Microsoft's MSN website is to make every episode of US sitcom Arrested
Development available for free until 2009.
The sitcom, which ran for fifty-three episodes, was not considering
successful enough to be recommissioned, but with this deal the episodes can and
will be seen by more people.
However, there will be adverts during the programme that can't be
skipped.
Arrested Development is about the corrupt, incompetent but strangely
successful Bluth family. It is a strange mix of deadpan humour, mockumentary
footage and slapstick - initially you have to watch quite closely to remember it
is a sitcom.
Rob Bennett, MSN's general manager of entertainment and video services was
quoted as saying "The beauty of distributing an entire series online -
especially a series like Arrested where the audience is so passionate - is that
we can build an immersive world around the show. We want to build something
where the fans will feel at home. This is a very large deal for us."
No doubt some fans will wail and moan about how the sitcom has been sold on
and ruined forever, but frankly, it looks like a great idea to
me.
