Michael Bluth
Portrayed by	Jason Bateman
Age	40 (born December 14, 1967)
Profession	President of the Bluth Company
Location	Model Home
Involvement	Member of the Bluth Family
Appearances "Pilot" ··· "Development Arrested"
Pictures of Michael Bluth

Michael Bluth is the main character of Arrested Development. He is portrayed by Jason Bateman and appears in all 53 episodes of the series.

Michael is the straight man to his outlandish family, but he also has many peculiarities. He likes being right so much that it pains him when he is incorrect. He has trouble keeping his dating life normal, and although he prides himself on being a good parent he often misinterprets what his son is experiencing.

Michael is the son of real estate mogul George Bluth Sr.. He takes over as President of The Bluth Company when his father is incarcerated for fraud. He is the son of Lucille Bluth and is frequently called by her when she needs a favor. He is the father to George Michael Bluth whom he tries to help navigate through awkward adolescence. He is the brother to Buster and G.O.B. both of whom Michael often has to clean up after. His sister Lindsay, her husband Tobias, and their daughter Maeby move in with him after hitting financial woes of their own.

Michael was last seen on "Development Arrested" sailing down to Mexico with his son and father.

BiographyEdit

Michael is the second oldest Bluth son, and the father of George Michael Bluth. He has an older brother, G.O.B., a younger half-brother, Buster, and a twin sister, Lindsay (she is later revealed to be adopted ... and older). He also has an adopted Korean brother named Annyong, who is about a generation younger.

When their father George Sr. goes to jail in the pilot, Michael becomes head of the family and CEO&president of the Bluth Company, but his authority is constantly undermined. He remained president for all of season 1, but in season 2, he was replaced by G.O.B.. Michael became vice president instead, while being scrutinized by the SEC for his father's crimes, but he still has to do all the work of the president. In season 3, Michael was firmly in charge again, though the sibling rivalry and family interference did not totally recede.

Michael is probably the most functional Bluth and is a source of stability for his family (much to his chagrin). He is responsible, smart, hard working, and mostly self-sacrificing. However, Michael sometimes behaves unethically, has a false sense of superiority, 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 George Michael's girlfriend, Ann, often forgetting her name, and frequently referring to her as any number of random, only loosely appropriate adjectives, including "Egg," "Plant," and (with thinly-veiled disappointment) "Her?" His faults become more evident as the show goes on, and he often threatens to leave the family out of frustration, but never does however.

Michael's wife Tracey 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 (but seemingly honest) jokes made by his family members, most notably his father.

In season 3, it is revealed that there is a typo on his birth certificate and that his legal name is Nichael Bluth. Also, Michael discovers the truth about his father's crimes and his sister's identity. In the last episode, Michael and his son, George Michael, try once more to abandon the Bluth family, but they're accompanied by a stowaway, George Sr.

GalleryEdit

Main Arrested Development Characters
Buster • G.O.B. • George Michael • George, Sr. • Linsday • Lucille Bluth • Maeby • Michael • Tobias
Ann • Annyong • Barry Zuckerkorn • Bob Loblaw • Ice • Kitty • Larry Middleman • Lucille 2 • Lupe • Maggie Lizer • Marta • Mort Meyers • Oscar • Rita • Stan Sitwell • Steve Holt • Tony Wonder • Uncle Trevor • Wife of G.O.B.
All characters