The family each beg money of Michael when the company funds become unfrozen. George Sr.'s twin brother Oscar shows up to attempt an affair with Lucille, and Michael makes a bad business deal with him. Lindsay protests the Iraq War after her stylist is deployed.
The Arrested Development episode "Whistler's Mother" provides examples of:
- Bad Liar: Michael's attempts to deflect blame from the bad deal he makes with Oscar inevitably blow up in his face. A more humorous example comes from Tobias:Tobias: I'm afraid that this offer comes off the table at midnight.Michael: That may be the worst bluff I've ever heard.Narrator: Even the members of Gobias Industries agreed on that one.
- Balcony Wooing Scene: Parodies the scene from Say Anything... when George's Sr.'s brother is holding up his boombox in front of Lucille's window to get her attention.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Michael asserts the board that he has no business contact with his father in prison but is immediately proven wrong by his assistant:Michael: My dad in no way is talking about business from prison.(knocking on the door and an assistant entering)Assistant: Excuse me. Your father's calling from prison. He wants to talk about the land deal you made with his brother.
- Literary Allusion Title: To the painting Whistler's Mother
. - Odd Friendship: Tobias and GOB form one while working together on GOBIAS industries. They later form one again in Season 4, as of "Colony Collapse".
- Portmanteau: The name "Gobias Industries" is derived from the names of its founders GOB and Tobias.
- Shout-Out: Oscar with the boom-box at the end of the episode to Say Anything.... It isn't as well received in-universe as the original example.
