The award-winning show about the dysfunctional Bluth family returns Sunday, seven years after Fox cancelled the series. The revival coincides with Netflix's own resounding comeback from a customer backlash over price increases and shareholders' worries about rising expenses. The adversity had raised doubts about the company's management and future.

Now, Netflix is winning back subscribers and investors with a bold attempt to establish its $8-per-month service as a home entertainment powerhouse that rivals the broadcast television networks and premium cable channels such as HBO.

"Arrested Development," a comedy that won six Emmy awards during a critically acclaimed three-year run, is the third exclusive series from Netflix Inc. this year. It's part of Netflix's effort to add more original programming to a selection that consists primarily of old TV series and movies.

With 29.2 million U.S. subscribers — far more than the 21.9 million TV subscribers that leading cable provider Comcast Corp. has — Netflix has already reshaped home entertainment. Netflix has also expanded to several European countries in recent years.

The service is encouraging more people to forego cable and satellite TV service and rely on Netflix to watch popular TV series a year or more after they originally were shown. Netflix also is empowering viewers to watch an entire season of a TV series in a matter of days instead of months.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings isn't done disrupting things yet. He is spending more than $2 billion annually, including about $200 million to finance original programming that can be watched on traditional computers, smartphones, tablets, video game consoles and Internet-connected TVs.

By expanding its library of content, Netflix is hoping people will decide to spend their idle time on its Internet video service rather than play video games, fraternize on Facebook, surf cable or satellite TV or watch a DVD. (Netflix started out as a DVD-by-mail rental service, but it is phasing that out in favor of Internet streaming.)

"We want our members to choose Netflix in these moments of truth," Hastings wrote in a recent essay outlining Netflix's philosophy.

By bringing back "Arrested Development" this weekend, Netflix is also trying to prove that people still want to see quality entertainment even when the weather is getting nicer and the days are growing longer. That runs counter to the philosophy of broadcast TV networks, which for decades have typically started the new seasons of their top TV series in September and stopped showing new episodes just before the Memorial Day holiday weekend in the U.S.

BTIG Research analyst Rich Greenfield believes the scarcity of compelling choices on broadcast TV at this time of year is bound to help Netflix draw more viewers to "Arrested Development." In a recent analysis posted on BTIG's blog, Greenfield predicted that the total number of hours watched on Netflix in June might even surpass the Fox broadcast network for the first time.

If that were to happen, it would be an ironic twist, given that Fox canceled "Arrested Development" in 2006 over the protest of the series' fervent fans. "Arrested Development" had low ratings during its run, but the viewers who did watch loved it. Others discovered the show later on DVD or Internet streaming — both of which have been available through Netflix.

The first three seasons of "Arrested Development" were being watched by so many subscribers that Netflix knew another season would be well-received by its existing audience and would likely lure new subscribers, too.

Like Netflix's previous series, all 15 new episodes of "Arrested Development" will be released simultaneously to allow viewers to watch the show as if they were perusing a book and deciding how many chapters to pore through in a single sitting. "Arrested Development" is scheduled to be available at 3:01 a.m. EDT Sunday (0701 GMT), meaning Netflix subscribers could conceivably devour the entire season.

Netflix's departure from TV's traditional one-episode-per-week strategy has been well received by subscribers who have watched the service's previous forays into original programming.

February's release of "House of Cards," a political drama that stars Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey, helped Netflix add 2 million more U.S. subscribers during the first three months of the year, more than analysts anticipated. "Hemlock Grove," a quirky horror series, attracted additional viewers during the first weekend after its mid-April release, according to Netflix, although the company hasn't provided specific numbers.

It's difficult to quantify how many subscribers joined Netflix to watch "House of Cards" and then decided to stick with the service after seeing all the other material available. That's because "House of Cards" debuted during a winter period that is traditionally one of the service's prime times. For instance, Netflix added 1.74 million subscribers in the first three months of 2012. The difference between the two years could be an indication that "House of Cards" generated an additional 250,000 subscribers, although there is no way of knowing for sure.

In any case, "Arrested Development" is expected to attract even more new subscribers than "House of Cards" because of its built-in fan base and the success that several of its cast members have enjoyed since the show's cancellation. The original cast, including Jason Bateman, Michael Cera and Will Arnett, is returning to the zany series revolving around a family whose opulent lifestyle was torn apart by the arrest of a corrupt patriarch played by Jeffrey Tambor.

In the new episodes, viewers will get updates on the characters, one by one. Although that was done because of difficulties booking the actors all at once, it ended up allowing for a non-traditional viewing experience, one more fitting on Netflix than a traditional network. Viewers, for instance, will be able to pause an episode on one character to watch the same scene from another character's vantage point.

