Arrested Development seamlessly blends the single-camera sitcom genre with an ambitious premise: What happens when the family patriarch and CEO of a wealthy real estate company gets arrested for embezzlement and a bunch of other crimes? His only sane son takes over to stop the family from imploding, while barely holding them together.
Meet the Bluths: The patriarch George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), the wacky matriarch Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walters), and the four kids, the inept magician Gob (Will Arnett), straight shooter Michael (Jason Bateman), his twin, Lindsay (Portia de Rossi), and the youngest momma's boy Buster (Tony Hale).
Michael's son, George-Michael (Michael Cera), also plays a big role in the family's mayhem.
Created by Mitchell Hurwitz, the show's filming locations are in and around California's Orange County, Newport Beach, and Culver City.
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While indoor shooting took place in a studio setting, Arrested Development juxtaposed the high-key mayhem of the Bluths against the scenic beach views and laid-back vibes of the West Coast for maximum comedic effect.
Marina Del Rey, Culver City, and other prominent locations in Arrested Development
The iconic Bluth model house
In the pilot of Arrested Development, the Bluth family's assets are seized due to George Michael Sr.'s arrest, forcing them to move into the only model home in the fictional Sudden Valley, with just muddy land as far as the eye can see.
This isolated island of a home stood as a metaphorical reminder that the chaotic family only had each other during the trying time.
The house is actually located on Dolorosa Street in Woodland Hills, California, surrounded by lush landscaping and plenty of other houses, contrary to what we see in the show's first four seasons.
The cast shot inside the house only for the pilot, after which they moved to a studio setting, only using the home for exterior shots.
In season 5, which aired years after season 4, the showrunners had to move filming locations for the Bluth model house (which then had more houses constructed under the Michael B. Company).
On-ground location took place in Kristine Court in Santa Clarita’s Stetson Ranch development, California.
Culver Studios, Culver City, California
Most indoor shooting for Arrested Development happened in a studio setup, with replica sets made for the Bluth house, offices, and courtrooms.
Culver Studios in Culver City, California, is one of the major filming locations, recreating realistic spaces for the cast. The show also used Stage 5 at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles.
Many memorable locations, like Gob's Magicians Alliance building, were a part of Culver Studios. The streets near and around the studio were used to film many of the outdoor scenes in Arrested Development.
Whether it's the family driving the iconic staircar or Michael riding his bike, adjacent areas like Krueger Street or Lindblade Street served as perfect locations.
Fans living in the area speculate that many bar and restaurant scenes were shot in the Culver Hotel, right across from Culver Studios.
Other memorable shows and movies that used Culver Studios include Scrubs, Star Trek, and Beetlejuice.
Fisherman's Village, Marina Del Rey
The Bluth family ran a food kiosk called the "Bluth's Original Frozen Banana Stand", which became the site of many recurring gags in Arrested Development.
From burning it down, not knowing its walls were lined with cash, to getting ratted out to the police by a young Korean orphan for stealing his family's idea, the banana stand is an iconic landmark.
While the show mentions that it is located in Balboa Island on Newport Beach, the actual filming location is in Fisherman's Village, Marina Del Rey, which is around 50 miles from the beach.
While the stand does not exist in real life, the area is instantly recognizable for its impact on Arrested Development fans.
Long Beach, California
Many memorable scenes in Arrested Development are shot in seaside towns or on the beach. Long Beach, California, was one of the filming locations that saw many iconic moments, starting with the shot of the RMS Queen Mary, an ocean liner that has been moored there permanently.
The Bluth family rents the ship to host a party after George Bluth Sr.'s exoneration, only for the SEC to come after Lucille instead.
In the fictional timeline, Lucille makes a run for it by shoveling coal into the ship's engine, only to sink it on the beach. In reality, the ship still stands, safe from the Bluth family chaos.
The filming moves to season 5 of Arrested Development, where Lindsay runs for Congress.
In the town's "Second of July" Parade, floats and speeches are set up on the streets of Long Beach, where Buster's biological dad, Oscar (George Bluth Sr.'s twin), breaks him out of his prison-shaped float and the duo drives off into the sunset.
University High School, Los Angeles
George Michael and Maeby go to high school in the earlier seasons of Arrested Development, when George's cousin-crush on Maeby grows. Scenes from their high school were shot in the famous University High School in Los Angeles, California.
The school's large and appealing facade made it the backdrop of many shows like Lizzy McGuire, 90210, Fresh Off The Boat, The Mentalist, and My So-Called Life.
Catalina Island, California
In season 1, episode 15 (Staff Infection), a comedy of errors leads to the Bluth family and employees going on a trip to Catalina Island, off Newport Beach.
Buster's photobooth session is rudely interrupted by some sheep there, establishing an episodic gag about the island being infested with them.
Arrested Development was largely shot in and around the beachside, from Marina del Rey and Long Beach to Newport Beach. While the show is said to be located in Newport Beach, fans speculate that many scenes could have been shot at Redondo Beach in Los Angeles.
The filming locations aptly captured beachside vibes and gave the show a unique aesthetic on which years of running gags were built. Stream all episodes on Netflix.
