Arrested Development makes its long overdue return to our screens this Sunday (May 26) and after seven years of waiting, the main question people are asking is will it be worth the wait? The pressure is on for Mitch Hurwitz and co. to deliver, but as we've see countless times before, it is exactly this kind of anticipation that can lead to an almighty anti-climax.

The show was first broadcast on FOX in 2003 and instantly formed a cult following. Two seasons, six Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe and universal acclaim from critics later and the show met its untimely end in 2006, but as the show's first run came to an end, its lifespan was only just beginning and now the rebirthing of one of television's most loved shows is finally upon us. We've hardly gotten a chance to see what series four might be like, with only one trailer and a list of guest stars being released by the show's new owners, Netflix, to wet appetites so far. This coy tactic may work in Netflix', and the show's, favour though, as the titbits that fans have been treated to so far seem to offer hope that the series will be more X Men: First Class than The Phantom Menace.

The tips we have that seem to spell out a triumphant return for the show; the return of some great guest stars (ie: Liza Minnelli and Carl Weathers), the introduction of some new guests (ie: Terry Crews and Kristen Wiig), as well as the continuation of some of the best jokes from the original series (ie: birds, hands, acting masterclasses), but while these insights offer both hope, they also bring a touch of apprehension to the project.

The last thing anyone wants is a series that essentially revolves around 'hey, you remember this joke?' From what we've seen so far, this could very well be the case. But alas, this is the pessimist in a sea of optimists eagerly awaiting the return of the Bluths and even if some of the jokes may leave you sighing rather than rolling on the floor, the AD guys seem relatively confident that the show can deliver, and if they say so then it must be true, right?

Netflix will make all episodes of series four available to watch this Sunday (May 26).

George Bluth
'There's always money in the banana stand'