The FOX sitcom ‘Til Death beat the odds and survived for three seasons. Has the TV show’s luck finally run out?
‘Til Death debuted on September 7, 2006. The sitcom stars Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher as Eddie and Joy Stark, a couple whose 20+ year marriage has grown stale and bitter. In contrast, their recently married neighbors, the Woodcocks (played by Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kat Foster), are still enjoying newlywed euphoria. For season three of Til Death, the Woodcocks were sent packing and were replaced by Kenny (J.B. Smoove), a divorced friend of Eddie’s who helps to pull him down all the wrong paths.
In its first season, ‘Til Death averaged 7.1 million viewers and ranked #82 on the season’s list of primetime shows. In year two, viewership dropped and averaged a viewership of only 6.1 million.
Despite the sinking numbers, FOX renewed the series for a third season and ordered 13 episodes. Four season two episodes were held over due to the writers strike. Unfortunately, the numbers for season three have been worse than the previous year’s. This season’s episodes have averaged only 4.54 million. The freshman comedy Do Not Disturb drew similar numbers and was cancelled after just three episodes aired.
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FOX has pulled ‘Til Death from primetime for the foreseeable future. With such dismal numbers, it comes as no surprise that the sitcom is absent from the schedule for the November sweeps period. Repeats of House will fill the timeslot for at least the next several weeks.
Of the 17 season three episodes, only seven have aired. The network may leave the remaining 10 on the shelf indefinitely but will more likely air them at some point in the future, possibly to fill in half-hour gaps around American Idol. Either way, based on the numbers, it looks like ‘Til Death is a lame duck with no chance for a fourth year. Stay tuned! 
This was a great show UNTIL Kenny showed up to slowly kill it. The logical step would have been for the Woodcocks to have twins and all the fun surrounding new parents.
The Woodcocks were funny, Gilbert Godfried in an arc was funny but J.B. Smoove (as much as I like him) was a different feel for the show. It left it’s original audience out in the cold for the sake of putting an AA in the show. J B as a recurring character; The Woodcocks in recurring roles; even the clever idea of changing the actress who played the daughter every two or three episodes would probably help but, I’ll admit it, Joely’s cleavage ran that show. It re-told classic Hollywood jokes and had her bend over when they ran flat… Read more »
I THINK BRAD GARRET IS HILLARIOUS MAKE THE SHOW MORE
ABOUT HIM AND LESS ABOUT HIS CO STARS HE CAN SAVE
THIS SHOW FROM CANCELLATION GIVE HIM A CHANCE.
THAT WAS SUCH AGOOD GOOD SHOW FUNNY I COULD REALLY LAUGH THROUGH ALL OF IT….TO HAVE XED IT OFF WAS A GRAVE MISTAKE,,,,,,,,OTHER SHOWS ON FOR THE MOST PART ARE TRASH……………………………………………………………………I HARDLY EVEN TURN T.V ON NOW AS THERE IS NOTHING,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,BRING TILL DETH BACK IT WAS IN A BAD TIME SLOT AND FOX. I BELIEVE,,,NEVER HAD A CHANCE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
the show is funny.the first time i watched it mad me laugh and so did the second time. it needs more tv watchers to see previews in between shows
Does anyone know what the network confidence is like in this show at the moment? Me and the Mrs have just started watching this in the UK and are loving it. I don’t know how Fox would want to axe such a funny show. For us this is a good solid follow on show for us folk who loved King Of Queens. Glad to see its into its 4th Season and we really hope it can make it further, much further. If any network folk see this you may want to tout it around UK TV channels, it’d go down… Read more »
@Dom: The show has gotten low ratings for quite awhile. The only reason that it’s lasted this long is because of a syndication deal. As soon as they have enough episodes for syndication, it’ll be cancelled.
Wow the show was on last nite and scheduled for next week. Is this part of the unreleased epis or is there some hope. The Daughter and friend came back in an old trailer to bug them.
@Caninemtn: There are actually quite a few new episodes to come.
My husband and I use to LOVE Till Death…then, as others have said, they changed the original idea of the show. We thought Kenny was funny in VERY SMALL doses, but not all the time. We would always sit down to get ready for the show to start and say we hoped Kenny wouldn’t be on and that the Woodcocks would be back…and we kept getting disappointed!!!!!!! Is anybody of importance reading these comments? Can they bring the show back in the original format? Lose Kenny and maybe go with the mother-in-law idea or a baby for the Woodcocks. There… Read more »
The stars are very talented and very funny. I don’t believe it was the show. If you look at FOX in general, they are not good for sitcoms. This show would flourish on another network. Brad don’t give up on this show. FOX is more with reality shows and dramas.
I think you should bring in a mother-in-law. One who is quick and witty and would throw the puns at the others.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!
I worked on three episodes of this show in season 2 and 3 and I have yet to see any of them air. I had more fun on this show as an extra, than any other I’ve worked on. I thought the episodes were very funny and I was really looking forward to seeing them on TV. Tell FOX to bring them back NOW! I can’t stand American Idol and any of the other reality shows out there. They are tired and boring and predictable! Bring back the sitcoms! America needs to laugh again;^)
They probly are gna air the remaining episodes in the American idol spot in like March/April. but first they have to bring back the woodcocks!! I get what the creator of the show meant when he said “Weve told enough storys about newlyweds compared to older couples” but still, thats what the show is about? i think this show will get a fourth season but itll probly be its last.