Arrested Development: The End of the Road

It was just earlier this month that premium service Showtime agreed to pick-up Arrested Development from Fox. It all seemed so certain. A done deal.

And therefore it's with great sadness that I announce the official demise of Arrested Development.

In an 11th-hour decision, Arrested creator Mitchell Hurwitz decided late yesterday to walk away from the project. As you know, Showtime had given Arrested a firm 26-episode, 2-season commitment… but this deal was contingent on Hurwitz continuing his involvement with the show. All seemed well, and all parties involved expected Hurwitz to sign the deal by June. However, Hurwitz announced late yesterday that was quitting the show, citing that he had already given everything he had to the show, and that any further attempts to deliver on the brand that is Arrested Development would never live up to expectations.

Executive producer Jim Vallely, a close ally of Hurwitz, called the demise of the show “heartbreaking.”

Arrested star Jason Bateman was said to have mixed emotions over the demise of the show; while he was sad over the fact that it was coming to an end, he was happy that the three seasons would live on forever on DVD.

Hurwitz also leaves us with this tidbit: while he feels that Arrested has “run its course” as a series, he could envision an Arrested Development feature film.

Finally: a TV-to-movie transfer actually worth seeing. Take THAT, Ice Cube.

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Goodbye WBRU?

I’m hearing rampant rumors that long-time Providence alternative rocker WBRU (95.5 FM) is about to be sold.

For 36 years, the Brown University-affiliated WBRU has been Southeastern New England’s pre-eminent alt-rock station, beating back several modern-rock challengers over the years (including 99.7 The Edge and 103.7 FNX). If these rumors turn out to be true, then he big question becomes: will the new owners retain the classic WBRU format?

36 years with the same format is an eternity in the radio business, and yes, over the past few years, WBRU’s reach on the total audience has diminished. Within its core target of college-age listeners, however, BRU remains at the top. But is that enough to keep the new owners satisfied?

I can confirm that while WBRU’s Arbitron numbers have trended downward, BRU continues to command a premium price for its advertising. The bottom line is that if you want to reach those young, college-age males, then BRU is a must-buy station within your advertising plan. And THAT bit of information can aid the cause of those who want WBRU to remain Providence’s alt-rocker.

Let's face it: BRU ain't what it used to be; its glory days are well-behind it. But there's still a lot of life left in that old frequency (a frequency which, by the way, began life as WJAR-FM many many years ago). Without WBRU and its unique brand of alt-rock, the Providence airwaves would never be the same.

Or maybe - just maybe - this rumor was started as part of an April Fool's Day prank by the BRU jocks. Don't be surprised if this "prank" theory turns out to be true...

Stay tuned…