Is Arrested Development the best thing on TV?

They’d understand. You gotta lock that down.

It’s a great day… For being sad.

So, I just finished the whole series last night. (Not all at once.)

I agree that it needs to be taken in doses.

My favorite line in the whole series:

The meta-humor in this is outstanding.

In one of the episodes someone basically used “Opie” as an insult. The Narrator’s comment: “Jesse had gone too far. And she’d best watch her mouth.”

But still in that friendly semi-deadpan tone Ron Howard always used. Just brilliant.

The sad thing is, reading back through the whole thing, I realize now that as much of the meta-humor as I caught (e.g., Justine Bateman playing the girl Michael thinks is his sister), I missed so much more (e.g., Gob’s wife played by his real-life wife). Somehow I suspect much of the series will be better upon second viewing.

I’m on my fourth or fifth viewing (or thereabouts) right now, and it’s just as good as ever.

Yeah, it really does reward repeated viewings. Trust me, you didn’t get it all on the first pass.

Keep an eye out for Fonzie jumping the shark!

That is awesome I totally missed that.

The best re-watch joke that I recall is, upon Buster seeing the hand chair that his mother had given to Lupe: “I never thought I’d miss a hand that much.”

There are hand/arm jokes everywhere the second time you watch it.

And the build up to the Mr. F reveal is still one of the most bizarre-yet-completely-obvious-on-second-viewing things ever.

Holy crap!

OK, show of hands: Who here missed the build-up to the reveal on the first showing (despite obvious signs, like the hats and teddy-bear backpacks) because they, like Michael, were focused on what a hottie Charlize Theron was?

raises hand

Another show of hands: Who was bothered by her horrible attempt at an English accent anyway?

raises hand

This is one of my favorite narrator lines.

I’m sure this is a repost, but

THAT I caught the first time.

I thought that Dave Thomas’s accent was worse though. (Oh, and I totally didn’t see it coming.)

Seconded! Holy crap I never caught that on the first viewing.

raises hand twice