The long-awaited return of "Arrested Development" prompted Netflix to be more optimistic about subscriber growth during the traditionally sluggish April-to-June period, Hastings told The Associated Press in a recent interview. The California company predicted that it could gain as many 880,000 U.S. Internet streaming subscribers during the second quarter. Without the series, Hastings said, the projected increase probably wouldn't have exceeded 530,000, the growth it had during the same period a year ago.

If "Arrested Development" does as well as Hastings hopes, it will mark another triumph for a company that had fallen out of favor with subscribers and investors less than two years ago. Netflix infuriated customers in July 2011 when it announced price increases of as much as 60 percent for people who wanted to rent DVDs by mail and stream Internet video. Then, Hastings unleashed even more outrage by outlining plans to spin off the DVD-by-mail option into a separate service called Qwikster.

Netflix didn't waver on its new pricing system, even though it resulted in the loss of 800,000 customers at the time. But Hastings scrapped the Qwikster concept amid the backlash. The DVD-by-mail service, which has lost 6 million customers in the past 18 months and now has 8 million, is being allowed to slowly fade away.

While Netflix subscribers were howling, shareholders were dumping their stock. Investors feared the company wouldn't be able to attract enough subscribers to cover the steadily rising fees for licensing video rights.

Those worries have dissipated now that Netflix is growing rapidly again, something that Hastings had promised would eventually happen after apologizing for the Qwikster mistake and the way he handled the price increase.

After hitting a high of nearly $305 in July 2011 and then falling to below $53 last August, Netflix's stock is trading around $225.

"I don't have a sense of 'I told you so,' or something," Hastings told the AP last month. "I have a sense of satisfaction that we are doing what we do best, which is steadily improving our service."

___

Online

http://www.netflix.com/ArrestedDevelopment

The CW series, starring Matthew Davis and Jessica Lucas, was pulled from the network in April, but the final six episodes will see the light of day.

"Cult" returns on Fridays, beginning June 28, airing double episodes for three weeks straight. The show centers on journalist Jeff (Davis) and production researcher Skye's (Lucas) investigation into a TV show that's generated a cult following of fans who are re-creating the crimes depicted on their screens.

Creator Rockne S. O'Bannon was the first to break the news about "Cult" coming back to finish its run via Twitter.

Great news #TrueBelievers: The CW will be airing the shocking final episodes of #Cult in 2 hour blocks 8pm-10pm on 6/28, 7/5 & 7/12. Enjoy!!

— Rockne S. O'Bannon (@Rockne_S) May 24, 2013

The CW confirmed the news of "Cult's" return to The Huffington Post. The show's cancellation in April didn't come as a surprise. The midseason series made its debut on Tuesday, February 19 and brought in a dismal 941,000 total viewers and only had a 0.3 rating in the key 18-49 demo.

After "Cult's" second outing, which saw even lower numbers, The CW moved the series to Fridays, which, for the teen-centric network, is not quite as deadly as it is on others. "Nikita" and "Supernatural" have both flourished on Fridays, but "Cult" did not. The most recent episode, which aired on Friday, April 5, brought in 620,000 total viewers and had a 0.2 rating.

Check out The CW's official descriptions for the next three episodes of "Cult" below:

"The Devil You Know" (now airing Friday, June 28 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW)

Jeff and Skye struggle to find evidence against Sakelik (guest star Aisha Hinds, "Weeds") to use as leverage to gain information on Nate. Stuart invites Roger (Robert Knepper) to a weekend getaway at his Santa Barbara estate. Skye has lunch with her mother (guest star Erica Gimpel) and the two discuss the past. Meanwhile, on the television show, Kelly (Alona Tal) strikes a deal with Billy to get her sister Meadow back.

"Off To See The Wizard) (now airing Friday, June 28 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW)

Jeff and Skye learn about a new initiates meeting of the True Believers. Skye plans to infiltrate the meeting with Jeff following close behind. While Skye and her fellow newbie's are being driven to the meeting location, Jeff unknowingly follows a decoy vehicle. Meanwhile, on the television show, Kelly suspects that Billy's followers kidnapped Andy (guest star Christian Michael Cooper).

"The Prophecy of St. Clare" (now airing Friday, July 5 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW)

On the set of the television show "Cult," Skye consoles Edie MacDonald (guest star Shauna Johannesen), the actress who plays Meadow, after she confesses to being spooked by a pair of figurines she recognizes from her childhood. Jeff and Skye pay a visit to Edie's mother (guest star Teryl Rothery, "Kyle XY"). Peter (guest star Ben Hollingsworth) continues to spy on Skye. Meanwhile, on the television show, Billy nears his breaking point.

