When the announcement that Arrested Development was making a comeback, many devoted fans - including yours truly - got very excited. There had not even been any official confirmation, it just seemed that everyone was on board, and that made it official to the legion of diehards dreaming of the day that the banana stand would make its triumphant return. Yesterday word circulated that a deal was finally in place to give the show its short run before the long anticipated movie to seal the deal with the cult classic series - and it came from Netflix.
This is an interesting move, and one that could be nothing or could be Blockbuster'd - maybe Napster'd? Whatever you want to call it, it is about a classic media form being trumped by the movement to the online world. And if the networks don't take a cue from this precedent setting move they might be at just a great a loss as the music and movie industry.
I'll admit it - I don't even have cable anymore, decided to forgo it for the year since I watch everything online anyways. But that doesn't stop network television executives from having the final say as to what airs and what does not, what is picked up and what is dropped thanks to poor ratings. But the problem is that the focus is still placed entirely too much on the televised product. For websites working off subscriptions, downloads and page views, it doesn't matter if a show is watched at a specific time, or whether or not PVRs are present.
The system that television continues to operate in is archaic and outdated, and not at all reflective of our on demand society. And if an online provider becomes powerful enough to provide a budget for a show it may signal the end of networks as a whole.
In this instance yes Fox struck a deal with Netflix, but if the network becomes the middle man soon they will just be pushed out. And unless they wake up and realize what's going on, and do a much better job catering to their online product, they could be dealt a rude awakening in trying to battle a well established online service.
There have been online shows for ages now, and some widely popular and rather successful. There has been a movement from online to a televised product. Netflix is reportedly even starting up their own original series starring Kevin Spacey. But this movement in the other direction is rather interesting. The viewership was established on the screen - although in all fairness it was cemented through dvd box sets when it comes to Arrested Development in particular - and now it aims to bring fans online.
If it starts with cult classic shows it stands a favourable chance of lasting. Imagine what would happen if Firefly, another cult favourite that many believe was not given a proper run, was resurrected online? Word has flown around the twittersphere and other online venues about how another beloved show with horrible ratings Community has been shelved midseason, it will return after a brief hiatus but the odds of it being renewed are slim to none. What if that show is also acquired by Netflix after NBC gives up on it?
There's obviously so many shows that are great but don't get the attention they so deserve - in fact I will take this opportunity to plug the CBC's new show Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays which is fantastic television but will likely fall after its first season due to a lack of viewers. Do yourself a favour and watch that one before it's too late! But these shows develop a hardcore following, and those viewers go out of their way to convince others to watch (see above for an example).
If a person that doesn't want to spend a half hour or an hour once a week watching, but approach it whenever they have time, and be assured their favourite show will stick around, then you have a new evolution in the field. And it doesn't have to be Netflix, which has run into its share of difficulties and uncertainties. Because just as the fall of Napster proved, there's always another something waiting in the wings to take over.
It is great that Arrested Development is returning, and what are sure to be some very interesting times ahead as the move to bring shows online takes another big leap forward.
