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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, March 29, 2024

Arrested Development' finally returns with fourth season

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Calling all motherboys and never-nudes: After a six-year hiatus, “Arrested Development” is returning for a fourth season on May 26. And because Netflix is releasing all 15 episodes of the season at once, fans can marathon the Bluth family’s latest misadventures during these early days of summer.

Netflix has been advertising the return of “Arrested Development” under self-referential, fan-submitted taglines such as, “We’ve unmade a huge mistake,” “No touching, only streaming” and “Get hooked again.” They have created an extremely interactive environment on Facebook over the past three months to pump up viewers for what’s in store, although the show’s return couldn’t really be more highly anticipated. Die-hard fans have been preparing by re-watching all three seasons, all of which are also available on Netflix, over the past couple of months.

Much like the return of instant-classic shows such as “Mad Men,” which went through a 17-month hiatus around 2010, and “Breaking Bad,” which is slated to return this August after almost a year, media and fans alike have been making predictions and speculating about what the season has in store. Fortunately, all 10 main cast members, including the always-amazing Ron Howard as narrator, will be returning. But this season also promises a new slew of characters, played by actors like John Slattery and Kristen Wiig, and it speaks to the show’s quality that it has been able to snag such high-profile guest stars. Here’s hoping that Warden Stefan Gentles, played by James Lipton, and Gene Parmesan, played by Martin Mull will pop up as well. It is almost superfluous to say, but the cast takes this already brilliantly written show over the top. In more ways than one, it is a cut above the rest.

The cancellation of “Arrested Development” back in 2006 came as a surprise to many fans. Throughout the years, the show has proven to have one of the greatest followings in recent television history, largely thanks to the exposure from Netflix’s “instant watch” feature, which has been allowing direct and online streaming for paying customers since 2008. “Arrested Development” has become such a cult classic that it is almost impossible to blurt out only one quote and stop there.

This eccentric show has kept fans wanting more since the season three finale -- cleverly titled “Development Arrested” -- hinted at a possible film. The final words of that episode were, “Maybe a movie.” And a movie it shall be. Apart from the 15 episodes that will air this month, there have been talks about an “Arrested Development” film since 2011. Although the film has not been officially green-lit, it is almost a certainty that it will be made.

Given that this season will be released under Netflix Original Programming, the set-up of each episode will be different. With this season, creator Mitch Hurwitz decided to focus on a single character for one or two episodes, which includes an insight to their past, as well as what they have been up to during the past six years. This will allow for a more all-encompassing viewing. In other words, if you haven’t had time to re-watch all 53 episodes recently, you’ll feel right at home with these new ones.

Everyone from the unsettling Tobias to the apathetic Michael and the completely forgettable Egg -- I mean, Ann -- will come together to give “Arrested Development” the ending it properly deserves. This long-awaited season will be devoured by fans and will certainly add to the show’s reputation as being one of the most easy-to-marathon comedies in history. Every viewing reveals more inside jokes and running gags than before, and with any luck, these new episodes will be as clever, complex and funny.

Although the final season might seem out of place, given the giant time gap, it will feel like revisiting old friends -- and who doesn’t want friends like Lucille and Gob? Season four will also bring back the joy of watching comedy at its absolute finest. And although you may feel an emptiness like no other when you’re done watching season four for the third time, the promise of an “Arrested Development” film is some comfort. So grab a frozen banana, sit on your hand chair and get to corn-holing on May 26.