Tune in to The CW on Fridays, beginning June 28 at 8 p.m. ET for two-hour blocks of "Cult."

Thanks to the stylist of The Voice, one week modern-day Lena Horne, Sasha, sang "At Last" in a long white gown with a thigh-high slit, and another week she owned The Beatles song "Oh Darling" in a curvy off-the-shoulder mini dress. The battle rounds were pure drama. In an "Oh no he didn't" moment, coach and Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine let her go from his team. Superstar coaches Shakira and Usher hit their buzzers before host Carson Daly finished talking. That week, I had to go out and steady my nerves with a sweet martini. She is now the solo performer on Team Shakira. As it was for reality stars before her (Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert and Kelly Clarkson), TV is a great platform for Sasha to reach mega-stardom. I will be voting. I hope you will too.

After much prodding from my friends, I finally caved in and watched an episode -- the final episode -- of the hit television series, Scandal. Although the show possesses all of the qualities of a great drama, I remain torn about one component of its juicy plotline: the intimate relationship between the show's main character, Olivia Pope, a high-powered black woman, and United States President Fitzgerald Grant, a white, married man.

Do not get me wrong. I am huge fan of Kerry Washington, who portrays Pope. The Phi Beta Kappa graduate of George Washington University is a smart, beautiful, and incredibly talented actress. By any measure, Washington is a fantastic role model. Additionally, in a world in which black writers and black actors still encounter great difficulty in finding and obtaining great opportunities Hollywood, I am buoyed by the fact that the writer for the hit series is a black woman, Shonda Rimes. Still, I am bothered by the relationship between Pope and President Grant and, more importantly, the secretive nature of that relationship.

My reaction to Scandal is, on one level, personal. As a black woman who has been married to my white husband for 17 years and, more so, been in a relationship with him for 22 years, I tend to cringe at depictions of interracial intimacy, particularly black-white intimacy, under morally unacceptable circumstances, such as adulterous affairs. As I explain in my book According to Our Hearts: Rhinelander v. Rhinelander and the Law of the Multiracial Family, black-white relationships, both historically and currently, are often framed as deviant. Recall the so-called Purity Test? For many, the test was and continues to be the foundation for many jokes about surprising revelations made in college dorms. Yet, too many individuals never bothered and still do not bother to question why sleeping with a person of another race brings down one's purity score by one full point.

In many instances, interracial relationships are portrayed not only as signs of impurity but also as the result of uncontrollable sexual lust. Indeed, Alice and Leonard Rhinelander, the real-life stars of a 1920s New York society interracial love drama (and part of the subject of my book), found themselves described by Leonard's lawyers in purely sexual terms. As Leonard's lawyers routinely intimated during the couple's forced annulment trial, what but for sex could have driven Leonard -- a descendant of the French Huguenots, an heir to millions, and once a fixture on the New York Social Register -- to fall in love with Alice, the chambermaid daughter of a "colored" taxi driver? Even popular movie titles, such as Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, hint at deviancy or sickness as the force behind interracial romance.

As the hit series Scandal continues to show us, despite the increasing rate of interracial marriage within the United States, interracial relationships are still frequently represented as dirty little secrets -- relationships to be hidden rather than shown with pride. Perhaps, one of my book's survey participants, Margaret, a black woman who is married to a white man, described my reaction to Scandal's interracial love story best when she said the following in response to one of my questions:

The socio-cultural history of enslavement in the United States makes the lives of black-white couples very different from those of other interracial couples. [For this reason,] I [am] very sensitive to the 'outness' of our relationship. I grew up knowing of black women who loved white men, but those white men were afraid to be seen with the black women they dated. So, as an intellectual, but also deeply spiritual matter I am concerned about love being out of the closet in relation to black women/white male relationships.

While some may view Scandal's primetime depiction of a relationship, even if secretive and adulterous, of an educated and powerful black woman with a white, male president of the United States as progress, for others, particularly for the individuals who have spoken to me -- often with great hurt -- about living this reality of underground love, it is simply another reminder of how far we as a society have to go before interracial love simply stops being scandalous.

Angela Onwuachi-Willig is the Charles and Marion Kierscht Professor at the University of Iowa College of Law. She is the author of the recently released book, According to Our Hearts: Rhinelander v. Rhinelander and the Law of the Multiracial Family (Yale University Press).

So when Nicole Polizzi, otherwise known as Snooki, got to meet the governor Friday and shake his hand, their exchange was a bit awkward.

Christie and "Jersey Shore" cast members appeared separately on NBC's "Today" show during filming in Seaside Heights, N.J., to talk about the state's recovery from Superstorm Sandy. Seaside is where "Jersey Shore" was filmed.

