'Til Death just won't die. Reviled by most critics (though I thought it was okay) and unloved by its own 
network's schedulers (who bounce it from slot to slot like a pinball), this crabby-couple sitcom starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher has been in danger of cancellation almost from the day Fox introduced it in 2006. The ratings have never been much above the Nielsen brain-death level, and soon after the start of its third season last October, Fox appeared to have pulled the plug. The show was yanked off the air after seven episodes with no return date scheduled, typical of Fox's practice of unannounced stealth-cancellations.
But 'Til Death seems to have cheated its own title one more time. Fox has ordered 22 more episodes for the 2009-2010 season. (That's on top of the 15 still to air this season.) Variety reports that Sony Pictures TV, the studio that produces 'Til Death, was so desperate for another season that it practically agreed to take the network's fee in shiny beads. Reason: Four seasons on the air will give 'Til Death 88 episodes, enough to sell into syndication, which is when producers really start making money. And you thought TV was all about quality.
I, for one, NEVER thought TV was all about quality.
Posted by: Stan | January 13, 2009 at 07:55 AM
Til Death was a good show until they added that bargain basement Eddie Murphy imitator and phased out the next door neighbors.
Posted by: Tim Jocha | January 13, 2009 at 11:46 AM