Storming the Castle

"Storming the Castle" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American television satirical sitcom Arrested Development. It was written by co-producer Brad Copeland and directed by Greg Mottola. It originally aired on Fox on January 4, 2004.

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, after Lindsay says that Michael is too much of a "good guy" to make a move on Marta, he devises a plan to have Marta meet Gob's second lover during his magic act, while George Sr. discovers Judaism.

Plot
Michael (Jason Bateman), George Michael (Michael Cera) and Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) discuss the ethical nature of leather chairs when they are interrupted by Marta (Patricia Velásquez), who is looking for Gob (Will Arnett). Michael covers for his brother despite his feelings for Marta, and Lindsay points out that he is the good guy who will never win. George Michael agrees to go shopping with Maeby (Alia Shawkat), who wants to rebel against Lindsay and her anti-leather stance by buying leather, and Michael is confronted by Rollo (Marc Grapey), a menacing man in a limousine, who gives him a message: tell Gob to "say goodbye to his legs." Michael visits Lucille (Jessica Walter)'s apartment, and learns that she is trying to break up Buster and Lucille Austero (Liza Minnelli). Meanwhile, Tobias (David Cross), desperate for his daughter's approval, decides to support her apparent newfound interest by getting his own "leather daddy" outfit.

Michael finds Gob at the Playtime Pizza Theater, where he has been forced to work since being kicked out of the Magician's Alliance. Michael learns that Gob has been cheating on Marta with the "legs" girl in his "saw-the-woman-in-half trick", and Rollo wants the girl who plays the legs. Michael tells Gob that Marta is a "treasure" and "a once-in-a-lifetime woman", a line which, as Marta later recounts to Michael, Gob used to prove his affection. After Michael realizes that Gob has stolen his watch, he decides to steal Marta by revealing Gob's affair with "the legs" to Marta during the magic act. Michael tells Rollo that he will get his "legs" back only if he allows Gob one last chance to get back into the Magician's Alliance, and Rollo agrees, giving him an act at the Gothic Castle. George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) takes a more pious path after being stuck in solitary confinement and discovering Judaism. Lucille brings Buster to prison so George Sr. can disapprove of him dating Lucille Austero, but he supports Buster instead.

The night of the magic show arrives, and almost everyone attends. Tobias has a mixup with his cab driver, and instead of being taken to the "Gothic Castle," he is taken to the "Gothic Arsehole," dressed in his leather daddy outfit. Meanwhile, Gob returns Michael's watch, vowing to become a better brother, which makes Michael regret his plan. Fortunately, "the legs" don't show, which leaves them in desperate need of some female legs on short notice. Gob's act begins, and when it's time for the "saw the lady in half" trick, Gob is pleasantly surprised to see Marta come on stage, and George Michael is providing the "woman's" legs. After the show, Lucille realizes the importance of love to her children, and finally decides to support Buster in his relationship with Lucille Austero, and the two become friendly, which freaks Buster out. Meanwhile, Michael watches as Gob and Marta reunite, and realizes that he will always be the good guy.

On the next Arrested Development...
The Magician's Alliance lets Gob back in, but is then kicked out again, and Tobias joins a singing group at the "Gothic Arsehole".

Production
"Storming the Castle" was directed by Greg Mottola and written by co-producer Brad Copeland. It was Mottola's third directing credit and Copeland's second writing credit. It was the eighth episode of the ordered season to be filmed after the pilot.

Reception
The A.V. Club writer Noel Murray stated "It’s fun to watch Michael in bad guy mode" in the episode. In 2019, Brian Tallerico from Vulture ranked the episode 44th out of the whole series. In the United States, the episode was watched by 5.72 million viewers on its original broadcast.