The 10 funniest episodes of Arrested Development

You still need proof that this is one of the most scintillating TV comedies of all time, even 20 years after its premiere? Come on!

By Saloni Gajjar  |  October 31, 2023 | 12:00pm
TV Lists Arrested Development
The 10 funniest episodes of Arrested Development
From left: Will Arnett (Screenshot via YouTube), Jason Bateman (FOX), and Jessica Walter and Tony Hale (FOX) Graphic: Libby McGuire

With TV Club 10, we point you toward the 10 episodes that best represent a TV series, classic or modern. They might not be the 10 best episodes, but they’re the 10 episodes that’ll help you understand what the show’s all about.

The first three seasons of Arrested Development are peak TV comedy. (And alright, parts of season four are, too, if we’re being honest.) The sitcom, which premiered 20 years ago, on November 2, 2003, developed a massive cult following—much of it after the show left Fox in 2006. Audiences are still cherishing its genius humor, an exquisite blend of slapstick, visual, and running gags meticulously combined with razor-sharp writing, performances, narration, and camerawork. Two decades on, Mitchell Hurwitz’s series—its pre-Netflix iteration, anyway—is still as groundbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny as it was back in the ’00s. And it might even be more so, thanks to the show’s immense rewatchability. (What else would you expect from a narrative style that inspired 30 Rock and Community?)

Arrested Development’s comedy lives on in many forms: endless internet memes, quotable lines about the cost of a banana or making a huge mistake, and flawless character dynamics. The show unleashed its distinct, farcical storytelling in its pilot (look out for The A.V. Club’s appreciation of that episode later this week), establishing the crackerjack jokes and nuanced wordplay we’d come to love. On the surface, AD’s diegesis feels facile because its protagonists are shallow and selfish. The Bluth clan loses its status because of patriarch George’s (Jeffrey Tambor) crimes and “light treason.” His son, Michael (Jason Bateman), tries his darndest to keep the family together because, you see, he has no choice. The fun stems from the show not shying away from the protagonists’ toxic traits and bonds, and there’s zero sincere effort to redeem them, Schitt’s Creek-style. Arrested Development accepts that this group of people is unequivocally fucked. They’re bound to collapse just like the house Gob (Will Arnett) leads the construction of in season two.

It’s hilarious to watch hermanos Michael and Gob engage in rivalry, George Michael (Michael Cera) and Maeby (Alia Shawkat) avoid being “Les Cousins Dangereux,” and Tobias Fünke (David Cross) embarrass himself in every possible way. Most of all, it’s a joy to witness Jessica Walter as series MVP Lucille Bluth, the cold matriarch who hates curly fries. Everything Walter did—from joyfully screeching at Gene Parmesan to attempting a wink—she aced. So now, to mark the show’s 20th anniversary, we’re tracking the story of the wealthy family and its 10 funniest episodes (listed in chronological order).

“Top Banana” (season 1, episode 2)
GOB mails the letter

The amusing scene of Gob failing to throw a letter in the ocean as a form of revenge against his brother is enough to make this episode instantly iconic. It sets up Gob’s pettiness and furthers Arrested Development’s agenda of effectively using silly little visual gags throughout its run. Even more than the phenomenal pilot, which is usually a tough act to follow, episode two is key in laying the groundwork for the show’s future. What happens now that George Sr. is behind bars and Michael is in charge? What is this new world order? “Top Banana” is an immaculate dissection of the chaos and comedy that’s about to unfold, giving us glimpses of George Michael’s inappropriate crush on Maeby, Tobias’ attempts to pursue acting, and Lindsay’s laziness. And then there’s the banana stand. AD’s emotional moments come from Michael and George Michael’s desire to connect as a father-son duo. It’s why they end up readily burning the family’s longtime business, not realizing that George Sr. was serious when he said, “There’s always money in the banana stand,” and that Gob never mailed that insurance check.

