Arrested Development: Season 1, Episode 12 "Marta Complex"

Arrested Development: Season 1, Episode 12 "Marta Complex"

February 08, 2004


We just had a fantastic four-run episodes of Arrested Development that can be considered classic. Does the run continue with “Marta Complex”? Yes and no. The episode does not quite reach the heights of the previous four episodes, but I would still consider this episode to be a minor classic. This is a Valentine Day-themed episode and the romance takes the reign as the A-plotline which basically has Michael trying to understand what on earth does “hermano” mean? It’s Spanish for brother, but of course Michael does not realize that.



The episode starts off at the anniversary party for Lindsay and Tobias. Michael makes a speech where he says, “you can’t really heal yourself until you stop living a lie.” After that statement, the family decides it is time to make some changes. George-Michael will act on his feelings for Maeby, Buster will reach out from the grasp of his mother, and Lindsay will divorce Tobias. After Tobias is banished to sleeping with George-Michael, he blurts out to George-Michael that Maeby may not even be his daughter, thus not being G.M’s cousin. Buster makes advances on Lucille 2 trying to escape his mother, but she rejects those advances thus making Buster realize he has been dating an old woman this entire time. “I’ve made a huge mistake” he says. Then for A-subplot, we have Michael trying to see if Marta has been cheating on GOB. GOB overhears Marta talking about ‘hermano” but both GOB and Michael have no idea who that could be. As it turns out, Marta may not love GOB anymore.



Not as good as the previous classics, this episode still has many great moments. The acting is fantastic, thanks to the usual suspects and some solid supporting turns from Liza Minnelli, Carl Weathers, and Patricia Velaquez. Carl Weathers is here to give Tobias even more acting “advice” this time about making stew. The episode’s MVP has to be awarded to Tony Hale as Buster. Buster certainly makes go at it rebelling against his mother.



My Grade: A-

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