10 funniest Arrested Development episodes, ranked

First premiering in 2003, the comedy series Arrested Development explores the oddities of the Bluth family, a former wealthy and spoiled group of people who are wildly out of touch and always seem to do something ridiculous. The beauty of the show is how it effortlessly weaves sometimes rapid-fire jokes, running gags, and clever editing with some fairly emotional and heartfelt family drama.

This list counts down the 10 funniest episodes of Arrested Development, taking into consideration the cleverness, surprise factor, and laugh-out-loud funniness. These are the episodes that fans continually bring up and even quote, all these years later.

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10 funniest Arrested Development episodes

1. ‘Motherboy XXX’ (Season 2, Episode 13)

This episode is Arrested Development at its absolute funniest. Lucille drags Buster to a mother-son dance called “Motherboy XXX,” which sounds far more questionable than the event itself. Meanwhile, Tobias dresses up as a pirate to bond with George Michael, and Lindsay becomes obsessed with reclaiming her youth. The mix of clever editing, fast jokes, and running gags is at its peak here. There's even a fake history lesson about previous “Motherboy” events, told in an overly dramatic way.

2. ‘Mr. F’ (Season 3, Episode 5)

In this episode of Arrested Development, Michael begins seeing a British woman named Rita. He thinks she’s just quirky. What he does not know is that she is mentally retarded, and everyone else but him knows it. The title of the episode, ‘Mr. F,’ rears its creepy head in Michael’s consciousness. Part spy-thriller pastiche, part love story, part disaster. This episode is a prime example of how the show plays with genres and never doesn’t hides big jokes in little places.

3. ‘Meat the Veals’ (Season 2, Episode 16)

This episode of Arrested Development brings together all the awkwardness of a family dinner with all the weirdness of the Bluths. Michael wants to propose to his girlfriend, but things unravel when his family gets involved. Gob brings a woman he has just met, Tobias tries to turn the occasion into a musical, and George Sr. shows up in a wig pretending to be someone else. The episode builds on every weird personality in the Bluth house.

4. ‘Amigos!’ (Season 2, Episode 3)

When George Sr. is released from prison, Michael, Gob, and Buster take a trip to Mexico to find him. Gob brings a dead dove in a cooler yet again, Buster accidentally gets kidnapped, and Michael is lost the whole time. The episode mixes telenovela-style drama, nonstop chicken dances, and shows us how absolutely terrible the Bluths are as a team in Arrested Development.

5. ‘The One Where They Build a House’ (Season 2, Episode 2)

This episode is completely about the Bluth Company trying to prove that they can build houses, and they can not. Gob accidentally invites a news crew to film their fake model home, and the family scrambles to make it look real. Tobias ends up stuck inside a bathroom wall, while Michael tries to pretend that everything is normal. It's one of the best episodes that shows just how fake the Bluths’ business and their lives really are. Every scene in Arrested Development is funnier than the last.

6. ‘Afternoon Delight’ (Season 2, Episode 6)

What starts as a fun holiday party ends in total disaster. Michael and Maeby perform a karaoke version of “Afternoon Delight” without realizing how inappropriate the lyrics are for an uncle-niece duet. Meanwhile, Tobias gets fired after throwing bananas at coworkers, and Gob hires a puppet to insult people. This episode mixes awkward family moments with outrageous humor. It’s also a great example of how Arrested Development always pushes boundaries without ever becoming mean.

7. “Pier Pressure’ (Season 1, Episode 10)

If you’ve ever heard someone say, “You’ve made a huge mistake,” they’re probably quoting this episode of Arrested Development. Michael tries to teach George Michael a lesson about drugs by staging an over-the-top prank with Gob pretending to be a drug dealer. It all spirals out of control when Buster gets involved. Lucille’s manipulation, Gob’s terrible acting, and the unforgettable use of a one-armed man to teach lessons make this episode a fan favorite. It's silly, bold, and perfectly written.

8. ‘Top Banana’ (Season 1, Episode 2)

In this episode of Arrested Development, Michael tries to teach George Michael how to run the frozen banana stand, but things go very wrong. Gob tries to throw banana money into the ocean, which of course leads to a disaster. This episode also introduces the famous line, “There’s always money in the banana stand.” When Michael learns what that means, it’s already too late.

9. ‘Good Grief’ (Season 2, Episode 4)

There’s one of the funniest running jokes in the history of the show in this episode: It's when every time anybody gets bad news, they duck their head and walk off to the Peanuts sad music. Michael learns that he may have lost his father. George Michael Goes Out with a Bouncer. George Michael is probably convinced his girlfriend Ann dumped him (again). And Gob even hosts a funeral for a mannequin.

10. ‘Let 'Em Eat Cake’ (Season 1, Episode 22)

This season finale of Arrested Development is full of surprises. Michael finally thinks he can escape his crazy family. We see Gob’s magic show go very wrong (again), Tobias begins his journey as an accidental “analyst and therapist” (or "an*lr*pist"), and Lucille continues manipulating everyone with a smile. The episode mixes absurdity with big reveals. It even ends with a “next season” teaser that never actually happens. It’s chaotic, sharp, and hilarious in the fan’s eyes.

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Arrested Development is special because it rewards the observant viewer. The episodes listed here are merely shows why, after all this time, Arrested Development is still one of the most bizarre and funniest shows of all time.