Editing Michael Bluth (section)

==Development==
Michael is generally the [[straight man]] in the series.  However, creator [[Mitch Hurwitz]] says that in some respects Michael is "the craziest one" in that he cannot see much of what happens around him.<ref>{{cite AV media| last=Hurwitz |first=Mitch |title=Breaking Ground: Behind the Scenes of Arrested Development |work=Arrested Development: Season One- Disc One |publisher=Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc. |date=2004 }}</ref>

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".<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Poniewozik |first=James |title=The Great Wit Hope |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=November 1, 2004 |volume=164 |issue=18 |pages=81–82}}</ref> Bateman also explained his performance by saying he could be "naturally... dickish" like his character.<ref>{{cite AV media| last=Bateman |first=Jason |title=Extended Pilot Audio commentary |work=Arrested Development: Season One- Disc One |publisher=Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc. |date=2004}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news| last=Freydkin |first=Donna |title='Arrested' fails to develop ratings, but Bateman is up |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=March 17, 2004}}</ref>