In a later exchange captured on video by the Asbury Park Press ( ), an unsmiling Snooki told Christie that she hoped he would "start to like us." http://on.app.com/ZiTFCx

Christie responded, "Well, we'll do our best."

After they parted ways, Snooki looked at the camera and said, "He just doesn't like us."

He's the rare black host with national TV and radio platforms, one who sees his job as challenging Americans to examine their assumptions on such thorny issues as poverty, education, and racial and gender equality.

In other words, he doesn't squander his opportunities on PBS' daily talk show "Tavis Smiley," which marks its 10th year this month, or on public radio's "The Tavis Smiley Show" and "Smiley & West," the latter a forum for commentary he shares with scholar and activist Cornel West.

His quarterly "Tavis Smiley Reports" specials for PBS, in-depth looks at topics such as the relationship between the juvenile justice system and the teenage dropout rate, fit the same bold pattern.

Smiley, marking two decades in broadcasting this year, considers himself engaged in a calling as much as a career: "This is the kind of work I think needs to be done. I'm trying to entertain and empower people."

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger was a public TV executive overseeing New York station WNET when she became interested in launching a Smiley talk show as a companion to "Charlie Rose." The programs air back-to-back on a number of PBS stations.

"The two of them have very different styles. Tavis has done a great job of bringing a wide range of people on to public broadcasting," Kerger said. "He's constantly looking at the next big idea" to bring to the national dialogue.

Smiley, 48, also doesn't shrink from the repercussions that occur when his opinions, delivered on radio and in interviews in his distinctively punchy cadence, strike a nerve. He has drawn the ire of conservatives and, because of his insistent criticism of President Barack Obama's policies, that of some liberals and African-Americans.

Smiley contends that members of the Obama administration, whom he didn't identify, have pressured sponsors to drop their support of his projects, including his anti-poverty initiatives. The White House had no comment, said a spokesman, Kevin Lewis.

While Smiley said he understands the desire of blacks to stand protectively by the first African-American president, he's adamant about his right to take Obama to task on rising black unemployment, the use of military drones and other issues.

"This administration does not like to be criticized. And the irony of it is, there's nothing I have tried to hold the president accountable on that my white progressive colleagues have not," Smiley said. "They're labeled courageous critics, but if I say it, I'm an `Obama critic.' There's race at play in the very question."

He's unlikely to find boosters on the right. National Review senior editor Jay Nordlinger in 2002 dismissed him as "the black leftist radio personality," and then-Fox News Channel commentator Glenn Beck spurred anti-Smiley letter-writing campaigns to PBS, Smiley said.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the PBS show's underwriter since the start, has "consistently stood by our side," said a Smiley spokeswoman. But others have dropped out or donated money to his projects on the condition of privacy because they've heard from a displeased White House, according to Smiley.

"I don't have an anti-Barack agenda," he said, "but this is what I do: My job is to raise questions of accountability."

He interviewed Obama more than a half-dozen times before he was elected but not once since, Smiley said, although Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and others in the administration have appeared on the PBS show.

The public reaction is more generous, Smiley said: While he's questioned on the street by people about his views on Obama, they give him the courtesy of a hearing – and continue to pay heed in other ways.

"Since Obama has been president, I've had not one, but two, New York Times best-selling books, been on the cover of Time and made its 100 list," the magazine's tally of the world's most influential people, in 2009, Smiley said.

The books are "The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto," written with West, and an inspirational text by Iyanla Vanzant that was published by Smiley's book imprint.

"Whether black or white America, people have their opinions ... but ultimately it hasn't stopped my work or momentum," Smiley said.

He's a popular keynote speaker for a wide range of events, including the upcoming unveiling of a monument to slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers (although one Peoria, Ill., event replaced him as speaker last year, reportedly related to his Obama stance).

The Indiana University graduate has received honorary degrees from universities including Tuskegee and Fisk, and he created an exhibition, "America I Am: The African American Imprint," that wrapped this year after a national tour.

His Tavis Smiley Foundation provides leadership training for youngsters.

"He's got a lot of energy, that man," PBS' Kerger said.

He also has a knack for controversy. In 2004, He left his first public radio show, on NPR, in a squabble over matters including its marketing budget.

He was fired from the "BET Tonight" talk show in 2001 after he offered an exclusive newsworthy interview to ABC instead of BET. There was speculation that new BET owner Viacom Inc. forced the decision, although BET founder Robert L. Johnson said it was his.

A commercial network talk-show job failed to materialize, but Smiley said he ultimately gained the advantage of producing and owning his PBS show. That's also a challenge because he is responsible for its funding.

The recession prompted some of his sponsors to drop out, including an auto insurance company, said Smiley. He's relatively candid about the financial issues he's faced but, understandably, would rather focus on his broadcasting track record.

