No, Arrested Development was such an amazing experience in every way, and you know it was very unique in that it was a show that received a lot of critical acclaim, and yet we didn’t ever achieve the ratings that we wanted.

Arnett contrasts two common measures of success in television: critical prestige versus mass audience ratings. He frames his time on Arrested Development as creatively and professionally fulfilling (“amazing…in every way”) while acknowledging the show’s commercial struggle during its original run, when acclaim and awards attention did not translate into the viewership the network wanted. The remark underscores how innovative or sophisticated comedy can be celebrated by critics yet fail to find (or be allowed to build) a broad audience in real time—an imbalance that can shape cancellations, renewals, and later cult afterlives. It also reads as a defense of the show’s value: the experience and artistic recognition mattered even without the ratings benchmark.