The Best Episodes of Arrested Development Season 1
Every episode of Arrested Development Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Arrested Development Season 1!
The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
Season 1 Ratings Summary
The best episode of "Arrested Development" season 1 is "Pilot", rated 8.1/10 from 4352 user votes. It was directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo and written by Mitchell Hurwitz. "Pilot" aired on 11/2/2003 and is rated 0.3 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Top Banana".
8.1/10 4,352 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 11/2/2003
Meet the Bluths. In the pilot, Michael decides to take a job in Arizona after being passed over by George Sr. for head of the Bluth Company. George Sr. is jailed, and the family realizes they need Michael.
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.4/10 3,806 votes#2 - Top Banana
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 11/9/2003
Michael puts George Michael in charge of the Bluth Bannana Stand, and his son subsequently burns down the stand. Elsewhere, Tobias auditions for a commercial, and Lindsay inadvertantly gets the part.
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.1/10 3,477 votes#3 - Bringing Up Buster
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 11/16/2003
Michael spends quality time with Buster. George Michael auditions for a school play to get closer to Maeby. Gob breaks up with his girlfriend and has nowhere to go.
Director: Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.3/10 3,325 votes#4 - Key Decisions
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 11/23/2003
Gob decides to lock himself in his father's prison for 24 hours to get back in with the alliance, and to spend quality time with his father. Michael takes Gob's girlfriend to an awards show, and Buster inadvertently flirts with his mother's rival.
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Brad Copeland
8.2/10 3,170 votes#5 - Charity Drive
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/30/2003
Michael and Lindsay try to prove their charitable sides to each other. Gob demands George Michael's respect, and Buster continues avoiding Lucille 2.
Director: Greg Mottola
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Barbara Feldman
8.0/10 3,044 votes#6 - Visiting Ours
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 12/7/2003
Michael sets up an "intimate conjugal visit" for his parents, while it is revealed that George Sr. had an affair with Kitty, his secretary who recently slept with Gob. Tobias and Lindsay see a marriage counselor.
Director: Greg Mottola
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.1/10 2,992 votes#7 - In God We Trust
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 12/14/2003
Michael attempts to fire the family's incompetent, but likeable attorney. George Michael impresses Maeby with a muscle suit for a "Living Classics" pagent. Tobias has a psychological affliction where he is unable to take off his clothes.
Director: Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.0/10 2,928 votes#8 - My Mother, the Car
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/21/2003
Michael loses his short-term memory, which Lucille uses to her advantage. Gob attempts to use the family yacht before Michael sells it. George Michael and Maeby attempt to see an R-rated movie about cousins having an affair. Buster and Lucille 2 take "the next step".
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.3/10 2,889 votes#9 - Storming the Castle
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 1/4/2004
Michael cannot go through with his plan to break up Gob and Marta. A thug magician wants to take Gob's "legs". Maeby wears all leather to get back at her mother, and Lucille decides to confront Buster's relationship with Lucille 2.
Director: Greg Mottola
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Brad Copeland
9.0/10 3,696 votes#10 - Pier Pressure
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/2004
Buster realizes that medical marijuana will help cure Lucille 2's vertigo, and pays George Michael to get it for him from Gob. Lindsay sends Maeby to spend a day with Lucille to punish her for bad grades. Michael thinks George Michael is on drugs and attempts to teach him a lesson.
Director: Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely
8.2/10 2,879 votes#11 - Public Relations
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/25/2004
When George Michael is a rejected by a private school due to the family's reputation, Michael hires a publicist from his gym who he's been flirting with to change the public perspective of the Bluths. Meanwhile, Tobias is sent to Boston to reclaim his medical license.
Director: Lee Shallat Chemel
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.3/10 2,808 votes#12 - Marta Complex
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/8/2004
When Lucille throws an anniversary party for Tobias and Lindsay on Valentine's Day, Michael gives an impassioned speech about love. This makes Marta realize she has feelings for him and Lindsay realize she wants a divorce. Meanwhile, Buster decides to move out of the penthouse and Lucille revels in living alone for the first time.
Director: Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely
8.4/10 2,781 votes#13 - Beef Consommé
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/15/2004
After learning that Marta has feelings for him, Michael goes to her and they decide to get permission from Gob before taking things to the next level. Meanwhile, Lindsay and Tobias finally get to the heart of his "never-nude" problem and George Sr. faces his first hearing.
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.5/10 2,898 votes#14 - Shock and Aww
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 3/7/2004
Michael falls for his George Michael's ethics teacher, whom his son also has a crush on. Meanwhile, Lucille adopts a 14-year old Korean boy, and George Sr.'s "Caged Wisdom" tapes have given him a new admirer.
Director: Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely
8.1/10 2,705 votes#15 - Staff Infection
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/14/2004
When Michael discovers his family has been receiving paychecks without working, he forces them all to get jobs within the company. Lindsay questions his management skills, and Tobias checks himself in at George Sr.'s prison to research a film role.
Director: John Fortenberry
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Brad Copeland
8.5/10 2,738 votes#16 - Altar Egos
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/17/2004
Michael attempts to have a one-night stand with an attorney whom he doesn't know is not only blind, but the prosecutor who is trying to put his father in jail. Also, Gob gets married on a dare, Maeby pretends to be a girl with a made up disease, and George Sr.'s admirer turns out to be an undercover SEC agent who has truly fallen for him.
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.7/10 2,883 votes#17 - Justice Is Blind
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/21/2004
Gob steals a file on the government's case against the Bluth Company that Maggie had given to Michael. Tobias is sent to Maggie's house to get evidence, George Michael tries to prove Maeby's fraud, and Lindsay fights to remove the Ten Commandments from the courthouse lawn.
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Abraham Higginbotham
8.2/10 2,611 votes#18 - Missing Kitty
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/28/2004
Gob attempts to make good on his promise to make the family yacht disappear. Meanwhile, Lindsay and Maeby try to track down Lindsay's grandmother, Tobias seeks George Sr.'s respect, and Michael attempts to fire Kitty, who claims to have information that could bring down the company.
Director: Joe Russo
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.0/10 2,591 votes#19 - Best Man for the Gob
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 4/4/2004
George Sr. uses Gob's bachelor party as an opportunity to set up his accountant in a compromising position so that he can blackmail him. Meanwhile, Michael tries to prove he's a fun guy, and the Funkes reunite their family folk-music band.
Director: Lee Shallat Chemel
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
7.9/10 2,566 votes#20 - Whistler's Mother
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/11/2004
Michael deals with numerous requests for some unfrozen money, and chastises Lucille for being too coddling with Buster. Lindsay decides to protest the war to boost her self esteem while Tobias and Gob decide to start a coffee company.
Director: Paul Feig
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely
8.5/10 2,636 votes#21 - Not Without My Daughter
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 4/25/2004
Michael takes Maeby to work with him on Take Your Daughter to Work Day. After being slighted by Michael, Tobias, George-Michael and Gob all go to the mall to prove that they are just manly. Oscar takes Lucille and Buster to Annyong's soccer game.
Director: Lee Shallat Chemel
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
8.6/10 2,702 votes#22 - Let 'Em Eat Cake
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 6/6/2004
In the first season finale, George Sr. has a heart attack, and Maeby is jealous when George Michael likes another girl. Meanwhile, Lindsay decides to leave Tobias until a book he wrote a long time ago becomes a gay bestseller, and Buster and Annyong compete over women.
Director: Paul Feig
Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely