Arrested Development (TV Series) Staff Infection (2004) User Reviews

Get along, little sheep

[gizmomogwai · 8/10 · 8 May 2011]

Turning back to Arrested Development, in spite of some flaws this is a truly funny episode. Staff Infection deals with the Bluths taking company money and Michael trying to make them work for it. But Michael's siblings just spread chaos.

In terms of characterization, Tobias and Buster both shine here. Tobias signs his name "T (Tobias)" needlessly and needs Lindsay to ask for sex to become frightened (though it doesn't work). Buster conveys pure terror in the sheep picture and gets nervous working indoors and outdoors (where else can he go?). The episode is helped along with motifs like the common theme of incest (GOB mistakes Lindsay for Kitty). However, this particular episode also has an amusing sheep motif, combined with an original song "Get Along, Little Sheep."

This episode has a revelation that surprised viewers- Annyong speaks good English. Some people regard this as a retcon, but as this is only Annyong's second episode it shouldn't be surprising we're still learning new things about him.

On the downside, Lucille's comment about Buster's "scholarly pursuits" is one of the cheapest shots in season 1. Additionally, George Michael finding his childhood crafts in Michael's office didn't really make me feel anything. Still, for some good laughs there's no denying Staff Infection is a winner.

Where the Bluth Employees Are Sheep!

[gab-14712 · 9/10 · 2 November 2018]

This fifteenth episode in the first season of Arrested Development, while not a classic, remains a very funny and engaging episode. There is much to enjoy here in the episode. The two character standouts are Buster and Tobias. Buster basically is given work at the construction site for the Bluth Company and is amazed by all the men cursing around him. Plus we learn in a very satisfying flashback that Buster is afraid of sheep due to a terrifying incident in Catalina. Tobias, on the other hand, decides to check himself in a prison for acting research-the same prison as George Sr's. It's a funny thing that sheep plays to the overall theme of the episode. In addition to Buster's childhood fright, Buster is called Bob which sounds like "baa", the workers of the Bluth Company are herded around like sheep by a person of authority, and their company bus is named "The Good Shepherd." It's an interesting theme and one that I think can be a little overbearing at times.

In this episode, "Staff Infection," the main story has Michael being angry that the entire Bluth family has earnings from the company, but no work to show for it. So he decides to have his family work for the money. He has Lindsay as his new secretary and puts both GOB and Buster on the construction site. Tobias, in his research for the role of frightened inmate number two, heads to the same prison as George Sr.

Other good things to mention are Michael's cruelty to his employees ("take a three, not a five"), Lindsay creating dissension among the staff, GOB and Buster's continued sibling rivalry (that famed chicken dance), Lucille taking a membership where she receives a bunch of bulk goods but has no one to help her so she has to look up past employees, and Tobias tries to have sex with Lindsay as a way to frighten him. Oh, and we get James Lipton as the prison warden! The episode is not as memorable as previous episodes, but this is still a fine episode.

My Grade: A-

Interesting Tony Hale family reference.

[nohotrader · 9/10 · 19 June 2022]

TONY HALE, BUSTER, real life family reference. In a famous line from Portia de Rossi to Jason Bateman, Michael, after he ordered Hale's character to work in the copy room: "What's next, are you going to make dancing illegal? Is this the tiny town from Footloose?!" She would have more likely just said "Are you going to make dancing illegal, 'like Footloose.'" Or similar. No real reason to reference "The tiny town...." But let's guess the reason is this: The Hale / Johnson family trees have extensive intertwined roots through Narrows, Mountain Lake, and other small local towns within 15 miles of Mountain Lake Resort, and surrounding areas, the filming locations from Footloose. The Hale & Johnson family Reunions were held at Mountain Lake and adjoining Narrows, VA from 1999 through about 2008 or so.