Why does this series receive so much praise?

I've only just finished the 7th episode of season 2 and while I find the series mildly entertaining (as far as brainless comedies go), word of mouth had me expecting far more.

I've been a huge William H. Macy fan since I was a teenager and first saw him in the likes of Fargo and all those PT Anderson movies. So, right off the bat, I was intrigued about him staring in a TV series. I figured it had to be great. And, on top of that, I've repeatedly heard people and critics rave about the series for years, speaking about how real it is and how it delves deeply and intelligently into so many relatable and taboo issues (with a hefty dose of comedy thrown into the mix). I was expecting an R-rated Roseanne or something. A dramedy on par (or perhaps surpassing) the likes of Freaks and Geeks, The Wonder Years, or Six Feet Under. And what do I find but silly caricatures, one absurd and wacky situation after another, hacky dialogue, WB-level melodrama, and a slew of gratuitous sex, nudity, and "shocking" scenes that appear to be there for the sole purpose of shocking (as opposed to actually serving the story in any meaningful way).

Don't get me wrong, it's watchable. But why on earth does this receive so much praise? The way people speak, I figured I was walking into something far better and deeper than this. As far as I can tell, it's more on par with Weeds, Californication, Sex and The City, Hung, or Orange Is The New Black than any other of those intelligently written shows I've mentioned. Does it get drastically better in later seasons or something? Because, thus far, it seems extremely mediocre and goofy (it's almost cartoonish half the time).