far as television writing goes, 'Bringing Up Buster' is as flawless as it gets. Though the subplots become a bit convoluted over the life of the series, this is an episode anyone unfamiliar with Arrested Development can grasp and get to know the dynamics within the Bluth family without having to backtrack." [6] In 2019, Brian Tallerico from Vulture ranked the episode as the twelfth best of the whole series. [7]

Related Research Articles

"Good Grief" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 26th overall episode of the series, and was written by consulting producer John Levenstein and directed by Jeff Melman. It originally aired on Fox on December 5, 2004. The episode is series creator Mitchell Hurwitz's third favorite episode.

"The One Where Michael Leaves" is the first episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 23rd overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Richard Rosenstock, and directed by Lee Shallat Chemel. It originally aired on Fox on November 7, 2004. The title is a reference to the sitcom Friends, which had finished airing six months earlier.

"Top Banana" is the second episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer John Levenstein, and directed by producer Anthony Russo. It originally aired on Fox on November 9, 2003.

"Visiting Ours" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by co-executive producer John Levenstein and consulting producer Richard Rosenstock, and directed by Greg Mottola. It originally aired on Fox on December 7, 2003.

"In God We Trust" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by Abraham Higginbotham and directed by producer Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on December 14, 2003.

"Motherboy XXX" is the thirteenth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 35th overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Jim Vallely, and directed by Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on March 13, 2005. The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, with it being Hurwitz's fourth favorite episode.

Righteous Brothers (<i>Arrested Development</i>) 18th episode of the 2nd season of Arrested Development

"Righteous Brothers" is the eighteenth and final episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 40th overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Jim Vallely, and directed by Chuck Martin. It originally aired on Fox on April 17, 2005.

"Pier Pressure" is the tenth episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by consulting producer Jim Vallely and series creator Mitchell Hurwitz, and directed by producer Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on January 11, 2004. The episode is Hurwitz's joint-favorite episode with "Making a Stand", and it was received mostly positive reviews from critics.

"Marta Complex" is the twelfth episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by co-executive producer John Levenstein and consulting producer Jim Vallely, and directed by producer Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on February 8, 2004.

"Afternoon Delight" is the sixth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 28th overall episode of the series, and was written by executive story editor Abraham Higginbotham and supervising producer Chuck Martin, and directed by series star Jason Bateman. It originally aired on Fox on December 19, 2004.

Pilot (<i>Arrested Development</i>) 1st episode of the 1st season of Arrested Development

"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and directed by producers Anthony and Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on November 2, 2003. An uncensored, extended version of the episode was released as a special feature on the DVD home release.

"Making a Stand" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 48th overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Chuck Tatham, and directed by Peter Lauer. It originally aired on Fox on December 12, 2005. The episode is Hurwitz's joint-favorite episode, the other being "Pier Pressure", while also making the Parents Television Council's Worst Primetime TV Show of the Week list for the first week of 2006 due to its "graphic violence and dysfunction."

"Development Arrested" is the thirteenth and final episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development, and is the 53rd overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producers Chuck Tatham and Jim Vallely from a story by co-executive producer Richard Day and series creator Mitchell Hurwitz, and was directed by John Fortenberry. It was the final episode to air on Fox before the series was cancelled. The episode originally aired on February 10, 2006, along with the three previous episodes in a two-hour block against NBC's coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. The series was later revived by Netflix for a fourth and fifth season.

"Sad Sack" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 27th overall episode of the series, and was written by supervising producer Barbie Adler and directed by Peter Lauer. It originally aired on Fox on December 12, 2004.

"The Cabin Show" is the first episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 41st overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Vallely, and directed by Paul Feig. It originally aired on Fox on September 19, 2005.

"Best Man for the Gob" is the nineteenth episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Richard Rosenstock, and directed by Lee Shallat Chemel. It originally aired on Fox on April 4, 2004.

"Let 'Em Eat Cake" is the twenty-second and final episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and consulting producer Jim Vallely, and directed by Paul Feig. It originally aired on Fox on June 6, 2004.

"Not Without My Daughter" is the twenty-first episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Richard Rosenstock, and directed by Lee Shallat Chemel. It originally aired on Fox on April 25, 2004.

"Meat the Veals" is the sixteenth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 38th overall episode of the series, and was written by supervising producer Barbie Adler and co-executive producer Richard Rosenstock, and directed by Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on April 3, 2005.

"Hand To God" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 34th overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and supervising producer Chuck Martin, and directed by Joe Russo. It originally aired on Fox on February 13, 2005, airing back-to-back with the previous episode, "Out on a Limb".

References

  1. ↑ Manager, Mr (2018-11-17). "Season 1, Episode 3: Bringing Up Buster". Deconstructing Arrested Development. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  2. ↑ "Arrested Development". directories.wga.org. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  3. ↑ "20th Century Fox - Fox In Flight". web.archive.org. 2011-10-30. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  4. ↑ Kissell, Rick (November 17, 2003). "Listen to the 'Music'". Variety . Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  5. ↑ Noel Murray (June 8, 2011). "Arrested Development: "Bringing Up Buster"/"Key Decisions"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  6. ↑ Olivia Armstrong (July 3, 2014). "'Arrested Development' Season One, Episode 3: "Bringing Up Buster"". Decider . Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  7. ↑ Tallerico, Brian (2019-03-18). "Every Episode of Arrested Development, Ranked". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.