Arrested Development
Mark down the date: The dysfunctional Bluth clan are finally coming back and this time they're arriving all at once.
Netflix has announced that the much-anticipated new season of Arrested Development will debut on May 26. In a news release, Netflix said that all 15 new episodes of the long-awaited fourth season of the offbeat sitcom would be available on the on-demand service as of 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time that day and made available in all regions where the service is offered (including Canada).
In the same release, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said that the full-season rollout was "crafted for the on-demand generation that has come to discover the show in the years since it last appeared on TV."
Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz, who executive-produced the new slate of episodes, was also quoted, stating, "Finally my simple wish for the show is coming true: That it be broadcast every second around the clock to every television, computer or mobile device in existence."
Originally broadcast on The Fox Network, Arrested Development starred Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth, the sole voice of reason in an extremely erratic family played by Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Michael Cera, Will Arnett, Tony Hale, David Cross and Portia de Rossi. The series languished on the Fox lineup from 2003 to 2006 and was eventually cancelled due to low ratings. All the original cast members will reprise their roles in the new run of episodes.
Launched as a subscription-based digital distribution service in 1999, Netflix is currently one of the world's largest streaming-media companies and has steadily been adding original content to its programming lineup. In February, Netflix debuted the political thriller House of Cards, with all 13 episodes available to viewers at once. Last year, Netflix enjoyed similar success with the comedic crime drama Lilyhammer, starring Steve Van Zandt of The Sopranos.