As Smiley said in 2003 when he launched the PBS show, "Most of the issues that matter to white Americans matter to black Americans."

Smiley's program aimed for diversity from the start, with his first week's guest list including Bill Cosby, Wesley Clark, Newt Gingrich and Magic Johnson. His 10-year list also boasts, among others, former President Jimmy Carter, Coretta Scott King, Yo-Yo Ma, Toni Morrison and Prince.

Smiley welcomes celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Kanye West, but they have to be ready to talk about more than their latest projects.

When Harrison Ford was making the rounds to promote the new Jackie Robinson biopic, Smiley says his audience got something unique "because I'm the only black guy Harrison Ford is talking to."

It's a valid point in a genre dominated solely by white interviewers, including "Tonight" show host Jay Leno and his designated successor, Jimmy Fallon, and Fallon's "Late Night" replacement, Seth Meyers.

"Things that matter to me about Robinson, what he had to endure. ... My questions are going to be different than Jimmy Kimmel's," Smiley said. In his interview with Ford, he questioned the actor about whether Hollywood has a role in adding to American divisiveness.

Smiley speaks to an overwhelmingly white audience on his Public Radio International shows and on TV, and said he appreciates the opportunity to introduce them to a different perspective. Kerger said she looks forward to his "next 10 years" on public broadcasting.

So does Smiley, come what may.

"You're going to be challenged when you address inconvenient truths. Sometimes you're challenged with merit, sometimes without merit. I try to be authentic and be a truth-teller. I have no monopoly on the truth but can try to raise questions that get at the truth."

___

Online:

http://www.pbs.org

___

Lynn Elber is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. She can be reached at lelber(at)ap.org and on Twitter (at)lynnelber.

In the newest "True Blood" Season 6 trailer, Governor Burrell (Arliss Howard) gives a motivational speech to his fellow mortals.

"When humans can no longer walk on their streets at night without fearing for their lives, then we have to take our streets back," he says in the teaser above. "As of this moment, we are closing down all Vampire-run businesses. That is why I say to any of you, buy a gun, stock up on wooden bullets. This is still America. You have the right to defend yourselves and the people you love."

Another Season 6 "True Blood" trailer hit the web earlier this month, complete with action, blood and drama.

"I can barely remember the last time I wasn't in danger," Sookie (Anna Paquin) says. "I want my life back."

In case you missed it, check it out below:

Season 6 of "True Blood" premieres on Sun., June 16 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Hader discussed the two with Howard Stern earlier this week and some of the backstage incidents he remembered of both. The entire interview is available here.

"Justin Bieber showed up with like 20 guys and every time, you know, when you're backstage it's very small constrictive place," Hader told Stern regarding the New York City studio where "Saturday Night Live" is shot. "And he had a guy holding a slice of pizza, he had a guy holding a Diet Coke. You're going on stage and you're trying to fight through all these people to get dressed.

"Timberlake it was just him, he's a real class act that guy," Hader added. "He was great, and also the guy doesn't show up with anybody. It's just him. He's just wandering the halls and my wife visited the show and she thought like he was one of the crew guys hanging out on the set. She was like, 'Oh my gosh! Whoa!' and he was like, 'Hey, how are you?'"

Still, Hader also said of all the stars in his eight years as a cast member, Bieber probably didn't have the biggest entourage. Mariah Carey "had a lot of people" he said.

He also had some nice things to say about Bieber.

"I had nice chats with him when we were doing the scenes," Hader added. "He was a nice guy, a nice kid. You know he was doing the scenes and trying to do the best scene he can."

Bieber, who received two nominations at the upcoming MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVAs), will kick off the North American leg of his Believe world tour on June 22 in San Diego.

It's a surprising turn for the Oscar-winning actor, but one that we imagine more of Hollywood's biggest stars would've embraced. The sequins, the fancy cars, the over-the-top ensembles, the flamboyant lifestyle, the absolute excess of everything, working alongside Matt Damon with director Steven Soderbergh, on what's rumored to be his last film ... it's the role of a lifetime.

So we couldn't help but imagine who else could've rocked the part of one of Hollywood's greatest entertainers. From HBO movie regular Al Pacino to Greek yogurt peddler and sometime-musician John Stamos, click through our gallery of dream Liberace runners-up for "Behind the Candelabra."

Tell us: Will you be watching "Behind the Candelabra"?

"Behind the Candelabra" premieres Sun., May 26, 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

The actor who played Tobias, David Cross, was a particularly good sport, too -- those shorts were miiiighty small. But the ubiquitous denim shorts seemed to punctuate the first three seasons of the television series perfectly, whether they were in full sight or just peeking through an otherwise normal ensemble. (Yes, Cross was really wearing the cutoffs under all of his costumes.)

