a Netflix Revival and Arrested Development Resurrection

Recently Netflix announced its plan to resurrect the sitcom, Arrested Development, causing it's eager cult-following to jump for joy at the return of its favorite show. As one of the many fans that fell in love with the quirkiness of Arrested Development, I was disappointed to see it cancelled and was elated to hear about its 2013 return. Yet, being more than just an Arrested Development fan but a person in media, what really struck me as genius was not just the resurrection of this show but the brilliance of Netflix to stand behind it.



It is no secret that Netflix fell from favor in consumer's eyes these past few months when they tried to split up their brand into two separate companies, one dedicated to streaming and the other DVD rentals. 


I like to imagine a group of Netflix execs sitting in a boardroom and trying to brainstorm ways to revive their brand; I imagine ideas flying around and landing flat on the table until one person chimes in with the wild but genius idea of bringing back a favorite TV show from the dead. Of all the TV shows that were killed before their prime, I imagine these group of execs realizing that Arrested Development, with its millions of fans eagerly devouring every rumor of an upcoming movie or TV revival, would jump at the news of 10 new AD episodes. Then came the kicker; not only would Netflix bring to life a past favorite but to secure their business and bring themselves back into the people's good graces, they would make these episodes only available to Netflix subscribers. Voilà; Netflix not only rides the coattails of Arrested Development's revival but gets to tap into its loyal fan base. Whether or not the way I imagine it is how it actually happened, I think that Netflix came up with a genius move in a game that everyone assumed was going to end in their demise.