Marta Complex: Difference between revisions
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{{notability|Episode|date=June 2011}} |
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{{original research|date=June 2011}} |
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{{overdetailed|date=June 2011}} |
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{{unreferenced|date=June 2011}} |
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{{Infobox television episode |
{{Infobox television episode |
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| series = [[Arrested Development]] |
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| image = |
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| Series = [[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]] |
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| caption = |
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| season = 1 |
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| episode = 12 |
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| director = [[Russo brothers|Joe Russo]] |
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| writer = John Levenstein<br />[[Jim Vallely]] |
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| photographer = Greg Harrington |
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| editor = Steven Sprung |
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| production = 1AJD11 |
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| Director = [[Russo brothers|Joe Russo]] |
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| airdate = {{Start date|2004|02|08}} |
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| length = 22 minutes |
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| Guests = [[Patricia Velásquez]] as [[Marta Estrella]]<br/>[[Liza Minnelli]] as [[Lucille Austero]]<br/>[[Carl Weathers]] as Himself<br/>[[BW Gonzales]] as [[Lupe (Arrested Development character)|Lupe]]<br/>[[Oliver Patrick Sandino]] as [[Marta Estrella|Amable]]<br/>[[Casey Sandino]] as [[Marta Estrella|Cortesio]] |
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| guests = |
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| On the next = "George Michael begins an investigation, Tobias faces his greatest acting challenge, and Buster rebounds from Lucille 2." (This should be merged with the article text, as it does not appear in the infobox) |
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*[[Liza Minnelli]] as [[List of Arrested Development characters#Lucille Austero|Lucille Austero]] |
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*[[Patricia Velásquez]] as [[List of Arrested Development characters#Marta Estrella|Marta]] |
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*[[Carl Weathers]] as [[List of Arrested Development characters#Carl Weathers|himself]] |
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*B.W. Gonzalez as [[List of Arrested Development characters#Lupe|Lupe]] |
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| prev = [[Public Relations (Arrested Development)|Public Relations]] |
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| next = [[Beef Consommé]] |
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| episode_list = List of Arrested Development episodes |
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"'''Marta Complex'''" is the twelfth episode of the [[Arrested Development season 1|first season]] of the American television [[Satire|satirical]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Arrested Development]].'' It was written by co-executive producer John Levenstein and consulting producer [[Jim Vallely]], and directed by producer [[Russo brothers|Joe Russo]]. It originally aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] on February 8, 2004.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Manager |first=Mr |date=2019-09-08 |title=Season 1, Episode 12: Marta Complex |url=https://deconstructingad.com/2019/09/08/season-1-episode-12-marta-complex/ |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=Deconstructing Arrested Development |language=en}}</ref> |
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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 Bluth|Michael]], his twin-sister [[List of Arrested Development characters#Lindsay Bluth Fünke|Lindsay]], his older brother [[List of Arrested Development characters#Gob Bluth|Gob]], his younger brother [[List of Arrested Development characters#Buster Bluth|Buster]], their mother [[Lucille Bluth|Lucille]] and father [[List of Arrested Development characters#George Bluth, Sr.|George Sr.]], as well as Michael's son [[List of Arrested Development characters#George Michael Bluth|George Michael]], and Lindsay and her husband [[List of Arrested Development characters#Tobias Fünke|Tobias]]' daughter [[List of Arrested Development characters#Maeby Fünke|Maeby]]. In the episode, on Valentine's Day, Marta begins to fall for Michael, to his and Gob's misunderstanding. George Michael investigates his cousin's parentage for validation of his crush. Buster moves out of his mother's apartment. Lindsay wants a divorce from Tobias. |
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"'''Marta Complex'''" is the twelfth episode aired of TV comedy series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. |
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==Plot== |
== Plot == |
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⚫ | [[Michael Bluth|Michael]] ([[Jason Bateman]]) convinces [[Lucille Bluth|Lucille]] ([[Jessica Walter]]) to throw what she thinks is a Valentine's Day party, but is in fact, an anniversary party for [[Tobias Fünke|Tobias]] ([[David Cross]]) and [[Lindsay Fünke|Lindsay]] ([[Portia de Rossi]]). [[Marta Estrella|Marta]] ([[Patricia Velásquez]]) is impressed by the romantic side of Michael when she finds out he's responsible for the party. [[George Michael Bluth|George Michael]] ([[Michael Cera]]) searches for a sign using the messages stamped on candy hearts for his crush on [[Maeby Fünke|Maeby]] ([[Alia Shawkat]]), finding one that reads "Maybe Tonight" and considers that a sign. Lucille, still trying to break up the relationship between [[Buster Bluth|Buster]] ([[Tony Hale]]) and [[Lucille Austero]] ([[Liza Minnelli]]), sets Austero up with [[Carl Weathers]], Tobias' acting coach, on a night Buster has class. Michael gives a toast to love in general, and Marta realizes that Michael is the one she should be with, not Gob. The next morning, Lindsay decides she needs to divorce Tobias, whose [[Modesty|never-nude]] affliction is too much for her. |
