Yes, but I think for the most part, new spell levels count (though not levels which don't give more access to spells, really), and class abilities that are always in the player's direct control. (Familiars may be controlled by the DM, depending on how the DM runs things.) Favored enemy is a 'cool thing', even though it's not always active due to DM decisions, because the choices cover all eventualities, and therefore, the player gets to choose when it's active.
HP/BAB/Saves/skill points normally don't count, IMO, unless they are far far better than 'normal'. Monk's triple good saves is a 'cool thing' because next to no classes get all good saves, and most don't even get two good saves. A rogue's skillpoints are good, because most classes only get 2 or 4 skill points per level, so rogues far exceed anyone else in skill access, which makes it a 'cool thing'. HP/BAB would have to be something like d20 HD, or BAB +1.5, because good/average BAB's still fairly common. (Three classes have good BAB in core.. and martial classes aren't uncommon)
Sorcerors, Clerics, and Fighters, because they don't have cool things that aren't part of a common mechanic at very many levels, (sorcerors and clerics not at anything but first, and fighter not at all) are generally considered 'front-loaded' classes, because you can generally find PrC's that give the basic benefit of the class to a lesser/equal degree, but more numerous special abilities that make characters more unique. Clerical turning attempts, if undead aren't being used, aren't a cool schtick, unless they are used w/ feats or class/racial abilities that provide alternate uses for them.
A fighter's feat access isn't really THAT terribly special: many classes give bonus feats to some degree, and characters all get at 7 feats in the course of levels 1-20 anyway.
Clerical turning attempts, if undead aren't being used, aren't a 'cool thing' every level, since cleric levels rarely matter in the things that they are used for.
A sorceror's or wizard's familiar isn't a cool thing, since while the familiars get more options, in most games, familiars aren't used, since they cost the player XP and take a long time to get back if the familar dies, and they aren't significantly more powerful than a paladin's mount or a ranger or druid's animal companion, which don't cost the player XP at death and can come back almost immediately.
Therefore, there are 3 classes which are INCREDIBLY front-loaded: cleric, sorceror, and fighter. These are also the three classes at least 90% of players will always PrC when possible, because they recognize the lack of interest when leveling.
Likewise, at level 20, there are very few reasons to keep with a rogue for that level, because at that point, most skills are incredibly augmented with magical items anyway, and it's unlikely all of them will need to be kept up at full. Thus, many players will go with monk if it's available to them for the purposes of saves, HP, +Wis to unarmored AC, Improved Unarmed Strike, a bonus feat, and Flurry of Blows, as well as a few exotic weapon proficiencies... Since there is a feat which gives 5 skillpoints, and 3 feats that give 2 to saves, it's apparent that a single monk level is significantly more powerful than the 20th rogue level, as it offers far more than the rogue's 20th level.
This is a few reasons for why I think 'cool things' given out to each class at all levels is a good idea. 'Dead' levels suck, especially for fighters (since all classes get something better on their dead levels than the fighter does (barbs get better HD, equal saves, better skills, AND equal BAB, so strictly, a single barb dead level is better than the fighter's)), because it's like you haven't gotten anything, but other people did.
