The List: #7 Arrested Development

#7
Number of Seasons: 3
Years Active: 2003 - 2006
Network: FOX

FOX made a huge mistake when they canceled this show. Shot as a documentary with narration by Ron Howard, Arrested Development tells the story of the fucked up Bluth family. Patriarch George Bluth, Sr. turned a tiny banana stand into a successful development company that has provided his family with obscene wealth. But everything is taken away from them when the SEC discovers that he's engaged in some creative accounting. Good son Michael is the only one prepared to deal with this turn of events, since he is the MOST normal (he does have his share of problems) member of the family, and is the only one aside from George, Sr. with any real job experience.

Michael had planned on leaving with his son in order to escape the selfishness and schemes of his family, but when his father is taken to jail for his crimes, Michael decides to stay in California to help keep the family together. Hilarity ensues. The rest of the Bluths can't seem to prevent themselves from inadvertently screwing things up or causing problems for Michael.

The family conflict is only part of the humor. Like the previous show on this list, Arrested Development is extremely clever. This show requires the viewer to pay very close attention to both the plot of the show, the events surrounding production of the show, and real life news and current events. There are numerous references in the show to both previous and upcoming episodes, which makes repeat viewing mandatory. There are numerous jokes that are funny out of context, but once certain events happen later in the serious, they become genius. Furthermore, there are other references that, once again, are funny enough to the layperson, but take on extra meaning if the viewer is aware of what was happening with production. For example, when FOX cut the episode order of Season 2 from 22 to 18 episodes, the Bluth Company was moved from the 22nd floor to the 18th floor of their building. And then there's the wonderful episode "S.O.B.s", which takes shots at nearly every gimmick shows uses to garner ratings.

Arrested Development is TV for professional television viewers. It requires a big commitment, but it pays off in laughs over 100 fold.

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