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Waggish American comedy Arrested Development starring Jason Bateman is all set to whimsy its way onto Netflix on 26 May, the show’s makers have announced on its Facebook page.
The new series contains 15 episodes, all of which will be available at once on the streaming service from 12.01am PT, or 8am here in Blighty — which should make for a delightful Bank holiday Sunday morning in bed.
Releasing a whole season of episodes at the same time is something Netflix has done before with hit macabre shows House of Cards and Breaking Bad. It better reflects viewing habits of boxset bingers, who enjoy watching back-to-back episodes of their preferred Scandinavian drama or eerie David Lynch series over a short period of time, instead of awaiting the weekly instalment.
The first three seasons of Arrested Development aired between 2003 and 2006, but despite winning a bunch of Emmy Awards, it proved more of a cult favourite than a ratings hit, and was sadly cancelled. All existing episodes have been available on Netflix for a while, and it announced back in November that it was resurrecting the show for a fourth series.
A unique spin is that the new episodes don’t need to be watched in order, as they all show the same set of events, but from different perspectives. Whether this will get tedious, or prove an enjoyable Groundhog Day-style twist remains to be seen. In line with the show’s slightly niche but silly brand of humour, Netflix teased fans with a collection of Easter eggs — or hidden jokes — that could be found within the site back in January.
If you don’t want to sign up to Netflix for £6 per month, it’s likely you’ll be able to buy the new series on DVD and Blu-ray in a few months’ time — House of Cards, which debuted in February, will be on disc in June.
Netflix is the first streaming service to throw big money at producing its own series, and following the success of House of Cards — its most popular show ever — has announced it will be making Sense8, a sci-fi show from the creators of The Matrix.
Rival services are also starting a new line in producing shows, with Lovefilm making a news programme from satirical website The Onion. The BBC has also announced a streaming trial, which will see several new shows accessible via iPlayer up to a year ahead of hitting TV screens.
Are you thrilled at the prospect of new Arrested Development? Is Netflix leading the way in redefining how shows are produced and watched? Argue it out Bluth-style in the boardroom comments, or take it easy over at the CNET UK banana stand Facebook page.
