"Mixed Messages" was the sixteenth episode of chronological re-cut of Arrested Development's fourth season. It premiered on Netflix on May 4, 2018.

As George Michael tries to keep up his ruse, Michael makes an attempt to reconnect with him. Maeby comes up with a creative way to bring in some cash.

Synopsis

After Marky Bark's glitter bomb exploded at the hotel, George Maharis is blamed for the power cut by Mort Meyers. Mort believes that the power cut was to sabotage to Internet company Schnoodle. George Maharis, really George Michael, is shocked to find this out and that people want to invest in his company Fakeblock. It is actually an app for a woodblock but everybody believes it is blocking software for the Internet. Maeby is impressed with the company and has been promoting it. She got the money to do this by hiring out her mother Lindsay to sleep with politician Herbert Love. George Michael was planning to close the company until he thinks that Maeby will date him if the company is successful.

Lindsay arrives at the model home, looking for somewhere to live. Maeby meets her and asks how Marky is. Lindsay tells her that he will be in prison for a while unless she can get bail for him. Maeby suggests that Lindsay should meet with Herbert Love and convince him to release Marky. Lindsay, who was flirting with Herbert the night before, likes this idea.

Lindsay and Herbert Love meet at the Ealing Club and she is flattered by his compliments about her looks as Marky didn't do this because of his face-blindness. They agree not to talk about politics and Herbert, who thinks Lindsay is a sex worker, books a room for them. In the lobby, Lindsay bumps into Michael and he asks her to get Herbert to be against the border wall, as he promised his father he would. Lindsay asks Michael to get Marky out of jail by talking to Warden Gentles. Michael also gets her signature for his Bluth movie project.

Unlike Lindsay, Michael cannot get into the club even though he is supposed to meet George Michael there. Michael leaves a voicemail for George Michael to say he cannot be there, claiming to be in a traffic jam. He then gets a voicemail back where his son says he must also be stuck in the same traffic. Actually, he got into the Ealing Club early and was talking to actress Rebel Alley. He apologises to her for how he acted the night before and pretends to be George Maharis. Michael and George Michael continue to leave each other passive aggressive voicemails about being stuck in traffic. Michael, still in the lobby, hears that Rebel is in the club and Rocky Richter allows Michael to use his membership to enter the club.

Lindsay asks Herbert to be against the wall although he misunderstands and thinks she means against the wall while they are kissing. Later, Herbert gives Lindsay a love heart necklace and she thinks back to the Shaman telling her that "when love is near your heart, you'll be happy". Meanwhile, Michael meets Ron Howard and tells him that he is still trying to get George Michael's signature. Michael feels that he is drifting away from his son.

On the next Arrested Development: Fateful Consequences... Herbert Love asks Lindsay to be his "key advisor" in his campaign before giving her a key to his hotel room.

Appearances

Main Cast (in order of appearances)

• Michael Cera as George Michael Bluth
• Alia Shawkat as Maeby Fünke
• Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth
• Portia de Rossi as Lindsay Bluth Fünke
• Tony Hale as Buster Bluth
• Jeffrey Tambor as George Bluth
• Will Arnett as G.O.B.
• David Cross as Tobias Fünke

Recurring

• Terry Crews as Herbert Love
• Isla Fisher as Rebel Alley
• Jeff Garlin as Mort Myers
• John Beard as Himself
• Ben Stiller as Tony Wonder
• Chris Diamantopoulos as Marky Bark
• Andy Richter as Andy Richter and Rocky Richter
• Ron Howard as Ron Howard

Guest

• Richard Jin Namkung as Paul 'P-Hound' Huan
• David Henrie as David Henrie
• Amy Heidt as Publicist
• Bob Glouberman as David The Aide
• Jim Cramer as Jim Cramer
• Eli Vargas as Perfecto Telles
• Jill Donnelly as Ealing Club Hostess
• Joe Martin Thomas as Security Guard
• Jake Martin as Ealing Club Host
• Ben Harris as Ealing Club Waiter

Recurring themes

References

• iCarly - George Michael tries to take a picture of Gibby from iCary at the Opie Awards.
• Julie Bowen - Michael and G.O.B. become convinced that the other is dating Julie Bowen.

