Everyone needs a good laugh once in a while and there’s nothing quite like a good sitcom to deliver it. Its why some of the most iconic television of series of all-time have been sitcoms, from classics like I Love Lucy to more modern nostalgic favorites like Friends and Seinfeld, and even current offerings like Abbott Elementary. There’s just something about sitting down episode after episode and investing in interesting and sometimes dysfunctional characters and having a good laugh in the process that just feels right, especially in the age of streaming when you can binge your favorites. Unfortunately, one of the best comedy series of the 21st century is officially leaving Netflix and fans have just days left to tune in and laugh.
Three years after it was almost removed from Netflix the first time, all 84 episodes across five seasons of Arrested Development are leaving the streamer on March 15th. At this time, it’s unclear where the series will head next as Arrested Development is a bit of an unusual case when it comes to streaming. The series had originally debuted on Fox in 2003 where it enjoyed a three-season run. Netflix then picked up the series for a fourth season that debuted in 2013 as some of the first of their original programming. A fifth season debuted half its episodes in May 2018 and half in March 2019. Given the series’ popularity, it will likely show up on another streaming platform soon, it’s just not clear yet which one — or if a return to Netflix at a later date is in the cards.
Arrested Development Is One of the Greatest Sitcoms Ever Made (But Fans Are Divided About the Netflix Seasons)
Arrested Development is one of the best sitcoms of all time partly because of how intricate and complex the series actually is. Yes, each episode is genuinely funny on its own and you don’t have to do homework or think too hard to enjoy it, but each episode subtly builds on each other and there are some jokes that take audience investment over episodes — and in some cases, seasons — to fully pay off. It makes for a show that rewards viewers at every investment level and elevates the format in the process. There’s also just something deeply endearing about the overall premise of the series, which follows the dysfunctional and formerly wealthy Bluth family dealing with wildly changed circumstances when family patriarch George ends up in prison leaving younger son Michael to try to hold the family together. The characters are weird and decidedly absurd, but it isn’t difficult to see elements of one’s own family in them.
However, while the entire series is a classic, there are definitely some mixed feelings about the Netflix seasons. Season 4 is widely considered to be the worst season for the series with one of the major criticisms being that the series felt a bit less like the strong ensemble that it had been in the first three seasons. There were also concerns with the season’s chronology making things disjointed and at times confusing. The fifth and final season shifted course and felt more like the established show. Even with those issues, Arrested Development remains a comedy classic, one worth watching before it departs Netflix later this month.
What Else Is Leaving Netflix This Month?
Arrested Development isn’t the only beloved piece of entertainment departing the streamer in March. Beloved ‘90s movie The Sandlot is set to leave Netflix on March 13th while Titanic departs on March 16th. However, while Netflix is losing some great entertainment this month, it’s also gaining some great things as well. Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom both arrived on the platform as of March 1st and there are plenty of other great additions coming throughout the month. You can check out the full list here.
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