# Which episode(s) of Arrested Development would you use to introduce someone to the show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671 "2010-10-28T16:13:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/1 "2010-10-28T16:13:37Z")
I’m a fan of Arrested Development. I sing its praises to people when the occasion arises. I’ve been trying for awhile to convince one of my friends to watch it, because I was fairly certain he would like it as much as I did. Apparently they’re playing it now on one of the cable channels. He said he turned it on over the weekend, and after 10 minutes he was bored out of his mind. I’m not sure which episode he was watching. Now, it’s possible that the show just isn’t for him. But before conceding that, it occurs to me that a lot of the humor depends on knowledge of a backstory, and if he happened to pick an episode that relied a lot on the backstory, he might have gotten frustrated and tuned out. So – with that in mind I want to assign him a specific episode to watch before he gives up completely. The obvious choice would be the pilot – that would avoid the whole backstory problem. Before I did that, though, I thought I’d throw it out to the board to see if there are any others that come to mind. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/2 "2010-10-28T16:18:42Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > The obvious choice would be the pilot – that would avoid the whole backstory problem. Don’t use the pilot. It’s really only funny to people who’ve seen the whole series. I’d go with “Pier Pressure”, “Bringing Up Buster”, or “Sword of Destiny”. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/3 "2010-10-28T16:24:17Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Don’t use the pilot. It’s really only funny to people who’ve seen the whole series. I couldn’t disagree more. The pilot does a great job of introducing all the characters and dynamics and is very funny in its own right, too. I think the show is so serialized, it’d be a little tough to appreciate them without seeing them in order, though the Japanese Monster one and the Rock/Paper/Scissors one are priceless (just to name a few) ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/4 "2010-10-28T16:25:36Z")
Whichever one has the musty old claptrap in it. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/5 "2010-10-28T17:15:38Z")
Loved the show on DVD, but: When the show was still airing, I tried a random one and thought it was the worst piece of crap I’d ever seen. I think you really, really need to at least know the characters for it to work at all. The voice-over also takes some getting used to and I don’t know if there’s a good place to ease you into that. That said, if you don’t go for the pilot you could try one of the season premieres. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/6 "2010-10-28T17:18:17Z")
The show uses so many running gags, I think you have to start with the pilot. It has been a while but I recall it being good. Hell, clearly it hooked me at the time. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/7 "2010-10-28T17:30:20Z")
First episode, the show just does not work out of order. I believe this is why it had such a hard time gaining viewers. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/8 "2010-10-28T17:33:24Z")
Start at the beginning. It is much funnier if you know the backstory. I don’t think one episode, even the pilot, is enough to determine if someone will like the show though. I loved it from the start, but my brother absolutely hated it and eventually ended up loving it. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/9 "2010-10-28T17:49:30Z")
I’d say the Pilot. However, Pier Pressure would also work. It has some good back story to help explain the Bluth children’s behaviors. Best to just start from the beginning though. Some the funniest moments of the show are set up by long running gags. I’m specifically thinking of the chicken immitation crescendo done by the entire family. Maybe the funniest moment of the whole show, but it would lose its impact without seeing it from the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/10 "2010-10-28T22:58:10Z")
Pilot is fine, but I’ve used Pier Pressure to introduce people to the show. It doesn’t require too much knowledge of backstory and it’s just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/11 "2010-10-29T00:34:06Z")
Pier Pressure ---
**Author:** ![TheTerribleTako](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@TheTerribleTako](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTerribleTako)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/12 "2010-10-29T00:35:58Z")
Pier Pressure is the one that got me hooked onto Arrested Development. Who can resist hot cops? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/13 "2010-10-29T23:39:24Z")
I agree with the pilot. AD is just one of those shows that needs to be seen in order, from the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/14 "2010-10-29T23:54:19Z")
As a point of data, I watched the pilot when it originally aired, thought it was meh, and didn’t watch the rest of the series on broadcast TV. (Part of the problem may have been that I didn’t like the characters, and I didn’t yet know it was the kind of show where you weren’t supposed to like the characters.) I later bought and enjoyed the whole series on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/15 "2010-10-30T00:29:41Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > As a point of data, I watched the pilot when it originally aired, thought it was meh, and didn’t watch the rest of the series on broadcast TV. (Part of the problem may have been that I didn’t like the characters, and I didn’t yet know it was the kind of show where you weren’t supposed to like the characters.) > > I later bought and enjoyed the whole series on DVD. Just curious, what made you buy it if you didn’t like what you originally saw? ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/16 "2010-10-30T04:01:48Z")
I don’t recall why, but I remember using ‘Afternoon Delight’ as an introductory episode to people I wanted to get into Arrested Development. All I remember is that it was frickin’ hilarious, but I don’t remember whether it’d make enough sense for a newbie. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/17 "2010-10-30T04:35:09Z")
My favorite episode is “Mr. F,” the one with the Japanese mole monster, but it definitely requires too much knowledge of the backstory to use as an introduction. I’d go with the pilot. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/18 "2010-10-30T15:01:10Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Just curious, what made you buy it if you didn’t like what you originally saw? I heard enough good things about it (including here on the Dope) that (a) I figured there was more to it and it was worth giving it a try, and (b) I had a better idea of what kind of show to expect. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/19 "2010-10-30T16:24:15Z")
Munch, babycakes, how can you not say the pilot? Aside from AD being a show that should be seen in order (though I didn’t catch it until about two seconds before it got canceled, and cursed my own hide for taking so long to give in and watch it!), the pilot was plain full of awesome. \* [Upon a group of flamboyantly gay protesters upstaging the Bluths’ party] Lucille Bluth: Look what they’ve done, Michael! Look what the homosexuals have done to me! Michael Bluth: You can’t just comb that out and reset it? \* Ha! ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-episode-s-of-arrested-development-would-you-use-to-introduce-someone-to-the-show/558671/20 "2010-10-30T18:11:57Z")
Agree that it should be seen in order. Just have them watch the first 2 back to back. The second episode “Top Banana” is so tight with so many great bits that if they’re not hooked by then, AD’s style of humor probably isn’t for them George: “Always money in the banana stand _\_” Michael to George Michael: “You stay on top of her Buddy. Don’t be afraid to ride her, hard.” Tobias at an audition: “Oh my god, we’re having a fire! sale . . . The burning. The burning . . . Evacuate the school children . . . Amazing grace.” “Would you like to try that simpler.” Tobias: “uhhhhh, No” The maid taking the fur coats on the bus to the warehouse. GOB in fact had not mailed the letter but in a defiant act hurled it into the sea. This proved to be more difficult than he anticipated. (Then the dove, then the rabbit). George: “How much clearer can I say There’s Always Money IN THE BANANA STAND!”