Callbacks/Running Jokes

• ANUSTART - While visiting Marky in prison, Tobias is called by ANUSTART.
• Bizarre charges - Marky is charged with "non-Arab terrorism" similar to how George was charged with "light treason".
• Blue Man Group - Marky Bark is covered in blue paint and cutoffs, reminding Lindsay of Tobias.
• Finish each other's sandwiches - Herbert finishes Lindsay's sentence with "sandwiches", as Lindsay did to Michael in "Family Ties".
• Gangie - Jim Cramer is starring in one of the films, thanks to Maeby.
• "Gentlemen, start your engines" - Michael says this, not knowing he's referring to Lindsay. George Michael says the same thing, making the same mistake.
• Half in the bag - Lindsay is called this when drinking alcohol from her bag. Lucille is also called this when in a clothing bag in "Meat the Veals". It is also a play on words as it also means "to be drunk".
• Hop-ons - George Michael and P-Hound call each other this when talking about Fakeblock.
• Incest - When George Michael shows up at the Opies with Maeby, he checks out a redhead without realizing it's really his Aunt Lindsay in a red wig, and says, "Gentlemen, start your engines." Michael says the same thing when he also fails to recognize her.
• Jewlery box snap - Love snaps the jewlery box on Lindsay's fingers, as Trevor did to Rita in "Mr. F".
• John Beard's shows - John Beard appears as the anchor of the gas-pump-based bulletin UnLead News, a job he promptly quits.
• Les Cousins Dangereux - George Michael reveals that he knows Rebel Alley from her role in the remake of Dangerous Cousins.
• Maeby is bad at math - On hearing that Fakeblock isn't 100% finished, she asks if it's 200% or 500% finished.
• "No touching!" - A prison guard yells "no touching!" at Marky and Lindsay.
• "That was a freebie" - Maeby greets Lindsay at the model home with "Free... bie... hi!".

Hidden/Background Jokes

• Brother Brothers - Love got Lindsay's necklace at Brother Brothers pawn shop.
• "Congistitutes" - Love sees some beautiful women and tells Lindsay he has to go see his "congistitutes", maybe prostitutes. Possibly a reference to Nellie the "conslutant" from "Family Ties".
• Music
  • When Lindsay remembers her shaman saying "happiness is when love is near" and she draws a connection to Herbert Love, the music sings "coincidence!" as it first did in "A Couple-A New Starts".
  • "I'm blue, man" plays when Lindsay returns to Balboa Towers after Marky Bark gets covered in blue paint from his glitter bomb.
  • Franklin's theme song "C'mon!" plays when the jewelry store Herbert Love used is shown.
• When John Beard appears on UnLead News on the gas pump TV, the caption labels him as "former non-fuel anchor".
• When GOB calls up George Michael, his name comes up on the phone as "Jesus Krist."

In Comparison to the Original Cut

This episode is made up from 7 episodes of the original cut of Season 4. Because the re-cut is chronological and combines the characters' stories into one narrative, new narration was recorded and there is even some additonal dialogue. These changes, as well as which scenes appear in which original episode, are listed below:

