For Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz, the show mustn't go on.
Hurwitz confirmed Monday that he has decided against continuing on with the series because he feels the show has reached its creative end. Showtime president Robert Greenblatt said previously that the cable channel was interested in picking up the series, but only if Hurwitz was involved as the show runner.
Hurwitz told Variety that he would consider continuing on as a consultant, and that he would be interested in making a feature film of the series.
"I said I'd be happy to do that, but that as show runner, I've gone as far as I can go," he said.
Series star Jason Batemen told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was sad to see the series end, but he is happy that fans can remember it on DVD.
"I'm so proud of it and so like it as a TV fan that I'm happy we're not going to get a chance to screw it up," he said. "It's nice that there's a medium to preserve it."
The announcement by Hurwitz follows months of speculation that the much-loved, low-rated Fox sitcom would move to cable network Showtime. This season, Fox cut the episode order of the series down from 18 to 13 but didn't officially cancel the show. This was partly because they were playing both ends against the middle: when news arose that rival network ABC also wanted the show, Fox decided to hold off on judgment, not wanting to let another network make a hit out of their failure.
Arrested Development told the story of the highly dysfunctional, yet frighteningly familiar, Bluth family. The show won three Emmys, two for writing and one for best comedy series, and Bateman won a Golden Globe for his role as the "sane" member of the family, Michael.
Batemen got a parting shot in at Fox when he mentioned that the network wasn't accustomed to having Emmy-nominated shows.
"At least they had a presence at the Emmys, which was new for them," he said.
Comments (45)
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!<br />
<br />
This s*cks!
This is the worst news ever I don't have cable but I still want the show to survive
Arrested Development was something I started watching from the very begginning and if they don't continue I don't know what I'll do!
MAN!!! Can't get enough of this...bring it back!!!
Truly truly truly a sad moment(not sons and dads you understand).<br />
<br />
In my opinion the best show to ever exist, faultless attention to detail,<br />
amazing acting, writing and a sheer perfection.<br />
To have kept it up for that long must've been hard,<br />
but please Mitch, don't rulw it out forever, take a break, you know the fans will wait for you and accept you with open arms.<br />
<br />
Bring it back though, brink it back.
Won't you cure my tragedy <br />
Won't you cure my tragedy <br />
Then I hope that you can hear me scream <br />
Won't you cure my tragedy <br />
-Cold
C'mon Mitch, please don't do that to us!
Taste the sad...
bad news...but i love bateman's rip at fox
that sucks but its understandable, show's been cancelled 3 times..
I have to wonder if Mitch understands how many things came together just right to make this such a great show. Obviously he played a crucial role but the ensemble cast played off each other so well and the characters were pitch perfect. I bet there will be many other projects that will fall short for one reason or another. With so much dreck out there you hate to see something like this end when there is any opportunity for it to continue.
The show did definitely sum up it's whole story.<br />
<br />
Still, it's too bad. Saddd day.
just make more episodes!!!!!(damnit)
If anyone can make the transition from TV to movie it is Mitch Hurwitz and Arrested.
a very sad day for people who like good tv :(
I'm not surprised at all. I personally hated the show. I think it was a screw-up from the beginning. Hurwitz was smart to get out when he did. I won't miss it, that's for sure.
noooo<br />
<br />
bad bad news
Very disappointing...
I'm outraged
Hurwitz went out with his dignity. He is a genius and he just could not have taken anymore emotional pain from low ratings. People just did not like Arrested Development that much... and those are the real douchebags!<br />
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R.I.P. Arrested development.
yyyyyyyyyyyy.arrested development rokx.tho at lees they didnt screw it up
And Showtime is here again...I like it!
I am so sad to see this go. I loved the series and gobbled up the episodes every chance I got. The chemistry of the performers was great, as was the absolutely ridiculous situations they were presented with. I'm glad they went out on a high note and will remember them fondly as one of my favorite cancelled series.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
Im very very sad.<br />
<br />
ejwlover: keep watching charmed you loser!
I'm sad but i agree the show had one of the best endings EVER, and like everyone in the creative staff seems to think, it's best to stop a its peak.<br />
<br />
"maybe a movie .." ^__^
Good!
Good!
I don't blame the guy. can you imagine the stress that was over him, people love that show, and do keep up the greatness for as long as he did was amazing. i am sad, but i do understand.<br />
<br />
and for calling him names...seriously? get a life, if you really like the show, you should know that it was his baby, and like Sports Night and Aaron Sorkin, he should decide when to kill it.
noooo :(
Oh, well. Better to go out on top, as they say. A true gem that will be talked about as a "classic" decades from now much in the way we talk about "All in the Family," "Mary Tyler Moore," etc. now.
Well that's it for this underrated show. I think the only other way now that this could air would be in the creator sold the rights.
I'm going to cry!!!!!!!!! Now it's never going to get on Showtime :( :( :(
I am so very sad... I guess it was too good to be true that they would comeback on another channel
keep the mood up... at least there's talk of a MOVIE!!!!
It was okay, I won't miss it at all
^ Hurwitz was going through a lot of emotional stress. Running a series is hard enough, but can you imagine running one that was constantly on the bubble?<br />
<br />
And to be honest, pretty much everything was wrapped up in the last few episodes, so there wouldn't have been much else left to do over at Showtime. Plus, it would've seemed weird having the Maeby/George Michael and Lindsay/Michael stuff out in the open.
hurwitz is a douchebag, he could have made more money but he's earned himself the title, Biggest Douch In The Universe. (besides the execs at FOX)
hurwitz is a douchebag, he could have made more money but he's earned himself the title, Biggest Douch In The Universe. (besides the execs at FOZ)
Definitely sad news, but at least it had the chance to wrap everything up, for the most part.
My god...<br />
I was so happy to hear that it might have been picked up...but this is truely a sad time<br />
<br />
Although if he does make it into a movie, it would be amazing
T for tear
T
Really bad news
A truly sad day for TV. I wish Mitch had stuck with it. :(
Noooooooooooooooooo!