Which do you want first — the bad news or the good news about “Arrested Development”?
The TV comedy that died seven years ago, but came back to life over the weekend on Netflix — with its original core cast intact — has gotten a lukewarm “welcome back” from its diehard fans on social media (that’s the good news).
Now the bad news: Netflix stock plunged 5 percent yesterday as investors dumped shares of the video-streaming site following the debut of “Arrested” early Sunday.
“I’m afraid we now know why Netflix refused to screen it,” tweeted a “disappointed” Robert Bianco, TV critic for USA Today.
The fans who took to Twitter and Facebook yesterday seemed mostly to be “Bluth Bingers” who watched all 15 new episodes which, contrary to tradition, were all posted at the same time by Netflix.
“What we’re putting up with this week: people showing off about how they’ve already watched all of Season 4 of Arrested Development,” tweeted comic and actor Kumail Nanjiani.
“Does anyone know of a support group or counseling service for people who were disappointed by Season 4 of Arrested Development?” tweeted Josh Millwood, whose profile describes him as a radio host.
The main complaint seemed to be the structure of the show’s new version, with episodes built around each of the main characters — a practical necessity since all the actors were not free to film at the same time.
“I really wish they had done more together as a cast,” read a tweet from Chelsea A. Lewis, a music writer from Michigan.
“The ‘Arrested Development’ ensemble was always the show’s strength, but the cast is too separate and disjointed in these new episodes to connect with each other for more than a few moments,” wrote Christopher Rosen, entertainment editor of the Huffington Post.
“The bitchers will bitch,” Leif Lynch, a Florida massage therapist, wrote on the official “AD” Facebook page.
“That’s what I love about ‘AD.’ It doesn’t apologize for being smarter than you and it sure as hell doesn’t wait for you to catch up.”