• Recapping, new dialogue in italics
  • Michael at college (Flight of the Phoenix)
  • Michael, Maeby, and George Michael at the dorm (Senoritis)
  • The comparison between the woodblock app and a turned off phone being tapped is new.
  • George Michael and Maeby at the Opie Awards (It Gets Better)
  • Lindsay and Marky Bark's plan (Red Hairing)
  • Buster dancing on stage next to the podium to the music "Bang Bang Bang Bang" is new.
    • Marky Bark: (in podium) Lindsay, is that you?
  • Maeby and Lindsay talk (Red Hairing)
    • Herbert Love: I’m just trying to get away from all these Orange County phonies. (previously, in the original cut and the remix he said “Is it just me, or are we the only two people who don't fit in with all these Orange County phonies?”
  • Maeby promotes Fakeblock, George Michael and Rebel Alley talk (Senoritis)
• George Michael takes a photo at the Opie Awards, Rebel and Mort talk (It Gets Better)
• Lindsay returns to the penthouse, almost sees Michael ( Flight of the Phoenix, Red Hairing)
• George Michael sees John Beard's news (It Gets Better)
• George Michael and P-Hound (It Gets Better)
• George Michael and Maeby at the dorm (Senoritis, It Gets Better)
  • Maeby: I got my PR company fanning it which wasn’t cheap.
  • George Michael: Where’d you get the money for this?
• More flashbacks
  • Herbert Love and Lindsay (Red Hairing)
  • Maeby talks to David the aide (Senoritis)
• Maeby and George Michael, continued (Senoritis, It Gets Better)
  • The section with Jim Cramer is from Senoritis, the rest is from It Gets Better.
  • Narrator: It seemed Cramer owed Maeby a favor.
  • George Michael: Well, we’d sit there. We’d just sit there and do our business.
• G.O.B. rings George Michael (It Gets Better)
• Michael and G.O.B. talk (Double Crossers, A New Attitude)
• G.O.B. rings George Michael, continued (It Gets Better)
• Flash-forward to the Gothic Castle (A New Attitude)
  • G.O.B.: (kisses him) Ow! Bit my tongue, you little bitch.
• Maeby & Lindsay (Red Hairing, Señoritis)
• Lindsay & Marky Bark at prison (Red Hairing)
  • The caption “earlier that day…” is new.
  • In the background of the scene, you can here Tobias commenting on his episode of To Entrap A Local Predator. “Why do these gentlemen not know that they’re being set up? I mean, you put a camera right in their face!”
• Maeby and Lindsay at the model home (Red Hairing, Señoritis)
  • This exchange is new:
    • Maeby: Set up a meeting. You could even wear that wig, so nobody would think you’re selling out.
    • Lindsay: Yeah.
  • Lindsay: That’s why the sooner the better. Yeah. Yes, great.
  • The short flashback to Season 1 has the music "I Get Up" playing over it now.
• Lindsay, Herbert Love, and Michael at the Ealing Club (Red Hairing)
• Michael rings George Michael (Red Hairing)
  • The caption "20 minutes earlier" is new.
• George Michael at the Ealing Club, his phone calls (It Gets Better)
• More of the phone call, George Michael & Rebel Alley at the phone booth (Blockheads)
• Michael and Rocky Richter (It Gets Better)
  • The narrator’s line “Michael was hurt and on his way out” becomes “Michael was hurt and ready to do the same [start living his life]”.
• Lindsay and Herbert Love at the hotel (Red Hairing)
  • Franklin's theme song "C'mon!" plays when the necklace shop is shown.
• Michael meets Ron Howard (It Gets Better)
  • Ron Howard: Thank you. [He might say this too in the original, but it’s hard to hear under the narration.]
• On the next... Herbert Love offers Lindsay a job (Red Hairing)

Notes

• Lucille doesn't appear in this episode.
• The title of this episode could be a reference to all the misunderstandings that occur: Michael and George Michael's voicemail conversation, Herbert Love misunderstanding "against the wall", Lindsay not realising she's a prostitute, Maeby believes that Fakeblock is a real company, and Mort Meyers believes that George Maharis took down his company.
• During the Season 4 remix, the narrator often draws parallels between the Bluths' lives being similar despite being separated.
  • Narrator: George Michael was nervous, and he didn’t even know that this was about to happen…Maeby was nervous too because she still had to trick her mother into turning a trick.”