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{{Plot|date=March 2008}} |
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⚫ | [[Michael Bluth]] convinces |
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Meanwhile, |
Meanwhile, [[Gob Bluth|Gob]] ([[Will Arnett]]) thinks Marta is cheating on him with a man named Hermano after overhearing her on the phone talking to her mother, but ''hermano'' is Spanish for "brother" as she was talking about Michael. Neither Michael nor Gob realize this, and they agree to work together to find Hermano. Lindsay decides she and George Michael will switch roommates, and he'll bunk with Tobias now, and she with Maeby, leading George Michael to fear that Tobias saw the "Maybe Tonight" candy heart and figured out his crush. Buster, fed up with his mother's interference, decides to move out and live with Lucille Austero, but she doesn't want to be his substitute mother and doesn't allow him to move in, while Lucille Bluth refuses to let him move back in. Michael follows Marta around all day in an effort to track down the mysterious "Hermano." Lucille visits [[George Bluth Sr.|George Sr.]] ([[Jeffrey Tambor]]) in prison for advice for being nervous about living alone for the first time. |
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Buster arrives at the model home where Tobias is excited about an upcoming audition for the role of "Frightened Inmate #2". Marta drops by, and Buster immediately falls in love with her. Michael, who had been following Marta, arrives shortly after, and is surprised to see both Buster and Marta, and he agrees to let Buster stay with him for a while. Marta asks Michael if they can go out to dinner to have a talk, and Lindsay confesses to Maeby that she and Tobias are having trouble. In the next room, Tobias confesses to George Michael that he hasn't made love to Lindsay in years, and also mentions that they couldn't conceive, which makes George Michael wonder if Maeby isn't a blood relative. Michael and Marta have dinner at her house, where she alludes to her attraction to Michael, while he implies that he "knows" she's cheating on Gob. Michael, still believing that Marta is having an affair with someone named Hermano, calls out Marta for her affair, and she asks him to leave. Then he notices a gift and note addressed to him, and asks Marta's son what "hermano" means, and finally realizes that she was referring to him. |
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=== On the next ''Arrested Development''... === |
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==Cultural references== |
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George Michael plucks one of Maeby's hairs to get a DNA test done, Tobias realizes he has to do a nude scene as Frightened Inmate #2 and Buster continues to have a crush on Marta. |
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== Production == |
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*Maeby references the film ''[[Action Jackson]]'' starring [[Carl Weathers]]. |
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"Marta Complex" was directed by producer [[Russo brothers|Joe Russo]], and written by co-executive producer John Levenstein and consulting producer [[Jim Vallely]].<ref name=":0" /> It was Russo's fifth directing credit, Levenstein's third writing credit and Vallely's second writing credit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrested Development |url=https://directories.wga.org/project/192692/arrested-development/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=directories.wga.org}}</ref> It was the eleventh episode of the ordered [[Arrested Development season 1|season]] to be filmed after the [[Pilot (Arrested Development)|pilot]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-10-30 |title=20th Century Fox - Fox In Flight |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030035137/http://www.foxinflight.com/tv/8/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref> |
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*When introducing Carl Weathers, a clip is shown from his role in the movie ''[[Predator (film)|Predator]]''. |
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*When Lucille invites Carl Weathers to dinner with Lucille 2, she references ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'', which also portrays a black man visiting a white woman and her entirely white family. |
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*Lucille listens to the [[Ethel Merman]] version of the song, "Roses' Turn" from the musical ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]'' while celebrating her first night alone. |
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== Reception == |
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''[[The A.V. Club]]'' writer Noel Murray called the episode "a fine starting-point for an ''Arrested Development'', but “Marta Complex” doesn’t click as well as the four episodes that precede it, largely because of its rickety A-story, involving Michael’s efforts to find out whether Marta has been cheating on [Gob]."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-06 |title=Arrested Development: "Public Relations"/"Marta Complex" |url=https://www.avclub.com/arrested-development-public-relations-marta-complex-1798168819 |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=The A.V. Club |language=en}}</ref> In 2019, Brian Tallerico from ''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]'' ranked the episode 56th out of the whole series, saying it "always felt a bit beneath ''Arrested Development''".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tallerico |first=Brian |date=2019-03-18 |title=Every Episode of Arrested Development, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/arrested-development-every-episode-ranked-worst-to-best.html |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref> In the United States, the episode was watched by 4.89 million viewers on its original broadcast, a decrease of almost 1.5 million viewers from the [[Public Relations (Arrested Development)|previous episode]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-03 |title=Nielsen report. - Daily Variety {{!}} HighBeam Research |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403150311/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-113853900.html |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref> |
