'Arrested Development' to debut on Netflix on May 26
All 15 new episodes will be available for streaming on Netflix toward the end of next month.
Fans of the Bluth family can catch their latest exploits when the so-called fourth season of "Arrested Development" unravels on Netflix on May 26.
All 15 episodes will launch the same day at 12:01 AM PT in the U.S., Canada, the U.K, and other countries where Netflix is available. Fans of the Emmy-winning cult sitcom can set aside that Sunday to tune into a full day's marathon of the new season.
Only 14 episodes were originally scheduled, but Netflix revealed today that another episode has been added to the mix.
Courtesy of a deal signed in late 2011, series creator Mitch Hurwitz and the entire cast reunited to bring back the Bluths. However, each episode will reportedly focus on a different character with only Michael Bluth, played by Jason Bateman, popping up in every one.
"'Arrested Development' is now widely viewed as one of the top TV comedies of all time and Mitch Hurwitz is bringing it to Netflix in a brand new way, crafted for the on-demand generation that has come to discover the show in the years since it last appeared on TV," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement. "The highly anticipated return of this show is sure to make history all over again."
In true "Arrested Development" style, Hurwitz shot back at Sarandos' comments.
"Ted said that? Wow. Well don't print this obviously, but he's going to be immensely disappointed," Hurwitz said in a statement. "In truth we are doing something very ambitious that can only be done with Netflix as partners and on their platform. 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."
Debuting on the Fox network in 2003, "Arrested Development" was canceled in 2006. But the first three seasons have been immensely popular among Netflix streamers, one of the reasons the show was brought back to life.
The new series is also the latest move by Netflix to branch out into original programming.
The video streaming service kicked off this effort with the debut of "Lillyhammer" in early 2012. "House of Cards" followed this past February with all 13 episodes launching on the same day.
And even more shows are in the lineup. A supernatural thriller called "Hemlock Grove" is slated to begin April 19. A series from "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan called "Orange is the New Black" and the second season of "Lilyhammer" will kick off later this year.
In an interview in February with GQ, Sarandos said he hopes to make at least five new series a year.