Netflix Picks Up New Episodes Of Arrested Development

Netflix And Showtime Eye Potential New Arrested Development Limited Series Just like it did with its first original series acquisition, drama House Of Cards, Netflix has outbid an established pay cable network for the rights to new episodes of the Emmy Award-winning comedy series Arrested Development. Netflix and Showtime were both pursuing the new installment of Arrested Development, which will now be available to Netflix subscribers in early 2013. The exact number of episodes has not been determined, though at an Arrested Development panel discussion last month, where series creator Mitch Hurwitz broke the news of the series revival, he indicated that the idea is to do a limited 9-10 episode series, which would serve as a bridge between the original series and the long-gestating Arrested Development movie. The plan is for each episode to focus on a different member of the Bluth clan. Arrested Development producer 20th Century Fox TV has no deals with the cast, but all have expressed interest in reprising their roles. Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, Jeffrey Tambor, David Cross, Alia Shawkat and Jessica Walter supported the idea at the panel last month. “Arrested Development… has stood the test of time,” 20thTV chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman said, noting that this is the third canceled series the studio had produced, along with Family Guy and Futurama, to come back. Everyone, ourselves included, seems to feel like the Bluths left the party a bit too soon,” said Brian Grazer and Ron Howard of Imagine TV, which co-produced Arrested Development with 20th TV (Howard also narrates the show). “Bringing a series back from cancellation almost never happens, but then,Arrested always was about as unconventional as they get, so it seems totally appropriate that this show that broke the mold is smashing it to pieces once again.