With just a few days remaining before the release of 15 brand new Arrested Development episodes on Netflix, the hype built up over the last year is raising into a crescendo. All fans of the show—whether they watched the series when it first aired, binged on its DVD/Netflix availability long after, or both—fully appreciate how rare a gift this is, and the launch of the entire season at once is sure to make for some raging AD parties.
More surprisingly, just last week, another beloved TV show by the name of 24 was pulled from the grave. Jack Bauer fanboy madness quickly ensued, and quite frankly, we shouldn’t be even a little surprised—Jack’s heart literally stopped at least twice during the show’s original eight-season run. The bonus season will likely air sometime next year, upping the ante as Jack saves the world in half the time he’s usually given—12 hours.
The revival of loyally followed shows like Arrested Development and 24 points to a rising trend of nostalgia permeating the TV landscape right now. Back when animated favorite Family Guy (2005) returned from cancelled doom, such a feat was almost unheard of. Turnover rate on the silver screen is and always has been extremely high, and at the end of the day, ratings were ratings. However, Family Guy rode its way to a reprieve thanks almost entirely to Adult Swim reruns and the introduction of DVDs as a new post-mortem metric for success, something streaming services like Netflix have now taken to an even higher level.
What’s interesting about bringing shows back from the dead is what it reveals about our culture—we really don’t know what we have until it’s gone. Arrested Development got shuffled around the schedule many times when it originally aired, eventually meeting its demise when Fox slammed its final four episodes together in a two hour block on a Friday night. Then, only through DVD sales and online streaming, did the world slowly begin to understand the genius it had originally shunned. Would Arrested Development be back without the increasingly easier access to its original episodes provided over the last seven years? Definitely not—which can also be said about Family Guy and even Futurama.
Although AD getting the second life it so clearly deserves is probably the greatest TV victory we’ll ever see, let’s all hope that what 24 is continuing doesn’t ruin a good thing. As a fan of both shows, I can say that I’m very excited to have them return, but for very different reasons. I want Arrested Development back because it’s some of the smartest, funniest, multi-layered writing ever seen in a TV show. I want 24 back because the writers flubbed Jack’s finale in anticipation of a movie that wasn’t even close to a reality. If the idea of that movie never existed, I would have been perfectly fine with 24 providing us with a satisfying ending for Jack Bauer, as the show was definitely well past its prime at the end of Season 8.
I just hope this trend of wanting more doesn’t continue with shows returning that, far more than 24, have no business coming back. We can all begin grieving preparations for the end of TV’s “Golden Age” now that Breaking Bad and Mad Men are coming to their respective ends in the next year, but that’s certainly no reason to soil other great runs by encouraging comebacks well after the dream is over. We should be appreciating the return of a great show like AD whose life was cut tragically short, but for the big guns that already had their swan song, let’s not reopen wounds that took quite some time to heal.
This is a Freshly Pressed post.
The nostalgia hit me indeed. Two of my very favourite shows (and of many of course) Yes, with Spartacus, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Mad Men ending this year, the golden age of TV is nearing it’s end. In a couple of more years when the likes of SOA and more end, we can bid this chapter farewell.
“But for the big guns that already had their swan song, let’s not reopen wounds that took quite some time to heal.” <—I love this last statement and couldn't agree more. Congrats on getting FP! 🙂
I love Netflix. Do we really need cable or any other kind of TV now that we have Netflix and all of its great shows?
I want Torchwood to return already!
You can add “Veronica Mars” to that list, with the movie coming up.
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a great read!
Reblogged this on Bluxome Street Post and commented:
I realize that I have hit two all-time highs on my blog. First, I have been writing or reblogging about television with a disturbing frequency. Second, I have been reblogging an insane amount. The only reason I do that is there is so much compelling content / writers out there. So check out this post on: “TV Nostalgia Hits a High.”
I lost interest in TV a few years ago because too many shows I likes were cancelled abruptly. Some were long running shows and I understand that it was time to come to an end, but I would have appreciated a winding down and tying up of loose ends. Not vague unsatisfying endings.
I’m glad some shows are getting a second chance. Maybe things will start to change for other shows.
Being the age I am , My nostalgia is more older, shows like My mother the car, the Patty Duke show, Leave it to Beaver, Dennis the menace, and more, I’m 60 years old
I can’t get enough of Netflix the amount of tv shows we have been able to watch. Dexter and Arrested Development are ones in particular i like. The only downside is having to wait for a few series to come out! But so excited about A.D!
i would love The Invasion to be revived. it only ran one season and was cancelled for obscure reasons despite decent ratings. it is to-date one of the best, most intriguing, and unusual science-fiction shows ever made.
I absolutely love Arrested Development! My husband bought me the boxset for Xmas and we watched them all within a few days! The chicken dance has to be one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen! I also love how clever the show is – we were checking out the way that clues are sneaked into episodes just yesterday, like the one where Buster sits next to a sign which indicates that he’ll lose a hand. Fantastic viewing! Great post 🙂
I am thoroughly enjoying the new season of Arrested Development, and until now I’ve never thought of the return of AD as nostalgia, but that’s exactly how I feel when I watch it. Great post, very well-written,
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I don’t think a golden age of television is ending. I think we are seeing television, via cable networks, being pulled into cinematic directions. Hollywood types are being drawn by the ability to build a longer, more intricate story than a film, and viewers are being more deeply engaged. Yes, some great shows are ending, but this is paving the way for great shows to begin.
Totally agree with you on the point that TV is moving toward a more cinematic direction – take a look at House of Cards. Big budget, big actors, big production value, and it’s a great show. I just think that the Golden Age of television kind of begins with The Sopranos and The Wire, and ends with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. That’s not to say there won’t be great shows in the near future and beyond, but Sopranos/The Wire really kicked off a higher standard that has only been reached by the two latter shows. Feels a bit like the end of an era when they come to an end next year.
So what did you think of the AD new season? The phrase “I’ve made a huge mistake” come sto mind…
Yeah it’s slightly odd having this article up now that the season has been released and most feelings are negative. I’ve seen the first four episodes and it’s definitely disappointing so far. I’ll reserve full judgement for when I’ve finished all 15 episodes though.
I miss Mork and Mindy with Robin Williams!
nostalgia
it always
sells
at a profit
Loving Arrested Development. Was oblivious to it until I started hearing reports of its return on Netflix. Over the past week I have been spending way too much time watching it from the beginning. So hilarious. Can’t wait to see what they’ll do with this new season.
Great post, and it brings the phrase “jump the shark” to mind. I haven’t seen any of the new series but reviews haven’t been too greatVery few shows never jumped, AD among them, but I wonder if the Bluths have their waterskis on now?
I watched the first episode. I found it purposely trying to be confusing as each character’s “how we got here”-styled recap was presented.
Will I watch more? Of course.
I’m holding out for Blossom to make it’s way back on the airwaves!!
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I miss after school, and Saturday morning cartoons!
I reckon we shouldn’t worry too much about the end of the ‘Golden Age’. The best shows that are included are like twelve hour movies broken into chapters rather than traditional TV shows and new formats lend to that style perfectly.
Binge watching Arrested Development all week – Almost done! 🙂
I think that any well-written, thought out show whether first-run or not is worth watching. I am so sick and tired of “reality” TV which is not even close to reality. There have been too many shows that were cancelled because ratings were low due to these shows. I am not saying that they are all bad but really, how many seasons can there possibly be of shows like The Bachelor/Bachelorette? I remember when I looked forward to certain nights for TV. One of my favorites was T.G.I.F.
Couldn’t agree with you more. Good scripted TV is FAR better than the best reality shows out there.
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