gjr on "Theme options being returned as serialized array?"

Updating themes for 1.4.5 version, and noticed that all of my OPTION_TYPE_TEXTAREA and OPTION_TYPE_TEXTBOX options were being returned as serialized arrays when using the getOption function in the theme. My plugins do not, just my themes. Hard to compare with included themes since none of them use these option types. I think this was an issue before 1.4.5, it was probably the cause of the issue in this thread:
http://www.zenphoto.org/support/topic.php?id=90536

For example, when I have this entered in the backend OPTION_TYPE_TEXTAREA option:
body{background:red;}

I get this on the frontend when I echo the option:
a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:21:"body{background:red;}";}

Any ideas?