Arrested Development Season 4 (Showtime)

[chiprocks1]

I figured that since Season 3 is now over that I would start another thread leading into Season 4.

Well, the New York post has said that Arrested Development has been picked up by Showtime. And not only that, they have ordered a full 26 episodes! (Theres some conflicting reports where its stated that its only 12 episodes, and others are saying its 26).

This news has made my day!! Im sooooo fucking happy!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/0...-_n_16521.html

[Moonraker]

Rumors still. They credit the NY POST rumor section at the source.

I hope for some official announcement soon.

[Heckalaska]

My fingers are crossed to the point of disfigurement...

[tazer floyd]

The show is pretty much dead.

If this doesn’t put the final nail in Arrested Development’s coffin, I don’t know what does: creator and show runner Mitch Hurwitz has quit. Granted, quitting the show seems like an odd formality at this point in time, with Fox shit-canning it, but it looked like Showtime was going to pick it up, so there could yet be hope for the series.

Hurwitz gave “financial and creative” reasons for his decision, saying he had taken the show about as far as he could. He told narrator/producer Ron Howard that he would be available as a consultant if the show ended up on Showtime for a fourth season, but that his full-time involvement was over. Personally, I hope that this kills the Showtime deal as well. Don’t get me wrong, I love the show. I love it to death. But I think it went out on a very high note, and that sometimes it’s better when good things end quickly – before they have a chance to become The Simpsons.

My understanding is that Hurwitz isn’t the only person who wants out; the cast is reportedly itchy for this all to end, since the show’s high profile has done wonders for their careers. Every day they sit around waiting to hear about the fate of the Bluths is another day they aren’t signing a big movie deal.

Speaking of movies, Hurwitz has said that he would gladly come back to revive the show as a feature. I can’t imagine anyone would be willing to drop the money on such a thing, although they did make a Firefly movie, so I guess anything is possible.

[Chris Knight]

At least I made my peace with it when the finale aired.

[elwood731]

I don't see how a feature film would be that bad of an idea. I think the problem with feature films a lot is that studios think you have to spend a bundle to make something worthwhile. You could make an Arrested Development movie for less than $10 million. If it flops, you haven't lost that much after DVD, cable, etc. The same was true with Firefly. It never broke out as a huge hit, but then neither did it really lose money for the studio (it probably turned a small profit when all was said and done). You could probably make a lot of TV shows into feature films for a small budget. Imagine an ER film prepped for summer 2007. Much like with The X-Files, the season could end and the film would carry over from one season to the next. I don't know how much that show costs to make, but say around $5 million an episode. Make a $10-20 million movie. Even if it only makes back $10 million, you could then air it that fall as the premiere of the new season.

Seems like a good business opprotunity. Or, even make a $10 million movie as the pilot for a new show. Release it in theatres over the summer, and then show it in the fall as the pilot for a new series. You'd be one step ahead of other fall series with an audience from the theatre and DVD release.