Late Development

So on Sunday I did what legions of other pop culture savants did and marathoned “Arrested Development.” No, not the new fourth season just released on Netflix. But the first season. Right, so I’m a little behind. But after catching up on what everyone else was already caught up on 10 years ago, I have to say. Jesus, I hate all the Bluths. I mean, they’re hilarious. But what a horrible, horrible, horrible – have I mentioned horrible? – family. Every single one of them is reprehensible in some way. Every. Single. One. Yes, even Michael – for being the idiot in charge.

Of course, having said that, I watched all 22 episodes of the first season in one day. So, clearly, I didn’t hate it even though I hate the people. Which is curious. Call it the Seinfeld rule. A group of not especially sympathetic characters brought together to do increasingly off-the-wall things can be curiously entertaining. Of course, the fact that it’s whip smart and funny as hell helps. Aztec tombs, blind seeing-eye dogs, one-armed life lesson coaches, Korean adoptees inexcusably named Hello in Korean and Liza Minelli.

Fine, so maybe the Bluths are growing on me. Guess I have two more seasons to catch up on before I can be as excited as all of you were yesterday. But maybe I was the smart one all along. Because I didn’t have to wait seven years to watch season four like the rest of you.