Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show's storyline is centered around the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a pseudo-documentary format, incorporating hand-held camera work, narration, archival photos, and historical footage. Ron Howard is an executive producer and the uncredited narrator. Although set in Newport Beach and Balboa Island, California, Arrested Development was primarily filmed around Culver City and Marina del Rey. Three seasons of the show were produced and aired between 2003 and 2006.

Since debuting on November 2, 2003, the series earned six Emmy awards, one Golden Globe, critical acclaim, and attracted a cult following, including several fan-based websites, and a spot on Time's 100 Greatest Shows of All Time. Despite the approval from critics, Arrested Development never climbed in the ratings. Fox aired the final four episodes of the third season in a block as a two-hour series finale on February 10, 2006, opposite the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Despite its cancellation, the series has developed a very devoted fanbase and cult following. A movie script is currently under development for a movie adaption of Arrested Development. The production which is due for release in 2011 will see the main cast of the TV series reprise their roles on the big screen