Arresting development of a great show

Let’s nutshell this: Watch the Olympics, you’re a communist. Watch “Arrested Development,” you’re a patriot.

You do want to be a patriot, don’t you? Don’t you? Don’t you?!?!

All right, sorry. Perhaps I overstate the case, and yes, I admit I’m a little nutty about the show. But understand this: Unless a miracle happens — like the cable channel Showtime taking the show — tonight’s four episodes will be the last of the series.

The reason? Only about four million people watch the show any given week. In the world of primetime network television, that’s a lousy number. Really lousy.