I watched 2 episodes in season 1, and was repulsed. I didn't watch another until I saw the last season's 3-part finale, at the urging of a friend, and found myself rolling on the floor (literally) with laughter.

Now I'm renting them from the beginning, and I love them all! I even laugh out loud when I watch the same episode again! I never thought a sitcom could match the manic energy and wit of The Simpsons, but this one exceeds it.

I haven't found much intelligence in TV sitcoms since Seinfeld left the air. The characters in Arrested Development have the perverseness of those in Seinfeld, but the dialog is wittier. It also has more levels of meaning and more references, both to previous shows and popular culture and society. This makes it entertaining on repeated viewing. It even makes it interesting to see all the little jokes I missed the first time around.