Before web series and streaming platforms took over, it was shows like Arrested Development where all the rage was. With six Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe to its name, Mitchell Hurwitz’s show is truly one of a kind. While picking one aspect of the show as a favorite seems practically impossible, we believe the cake goes to Ron Howard and his role as the all-knowing narrator.
From summarizing the plotlines to mocking the characters, Ron Howard kept the show alive throughout its seasons. While everyone has unique inspirations behind their ideas, the director shocked us all by revealing the very unlikely area of the entertainment industry he got his motivation.
What Inspired Ron Howard’s Narration in Arrested Development?
Ron Howard’s narration in Arrested Development never fails to make us laugh and we would love nothing more than to know exactly how he came up with the style of it all.
In an interview with CNN, Howard sat down with Rachel Crane who complimented his narration technique stating,
Everyone is obsessed with your voiceovers and your narration. So what is like, you know, what’s the secret to being a great narrator?
That’s what we really want to know! As it turns out, Howard was inspired by, wait for it, nature documentaries.
Well, I haven’t done a whole lot of narration but I am the uncredited narrator for ‘Arrested Development.’ I actually borrowed from National Geographic…I thought it should be approached with a kind of sociological or anthropological mindset in terms of the phrasing and the approach.
I think this is the same who, you know, would be doing something about the indigenous inhabitants of the Amazon basin and then the next job would be to come and talk about the Bluth family.
Never in our wildest imaginations would we have thought that Howard got inspired by nature documentaries for the show. Come to think about it, it does make sense since he practically is observing the Bluth family and their antics like a narrator observes their subject in the wild.
How Ron Howard Became the Narrator
Believe it or not, it was not the original idea to have Howard narrate the entire sitcom. During his appearance on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, he opened up about how he helped develop the original idea for the show with Mitchell Hurwitz.
When Howard first pitched the idea of including a narrator, Hurwitz wasn’t sure if that was really necessary. Still, he decided to experiment with it and asked Howard to narrate the pilot while he was out in Santa Fe directing a film.
Howard got in his sound truck and recorded his part, eventually sending it to Hurwitz. As it turned out, the pilot, especially his narration, tested so well with the audience that Hurwitz decided the job belonged to Howard. No questions asked.
Howard recalled,
A couple of days later, Mitch called back and said, ‘Well, I have really good news, and news that maybe is good or maybe not, I don’t know.’ I said, ‘Well, give me the really good news first.’ He said, ‘The pilot tested really well!’
I said, ‘Well, what’s the mixed news?’ He said, ‘Well, I just don’t know how you’re going to feel about it, because the narrator tested the highest, and now you have to do it. We sold the show, but I said you’re doing it. You’re the narrator!’
And that’s how Howard ended up in the narrator’s chair for the rest of the series. It looks like his vision was right from the get-go, wasn’t it? BRB, it’s time for a rewatch. Again.
Arrested Development is available to watch on Netflix.
