It's no magic trick! Nor is it an illusion; there is some interesting and unexpected news on the Arrested Development front today. The official Twitter account posted a statement from Mitch Hurwitz about the long in development fifth season (which is dropping "soon" on Netflix). But in even more intriguing news, Hurwitz also explains that he's recutting the somewhat controversial Season 4 into a season of intertwined stories rather than Rashomon-style solo character episodes.

As obsessed as I both was and am with the first three seasons of Arrested Development (which are endlessly rewatchable, not least of which is because the level of joke layering is an incredible thing to uncover), I didn't really take to Season 4, and never rewatched it. After such a long wait, it just felt so different from what viewers were expecting, and  it didn't quite come together as the creators may have hoped -- something Hurwitz addresses in his message:

 

As far as when Season 5 may hit, well, Netflix has been randomly dropping brand new seasons of TV shows recently without much lead-time or fanfare, so if it came in the next month or so I wouldn't be surprised. But I'm pretty jazzed, in the meantime, for Season 4's remixed cut, "Fateful Consequences," which could completely turn me around on the season as a whole. That cut will be available on Netflix starting Friday, May 4th.

Let us know what you think of the news in the comments, and what you thought of Season 4 -- did it work for you? Will you watch the remixed version? And if you never saw Season 4, are you considering just watching the new cut?