Michael Bluth
Michael Bluth | |
---|---|
Bluth Company Manager of the Bluth Company (formerly) | |
Family |
|
Spouse |
Tracey Bluth
(m. 1989; died 2001) |
Children | George Michael Bluth (son) |
Relatives |
|
Nichael "Michael" Bluth
Character history
Michael (born December 14, 1967) is the second oldest Bluth son, and the father of
When his father
Michael is the most functional and level-headed Bluth, but can occasionally be dishonest and selfish. He is usually the only source of stability for his family, much to his chagrin. Despite this, he has a problem letting go of control, and tends not to listen to his son's feelings when making decisions for him. He is especially critical of
Michael's wife Tracy died (presumably of ovarian cancer) two years prior to the first season, and she was in a coma for some months before she passed. In the show, Michael is often reluctant to date, thinking that his son would disapprove, and most of his relationships have featured misunderstandings or outright deception. His wife's death is usually the subject of tasteless and unaware jokes made by his family members.
In season 3, it is revealed that there is a
In season 4, Michael's fortunes decline swiftly and he becomes more petulant, narcissistic, and guile as he avoids a massive debt to Lucille Austero, manipulates his family into signing away their movie portrayal rights, and allows his relationship with George Michael to deteriorate by encroaching on his privacy, petulantly avoiding him, and carrying on a relationship with the same woman as his son.
As of the end of season 4, Michael is the only character who has appeared in every episode of the series.
Development
Michael is generally the straight man in the series. However, creator
Michael is portrayed by actor Jason Bateman. Hurwitz did not know if Bateman was right for the part as he seemed associated with more conventional sitcoms, but Hurwitz said that in trying out for the part, Bateman "gave this dry, confident performance".[3] Bateman also explained his performance by saying he could be "naturally... dickish" like his character.[4] Bateman said of his part, "it's the best job I've ever had, hands down," and it may have also been his most famous one.[5]
Reception
Bateman and his character were also well received by critic Robert Bianco, who wrote "the key to the show's success is the hilariously deadpan Bateman".[6]
Bateman was nominated for seven individual awards for his portrayal of Michael Bluth, winning three. In 2004, Bateman was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series.[7] In 2004 and again in 2005, he was nominated for a Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy.[8][9] In 2005, Bateman was also nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.[10] Bateman won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy[11] and the 2005 Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy,[12] which he won again in 2006.[13] On July 18, 2013, Bateman was nominated again for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Michael Bluth.[14]
See also
References
- Arrested Development. Season 3. Fox Broadcasting Company.
'Nichael Bluth'? ... That's what it says, according to my birth certificate.
- ^ Hurwitz, Mitch (2004). Breaking Ground: Behind the Scenes of Arrested Development. Arrested Development: Season One- Disc One. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc.
- ^ Poniewozik, James (November 1, 2004). "The Great Wit Hope". Time. Vol. 164, no. 18. pp. 81–82.
- ^ Bateman, Jason (2004). Extended Pilot Audio commentary. Arrested Development: Season One- Disc One. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc.
- ^ Freydkin, Donna (March 17, 2004). "'Arrested' fails to develop ratings, but Bateman is up". USA Today.
- ^ Bianco, Robert (October 31, 2003). "'Development': Not your father's family sitcom, thankfully". USA Today.
- ^ "The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "2004 TCA Awards nominees". tvcritics.org. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "2005 TCA Awards nominees". tvcritics.org. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "Arrested Development". Emmys.com. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2005)". GoldenGlobes.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "2005-A* 9th Annual Satellite™ Awards - January 2005". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "2005-B* 10th Annual Satellite™ Awards - December 2005". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "Tradition takes a hit in Emmy nominations". Newsday. July 18, 2013.