Here’s a stunner of sorts.

The Brad Garrett/Joely Fisher sitcom ‘Til Death has been off the air since October 8 of last year, with not a word about a return date. This caused many industry watchers to believe the likelihood of the show returning was slim to none, especially since just seven episodes of ‘Til Death have aired thus far during its current third season, three of which were holdovers from the writers strike-shortened second season.

Yet, Fox recently announced at the Television Critics Association Press Tour currently underway that the network has renewed the comedy for not just a fourth season, but a full fourth season with 22 episodes. Why, you ask, given its lengthy absence, not to mention poor average ratings of about 4 million total viewers, give or take a few thousand?

Read more

Original Air Date: September 17, 2008

While watching this episode of ‘Til Death, I couldn’t help but feel for all of the sitcom fans who’ve griped about the fact that Fox gave it another season yet canceled the Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton series Back to You. Like them and others, I believe the canceled show was actually the funnier show.

So, on this installment we have Eddie buying a sporty red convertible he can barely fit into when a young, attractive car saleswoman challenges his perception of himself by asking him if he’s 60 and if he’d like to look at more conservative vehicles. Joy logically assumes this atypical impulse purchase is the result of a midlife crisis, but Eddie assures her she’s wrong, wrong, wrong (as usual).

Joy confides in a female coworker about Eddie’s new obsession, and the colleague advises her to slash the car’s tires or take on a hot lover to combat Eddie’s sudden disinterest in his wife. Meanwhile, Kenny visits to get permission to buy Eddie’s castoff vehicle because his ex-wife just took away his old car.

Read more

If Fox isn’t playing fast and loose again this week and switching episodes without warning, the next installment of ‘Til Death should be “Joy Ride,” which features more of new regular fixture J.B Smoove.

During the episode, Joy comes to believe her husband is suffering from a dreaded midlife crisis after Eddie takes his car into the shop for repairs and then decides to buy a brand-new red convertible instead. Smoove’s Kenny enters the picture when he purchases Eddie’s old vehicle and tricks it out big time.

Check out a few photos from the episode after the jump.

Read more

There’s just one day left until the third-season premiere of ‘Til Death, an episode called “The Buffer.” It introduces new guest star Kym Whitley, who plays the ex-wife of the second newest arrival J.B. Smoove.

And, yes, for those wondering — Season One and Season Two regular cast members Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kat Foster really do appear to be gone for good. That’s too bad because they both made many contributions to the sitcom.

Check out the remaining cast in the photos after the jump from the season premiere.

Coming up this Wednesday, September 10, at 9pm EST is the third-season premiere of ‘Til Death. During the episode, we’ll finally get to meet the oft-mentioned but never shown ex-wife of new character Kenny. Her name is Tina, and she’s played by actress Kym Whitley (pictured with Brad Garrett in the photo), who was most recently seen in College Road Trip.

After Tina kicks Kenny out of his apartment, Eddie lets his “little” brother stay at the Stark home. The situation ends up becoming a dilemma for the tall one, however, because although he loves how nice his wife Joy is when Kenny’s around, the longer Kenny and his irritating habits stay, the harder Joy tries to get him back together with Tina.

Take a look at the new season of ‘Til Death in the FOX Fall Preview video after the jump, which features appearances by Joely Fisher and J.B. Smoove.

Read more

That time of the year is upon us, namely the spring upfront season, which is when viewers learn the fates of their favorite shows on the bubble. The industry-speak phrase refers to those series that network executives haven’t yet decided what to do with: cancel, renew, or downsize to a midseason replacement. The last two options are obviously better than the first.

Fox has spoken regarding a couple of its shows on the cusp or brink or edge or whatever — the sitcoms ‘Til Death and its broadcast companion Back to You. Shockingly (at least in my head), the first series has been renewed for a third season while the second show, which stars TV-comedy heavyweights Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Cheers) and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond), has been axed.

Say what?!

Sure, Back to You isn’t the best it could be, but it’s still highly watchable on a decent night, and downright hilarious most times that regulars Fred Willard and/or Ty Burrell are onscreen (and when you get them both together, just sit back and soak up the comedy genius). I actually thought a sophomore run was more or less a lock for the series. That shows how much what I think matters.

Read more

Original Air Date: April 30, 2008

The Starks disagree about EDDIE and the state of their marriage after Eddie fails to shed a single tear during a sad movie. JOY thinks this indicates her husband isn’t in touch with his feelings, while Eddie thinks it demonstrates he knows the difference between make believe (the movie) and reality (not the movie).

To nip the problem in the bud while they still can, Joy suggests the couple attend a so-called Living Loving Sharing workshop that a neighbor went to. Eddie thinks that would be a waste of time since, after so long being married, they should get off the accelerator and just let their relationship coast to its natural end.

Later, Joy whips out a few home videos to drive home her point that Eddie is devoid of emotions, one of her crying at their wedding and another of Eddie joking around at their daughter’s birth (when asked if he’d like to cut the umbilical cord, Eddie asks are they sure the baby won’t deflate and start floating around the room like a balloon).

Since Joy is so visibly upset, Eddie gets moody … but not necessarily emotional. KENNY drops by around then and tries to play Montel, taking Eddie back to sad childhood memories of when schoolmates used to call him Buttface because he was freakishly tall (as Eddie says, there’s really no correlation between the trait and the nickname). Even that doesn’t make Eddie sad, however.

Read more

Original Air Date: April 16, 2008

EDDIE and KENNY check out the new movie theater in town, and while Eddie is in the bathroom, Kenny goes to the concession stand to buy some snacks. As soon as Eddie comes back out, Kenny tells him the cashier ignored him completely and skipped over him to take the order of the white guy behind him on line.

What really happened becomes clearer when Eddie approaches a manager, angry and demanding an explanation. Now, Kenny adds in the finer details of the incident, such as he took a minute to look over the menu because he wasn’t sure what he wanted. He also points out the white guy in question, an elderly man using a walker.

Obviously, Kenny is seeing something that’s not there, and Eddie knows it. But, out of guilt, Eddie decides to back up Kenny’s claims, and the two leave the theater in a fit of righteous indignation, vowing never to return.

When Eddie arrives home afterwards, he finds JOY in a state of bliss over the new theater because it has a wine bar, which means no more sneaking in hers in a sippie bottle. She’s not thrilled when Eddie tells her they can’t go to the theater, especially when he reveals why, because it’s clear to her and any other rational person that what Kenny experienced was anything but racism.

Read more

Fans of classic sitcoms from the 1970s should be excited about the April 30 episode of ‘Til Death, “The Courtship of Eddie’s Parents,” because the one and only Valerie Harper of Mary Tyler Moore and Rhoda fame is dropping by to play Brad Garrett’s TV mother.

Unfortunately, she’ll have bad news for her boy, too, when the Starks visit her and her husband, played by The Sopranos and Rescue Me’s Jerry Adler, and learn the two are heading for Splitsville.

I wonder how Eddie’s going to take that revelation. Probably not too well, if his emotional history on the show is any indication.

‘Til Death airs Wednesdays on Fox at 8pm EST.

I just love these titles that bite off of others. The name of the April 23 episode of ‘Til Death, “Snip/Duck,” is a variation of the FX hit Nip/Tuck’s title, of course, although the plot has a somewhat different slant.

Instead of plastic surgery but still in keeping with the medical theme, the plot concerns the Starks’ foray into vasectomy territory. One half of the couple winds up experiencing doubt about the procedure, resulting in a huge lie to avoid it.

‘Til Death airs Wednesdays on Fox at 8pm EST.