The brilliance of Arrested Development lies in the fact that there are multiple levels of jokes within jokes.
There are the normal jokes.
Recurrence jokes.
Inside jokes.
Jokes based on the parts the actors have performed previously (jumping the shark, the comb thing, the narrator defending his previous works, etc...)
Jokes based on events at the time (Mission Accomplished!)
Jokes based on relationships of actors IRL. (Check out who Will Arnett's wife is and who the actor who plays Nellie is)
Jokes based on the fact that the show was being cancelled (Yeah, HBO doesn't want us)
Etc....
There are the normal jokes.
Recurrence jokes.
Inside jokes.
Jokes based on the parts the actors have performed previously (jumping the shark, the comb thing, the narrator defending his previous works, etc...)
Jokes based on events at the time (Mission Accomplished!)
Jokes based on relationships of actors IRL. (Check out who Will Arnett's wife is and who the actor who plays Nellie is)
Jokes based on the fact that the show was being cancelled (Yeah, HBO doesn't want us)
Etc....