We will be doing an alternate history timeline showing what would happen if Mitchell Hurwitz’s Arrested Development had aired on NBC instead of Fox. If you don’t already know, there was a bidding war between Fox and NBC for which station could air Arrested Development, and Fox won. But if NBC won… would it run longer? Would we still get the Netflix seasons? Would any networks change their plans? Any crossovers, perhaps? Let’s see!

November 2, 2003: Arrested Development, a new sitcom by Mitchell Hurwitz, airs its first episode on NBC. It gets mostly favorable reviews, due to some calling it a more easygoing Scrubs. It would win Emmys for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing.

The ratings of the single-cameras of the era followed a pretty strong pattern: low ratings, that seldom grew much from season to season, and then fell off. NBC did keep renewing them because the demographics led to good ad rates, so if Arrested Development had begun with NBC it probably would have lasted longer than it did on Fox. On NBC, it may have won more than one Best Comedy Emmy. On the back end, it may have crowded out Community or one of the othe marginal single cameras NBC was carrying.

Very good.

2003: NBC starts to market Arrested Development heavily, since both Frasier and Friends, two of NBC's biggest hits, were to end by next year.

Arrested Development promo (circa 2003)
(Narration plays as clips from the show are intercut)
NARRATOR: This November, you should be thankful for a lot of things. (clip) Be thankful of your family. (clip) Be thankful you're not a member of the Bluth family. (clip) Be especially thankful that you're not the only thing stopping your family from absolutely ending each other. (clip plays as this last part goes).

Arrested Development, premiering this November on NBC.

TV Guide review of the pilot of Arrested Development (circa November 2003)

NBC has done it again. While their big-hitters like Frasier and Friends might be going belly up next year, shows like Las Vegas, Scrubs, and the focus of this review, Mitchell Hurwitz’s Arrested Development might begin a new era for the Peacock network. The show revolves around the fall of the Bluth family, a family of socialites that went from riches-to-rags, and the story of Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), a true family man that will do anything and everything he can to make sure the family stays together… if they like it or not. Roles that stand out include illusionist Gob (Will Arnett), hapless husband Tobias Fünke (David Cross) and the eternally greedy patriarch George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor). Combine this with spunky narration by Ron Howard, as well as a compelling story of a family’s fall from grace, and you have NBC’s next big sitcom. If NBC can play their cards right, this show’s future might be as sweet as a Bluth frozen banana.

A good thread!!

Wanna contribute, Dude?

Wanna add an event?

Probaly would have been an unrecognizable show on NBC .

Well, let's just imagine it has the same style and substance as the one we have in our timeline.

Wanna add an event, Charles Knox?

Ok, here are some more events for all of you. Be sure to add your own!

November 2003: NBC picks up a 22 episode first season for Arrested Development, with the pilot being episode 1. It gets the slot of airing Thursday nights at 9:30. As NBC and Universal are merging, NBC buys Imagine Entertainment to secure the rights to Arrested Development. In the Frasier episode Guns N' Neuroses, Tobias Fünke makes an appearance as a caller. NBC is sued by the hip hop group Arrested Development for copyright infringement of their name. Before a case can be planted though, NBC launches a compromise in which Arrested Development performs in an episode of SNL to promote the show. The group accepts.

December 2003: NBC commissions Christmas promos depicting the Bluth family trying to deliver a Christmas message to the viewer.

March 2004: As an April Fools joke, an Arrested Development video game is announced for PS2.

May 2004: NBC renews Arrested Development up to 2007.

July 4, 2004: NBC does a special 4th of July lineup with promos starring the Bluth family trying to perform the holiday's traditions.

September 2004: Arrested Development wins Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys. Around the same time, a fan group on Facebook begins a petition to get Tobias Fünke on SNL

Wanna add an event?