Arrested Development is funny, uproarious, and hands down one of the best and most underappreciated sitcoms of its time. The show debuted in 2003 on the Fox network. Its unique cinematic dark humor pushed the boundaries of TV sitcoms before it.
According to The Internet Movie Database, Arrested Development won 6 Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, and obtained a cult following. While it gained substantial critical acclaim, it constantly struggled with time slot changes and obtaining consistent ratings. The sitcom was canceled in 2006 after its third season.
The show’s storyline in season 1 centers on The Bluths. A family accustomed to living a life of excess, funded by the patriarch George Bluth (portrayed by Jeffrey Tambor) and his home development business. The oldest son George Oscar Bluth II, nicknamed Gob, is an “illusionist” with anger management issues, who constantly struggles to prove himself to his father.
Buster, the youngest son, struggles with his ridiculously close, bordering on unhealthy, relationship with his mother. Lindsay Bluth (Portia de Rossi) is a self absorbed socialite who constantly hosts fundraisers, for questionable causes. Her rocky relationship with her sexually ambiguous husband Tobias Funke (David Cross) and rebellious daughter Maeby (Alia Shawkat) is the perfect setup for some awkwardly comical scenarios.
The only sane member of the family is Michael (played by Jason Bateman), Lindsay’s twin brother, stands to inherit the family corporation upon his father’s retirement. Because as head of the Bluth company Michael planned on confiscating everyone’s credit cards, he is passed over in favor of his snobby alcoholic mother, Lucille (Jessica Walter).
Consequently, Michael decides to break ties with his family and move to Arizona with his 13-year-old son George Michael (Michael Cera). Just then George senior is arrested on fraud charges and the family’s assets are frozen. Michael is forced to step up and help his family adjust to their new lives.
The sitcom is shot with a shaky camera that creates a documentary air and a feeling of intimacy with the characters. With an ensemble cast of comedic actors, notable guest stars, and Ron Howard as an executive producer and narrator, Arrested Development had all the makings of a cult classic.