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*[[Liza Minnelli]]'s character, [[Lucille Austero]], left the show after this episode, but both her character and her romance with Buster would be rekindled in Season 2's "[[Queen for a Day (Arrested Development episode)|Queen for a Day]]". |
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*This was the second time real-life brothers [[Oliver Patrick Sandino]] and [[Casey Sandino]] appeared as Marta's children, [[Marta Estrella|Amable]] and [[Marta Estrella|Cortesio]], but the first time they appeared for more than just a cameo. |
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*This would be [[Carl Weathers]]' last performance as himself on the show until he returned in Season 2's "[[Motherboy XXX]]", though he would continue to be mentioned on several occasions. |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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*Tobias's role as "Frightened Inmate #2" would be a subject in several more episodes, most notably in "[[Staff Infection]]", when he has himself incarcerated in George Sr.'s prison for research. |
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*There is the first indication that Maeby might not be George Michael's biological cousin, a concept that would come up several more times over the span of the series. |
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==Hidden/background jokes== |
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* {{IMDb episode|0515226}} |
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*'''Lupe's Sweatshirt''' - During this episode Lucille's maid, Lupe, is wearing a Thanksgiving sweatshirt, even though the episode is supposedly set during Valentine's Day. |
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*'''Tobias Unpacking''' - Tobias' wardrobe seems to consist primarily of "never-nude" cutoff jeans. |
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{{Arrested Development}} |
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==Running jokes== |
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*''I've made a huge mistake'' - Michael to Marta's son referring to him suspecting Marta of being unfaithful to GOB; GOB to Marta during flashbacks; Marta to herself about being with the wrong brother. |
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*''Family is the most important thing'' |
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*"And I'm OK with that" - This episode marks the first time we hear Michael say this in relation to G.O.B's 'achievements'. |
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* Like Annyong later on, the Bluths mistake a foreign word ("Hermano") for a name. |
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==Episode notes== |
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[[Category:Arrested Development season 1 episodes]] |
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[[Category:Television episodes written by Jim Vallely]] |
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*This episode was intended as the [[Valentine's Day]] episode, and several decorations can be seen throughout the episode. |
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[[Category:Television episodes directed by Anthony and Joe Russo]] |
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*This episode's title is a reference to the psychological term [[Martyr complex]]. |
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*When ''Arrested Development'' was first picked up by FOX, it was for only 13 episodes, so this episode was largely intended only to set up the next episode, "[[Beef Consommé]]", which continues the storylines involving Marta, George Michael searching for Maeby's parentage, and Lindsay's marital difficulties with Tobias, and was designed to possibly serve as the series finale. |
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*When Marta arrives at the house to talk to Michael she's interrupted by Michael's cell phone ringing in the same manner that he was interrupted by Marta's house phone when he went to her house to confess his attraction to her in a previous episode. |
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{{wikiquote|Arrested Development#Marta Complex .5B1.12.5D|Marta Complex}} |
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*[http://the-op.com/episode/112 The-OP.com] |
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*[http://www.fox.com FOX] |
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*{{imdb title|0515226|Marta Complex}} |
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Revision as of 14:09, 11 July 2024
"Marta Complex" | |
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Arrested Development episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 12 |
Directed by | Joe Russo |
Written by | John Levenstein Jim Vallely |
Cinematography by | Greg Harrington |
Editing by | Steven Sprung |
Production code | 1AJD11 |
Original air date | February 8, 2004 |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
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"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.[1]
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, on Valentine's Day, Marta begins to fall for Michael, to his and Gob's misunderstanding. George Michael investigates his cousin's parentage for validation of his crush. Buster moves out of his mother's apartment. Lindsay wants a divorce from Tobias.
