The season three episode "S.O.B.s" is almost entirely one long in-joke about trying to save the show. As an example, a slew of celebrities are present in the episode, there's a brief moment of 3-D, and even a discussion of who might want the series after it left FOX (with references to HBO and Showtime).
The conversation between Michael (Jason Bateman) and George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) where he suggests "Well, I think it's Showtime! We have to have a show during dinner" was in reference to the real-life rumors that HBO and Showtime were in competition with each other to get the show after FOX had announced that it was going to bail on the show.
Whenever any character uses "The O.C." as an abbreviation for something, Michael (Jason Bateman) replies "Don't call it that", which is poking fun at the cancelled show on FOX, The O.C. (2003).
The fake website "www.saveourbluths.org" flashes on the screen at one point, a reference to the real "Save Our Bluths" website created by fans to promote and save Arrested Development from cancellation.
This episode was written after FOX cut the Season Three episode order from 22 episodes to 13.