The much-anticipated release of the fourth season of “Arrested Development” hit Netflix May 26 to the delight of its rabidly devoted fan base. Creators Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard were backed by a critically-acclaimed main cast and a star-studded guest cast in the 15-episode revival that followed the show’s seven-year hiatus.

Longtime fans of the show found themselves equally satisfied and dismayed by the result. The season deviated from its previous set-up, and forgoes its chronological episodic structure in favor of one that instead focuses on the “arrested development” of different individual characters – changing the main title sequence in accordance to each episode’s leading role. Viewers therefore experienced the same story arc for three or four consecutive episodes, each time told from a different Bluth’s point of view.

This change was a result of the difficulties in the filming schedule for the actors, and is one of the revival’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. While the new structure allowed for an “unfolding mystery” mechanic to the story, as more and more plot details were revealed in each proceeding episode, it also meant that the strength of the ensemble cast was weakened. The interactions of the uniquely flawed and engaging characters that are an “Arrested Development” hallmark were greatly lessened. This change also allowed certain characters to take center stage that had never done so previously, and while some of those episodes were triumphant (such as Gob and George Michael’s), others left much to be desired (especially George Sr.’s).

Of course, the show’s other hallmark – its endless list of ridiculous inside jokes, references, and call-backs – was as strong and satisfying as ever. “Arrested Development” refuses to slow down or spell anything out for its viewers, and expects that enough attention is being paid that all of the references and double-entendres are not only seen, but cherished. The viewing experience only gets better every time around, and binge-watching, as many fans eagerly did as soon as the show was released, makes playing this game with the writers that much more enjoyable.

One of the revival’s greatest triumphs is its lack of failures. That is, for all the drawbacks of the new set-up, things could have gone much worse. Fans of similarly-humored NBC show “Community” recall the show’s fourth season, which was written without the show’s creator, Dan Harmon, on staff. Without him, the show became formulaic; the writers tried so hard to capture the spirit of the previous seasons that each episode became a sloppy, cartoonish parody of what the show once was.

 “Arrested Development” happily escaped this fate, and doesn’t pander to fan’s expectations to simply be a repetition of the previous seasons. In this way, the new structure is once again a strength, as it allowed the show’s writers and creators to take new steps forward with the Bluth family, rather than focusing on the past.

Overall, despite some minor hiccoughs, “Arrested Development” is unquestionably one of the smartest, funniest and fast-paced comedies available to date.