The classic sitcom Arrested Development followed the lives of the Bluth family, who, through constant scheming and plotting, proved themselves to be one of the most dysfunctional families on television. Led by Jason Bateman as stressed-out son Michael, the entire cast portrays their characters with impeccable comedic timing, hence why the show is so appreciated.
The series features a range of characters who each have well-defined personality traits and quirks, and while each character does go through massive changes in their lives, their basic traits remain. Whether it be Michael's desperate attempts to keep his family together, or Lindsay's terrible parenting skills, the characters in Arrested Development are fully-fleshed out, as proven by a specific quote from each character.
Lucille 2
"Lucille! Aren't You Something? Showing Up Here Without Your Husband. Shame Be Damned, Caution To The Wind."
A bitter rivalry that is established early on in the series is between Lucille Bluth and Lucille Austero, otherwise known as Lucille 2. Lucille 2, portrayed by the legendary Liza Milleni, appears in 21 episodes of the show over the first 4 seasons, with her death being the driving force behind the 5th and final season.
It is undeniable that Lucille 2 is an integral part of the series, as she ends up dating two of the Bluth sons. Her rivalry with the Bluth matriarch sees her making constant jibes, the best of which being in the first season when she teases Lucille for her husband being imprisoned. This scene encapsulates her personality as she is a passive-aggressive person, and Lucille's brutal response about Lucille 2's husband being dead proves that she was never a match for the conniving Bluths.
Maeby
"God, What's Wrong With This Family."
Maeby Fünke is the unfortunate by-product of two parents who clearly do not love one another. Her ability to be unphased by her parents' selfishness and achieve unrealistic goals (such as becoming a movie executive) allows her to be one of the most likable characters in Arrested Development.
A quote that sums up Maeby's personality sees her exasperated by her entire family's antics, questioning what is wrong with them. It is a moment that sees Maeby almost becoming the audience surrogate, as she is one of the few members of the family to realize how odd and ridiculous they all are.
Tobias
"Excuse Me, Do These Effectively Hide My Thunder?"
As the outsider of the Bluth family, not related by blood and yet somehow the most ridiculous of them all, Tobias Fünke is one of the least self-aware characters in television. His basic personality traits are his evident struggle with his sexual orientation and his shocking yet hilariously poor grasp of the complexities of the English language.
Throughout the series, Tobias consistently subjects others to his accidentally-sexually explicit comments, which is best encapsulated by a scene that sees him asking a poor saleswoman for fashion tips. It is one of Tobias' most memorable quotes in Arrested Development, and it sums up his inability to understand why his words and actions make others uncomfortable.
Buster
"I Am No Longer A Mother-Boy, I Am A Mother-Man!"
At the beginning of the series, the youngest of the Bluth siblings, Buster, has yet to fly the nest from his overbearing mother. As the show progresses, Buster does become more independent, and succeeds at distancing himself from Lucille, either by enlisting in the Army or by becoming romantically involved with her nemesis, Lucille 2.
In the season 4 episode "Off The Hook," Buster claims that he is now a "Mother-Man," referring to the Motherboy contest that he and Lucille take part in annually. This showcases Buster's personality traits best as it reveals how he remains attached to his mother while still finding his own way to being independent, which relates to his arc from the very beginning of the series.
Lindsay
"You See, If I Show Up With You, It'll Just Make Me Seem Like I'm A Mother."
Portia de Rossi's portrayal of Lindsay Bluth sees the character becoming almost as bad a mother to Maeby as Lucille is to her. Lindsay, unhappy in her life due to her unfulfilling relationship, constantly seeks the approval of others, romantically or otherwise, and in the process, neglects her daughter.
It is undeniably the worst thing that her character does throughout Arrested Development, as her lack of care over her daughter sees her openly refuse to take Maeby to the Bluth Christmas party, as she does not wish to be seen as a mother. As her personality essentially revolves around her terrible parenting skills, this quote sums her up perfectly.
George Sr.
"I've Made Love With Treason Charges Over Me Before."
The character of George Sr. is integral to the plot of the show, not only does he set the events of the series in motion following his imprisonment in the pilot, but his clearly poor parenting skills (along with Lucille) are partly to blame for the Bluth siblings' personalities.
In the season 4 episode "Double Crossers," George Sr. boldly proclaims how having treason charges over him is nothing new. Despite being in a lesser-liked season, this particular quote proves that the showrunners still understood these characters at their basic level, as George Sr. is almost constantly in legal trouble and at this point, is used to it.
Lucille
"If That's A Veiled Criticism About Me, I Won't Hear It, And I Won't Respond To It."
The Bluth matriarch, played by the late Jessica Walter, is undeniably an awful mother. Not only does she show little care for her children, but she is also overly critical about every other member of her family. Despite this criticism of others, she is not one to reflect on her own shortcomings.
When Michael implies that his mother is self-absorbed and difficult to talk to, she responds in typical Lucille fashion. She proves Michael's words exactly right as her selfishness prevents her from listening to criticism or talking to him appropriately, and it showcases her personality as being entirely self-focused, and unwilling to change.
G.O.B.
"I've Made A Huge Mistake."
George Oscar Bluth is a failed magician who consistently commits self-serving acts that often cause problems for the rest of the family, Michael especially. G.O.B. is the user of perhaps Arrested Development's best catchphrase, which he says several times throughout the series.
His frequent acknowledgment of his mistakes always comes after a selfish act. Whether it be deciding to reconnect with Marta, or accidentally proposing to Ann, or even after becoming CEO of the company, G.O.B. constantly messes up. It is for this reason that his iconic catchphrase encapsulates his personality, as G.O.B.'s arc is perhaps the most mistake-ridden of all the Bluths.
George Michael
"I Just Wish We Could All Stay Here."
An element of the pilot episode of Arrested Development that is easily forgotten is that the series began with the attempt of including a heartwarming aspect to the characters' relationships. While the majority of the characters are selfish, a truly good-at-heart character is George Michael, who expresses his wish that the family can be together even if they are all dysfunctional.
Michael's son enjoys the company of his distant family members, especially his cousin Maeby, as uncomfortable as it may be. Despite suffering at the hands of his family members throughout the series, it is still evident that George Michael loves his family and has a true bond with some of them.
Michael
"I Want My Son To Be Happy, So Maybe We Should Be In Each Other's Lives."
Michael Bluth, the long-suffering son who does everything he can to keep his family and their company from being torn apart, is the show's most well-adjusted character, despite his own personality defects. At the end of the show's 1st episode, he reaches out to his distant sister, Lindsay, to reconcile their differences.
Regardless of how focused Michael is on protecting the family and their business, it is no secret that his son's happiness is his priority. While it is shown throughout the entire series how much Michael loves his son, which is often to an unbearable degree, no scene better emphasizes this love more than his decision to stay with his dysfunctional family for his son's benefit.