Plot
Michael (Jason Bateman) convinces Lucille (Jessica Walter) to throw what she thinks is a Valentine's Day party, but is in fact, an anniversary party for Tobias (David Cross) and Lindsay (Portia de Rossi). Marta (Patricia Velásquez) is impressed by the romantic side of Michael when she finds out he's responsible for the party. George Michael (Michael Cera) searches for a sign using the messages stamped on candy hearts for his crush on Maeby (Alia Shawkat), finding one that reads "Maybe Tonight" and considers that a sign. Lucille, still trying to break up the relationship between Buster (Tony Hale) and Lucille Austero (Liza Minnelli), sets Austero up with Carl Weathers, Tobias' acting coach, on a night Buster has class. Michael gives a toast to love in general, and Marta realizes that Michael is the one she should be with, not Gob. The next morning, Lindsay decides she needs to divorce Tobias, whose never-nude affliction is too much for her.
Meanwhile, Gob (Will Arnett) thinks Marta is cheating on him with a man named Hermano after overhearing her on the phone talking to her mother, but hermano is Spanish for "brother" as she was talking about Michael. Neither Michael nor Gob realize this, and they agree to work together to find Hermano. Lindsay decides she and George Michael will switch roommates, and he'll bunk with Tobias now, and she with Maeby, leading George Michael to fear that Tobias saw the "Maybe Tonight" candy heart and figured out his crush. Buster, fed up with his mother's interference, decides to move out and live with Lucille Austero, but she doesn't want to be his substitute mother and doesn't allow him to move in, while Lucille Bluth refuses to let him move back in. Michael follows Marta around all day in an effort to track down the mysterious "Hermano." Lucille visits George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) in prison for advice for being nervous about living alone for the first time.
Buster arrives at the model home where Tobias is excited about an upcoming audition for the role of "Frightened Inmate #2". Marta drops by, and Buster immediately falls in love with her. Michael, who had been following Marta, arrives shortly after, and is surprised to see both Buster and Marta, and he agrees to let Buster stay with him for a while. Marta asks Michael if they can go out to dinner to have a talk, and Lindsay confesses to Maeby that she and Tobias are having trouble. In the next room, Tobias confesses to George Michael that he hasn't made love to Lindsay in years, and also mentions that they couldn't conceive, which makes George Michael wonder if Maeby isn't a blood relative. Michael and Marta have dinner at her house, where she alludes to her attraction to Michael, while he implies that he "knows" she's cheating on Gob. Michael, still believing that Marta is having an affair with someone named Hermano, calls out Marta for her affair, and she asks him to leave. Then he notices a gift and note addressed to him, and asks Marta's son what "hermano" means, and finally realizes that she was referring to him.
On the next Arrested Development...
George Michael plucks one of Maeby's hairs to get a DNA test done, Tobias realizes he has to do a nude scene as Frightened Inmate #2 and Buster continues to have a crush on Marta.
Production
"Marta Complex" was directed by producer Joe Russo, and written by co-executive producer John Levenstein and consulting producer Jim Vallely.[1] It was Russo's fifth directing credit, Levenstein's third writing credit and Vallely's second writing credit.[2] It was the eleventh episode of the ordered season to be filmed after the pilot.[3]
Reception
The A.V. Club writer Noel Murray called the episode "a fine starting-point for an Arrested Development, but “Marta Complex” doesn’t click as well as the four episodes that precede it, largely because of its rickety A-story, involving Michael’s efforts to find out whether Marta has been cheating on [Gob]."[4] In 2019, Brian Tallerico from Vulture ranked the episode 56th out of the whole series, saying it "always felt a bit beneath Arrested Development".[5] In the United States, the episode was watched by 4.89 million viewers on its original broadcast, a decrease of almost 1.5 million viewers from the previous episode.[6]
References
- ^ a b Manager, Mr (2019-09-08). "Season 1, Episode 12: Marta Complex". Deconstructing Arrested Development. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ^ "Arrested Development". directories.wga.org. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "20th Century Fox - Fox In Flight". web.archive.org. 2011-10-30. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "Arrested Development: "Public Relations"/"Marta Complex"". The A.V. Club. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (2019-03-18). "Every Episode of Arrested Development, Ranked". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ "Nielsen report. - Daily Variety | HighBeam Research". web.archive.org. 2016-04-03. Retrieved 2024-07-08.