Every Political Joke In ‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 Is Brutally TOO REAL

In the second episode, Maeby joins Mexican volunteers who are giving food and water to deported Mexican immigrants. One of the volunteers tells Maeby, "They've been kicked out of the only country they've ever known for their whole lives because of the cruelty of your president — Barack Obama." The beginning of the line suggests a jab at Donald Trump — particularly how he said he'd put an end to DACA, which protects immigrants who arrived in the country as children. But, as this moment takes place in the past, the joke is actually a brutal reminder about President Obama. According to PEW Research Center reported, the Obama administration deported a record number of unauthorized immigrants in 2013.

When George Michael relocates to Mexico for a stint, he finds that some Mexican business owners are catering to American's xenophobia with signs like, "English spoken here," "We speak English without an accent," and "No Spanish spoken here."

Stan Sitwell stole Lucille's idea to build the wall back in 2013. But in June 2015, Lucille discovers that Trump also has taken her plan when he announces that he will be running for president. And in his speech, he says, "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall" — which Lucille considers to be a "clever twist" on her idea.

Gob and George Michael Sr. are bonding in Mexico in the third episode. But when Lucille tells Gob she wants him to run the company, he turns on his sensitive father by using the term "snowflake," which is sometimes used by conservatives to insult liberals.

George Sr., Lucille, and Lindsay talk about the "1992 African American riots" and say that the rioters had "every right." They're talking about the 1992 Los Angeles riots that occurred after police were acquitted for the brutal beating of Rodney King, who is African American. The Bluths perhaps are referencing how CBS News reported that one man at the time said, "These people are angry and they have every right to be." Or, since they're preparing Lindsay for a Californian congressional bid, they could be parroting what California representative Maxine Waters has said about the incident, per Huffington Post.

Whatever the reference, the LA riots have been relevant in the 2010s with people protesting police officers using excessive force against the black community. And knowing the Bluths, their "every right" comment is probably a talking point they memorized to seem compassionate.

Another nod to when Trump announced his candidacy comes from the employee at the Wetzel's Pretzels in Mexico. Fernando says this to George Michael, which is a reference to Trump saying in his speech that Mexico was "sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

As Lindsay's campaign manager, Maeby tries to sabotage her mom's congressional campaign by having her give offensive remarks. But, just as uncouth comments buoyed Trump's presidential campaign, her ham-fisted attempts at campaigning only help Lindsay in the polls. In one speech, Lindsay mocks a Wee Britain reporter who has a speech problem — a reference to when Trump seemingly mocked journalist Serge Kovaleski's disability in 2015.

Another direct reference to Trump's campaign is the "damning hot mic piece." Calling back to the 2005 Access Hollywood recording between Trump and Billy Bush, Maeby prods Lindsay on her campaign bus to say that John Beard is attractive. "I wouldn't mind grabbing him by the tush," Lindsay says. In his hot mic piece, the current president said he can "grab [women] by the p*ssy." So narrator Ron Howard gently reminds viewers that Lindsay's comments "almost seem quaint by today's standards."

With Lindsay entering the rat race of politics for the 2016 election cycle, Arrested Development Season 5 forces viewers to relive how Donald Trump became president. But that also means there are plenty of jokes still left to make as the show catches up to the year 2018.

Editor's note: Season 5 is controversial due to the presence of Jeffrey Tambor, who was fired from Transparent after being accused of sexual harassment by two co-stars (he denies these claims); he also admitted to and apologized for verbally harassing Jessica Walter on the Arrested Development set in a recent New York Times piece. Co-stars Jason Bateman, David Cross, Will Arnett and Tony Hale were criticized for seeming to defend Tambor and minimize Walter's experience, in the same interview. Bateman, Cross, and Hale have since apologized.