Launching a new series these days can be really tough. It either hits really big, or you’re out. FOX’s ‘Til Death got more chances than most but the axe has finally swung. The network confirmed today that it was indeed cancelling the show.
‘Til Death debuted on FOX back in 2006 with veteran sitcom stars Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Joely Fisher (Ellen). They play Eddie and Joy, an “old married couple,” who have annoyingly optimistic newlywed neighbors, the Woodcocks (Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kat Foster).
Each subsequent season then seemed to change its focus. The second season brought in a new character, Kenny (J.B. Smoove), Eddie’s friend from the Big Brother program. The next season had Kenny moving in with Eddie and Joy. Season four brought their daughter (Lindsey Broad, then Kate Micucci) and her boyfriend/husband (Timm Sharp) as they moved into a trailer in Eddie and Joy’s backyard.
Truthfully, the series has never been a ratings hit, but FOX kept it because of the economy of putting it on the air. Sony Pictures TV gave the network a big break on the license fee so that the studio could keep producing episodes to build the syndication package.
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The show’s ratings have fallen so low recently that many have wondered how FOX could afford to keep it on the air, even with the deal from Sony. Garrett, with his typical deadpan delivery, told Zap2It, “The other night, we got a 0.9 … Once your mom stops watching, you’re a 0.4” He told the network if they gave him another month, he could take it down to a zero. Not surprisingly, there was dead silence on the other end.
Garrett says the others that were involved in the show have already moved on to other projects, “After year two, when you’re getting beat by Telemundo, it’s time to go home. I mean, even the show my housekeeper watches was beating the show that was paying her salary. I’d come in the room, and she’d quickly turn off Telemundo.”
FOX has since officially confirmed that, after 80 installments, the sitcom has been cancelled. Episodes will continue to air as scheduled with the last installment running on May 9th. Because FOX has frequently used ‘Til Death as filler, 37 episodes will have aired this season by the time it’s over. Most of the installments are from this season while others are holdovers.
For Garrett, he’s not sure what’s next for him. He wouldn’t mind another series, but admits it could take him awhile to commit to one again. He says ‘Til Death was a learning experience, as the show ended up being very different than how it was originally been presented to him. He said, “What this last experience did was to make me more picky than ever.”
What do you think? Are you sorry to see that the show’s finally been cancelled? Do you think changing the focus and cast helped or hurt ‘Til Death? Which version is your favorite?
Image courtesy FOX.
Just finished watching the last episode of season 4… really sad to see that the show is over. I actually enjoyed it a lot. Dunno how to explain the low ratings, but maybe the departure of the Woodcocks, introduction of Kenny and the constant changing of Ally played a role. Personally i was quite tolerant with the changes, but i guess others werent. For me the changes grew on me and i always found the show interesting and funny. Brad’s a great sitcom character and even though it would kinda feel weird to see him in a third one (after… Read more »
Woodcocks left the show and it was all downhill from there. I disagree with the whole Brad Garrett isn’t a lead actor in comedy series in fact he carried the show after the first season. The time changes were meant for increasing ratings but just confused people and never found a time slot. Wish it was still on though as I would watch it hoping the storyline would progress past hippie kids moving in. Oh well they made some good episodes and there’s always that……
I’m in Australia, my wife and I love it. Many aspects of the show are just so true and we can relate to it many ways.
I cannot beleive that there will be no season 5 🙁
Eddie and Joy we love you. You both work so well together, hope we can see you together on the big screen.
If you ever need a place to live, come on down, we’ll watch you live in our living room and laugh our arses off.
Steve & Vicki
I actually never missed a show thanks to rhe fact that my dvr was set to record all new episodes.. I loved it but thonk they should of kept it younger vs older couple instead of the daughter & husband… then it got worse with all the…” i think i”m on a sitcom” bit… Still i never missed an episode & if they ever give reruns I wont miss them…
I agree with you… 100%
I love brad he’s so funny!
Oh ya, and what was up with the different daughter each week? That completely threw everything off as neither of them looked like the other (one was blond and the other a scrawny little tomboy). There weren’t (2) different daughters were there?
I was one of those people who never missed one of the episodes of this show and to be honest, I wish I had that time back. The episodes with the woodcocks were decent and I got the jist fo the “old couple”, “new couple” plot which was fresh and original. The characters weren’t great but I felt that Garretts character made up for it in (as another poster mentioned) a Gleason sort of way. There were some interesting storylines in a lot of the episodes and then there were the ones which seemed to be nothing more than “Let’s… Read more »
I concur about Joely Fisher. She’s nothing but breasts, and it’s sad how she doesn’t mind having them exploited.
This show used to be our favorite show on TV, then after they got rid of the woodcocks the show got bad fast, not sure why they did that but it was a train wreck every show after that decision.
I currently live in Germany and have purchased every season from day 1. I Loved this show. I don’t know what was going on with all the switching around in the states, My wife and liked it enough to pay for it! I really like Brad Garrett (as a “secondary actor” -i think nowadays we call this supporting actor, but hey- or “main actor”) He’s funny. The not so “goofy” side of him was a nice change to EBLR (we loved that show, too).
I will really miss this show and hope I will see Garrett in another sitcom soon!
‘Til Death was refreshing and I enjoyed it on Sunday at 7:00pm. Television really sucks in general. So, when you add a new format of comedy, It’s hard to get in tune to the regular programing. Something has to improve with a variety of shows, the regular listing of shows are boring and predictable. Bring ‘Til Death back.
Another example of a network accidentally/on purpose killing a perfectly good series by moving the schedule around so much, that nobody can find it. Personally, I enjoyed the Saturday 7PM time slot for this show, with Archer at 8. That worked for me. But the show needed a home day, and a home time. Brad Garret has that comedic face and comedy timing that reminds me of Jacky Gleason. And I love that. I think he has the horsepower to carry any show to legendary status if they set him up right and put it in a steady time slot…..any… Read more »
jim if u don’t care about til death, why are u spending your time commenting negatively on it? i am such a fan of brad garrett and think he is a true star and maybe the only reason this show didn’t take off is because people first got used to him as “robert” on everybody loves raymond, and then “eddie” is very different (negative about things, etc.) and maybe it alienated people (and also, this show, though i still love it, had raunchier humor than “raymond” viewers might care for, and also at times a kind of a sad point… Read more »
I wish I could join you all in the lovefest, but this show sucked ass. The main problem is that Brad Garrett is NOT a main actor. He’s a secondary actor. He is not funny as the main guy. He can’t hold it down, and that’s where the show was doomed to fail from the beginning. This show just wasn’t every funny, and the public didn’t think so either. The ratings were never there. I’m surprised it lasted for 80+ episodes. That’s impressive for show so lame. Honestly though, I think like “How I Met Your Mother” are even worse,… Read more »
I thought it was one of the funniest shows going.
I really liked the show too. Just not enough people watched it.
Not enough people watched it, I thought it was really funny, but I know some people who never even heard of it. It needed more hype. I will miss it