Netflix’s latest viral marketing campaign for Arrested Development sets “première date,” “episode count” 

After drumming up excitement for new episodes of Arrested Development by bluing itself, fakin’ it, and playing Mr. Bananagrabber, Netflix’s newest bit of viral marketing for the show goes much deeper than simple tricks. (No, they’re not tricks—they’re allusions!) Recalling a period in Arrested Development’s history when it was a TV show that aired at a set time and date, rather than a fondly remembered cluster of visual gags, punchlines, and chicken dances, Netflix’s new promotion involves announcing a May 26 première for all 15 new Bluth family misadventures. Like any well-orchestrated viral campaign, the effort has inspired write ups across the Internet, some proving it’s still hard to shake a good half-decade-plus of skepticism toward the prospect of new Arrested Development. Undoubtedly this will inspire kneejerk fears among the diehards, haunting existential quandaries like “How do we know the episode order won’t be cut in the middle of the season?” and “Is there any guarantee these will air on the same night?,” questions answered by the fact that Netflix remains a subscriber-based video service intent on debuting the entire fourth season of Arrested Development at 12:01 a.m. Pacific on the 26th of May.