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The model home, referred to as the Seawind unit ("Let 'Em Eat Cake")​ is where the Bluth family formerly resided (with exception of G.O.B., Lucille Bluth, Buster Bluth, and George Bluth.) It is located in the Sudden Valley subdivison built and owned by the Bluth Company. The address of this beauty home is 1 Lucille Lane.

It was purchased by Tobias Fünke from G.O.B. who was working for the Michael B. Company.

Under the Bluth Company[]

1x06 Visiting Ours (18)

The stair car in front of the model home in "Visiting Ours"

The model home is the residence of Michael Bluth, George Michael Bluth, Tobias Fünke, Lindsay Bluth Fünke and Maeby Fünke. G.O.B., Buster Bluth and George Bluth have all, at times, lived there.

The house gradually falls apart as the series progresses, illustrating just how well Bluth construction worked. It is revealed in the series that the model home's design was used in Iraq for Saddam Hussein's palaces.

Though the model home is designed to be shown off and is removed from any other developed area, it does have working water and electricity. Before the events of the "Pilot" Michael and George Michael live in the attic and keep the main house immaculate for showing; however, when they accept the Fünke family into their home this becomes impossible to maintain and they take up residence in the main house.

Shortly after Lucille sunk the Queen Mary the Fünkes moved out. ("Indian Takers") Weeks later, George Michael left for college. ("Flight of the Phoenix")

Under the Michael B. Company[]

The model home was acquired by Michael Bluth when he bought Sudden Valley from Lucille Austero and the Austero Bluth Company via his newly founded Michael B. Company. He finished the Sudden Valley subdivision but the California real estate market collapsed shortly thereafter. Michael lived alone in the model home for many years until the death of Pete the mailman. ("Flight of the Phoenix")

Maeby then snuck into the model home where she resided for nearly a year. She rented it out to the crew of John Beard's To Entrap a Local Predator: Orange County Edition: Super Creep for a bait house until G.O.B. began working for the Michael B. Company and sold the house to Tobias, who needed a place far from schools and parks. G.O.B. and Tobias lived together for a couple of weeks with Maeby as a secret houseguest, and Lindsay after leaving Marky Bark.

Layout[]

Arrested-Development-floor-plan

Model home's floor plan

The model home's first floor features a small foyer leading into the kitchen, which in turn leads into the living room. The stairwell, accessible from the foyer, has a landing which looks down over the living room. The kitchen features a dining space and a full appliance range, while the living room includes a small bar positioned directly below the landing. The dining room has French doors which open onto the patio or courtyard. Beyond the living room, there is an additional room containing a desk, leather couch, bench, and small TV.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms: the master bedroom, where Michael sleeps; the guest bedroom, usually occupied by Tobias and Lindsay, with two twin beds; and the kids' room, with a bunk bed, usually occupied by George Michael and Maeby. Michael's bedroom has its own bathroom, while the kids' room and the pink room share a connecting bathroom. (This is seen in Beef Consumme when the camera goes around to show Lindsay and Tobias having sex.) There is a third pink bathroom downstairs off the foyer, which is seen sometimes in season 2 and 3. There is also a hidden room where most of the family secrets are kept behind a wall, discovered by Michael in Season Three. The attic is accessible from the upstairs hallway.

Attic[]

1x01 Pilot (14)

The attic, as seen in "Pilot"

During Season Two, Michael Bluth hid his fugitive father George Bluth in the model home's attic. George Michael originally hid him in the attic in "Good Grief" but Michael staged an escape so his son would not be responsible.

George grew quite bored and tried to pass the time by using a breast pump, ordering a hot tub, taking notes on Maeby's screenplays, and talking to Lindsay's childhood dolls. When he needed to hide, he would use the Aztec Tomb. When he needed attention he would howl like a wolf. Tobias, G.O.B., and eventually Kitty find George in the attic, in part to an episode of Scandalmakers.

Stages of Destruction[]

2x01 The One Where Michael Leaves (087)

Michael's hole in the wall and Tobias' blue handprints, as seen in "The One Where Michael Leaves"

The house remains largely intact during Season One except for in "Key Decisions" when Trisha Thoon comments on the cheap nature of the mini-mansions in a FOX 6 report, and similarly in "Let 'Em Eat Cake" where she tours a model home in Iraq.

When Tobias begins auditioning for the Blue Man Group, blue handprints start to appear on the walls of the first floor. Michael takes a sledgehammer to a wall to find something hidden, and the hole is never repaired. ("The One Where Michael Leaves") The house really begins to collapse in earnest in the episode "Switch Hitter", with various effects such as frames, windows, and molding falling away when something hits the walls. The fridge also falls through into the garage. This all leads to the Season Two finale "Righteous Brothers" where the structural integrity of the living room fails causing the living room to collapse. This was caused by the large amount of water pumped under the house without any plumbing.

In Season Three none of the issues have been fixed. When Tobias is diagnosed with Graft Versus Host and uses a wheelchair, a handicap ramp is built inside the house.

Years later, when Maeby tried to sneak into the model home, the lock and front window fell off without much effort. ("Señoritis") Tobias' head was thrown through the rear window by the police during an episode of To Entrap a Local Predator. ("A New Start") G.O.B. broke off the corner of the kitchen island and living room minibar by trying to open bottles. ("Double Crossers")

Versions[]

Season One[]

Season Two[]

Season Three[]

Season Four[]

Season Five[]

Videos[]


Main Arrested Development Locations
Orange County: Newport BeachOrange County PrisonWee Britain
Newport Beach: Sudden ValleyModel HomeBalboa TowersBluth Company officesBalboa Island
Balboa Island: Oceanside WharfBluth's Original Frozen Banana Stand
All locations
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