R.I.P "Arrested Development"?

There are few current TV shows I love more than "Arrested Development."

"The Sopranos"? Sure, when they bother to make new shows. "Gilmore Girls"? Definitely.

But there's something about "Arrested Development" that I just loved, which makes this news just painful.

For months there were rumors that Showtime was going to rescue the show after Fox pulled the plug, but Wednesday, creator Mitchell Hurwitz said he would no longer continue with the series. This likely means the end is here.

This is all the more frustrating because Twentieth Century Fox and Showtime were set to announce a deal for 26 episodes to run on the cable network starting next year.

News like this makes me angry in many ways, but not at Hurwitz. The way he was jerked around by Fox, with the show being preempted by baseball, football and anything else the network could find. was inexcusable. I can't blame him for being fed up.

"The fans have been so ardent in their devotion and in return ... I've given everything I can to the show in order to try to live up to their expectations," Hurwitz told Daily Variety on Monday. "I finally reached a point where I felt I couldn't continue to deliver that on a weekly basis."

A sad day indeed.

Why do I love "Arrested Development" so much? For many reasons, from the great cast and deadly funny writing, to the pacing that kept us unsure what would happen next. But most of all, I think I saw in the Bluths the dark side of all of us, how we would behave if we could finally get rid of our pesky consciences for good and do exactly what we wanted to all the time.

There is one small glimmer of hope. Hurwitz has said he will hold off on a final decision to let Fox and Showtime negotiate the final details. Keep your fingers crossed, fans.

And remember, next week brings the start of another baseball season, meaning that for at least one day and by sheer benefit of alphabetical order, my beloved Orioles will be in first place.