In honor of the return of "Arrested Development" this Sunday (May 26), we've created a mashup of Tobias' best denim shorts moments in the video below. Take a look and soak in all of the denim gloriousness.

If you're itching for more...

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.

Watch the completely over-the-top attack ad from the upcoming season finale of "Best Week Ever" (10:00 p.m. Friday on Vh1) above, and be thankful you're not a baby politician.

What's "The Lookout," you ask? Well, you might have known it in a past life as "Nightline," which is definitely a news show. "Nightline" was given a bunch of prime time space to make up for its move to 12:35 AM. Recently, though, ABC removed any mention of "Nightline" from the prime time spinoff, and renamed the whole thing "ABC's The Lookout." Because, like Bill O'Reilly, they're looking out for you, the viewer.

You wouldn't realize any of this if you watched the show's new ad, which aired on Friday's "Good Morning America." Words that don't appear in the promo include "news," "reporter" or "journalism." Instead, the whole thing is pitched like a sexy heist movie, complete with winking narrator, jazz music, and a logo that is very, very, very, very, very, very similar to "Ocean's Eleven".

Don't believe us? Here's "The Lookout":

And here's "Ocean's Eleven":

Similar, huh?

In between all of that, we see glimpses of the actual anchors from "Nightline" cracking cases, yelling at houses and talking from inside strange machines. There's also a bedbug!

Of course, pretty much the day after "Arrested Development" went off the air in 2006, whispers of a potential comeback started working their way around the Internet. So you can forgive Michael Cera, who's since grown up from the endearingly awkward George Michael Bluth into an endearingly awkward leading man, for being skeptical at first about the TV family reunion.

Once word came that the show was being revived by Netflix as part of the company's original programming, Cera wasn't just back on board, he was in the writers' room as well, thanks to an invitation from series creator Mitchell Hurwitz. And with the premiere only days away, HuffPost TV recently spoke to Cera about his experience writing for the show, his willingness to return for a fifth season, and why it was fellow Canadian Leslie Nielsen that ultimately convinced him to come back (sort of).

HuffPost TV: So you're writing for the show this season as well. Are you just writing the George Michael episode, or did you contribute to other episodes?
Michael Cera: I was in full-time after I went in for the first time in July, and then I wrote with them through to the end. It was amazing. The first day I went in, we were working on George Michael's episode. But I didn't feel like I was thinking of it in terms of performing it. Basically when you're in there, you're kind of all performing it together. Just making jokes and trying to make each other laugh, so you get into that rhythm really quickly being in there with those guys.

What was it like filming this season after such a long layoff?
It was so strange. For me, it was really hard to process. It's just so uncanny, being in the room with everyone. We were all working on a scene together and watching people find their characters again, it was so surreal. And also, you know, I'm at a different point in my life now than I was when we wrapped. I was 17 when we wrapped and I'm 24 [now]. And that goes for everyone. Everyone's at a very different part in their life and a very different situation. So you're trying to deal with all that, while finding this tone again.

How long did it take you to get back into George Michael's character? Was there a big adjustment period?
There was basically one day early on, maybe my third day of working, where we had this really long scene to do, it was like five pages, and there were a lot of layers to it. Just a lot of complexities. The first third of that scene is in one episode, and then the middle is in a different episode, so you're trying to keep all these things in your head, and remember all the lines. And we didn't even rehearse, we just kind of jumped right into it. So we were shooting for like four hours, and it was with Jason [Bateman] and Alia [Shawkat]. And I'd say by the time we were done shooting that scene I remembered what it was like to work on the show. Just working off of Jason and how fast he was going, and just how sharp he was with the jokes, and his rhythm. Just keeping up with him got me back into the rhythm of doing those scenes.

Did you find that you had any more freedom knowing that this would be something that was produced for Netflix as opposed to network television?
From what I could tell, it seemed like there was total creative freedom for Mitch [Hurwitz], and support from Netflix. I'm pretty sure they said yes to everything he needed. In terms of budget and in terms of time, they were just completely supportive. It was very different from doing the show the first time, because this was almost like doing a movie. Because when you're doing the series, you'd spend five days doing an episode, and then they would have to edit it and then it would go on TV. But this was more like shooting a movie, because you just had to amass all this material over five months, and then he would go and edit it. So it could kind of get out of control. [Laughs] Because you don't have to actually be done with an episode, you can keep adding to it and the thing was constantly evolving and shape-shifting. So that was a great thing, and it came with its own set of challenges, I think.

