There is finally an end in sight for the return of Arrested Development on Netflix, and when the show does arrive it seems we can expect it to have a somewhat different feel and flow than the original episodes. Seven years after being axed by Fox, the show’s cast and crew will give it new life and a new rhythm, as well.
Creator Michael Hurwitz shared some information (and vague spoilers!) on the changes made to the show’s new episodes, which will appear all at once in Netflix’s streaming library this May. According to USA Today, Hurwitz says the episodes--and we can expect somewhere in the realm of 13 or 14 of them, more than the 10 originally planned--will follow a different format than the original series. Where Arrested Development’s older episodes feature meshing storylines and flashbacks that jump around in time and from character to character, the new episodes will focus on a single character at a time. The reason for this is mainly the availability of the original cast, who all are involved with other projects.
"We're not jumping from one thing to another; you're staying with one character…The bigger story is the family has fallen apart at the start of our show. They all went their own way, without Michael holding them together, so they're left to their own devices, and they're not the most successful devices.”
The new episodes will tell the stories of each family member since the series ended, from their flight from the law to where they are in the present. As the episodes unfold, the connections between the stories will be revealed, making the entire season “like a giant Arrested Development” that is “tailored for Netflix.” With the entire season available at once, the viewing experience will be more like watching a movie with episodes flowing into each other.
The entire cast will finally appear together in the final episode, which Hurwitz says is meant to lead into a planned movie. Whether that will happen remains up in the air, but we'll keep you posted.
On the subject of the premiere, TVLine says Netflix confirmed a May release at the TCA press tour today, though no specific date was mentioned. Last week, May 4 was the reported premiere date, but that may not be accurate, though reports of 14 episodes does line up with the previously reported information.
