Of all the defining sitcoms aired in the 21st century so far,Arrested Developmentis easily up there as one of the very best. On paper, it might sound like just another show about a dysfunctional family where everyone is their own agent of chaos and clashes between family members are constant, but it’s the execution of a familiar-sounding premise that makes it a classic within the television world. Each main character is hilarious in unique ways, the jokes come in such rapid succession that it can be difficult to keep up, andit’s surprisingly continuity-heavy by sitcom standards, rewarding attentive viewers and dedicated fans.
Depicting the once-wealthy Bluth family’s elongated fall from grace over five seasons,Arrested Developmentaired for three seasons between 2003 and 2006 on Fox before being infamously canceled, and then revived at Netflix for two additional seasons between 2013 and 2019. The long-running nature of the show did ensure not every season was created equally, but most ofArrested Developmentwas excellent, and if the later seasons seemed lacking, it was mostly because the earlier ones were so great. Each season is ranked below, with season 5 being split into 5A and 5B, given each half of that final season was aired separately; the first in 2018, and the second in 2019.
Arrested Development
6Season 5A (2018)
“If that’s a veiled criticism about me, I won’t hear it, and I won’t respond to it.”
Arrested Developmentmay have been about unlikable people, but at its best, watching such flawed characters make life hard for each other while tending to bring about their own downfalls proved entertaining, much like how other sitcoms likeSeinfeldandIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiamine comedic gold out of sociopathy. Unfortunately, season 5 lacks a little in the humor department, especially the shaky first half of the season, comprising eight episodes that aired in 2018. With less frequent comedic highlights, the show at its weakest becomes more frustrating and grating than it feels genuinely hilarious or clever.
At the very least, season 5A does make a valiant attempt to return to form in a way, while also doing its own thing in another way. The main cast doesn’t feel as separated as they often were in season 4 (one of the main criticisms of that season), with some of the group scenes retaining the feel of the earlier seasons. Then there’s an attempt at an overall mystery narrative for the season, focusing on Lucille 2’s disappearance, which might not quite work, but shows a willingness to try something different. However, what few payoffs there are for season 5 generally come in its latter half, makingseason 5A representative ofArrested Developmentat its most lackluster.
5Season 5B (2019)
Episodes that should “return from whence they came!”
A final season being split in two is nothing new, and has been done quite effectively before,particularly with classic shows likeThe SopranosandBreaking Bad. For both of those shows, the second half was arguably better than the first, and the same holds for season 5B – the second half of season 5 – ofArrested Development. That being said, the season as a whole doesn’t add up to much, even if the 2019 batch of episodes was a little stronger than the 2018 batch. Certainly, very few people will talk aboutArrested Development’sfinal season the same way they might discuss the final seasons ofThe SopranosandBreaking Bad.
At least it does feel like a climactic collection of episodes, having some more time to wind down thanthe famously rushed ending of season 3, where writers scrambled to get a working conclusion after the show’s cancelation was announced. The mystery-heavy storyline introduced in season 5A gets a surprisingly dark conclusion here, for better or worse, andeven those who don’t like such an ending will probably remember it. It’s maybe as good as it could’ve been, following the relatively disappointing season 5A, but could still have some fans of the show wondering if a fifth season overall was even worth it.
4Season 4 (2013)
“You’re my third least favorite season.”
Season 4 isArrested Development’sstrangest and most divisive season, but it arguablygets more criticism than it deserves. It may have been that at the time of release, expectations were sky-high, considering the show’s cancelation seven years earlier, and fans of the show were understandably excited to see the Bluths again. Yet something jumps out as strange straight away: theBluths don’t often feel like a family unitthe way they used to, with season 4 taking the ambitious approach of splitting up one of TV’s best ensemble casts for many episodes, with the majority of said episodes focusing on a single character at the time.
Things shine whenever cast members do share the screen, but careers of various actors had taken off in other directions between seasons 3 and 4, necessitating a morefractured production to accommodate differing schedules. Things also get wilder narratively and stylistically, with creatorMitchell Hurwitzand the other writers having storylines branch off in numerous directions, increasing the amount of non-chronological storytelling, and making viewers wait episodes at a time for joke payoffs or plot clarifications. It’s a strange but fascinating mutation ofArrested Development, and though it’s not as consistent as the first three seasons, it does become more coherent as it goes along… plus a handful of the individual episodes do manage to be very funny and creative.
3Season 3 (2005-2006)
“There’s always money in the season 3 stand.”
First things first: season 3 ofArrested Developmentis still classicArrested Development. The energy and style of the first two seasons are largely maintained, and part of the reason the final season in the show’s cut-short original run feels a tiny bit weaker than what came before is that it was canceled after just 13 episodes, in contrast to the 22-episode season 1 and the 18-episode season 2. That’s all to say, that aspect of season 3 being potentially disappointing (compared to the show’s high prior standards) is not necessarily the show’s fault. Considering the lousy hand it was dealt, (more a cold metal hook than a hand, really), it did pretty well, it has to be said.
Other potentially contentious aspects of this season would bethe way itleans into cringe/gross humor a little morethan seasons 1 and 2, particularly with the rather disgusting subplot involving Tobias getting hair plugs. Season 3’s also home toCharlize Theron’srecurring role as Rita, which might be one of the few storylines fromArrested Development’searly years that hasn’t held up super well. Despite a few missteps, though, much of season 3 is very strong, and more than worth sticking with for anyone who enjoyed the first two seasons.
2Season 2 (2004-2005)
“Unlimited season 2? This party is going to be off the hook!”
Of the10 highest-rated episodes ofArrested Development, five come from season 2, whichshould be enough of a ringing endorsement for said season. That doesn’t automatically suggest season 2’s consistent, but anyone who watches all 18 episodes will find consistency aplenty, thankfully. In all honesty, it can be difficult to differentiate season 2 from season 1. Both find constantly hilarious scenarios to throw various characters into, with both seasons being defined by the show’s uncanny (and essentially unparalleled) ability to have a high quantity of high-quality running gags that get funnier the more they repeat and develop.
Season 2 contains greatness like Tobias’s Mrs. Featherbottom routine, Buster’s seal incident, the unforgettable introduction of the inimitable Gene Parmesan, and an increased role for George Michael’s girlfriend, Ann (her?). It’s really just everything good about the first season, but more of it. No one’s going to be disappointed that it doesn’t exceed the first season necessarily, because season 1 was already so great. The best thing the show could’ve done was maintain its own strange status quo and continue to be as funny as ever, which is just what season 2 managed to do.
1Season 1 (2003-2004)
“Well, no one’s gonna top that.”
There’s a period of adjustment required to get onArrested Development’swavelength in its earliest episodes, because it starts at 11 and just continues to get more ferocious and non-stop with its humor. Even if it’s something of a struggle to keep up at first, the show’s always entertaining and hilarious, and then once a viewer settles into the groove, things somehow get even better. At some point, season 1 just starts deliveringperfect sitcom episode after perfect sitcom episode, and ifArrested Developmenthad only lasted this one season, it would still stand as an absolutely classic TV comedy.
Despitenever finding a huge audience of viewersin its early seasons,season 1 ofArrested Developmentwas an instant critical darling, with five of its six Emmy wins being for the first season, including a win for Outstanding Comedy Series. At least these first 22 episodes have become deservedly beloved as the years have gone on, and even ifArrested Developmentwas ultimately a show that started great and then debatably got incrementally less great with each season, the fact remains that its first two seasons (and a good chunk of its third) are essentially perfect. That’s not something that can be said about many comedies on TV, butArrested Developmentwas never anything close to an ordinary sitcom.
