'Til Death

I was never really a huge fan of "Everybody Loves Raymond," but Ray's brother (Garrett) was always my favorite character when I watched the show. Now, after "Raymond" has left the networks, Garrett goes onto his new project "'Til Death." The show is funny. It shows everyday situations that a lot can relate to. It tells about two sets of married couples, one thats been married for 24 years and one that's been married 12 days. While the newlyweds are deeply in love, Garrett and his wife seem to have a strained relationship. I hope this show sticks around for awhile.

With many great one liners, this show is a surefire hit with anyone who's married.

I read the first several messages on the board here, and people who don't like this show seem to be doing so for two main reasons - they think the longer-married couple is too bitter and unhappy, and they keep comparing the show to Everybody Loves Raymond. Well, I hope the show gets at least a few more episodes to reveal to those of you who aren't paying enough attention that Brad's character and his wife do really love each other and are trying to make their marriage better. A related idea the writers could emphasize is that the Woodcock's marriage will get stronger when the kids take off the rose-colored glasses and begin to love the people they married, not the idealized version of those people. And as for comparing to ELR, if you feel you absolutely must, this show is a lot kinder and more loving than that one.

When first released, 'Til Death was a show that had me in stitches. I cannot remember another sitcom that has made me laugh aloud so often with each episode. Having been divorced twice and single for more years than I can remember, this show takes a look at marriage that will make you roar. What makes it work is the fact that it compares a pair of crazy newlyweds to a couple married over twenty years - The Woodcocks and the Starks.

However, sadly, the show dispenses with the anchor of the show (the characters who play the Woodcocks), and the sitcom sinks to the bottom of ridiculous. Gone are the laughs and the beginning of the slow death that leads to cancellation.

I just felt like I went through another heartrending divorce that has left me convinced I'll never marry again.

Score: Definite 10 before the demise of the Woodcocks; 3 after they left the show.

The first two seasons of this are a decent funny sitcom. It is basically about a long time married couple who have a newly married couple move into next to them. This is fine for the first two seasons. However in Season 3 the newly married couple disappear and are erased from history.

It then just becomes about the established married couple. However a few episodes for Season 2 were inserted into Season 3 so the newly married couple just suddenly appear. Season 3 is also out of order so Kenny (who was my favourite character) is living with them with no explanation until later on in the season when he moves in.

Season 4 just loses the plot completely. Kenny disappears. A rich man and his young wife move in (if he was rich why would he live in a working class suburb??) An ongoing joke about the married couples, daughter's boyfriend thinking he is living in a sitcom stops being funny after the first episode the joke appears. One episode involves cartoons of the characters (and jumping a shark). It felt like they knew it was the last season and all the ideas they had for another six seasons they were cramming in. This is without the fact the daughter changes actress four times (twice in Season 4).

It is a shame as the acting is great. The first two seasons were good but it just all falls apart. I really wish I had left it alone after Season 2.

This was actually quite a funny sitcom comedy for the first two seasons. The perky newly wed Woodcocks were in sharp contrast to the 20 year married Starks. I frequently laughed out loud and looked forward to watching it. There were plenty of pointed insights into relationships and married life in general.

Then something bizarre happened in season 3. The Woodcocks their next door neighbors disappear with no explanation offered & Eddie becomes big brother to a full grown black man (an absolutely ridiculous story line). Then the black man moves in with them. Then we have a cast of black characters added on. Were the producers including Brad Garrett who is also the lead actor cynically chasing urban African American TV ratings? Would love to know the thinking behind this.

The show becomes desperately unfunny immediately after that. The show then stopped after season 4. A mystery....