If this doesn’t put the final nail in Arrested Development’s coffin, I don’t know what does: creator and show runner Mitch Hurwitz has quit. Granted, quitting the show seems like an odd formality at this point in time, with Fox shit-canning it, but it looked like Showtime was going to pick it up, so there could yet be hope for the series.
Hurwitz gave “financial and creative” reasons for his decision, saying he had taken the show about as far as he could. He told narrator/producer Ron Howard that he would be available as a consultant if the show ended up on Showtime for a fourth season, but that his full-time involvement was over. Personally, I hope that this kills the Showtime deal as well. Don’t get me wrong, I love the show. I love it to death. But I think it went out on a very high note, and that sometimes it’s better when good things end quickly – before they have a chance to become The Simpsons.
My understanding is that Hurwitz isn’t the only person who wants out; the cast is reportedly itchy for this all to end, since the show’s high profile has done wonders for their careers. Every day they sit around waiting to hear about the fate of the Bluths is another day they aren’t signing a big movie deal.
Speaking of movies, Hurwitz has said that he would gladly come back to revive the show as a feature. I can’t imagine anyone would be willing to drop the money on such a thing, although they did make a Firefly movie, so I guess anything is possible.