The truth is, when we were doing the series on Fox, I was just focused on what I was doing and only peripherally tapped into whatever kind of network notes were being given. And it always felt to me like we were making the show we wanted to make on Fox. So I don't think it was creatively limited on Fox, although I'm sure they would've been probably encouraging Mitch to make the show less serialized and somehow more palatable. [Laughs] But the truth is, we made the show that we wanted to make that time too. I think because he doesn't really compromise in terms of the content.

News reports about "Arrested Development" coming back have been coming out since the show ended. Did you feel any pressure to deliver because there's been so much demand for this show?
I would imagine that when it's just a hypothetical thing, and it's just a concept, it would be probably really daunting for Mitch. But he's such a wonderful writer, and once he got his hands into it, it just took on a life of its own. And I think it's really high quality this season, I like it a lot. Those concerns subside, because you just do the best work you can while you're there. I think it's just putting yourself there is the daunting thing. I think it's really good, and I think everyone's really funny in it. And maybe if people watch it with a really high expectation, they'll maybe be disappointed because of the level of their expectation? I mean, people will react to it how they react to it, but I'm pretty sure it's really good. [Laughs] I like it anyway.

Can you tell us anything about where we're going to find the Bluths, where we're picking up from?
Everyone's caught up from where the series ended. Just kind of a quick recap, and then the story starts in present-day and moves forward from there. Every character has multiple storylines going on and they intersect. There are like a million background jokes. But also you'll see a scene the first time, and then in a different character's episode, you'll see the same scene with a new context and new information. And then the same dialogue that you've already seen will make sense in a different way. So those things are really very appetizing payoffs. And it's funny. I think on top of all that it's really funny and silly and just bizarre.

Are you game for the movie if it happens?
Yeah, that'd be great. I think the series, story-wise, cues up a movie nicely. I'd also be game to do another season. I think it works really well episodically, this show. So that would be fun too. But I do think it should continue, because there are a few things really nicely set-up. We'll see. I don't really know what would dictate that. Probably whether or not there was money for it.

What are your thoughts about working with Mitchell Hurwitz again?
Mitch is really very difficult to impress. He has a high standard, but he's not snobbish. He just has a high quality meter, I think. So he is very meticulous with story and with structuring, but after all that, the most important thing to him is whether it's funny or not. And if something is funny he'll make it work. If something is silly or just makes him laugh, he'll work it into the story and work the story around that somehow. And I think that's why the show is appealing, because it's got a really high joke rate, and a lot of them are funny. [Laughs] And he's also just so funny. He always makes everyone laugh. And in the [writers'] room, if you make him laugh, it's the greatest thing ever. And everyone tries to. Everyone just wants to make him laugh.

And also, Mitch being on set was amazing, because he would constantly reshape things, and whole storylines he would change on set, and then react to later. It was really inspiring to watch. It was impressive.

Did it take much convincing to get you to come back? Was it immediate, or did you have to think about it a bit?
Well, once the idea was mentioned of doing a series, that seemed to make the most sense to me. I was hesitant a while ago about doing a movie. I don't remember exactly why, except probably I was really overthinking [it]. I was really proud of the show, and I like things that end before their time, I'm a fan of that. And I'm a fan of getting out while you're ahead. I really was proud of the show as this kind of nice, short-lived work.

So I did have hesitation, but I remember when I came around was when I was watching a DVD of "Police Squad!," the Leslie Nielsen, Zucker Brothers show. And there was a "Making Of," and Leslie Nielsen was talking about when they went to make "Naked Gun" afterwards, he was so excited to work with those people again. And then I thought how fun it would be to work with all those people again and be around Mitch and them, and realized it would be an amazing opportunity. And the truth is, any time spent with Mitch in particular is always really informative for me. He's had a huge impact on who I am as a person, and my taste in things. A really big impact on my life.

"Arrested Development" can be watched on Netflix at any time, starting on May 26.

What do you get when you mix passion with love, dedication and commitment? Freddie Smith!

Freddie, most famously known for portraying the gay character Sonny Kiriakis on the soap opera Days of our Lives, has now also taken on the role of producing his own webseries Addicts Anonymous with his good buddies Jack Briggs and Nate Hartley.

With Freddie's busy work schedule, some people might think he has no life outside of work, but work is his life! (Don't fret! Freddie does have some time to just relax, but his mind is always burning with ideas!)

You're currently on Days of our Lives and also involved in a passion project called "Addicts Anonymous." How did you get involved with Jack Briggs and Nate Hartley?

