Actually, fetchrow_array returns a list not an array. It makes a big difference in this discussion. Consider the following code:

#!/usr/bin/perl -wT
use strict;

my @array       = (42);

my $array_count = @array;     # array in scalar context
my $list_count  = (42);       # list in scalar context
my $sub_count   = testsub();  # list or array????

print "Array in scalar context:   $array_count\n",
      "List in scalar context:    $list_count\n",
      "Subs rv in scalar context: $sub_count\n";

sub testsub {
  # does this return a list or an array????
  return (42);
}

=OUTPUT
Array in scalar context:   1
List in scalar context:    42
Subs rv in scalar context: 42
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The array evaluates to its number of elements, but the list evaluates to its rightmost member - in this case 42. The return value from the subroutine is actually a list not an array, which explains why $sub_count == $list_count == 42.

-Blake