Though Mr. Hurwitz puts a fine gloss on this shift, alluding to the anthology series that distinguished TV's early years, the structural change happened for largely practical reasons: The cast's younger members especially Will Arnett, Michael Cera, TonyHale and Mr. Bateman had become so busy thanks to their exposure on the show that they could no longer be corralled simultaneously, at least not easily and for long periods.
"Arrested Development" had its final broadcast on February 10, 2006 and concerned Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) and his eccentric family comprised of his son George Michael (Michael Cera), his father George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), his mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), his brothers George Oscar Bluth II (Will Arnett), Buster Bluth (Tony Hale) and sister Lindsay Funke (Portia de Rossi), and Lindsay's husband Tobias (David Cross) and their daughter Maeby (Alia Shawkat).