From the New York Post's Page Six:

[F]ans of "Arrested Development" can relax. Word is Showtime not only picked up the canceled Fox show but also ordered 26 more episodes.

TV Squad reports, however, that its source at Showtime says nothing is yet official and that negotiations are continuing. But the mere existence of the Post rumor is great news for fans of the show given the deafening silence on the matter since the series' Fox finale aired quietly nearly three weeks ago.

As for the possibility of 26 episodes being ordered, that is an extremely large order for a cable network where a full season typically lasts only 10 to 13 episodes. If true, the deal practically guarantees that the show will live on in syndication for many years, but that kind of syndication guarantee was a significant part of last summer's rumor that Fox had renewed the series for two full seasons. When the official renewal announcement finally came, it was only for one season, and that season-long order was promptly cut in half by the network.

Of course, every word of the Post story may be true. After all, given that Fox has yet to "officially" announce the show's cancellation, Showtime may not be allowed to announce any deal publicly... yet.

Fingers crossed...

[NY Post] Page Six: February 28, 2006 (via TV Squad)

Just a few days after Fox pulled the plug on "Arrested Development," rumors are beginning to circulate about possible suitors for the series. The San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman broke the first such rumor earlier today:

"Arrested Development" would be a lovely addition to HBO, but the pay cable channel has said it will take no one's "sloppy seconds." Given the poor ratings and expensive per-episode price tag, no network or basic cable channel is likely to make a play for it. However, there is an intriguing rumor of a suitor: Showtime.

This idea actually makes sense. Showtime has been making great strides in its programming department, but the audience is still lacking. A name series that might prompt die-hard fans (are there any other kind left for "AD"?) to subscribe would be an enticing option. The idea is that "AD" might pair well with "Weeds." And no matter how you get it -- by developing it yourself or snatching it fully built off the discard pile -- a great series is a great series, period.

Goodman offered no additional details, so there's no way to gage whether anything will ever come of this.

Stay tuned...

[SF Chronicle] Die-hard 'Arrested Development' fans already feeling sting of loss (via TV Squad)

Looks like Fox is doing its part to reduce the amount of television I watch every week:

The Bluth clan of Fox's ratings-challenged "Arrested Development" is... headed for the exit after Fox cut the third-season order on the Emmy-winning comedy to 13 episodes. [...]

There is a possibility that the show will be shopped around, but its high cost is expected to be prohibitive for a cable network.

As much as I want to criticize Fox for pulling the plug on one of the best comedy series to ever appear on television, I don't think I blame them. After all, the show has had a tiny audience from the start and never managed to pull in new viewers despite an unusually high amount of promotion (for an underperforming show) from the network. Given its ratings performance, most networks would have canceled the show early in its first season, yet Fox has stuck with it well into its third season. And no matter how good this show is, the (sad) fact remains that the average American would apparently rather watch "The King of Queens."

I just hope the show's producers can find a way to cut costs so that a move to cable will become more feasible.

[Yahoo! News] Networks cancel '7th Heaven,' 'Arrested'