| Season Number: | 1 |
| Bgcolour: |
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| Image Upright: | 1.15 |
| Network: | Fox |
| Num Episodes: | 22 |
| Episode List: | List of Arrested Development episodes |
The first season of the American television satirical sitcom series Arrested Development aired on Fox from November 2, 2003, to June 6, 2004. It consisted of 22 episodes, each running approximately 22 minutes in length. The first season was released on DVD in region 1 on October 19, 2004, in region 2 on March 21, 2005, and in region 4 on February 23, 2005.
The show's storyline centers on the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a continuous format, incorporating hand-held camera work, narration, archival photos and historical footage.
Discussion that led to the creation of the series began in the summer of 2002. Ron Howard had the original idea to create a comedy series in the style of handheld cameras and reality television, but with an elaborate, highly comical script resulting from repeated rewritings and rehearsals. Howard met with David Nevins, the president of Imagine Television, Katie O'Connell, a senior vice president, and two writers, including Mitchell Hurwitz. In light of recent corporate accounting scandals, such as Enron and Adelphia, Hurwitz suggested a story about a "riches to rags" family. Howard and Imagine were interested in using this idea, and signed Hurwitz to write the show. The idea was pitched and sold in Q3 2002. There was a bidding war for the show between Fox and NBC, with the show ultimately selling to Fox as a put pilot with a six-figure penalty.[1]
Over the next few months, Hurwitz developed the characters and plot for the series. The script of the pilot episode was submitted in January 2003 and filmed in March 2003. It was submitted in late April to Fox and was added to the network's fall schedule that May.[2] After the pilot, Fox ordered twelve more episodes for the first half of the season, with an additional nine later ordered.[3]
Alia Shawkat was the first cast in the series.[4] Michael Cera, Tony Hale, and Jessica Walter were cast from video tapes and flown in to audition for Fox. Jason Bateman and Portia de Rossi both read and auditioned for the network and were immediately chosen. The character of Gob was the most challenging to cast.[5] When Will Arnett auditioned, he played the character "like a guy who thought of himself as the chosen son, even though it was obvious to everyone else that he was the least favorite"; he was chosen immediately for his portrayal. The characters of Tobias and George Sr. were originally going to have minor roles, but David Cross and Jeffrey Tambor's portrayals mixed well with the rest of the characters, and they were given more significant parts. Howard provided the narration for the initial pilot, and his narrating meshed so well with the tone of the program that the decision was made to keep his voice.[6] Howard aided in the casting of "Lucille 2"; the producers told him that their dream actress for the role was Liza Minnelli but that they assumed no one of her stature would take the part.[7] She agreed when Ron Howard asked her himself, because they were old friends; she had been his babysitter when she was a teenager.[8]
See main article: List of Arrested Development characters.
See also: List of Arrested Development episodes. The episode list below is ordered the same as on the season 1 DVD collection and not in their original broadcast order.[9]
In its first season, Arrested Development was met with widespread critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 10 out of 10 based on 24 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Arrested Development puts an ambitiously complex, brilliantly fast-paced spin on dysfunctional family comedy, anchored by the efforts of a tremendously talented ensemble."[10] On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the first season scored 89 out of 100, based on 24 reviews, indicating "Universal acclaim".[11]
In 2004, the first season received seven Emmy Award nominations, and earned five wins:[12] Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing and Writing for a Comedy Series for the pilot episode written by Mitchell Hurwitz and directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series. Jeffrey Tambor was nominated that year for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.[13]
The first season was released on DVD in region 1 on October 19, 2004,[14] in region 2 on March 21, 2005[15] and in region 4 on February 23, 2005.[16] Special features on the sets include the unaired and uncensored full-length pilot episode; commentary by series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and cast members on the extended pilot, "Beef Consommé" and "Let 'Em Eat Cake"; deleted and extended scenes; "Breaking Ground: Behind the Scenes of Arrested Development" featurette; The Museum of Television & Radio: Q&A with Creator Mitchell Hurwitz and the cast of Arrested Development; TV Land – "Arrested Development: The Making of a Future Classic"; TV Land Awards — The Future Classic Award; Ron Howard Sneak Peek at Season 2; Arrested Development Promo – "Blind"; Easter Egg — Tobias Outtake.[17]