“Charity Drive” (season 1, episode 5)
Arrested Development - Banana Grabber Negotiations

While every episode preceding “Charity Drive” is great, this one is a non-stop laugh factory. It hones in on the show’s peculiar humor, almost making you choose whether Arrested Development is the type of show for you. One of the central jokes is cringe on paper: Gob breaks his tooth after taking one bite out of a candy apple from a rival fruit stand. Once again, his need to one-up Michael causes him problems. Now, every time he speaks a word with the letter s, he whistles. The description sounds childish, but the execution is incredibly funny. The episode also boasts this delightful exchange:Lucille: “I mean, it’s one banana, Michael. What could it cost, ten dollars?” Michael: “You’ve never actually set foot in a supermarket, have you?” Meanwhile, “Charity Drive” reinforces the need for all the Bluths to learn at least basic Spanish, a skill that would’ve come in handy for all of them. Michael accidentally kidnaps an unknown Mexican woman in an effort to compete with, of all people, his sister Lindsay (Portia de Rossi), who is out protesting to save the woodlands. Neither of them does the act of philanthropy remotely right. The family, instead, wastes money at a charity auction. The episode leads to a major development in the odd triangle between Buster (Tony Hale), his mother Lucille, and Lucille 2 (Liza Minnelli). It’s a preposterous arc that is so weirdly compelling because of Walter, Hale, and Minelli’s commitment to being ridiculous.

“Pier Pressure” (season 1, episode 10)
George Senior Teaches His Son A Lesson About Teaching His Son A Lesson - Arrested Development

“Pier Pressure” is proof of how messed up the Bluths have always been thanks to George Sr. There have to be better ways of teaching your child a lesson other than hiring a man to pretend his arm has been chopped off, among other horrors, right? But normalcy was never part of the Bluth parent handbook. So when Michael learns his son is trying to buy drugs, he decides to educate him in the worst possible way. The episode is elevated by its flashiness, with Gob hiring a bunch of strippers to dress up as drug dealers and cops to scare George Michael. And then George Sr. hires his go-to man, J. Walter Weatherman, to teach his sons a lesson about teaching a lesson. “Pier Pressure” is intergenerational trauma presented in a classically AD way, as also seen with Lucille, Lindsay, and Maeby when the latter is forced to spend the day with Gangy. No brooch is worth that punishment.

“Marta Complex” (season 1, episode 12)
“Speech, Speech, Speech!” Marta Realizes She Wants Michael - Arrested Development

Oh, Marta, consider yourself saved. Gob’s girlfriend finds herself trapped between two brothers in an episode dedicated to love, whatever that means in the world of Arrested Development. Lucille is tricked into throwing Lindsay and Tobias an anniversary party. It’s such a success that Lindsay finally decides to divorce him (narrator voice: she doesn’t), and Marta realizes her true feelings for Michael. It’s all because he stepped up to give a moving speech when no one else did despite all the chanting. Later, Gob and Michael try to find out who is the “hermano” Marta is in love with. Again, AD uses a crazy concept to examine both brothers’ narcissism; neither cares to learn the basics of Spanish, the native language of the woman they claim to have desperately fallen for.They’re not the only ones suffering heartbreak: Lucille sets up Lucille 2 on a date with actor Carl Weathers, causing complications with Buster. George Michael has to bunk with Tobias instead of Maeby and the teen worries his uncle has figured out his crush, giving Tobias far too much credit. Why? He assumes this because of the message on a candy heart. The show flexes its wordplay chops here.

“The One Where Michael Leaves” (season 2, episode 1)
“Help Me Michael, I Think My Husband Might Be A...” - Arrested Development

The beauty of season two’s premiere lies in its sharp mirroring of the Arrested Development pilot. Michael’s superiority complex causes him to try and move to Phoenix with his son. He’ll do whatever it takes to get away from his family, except he has to go back to remind them he’s really leaving. Meanwhile, Tobias continues his streak of being crass without realizing it. “I just blue myself,” he says while describing his paint job waiting for the Blue Man Group to call back. To no one’s surprise, Lindsay decides she wants an open marriage. “The One Where Michael Leaves” is the perfect reintroduction to the show for a new season, reinforcing its strongest assets—the writing, performances, and guest stars—while laying the blueprint for a major arc related to Saddam Hussein. As a bonus, the cheeky title clearly pokes fun at .

