Don't forget "the chef ninjas" "rich kid jutsu" and "lee/gai dopplegangers"
ah classics......

I only saw up till the end of the water monster one...and among those arcs, they were equally bad (yet they all had elements that *could have* been pretty sweet)

Mizuchi strikes back: I kinda liked the idea of bringing mizuki back. Too bad he was freakishly ripped and for some reason an actual threat in head-on combat.

Bikouchu: I have no beef with them trying to develop hinata's character...although I'm still not sure what I think of her "new jutsu"

Raiga: I've always wanted to see more "swords of mist" action. Too bad this guy reminds me more of the guy that stole the 1st's lightning sword rather than an actual sword of mist.

Bird Country: The preview and title to the episode called "Naruto's Death" was quite possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen in a long-running anime series. =]

Sea Country: Some fun footage of Sasuke and some actual backstory for Anku. Of course like usual, they have to drop the ball to wrap the arc up.

As for the first arc...well...I can't really find any redeeming qualities about it. A lame-ass attempt at bringing Sasuke back, with an obvious conclusion: Sasuke's in another castle. I think I'll give the first arc my vote