| "The Immaculate Election" | |
|---|---|
| Arrested Development episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 14 |
| Directed by | Anthony Russo |
| Written by |
|
| Cinematography by | Greg Harrington |
| Editing by | Richard Candib |
| Production code | 2AJD14 |
| Original air date | March 20, 2005 |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"The Immaculate Election" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development . It is the 36th overall episode of the series, and was written by supervising producer Barbie Adler and executive story editor Abraham Higginbotham, and directed by Anthony Russo. It originally aired on Fox on March 20, 2005.
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, George Michael runs a doomed campaign for class president against Steve Holt. Lindsay kicks Tobias out, but he returns as their singing British housekeeper, Mrs. Featherbottom.
Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) has kicked Tobias (David Cross) out of the house, and with nowhere to go, Tobias takes up residence in the apartment of Detective Frank Wrench on the set of Wrench. Ann (Mae Whitman) suggest that George Michael (Michael Cera) should run for student body president, and offers to run his campaign and create a campaign video. At the office, Michael (Jason Bateman) fires Gob (Will Arnett) because he is frustrated that Gob didn't show up to give his vote in support of his project. Maeby (Alia Shawkat) uses the office copier to make campaign posters for Steve Holt (Justin Grant Wade), and Michael, now informed that George Michael isn't as popular as imagined, heads to the school to prevent his son from signing up for the presidential race.
Lucille (Jessica Walter) finds Buster (Tony Hale) in bed with Lupe (B.W. Gonzalez) and fires her. Michael arrives at the school to talk his son out of running for office, but George Michael has already collected the required signatures and is excited to run, and Gob arrives at Lucille's to complain that Michael has fired him. Lindsay hires a maid, Mrs Featherbottom, who is actually Tobias dressed like Mrs. Doubtfire, who had borrowed the costume from the studio in an attempt to see his daughter and prove to his wife that he has what it take to become an actor. Michael and Lindsay both immediately recognize Tobias in his costume, but neither say anything to him, with Michael more concerned with his son being crushed by Steve Holt in the school election.
Michael goes to Gob to help with George Michael, and Gob agrees to help, on the condition that Michael re-hire him. Michael, Gog, Ann and George Michael meet to discuss the campaign, Gob asks for every awful rumor about Steve Holt, which causes Ann to walk away in disgust. Steve Holt plays his campaign video, which has been produced by his new campaign manager, Ann. In the Christian-themed video, Steve says that although he didn't know his father, he felt like he had a new father, Jesus. Produced by Gob, George Michael's video is an offensive hit piece mocking the fact that Steve Holt doesn't know his own father. Steve Holt drops out of the race to find his father, and an Indian kid wins with 97% of the vote. George Michael finishes last, but does win back Ann.
Lucille hires Mrs Featherbottom for her apartment, and Steve Holt tracks down his father, who is Gob.
"The Immaculate Election" was directed by Anthony Russo, and written by supervising producer Barbie Adler and executive story editor Abraham Higginbotham. It was Russo's fourth directing credit, Alder's fifth writing credit and Higginbotham's fourth writing credit. [1] It was the fourteenth episode of the season to be filmed. [2]
In the United States, the episode was watched by 5.73 million viewers on its original broadcast. [3]
The A.V. Club writer Noel Murray praised the episode, saying ""The Immaculate Election", while not as brilliantly batty as "Motherboy XXX," is just about as funny." [4] In 2019, Brian Tallerico from Vulture ranked the episode 49th out of the whole series, calling it "One of the weaker episodes of season two feels like a something of a letdown after the genius of the Motherboy pageant and the initial arc of Buster losing his hand." [5]
"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.
"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.
"¡Amigos!" is the third episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 25th overall episode of the series, and was written by producer Brad Copeland and directed by Lee Shallat Chemel. It originally aired on Fox on November 21, 2004.
"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.
"Prison Break-In" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 47th overall episode of the series, and was written by Karey Dornetto and directed by Robert Berlinger. It originally aired on Fox on December 12, 2005. Series star Jessica Walter said this was one of her favorite episodes of the series.
"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.
"Notapusy" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 44th overall episode of the series, and was written by supervising producer Ron Weiner and directed by Lev L. Spiro. It originally aired on Fox on November 7, 2005, airing back-to-back with the follow-up episode, "Mr. F".
"Exit Strategy" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 52nd overall episode of the series, and was written by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and co-executive producer Jim Vallely, and directed by Rebecca E. Asher. It originally aired on Fox on February 10, 2006, along with the two previous episodes, and the following episode in a two-hour block against NBC's coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
"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."
"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.
"Forget-Me-Now" is the third episode of the third season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 43rd overall episode of the series, and was written by co-executive producer Tom Saunders and directed by supervising producer John Amodeo. It originally aired on Fox on October 3, 2005.
"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.
"Spring Breakout" is the seventeenth 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 executive story editor Abraham Higginbotham, and directed by Anthony Russo. It originally aired on Fox on April 10, 2005.
"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.
"Switch Hitter" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 29th overall episode of the series, and was written by supervising producer Barbie Adler from a story by Courtney Lilly, and directed by Paul Feig. It originally aired on Fox on January 16, 2005.
"Queen for a Day" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It is the 30th overall episode of the series, and was written by producer Brad Copeland and directed by Andrew Fleming. It originally aired on Fox on January 23, 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".
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