Jack and I have known each other for about six years through mutual friends, but were only casual acquaintances for several years. Over Christmas Break a few years ago I made a short webseries on YouTube with Jack's old roommate. Jack saw it and called me and asked if I'd be interested in getting together and coming up with an idea that the two of us could work on together. We met at his apartment and started spitballing ideas, and within several hours we came up with the idea and title for the show. We became close very quickly and started hanging out and writing frequently, and after we shot a couple of rough episodes, Nate Hartley, who we met at a party that we all attended, messaged us and asked if we'd be interested in having any help. We liked Nate so much and thought he was such an incredible comedian that he came on and started writing with us, and we realized how much fun we all had writing and coming up with ideas together.

You're raising money via Kickstarter. Why did you choose Kickstarter as opposed to one of the other crowdfunding sites?

Kickstarter is an innovative new way to make a project and have full creative control over our vision for the project. We loved the fact that people could donate and get incentives (essentially prizes for their contribution) that would make them feel like they really are a part of making our project with us. Kickstarter is different than a lot of the other crowdfunding sites because if you don't raise the total amount you're looking for, then none of the money donated actually comes out of the backer's pockets. That way, we didn't feel they'd be cheated if for some reason we weren't able to raise the full funds in time.

Who wrote the script for AA?

Addicts Anonymous is a passion project that we've been working on for years. After Jack and I wrote a couple of episodes of the original rough webseries that we never released, we asked Nate if he'd like to come and help us write the remaining episodes. We realized how well we all worked together and how much fun we all had, and it was a no-brainer that he become an integral part of our team. We did several drafts of the scripts before we decided to release it to Kickstarter, and once we started to raise our funds, Shawn Christian, who I work with on Days of our Lives, approached me. His enthusiasm and vision for the project really meshed with what we wanted to do. We brought Shawn on as an executive producer and co-creator, and we never could have imagined how incredible his writing contribution to the project would be, and how it could help take Addicts Anonymous to the next level. We originally had six male addicts and two female addicts, but we realized that another female lead would really help balance the show as well as bring a much-needed female voice to the show. We now have five male addicts and three female addicts, which we feel is the perfect number. Many script revisions were done over the years, and if there's anything we've learned through the process, writing is re-writing.

How does SAG-AFTRA weigh into this?

We want to make the most professional and best quality show we can, and in order to do that, we wanted to go through the proper channels. We registered Addicts Anonymous with SAG-AFTRA and will be paying our actors and crew the compensation they deserve for their hard work, dedication and talent.

Why did you decide to make this webisode project?

We made this webseries because we thought it was a really unique idea that had never been done before, and that people would enjoy it and find it very funny. We wanted to make a show with an ensemble cast so that anyone who tunes in can relate to one of these dynamic characters in one way or another. Our ultimate goal is to continue to make the show the best it can be and eventually sell it to a network. How cool would that be?

How do you schedule time for AA and Days?

For the past five months I've been dedicating all my time to Days and Addicts Anonymous. It's kept me incredibly busy, but when you love what you do, it never feels like work. I get my Days schedule about a week in advance and I schedule AA around my Days shooting schedule.

What was your first meeting for AA like with Jack and Nate?

After we originally met, we kept this on the back burner for several years. In January of this year, we got together and were reminiscing about how much fun we all had working on the show together, and it re-lit a flame to really make it something great and special this time. While we definitely hang out a lot, we talk and tell jokes and just make each other laugh, and when something hits, we just sit down at the computer and start writing what we see.

What would have happened if you did not raise the $31,590 by your goal date of May 27th?

We debated that question for a long time, and while we had a couple of other options in case it didn't happen, we couldn't believe how quickly we were able to raise it. We were $2,000 over budget in only 16 days, and have been so fortunate to raise over $44,000. It's honestly a dream come true!

How is working on an Internet project different than a television network show?

The main difference is the fact that we really get to make it the way we want to make it. We get to write the characters, the scenes and the overall story exactly as we see it. Because of how much we all love the show, the ability to translate our vision to screen exactly how we want is something that is unique to a webseries. Once you make a network show, many things change and many more people are involved before the show is brought to the viewers.

Your page states you want to possibly put AA on Netflix.

Once we have the final product completed, will be pitching the idea to many distributors such as Netflix, as well as creating a treatment [synopsis on paper] and sizzle [video pitch reel] for network pitch meetings. As of now, we are taking things one step at a time and are excited to bring this project to life.

How'd you decide on the cast?

One of the things we love about making this show is that every member of the cast are not just incredibly funny people, but also really close friends of ours. Most of the cast are working actors, and the fact that we're all so close and that they all wanted to be a part of this makes this project that much more special.

Do you have any long term achievements you want to accomplish?

We want to make this into a TV show! We think it's something that everybody can relate to and enjoy.

Anything else you'd like to say?

Just want to give a shout out to all of our friends, fans and families for believing in us and helping make Addicts Anonymous a reality.