- Forbes reported on February 13th that Netflix would remove Arrested Development from its streaming catalog in one month.
- This was due to a notice on the show's landing page indicating that the show would be unavailable by March 15th.
- However, the show is still available to stream on Netflix in a surprising turn of events.
Mitchell Hurwitz created an Arrested Development comedy sitcom. It aired on Fox television from November 2003 to February 2006.
The comedy sitcom received positive reviews during its run on Fox. It even won a few Emmys before being canceled in 2006 due to low ratings and viewership.
Netflix made a significant move in 2011 when it licensed new episodes of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom. Netflix made them available on its streaming service for two more seasons, and viewership increased following the release of Season 4 in 2013.
The first batch of Season 5 episodes aired in May 2018, followed by the second in March 2019. Some have described the show as “hilarious,” claiming it is one of those series you will occasionally rewatch.
The plot
The Bluth family, a formerly wealthy family living extravagant lifestyles despite their changed circumstances, is the centerpiece of the Arrested Development story.
The lead actor, Michael Bluth, strives to do the proper thing and keep his family together, despite their selfishness, materialism, and manipulative nature.
Michael is a single father with a teenage son, George Michael, who shares his father’s decency. However, he feels constant pressure to live up to his father’s expectations and is frequently hesitant to follow his father’s plans.
The name of Michael’s father is George Bluth Sr, and he is the head of the family patriarch. George Bluth Sr. got arrested in the first episode over corrupt real estate activities.
Was Arrested Development going to leave Netflix?
Arrested Development’s departure from Netflix on March 15th was reported in mid-February. A banner announcing the final day to watch the series appeared on the Arrested Development landing page on Netflix.
Not only were the first three seasons removed from Fox, but also seasons four and five, produced by Netflix.
Many people were deeply concerned about the proposed removal of seasons 4 and 5. This is because Arrested Development seasons 4 and 5 are both Netflix originals, albeit not wholly owned by Netflix.
Netflix only released a physical DVD for Season 4, which raises worries that they might not do the same for Season 5. This is another cause for concern as it may force viewers to watch the fifth season illegally.
What’s On Netflix previously reported that the removal date had been pushed back to March 15, 10 days after it was supposed to leave.
However, it appears that a last-minute agreement was reached because no deadline date appeared on the landing page. This means that Netflix subscribers can continue to watch Arrested Development on their platform.
Many have attempted to contact Netflix for clarification but have not responded. However, popular belief holds they are still working on the licensing agreements behind the scenes. Nonetheless, we will update this article if a significant development occurs.
Where can I watch arrested development?
Walt Disney acquired 21st-Century Fox on December 14th, 2017, and is also the largest shareholder in Hulu, owning approximately 66% of the company.
These have enabled Hulu to broadcast Arrested Developments to American subscribers. However, it can only air the first three seasons because Netflix produced seasons four and five.
Arrested Developments is also available on Disney+ in the United Kingdom, in addition to Netflix. You can sign up for this service on the DisneyPlus website for £7.99 per month or £79.99 per year. However, like Hulu in the United States, you can only watch seasons one through three.
Overview of the competing streaming service
Netflix offers an Arrested Development streaming service in over 90 countries worldwide.
Whether Netflix renewed or created a new licensing agreement, it is a welcome development that they will continue to offer the Arrested Development streaming service. This is because rivals have already planned to profit from the fallout.
The fans are the most fortunate in this development as they can now access seasons one through five on Netflix.
