"Arrested Development" fans shouldn't hold their breath for more seasons on Netflix.
On a conference call with investors on Monday, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said "Arrested Development's" revival on the streaming service happened under "unrepeatable circumstances," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"'Arrested' is a unique property. We don’t anticipate being able to do Season 5, 6 and 7," Hastings said on the call (via THR). "It is really a fantastic one off, which is coming together incredibly. I think it will be amazing for us, but think of it as a non-repeatable amazing."
Later on Monday, a Netflix spokesperson clarified Hastings' statements to Alan Sepinwall at HitFix.
"I think we all knew it was lightning in the bottle that we pulled it all together [for this batch of episodes]," the spokesperson said.
But, the rep added that Ted Sarandos has been the point person for the "Arrested" revival, and hasn't yet given up hope for more seasons. "If anyone can pull it together, it's going to be Ted. But by no means is this the end of it," the spokesperson explained. "We're definitely planning to do more with them. We have first rights, so it's not like you'd see it anywhere else. We're absolutely hopeful there will be more."
"Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz echoed the Netflix spokesperson's statements when he talked to USA Today in January. Hurwitz said that it was difficult to get all of the actors together for the project again, considering how successful many of the stars' have become since the cult hit ended its original run in 2006. "Contractually, we couldn't use all the characters in every episode; they were not free to do as much television as they want," Hurwitz told the paper in January.
Earlier in the month, at a panel for the 2013 Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Hurwitz told reporters, "We couldn't afford to do the show with what these people are worth now. So it was this crazy idea of 'there'll be one king this week.'"
Hurwitz went on to say the Netflix installment is the "first act of what we hope to continue in a movie, which would be act 2 and act 3. These are episodes that set that up. It is not Season 4." But the "Arrested Development" movie is no guarantee, as USA Today pointed out.
Do you think we'll see more "Arrested Development" after Season 4/Act 1 on Netflix or is this the end? Would it be too much of a good thing? Share you thoughts in the comments.
"Arrested Development" Season 4/Act 1 premieres on Netflix in May.