“!Amigos¡” (season 2, episode 3)
Lucille Gets Suspicious About Gob - Arrested Development

Hilarious from start to end, “!Amigos¡” follows some of the Bluths on a family road trip to hunt down their escapee father in Mexico. Gob, Michael, George Michael, Maeby, and Lindsay bring private investigator Ice as well as Her, Egg, Bland, Ann along for the uncomfortable ride. Lindsay tries and fails to flirt with Ice, while Michael tries and fails to bond with Ann. Neither of them tries hard or is good at forming connections, as evidenced by Ann being left behind. The reason “!Amigos¡” will leave you cackling, though, is the motivation behind the travel plans. Gob feels lonely (his mother suspiciously, slowly closes the door on his face when he asks to hang out); Michael wants to spend time with his son, who would rather be with Her; and Maeby is sick of her mother’s shenanigans. Buster travels a whole six minutes away, too, to escape his mother’s shenanigans. Ron Howard’s narration is a highlight of this one, helping bridge the gap between the characters’ thoughts.

“Motherboy XXX” (season 2, episode 13)
Lucille Prepares For “Motherboy 30" - Arrested Development

Lucille and Buster’s relationship hits a nadir in “Motherboy XXX,” offering a glimpse into their absolutely deranged parent-child relationship but also floating the idea that maybe these two are made for each other. Lucille is embarrassed by her son losing his hand because of a loose seal—try saying that five times as fast as you can—so she decides to con George Michael into accompanying her to the titular annual mother-son dance. Meanwhile, her sons try to recover Buster’s chopped limb by following a tracking device. There are so many payoffs in “Motherboy XXX” with the loose seal references, Buster going to the dance after all, and Amy Poehler’s return as Gob’s unnamed wife. It’s a gutsy episode overall, allowing Arrested Development to go buckwild and get very weird. Walter was rightfully nominated for an Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy for her sublime work over these 20 minutes.

“Meat The Veals” (season 2, episode 16)
Mrs Veal Meets The Bluths - Arrested Development

Mae Whitman’s Ann Veal is an integral part of Arrested Development, so the episode introducing her parents had a lot to live up to. And luckily, “Meat The Veals” delivers, largely thanks to some perfect casting: Alan Tudyk as Pastor Terry Veal and Ione Skye as Mrs. Veal, Ann’s devout parents who prove excellent comedic foils to the loud, caustic Bluths. Michael uses that to his advantage to stop a potential George Michael and Ann pre-engagement. But Terry is forced into renewing Lucille and George Sr.’s vows before two big fights ensue in a church. While all this silliness is to be expected, “Meat The Veals” has a surprisingly unforgettable visual gag, thanks to Tobias. He is channeling Mrs. Doubtfire and pretending to be a maid named Mrs. Featherbottom to stay close to his family. And in the most riotous moment of this facade, he tries to pull off a Mary Poppins to impress Maeby, falling the tiny distance from the balcony to the living room, never once letting go of his fake, high-pitched accent. Hey, maybe Tobias was a good actor all along!

“S.O.B.s” (season 3, episode 9)
Please tell your friends about this show - Arrested Development

At this point in its run, it was fairly obvious that Arrested Development wasn’t going to survive. Despite critical acclaim, the ratings were minimal. So the creator and writers apparently said, “Fuck it, we’ll go out in a blaze of meta glory,” and the result is “S.O.B.s,” or Save Our Bluths. The family organizes a fundraiser to make money to stay on the air financially sustain themselves. What else can you do after even the Home Builders Organization (or HBO) turns you down? It’s just such an audacious, meta attempt to communicate with fans directly while retaining satirical elements, like poking fun at other canceled TV shows and having as many cameos as possible. Even in the face of death, Arrested Development was truly alive. We have to shout out the most hysterical subplot here, which stems from a joke Lucille made in the pilot about how little she cares for Gob. Here, she doesn’t recognize her eldest son’s voice when Gob poses as a waiter at the country club to prank her, only to end up accidentally working for the first time in his life.

“Development Arrested” (season 3, episode 13)
Arrested Development Season 3 Full Ending

After a relatively rocky start to season three—the Rita storyline is best left forgotten—Arrested Development found its groove again halfway through. Too bad it never got a chance to keep it going because Fox cut the episode order from 22 to 13. “Development Arrested” is the finale of the show—at least for its original run. So, how did AD bow out? By going back to the beginning. The episode returns to the pilot and reveals some not-so-shocking facts: Lucille is the criminal mastermind of the family; Annyong is a spy; and Lindsay isn’t really a Bluth. Meanwhile, Maeby figures out a way to work at Tantamount Studios, and Michael and his son leave for Cabo. The episode is a doozy, culminating three daring, uproarious, meticulous seasons that helped cement Arrested Development as one of the greatest TV comedies of our time.

 
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