The future looks dim for “Arrested Development”, one of the most clever, witty shows on television, since Fox has cut this season’s order from 22 to 13 episodes. I have no idea why, but the network has decided that re-runs of “Prison Break” will do better in the “Arrested” time slot during Fall sweeps. “Arrested” will return in December, but it looks like its run might end in January. I don’t know what I’ll do if the day comes when I can no longer hear Ron Howard’s whimsical narrations.

On a side note, how can a show called “Prison Break” last longer than one episode?

From Variety.com:

“Arrested Development” may have finally played its last get out of jail free card.

Fox has cut back its episode order on one of TV’s most critically praised shows to just 13 segs, down from 22. Skein, from 20th Century Fox TV and creator Mitch Hurwitz, has also been pulled from the schedule for the rest of the month, another sign that the network may have finally given up on trying to bring an audience to the show.

As for “Arrested,” skein returned from a month’s hiatus this week, while “Kitchen”"Kitchen” was slated to return Monday. Despite tough competition from a high-rated “Monday Night Football” matchup, “Arrested” performed about as well as it had been in the timeslot before baseball. Ratings for “Prison Break,” however, took a notable dip, which is what likely prompted worried Fox execs to reverse their previous plan to keep “Arrested” on the air through year’s end.

Instead of the two laffers, Fox will air repeats of drama “Prison Break” in the 8-9 p.m. Monday slot for the rest of the sweep.

“Arrested” and “Kitchen” will return to the skedsked Dec. 5. Come January, net is expected to stick with its original plan of moving “House” into the Monday-at-8 slot.

Fox wasn’t commenting Thursday, and for now, nobody’s using the word “cancellation.” But in the case of “Arrested,” the handwriting appears to be on the wall.

hat tip: Ain’t it Cool News

Update: Lost Remote’s Steve Safran has a plan for online distribution of Arrested Development.