FOX'S LATEST 'DEVELOPMENT' IS THE REAL DEAL.

Byline: David Kronke TV Critic

FOX FINALLY introduces its Sunday sitcom lineup tonight, and it's left the season's best new comedy for last: ``Arrested Development,'' a deceptively deliriously deadpan but truly laugh-inducing program that all the prognosticators, somewhat glumly, have predicted just cannot work on network television.

But, hey - they thought that ``Coupling,'' ``Skin'' and ``Miss Match'' were certain hits. So what the heck do they know?

At its heart, ``Arrested Development'' is another quirky, single-camera comedy about a highly dysfunctional family, so it may initially seem a good match with ``Malcolm in the Middle,'' which it follows. But last season, a similarly brilliant, off-the-wall Fox series, ``Andy Richter Controls the Universe,'' couldn't hold ``Malcolm's'' audience because its sensibility sailed way over the heads of its lead-in's kid-oriented crowd. And that's essentially what everyone assumes will happen here.

But this is why you should hope that doesn't happen:

1.) ``Arrested Development'' is the anti-``O.C.'' It takes place in Orange County, concerning the same sort of wealthy, somewhat-detached-from- reality families that populate ``The O.C.'' But this one is intentionally funny.

2.) It boasts a talented, hilarious and wildly diverse cast, including secret-weapon Jason Bateman, who previously starred in ``Little House on the Prairie'' and ``Silver Spoons.'' Those series give you little preparation for his wonderfully dry sense of humor. As Michael Bluth, the one rational member of a family cluttered with imbecilic, greedy and misguided boobs, his every reaction to the other members of his family - which includes, among others, corrupt patriarch Jeffrey Tambor (``The Larry Sanders Show''), simperingly spoiled sister Portia de Rossi (``Ally McBeal'') and breathtakingly boobish brother-in-law David Cross (``Mr. Show'') - is droll yet screamingly funny.

3.) Its documentary-style drama (narrated by Ron Howard) is perhaps the closest that network television will and could ever get to the year's most acclaimed comedy, BBC America's ``The Office.''

Michael is the voice of reason in a family ruled by dyspeptic thought - father George (Tambor) is a successfully corrupt businessman until the day of his retirement, when he is jailed for fraud. Daughter Lindsay is a limousine liberal championing causes that mainly keep her in designer clothing, and her husband, Tobias (Cross), is a quack doctor who believes, quite erroneously, that the muse is calling him to a career as an actor. Michael's mother (Jessica Walter) is so domineering she makes Joan Crawford look like a soccer mom, and his other brothers (Will Arnett and Tony Hale) are morons who make Gilligan and the Skipper look like Mensa candidates.

Unfortunately, the show is so cleverly constructed that its one-liners are only hilarious in the context of the episodes in which they appear. All this makes ``Arrested Development'' a tough sell, but appointment television for those who discover its tricky, smart comedy.

The show premieres tonight, along with longtime successes ``The Simpsons,'' ``King of the Hill'' and ``Malcolm in the Middle.'' Alas, ``The Bernie Mac Show,'' which will begin its third season - and its first without creator Larry Wilmore - has had its debut pushed back to next week, and hasn't allowed critics to see its first new episode, leading to speculation that the network's ousting of its showrunner was a bad move. And Fox didn't make the season premiere of ``Malcolm'' available either, which can rarely be construed as good news.

Fortunately, we can still discuss ``The Simpsons' '' latest ``Treehouse of Horror'' episode, another trilogy of very mild terror that involves body-part harvesting and the Nobel Prize, Bart's ill-advised tinkering with the fabric of time and Homer assuming the role of the Grim Reaper. That last scenario occurs when Homer manages to kill Death itself; he reaches a spiritual crisis when he realizes that with Death dead, all things will live forever, including, most agonizingly, the ABC sitcom ``According to Jim.'' Who says Homer's so dumb?

``King of the Hill'' returns tonight with another well-observed slice-of- Texas-life, as Brad Pitt portrays Boomhauer's brother Patch, who's every bit as gravel-mouthed as he. Patch returns to Texas to wed Boomhauer's former girlfriend, albeit with impure intentions. Small-town Texas bachelor parties are incisively parodied, and next week, fad-happy Christianity is thoughtfully skewered when Bobby joins a cutting-edge cult that celebrates skate-punk culture and alternative rock.

Hank's conservatism proves to be both staunchly fearful of change and sensibly adherent to tradition when he grouses to Bobby's new youth minister, ``You're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock 'n' roll worse!''

David Kronke, [phone]

david.kronke(at)dailynews.com

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT - Three and one half stars

What: A corrupt family business collapses with its patriarch and his pampered progeny; only his sensible son (Jason Bateman) can save everyone.

Where: Fox (Channel 11).

When: 9:30 tonight.

In a nutshell: Deadpan and utterly inspired, it's the season's best new comedy.

THE SIMPSONS - Three stars

What: The 14th annual ``Treehouse of Horror'' opens the season.

Where: Fox (Channel 11).

When: 8 tonight.

In a nutshell: Homer as the Angel of Death? Things could be worse.

KING OF THE HILL - Three stars

What: Brad Pitt plays Boomhauer's equally articulate brother in season opener.

Where: Fox (Channel 11).

When: 7:30 tonight.

In a nutshell: More keenly observed mores of Texas life, humorously rendered as always.

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Photo:

A family of rich twits endures a crisis in Fox's ``Arrested Development,'' with Jeffrey Tambor, left, and Jason Bateman.