'Til Death: Vows To Live By

For nine years Brad Garrett played second banana to Ray Romano on the modern classic EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND.

Garrett's character in 'TIL DEATH (Thursday 8/7c FOX) is far removed from Robert Barone. Robert was insecure, jealous of his brother and spent some eight years trying to secure a permanent relationship.

In the character of Eddie Stark, we find the anti-Robert. Eddie's in a committed relationship. He's been married for over 20 years and has grown extremely comfortable with he place in life. This time it's his newlywed neighbors he's trying to keep pace with. And his wife is joining him in the race.

As a sitcom, 'TIL DEATH is clearly not what it is going to become. It has some growing pains to work through. The actors playing the newlyweds aren't particularly strong or memorable. The pilot owed a lot to MARRIED...WITH CHILDREN, and relied way too much on jokes based on the neighbors' last name, Woodcock.

But after three episodes 'TIL DEATH is starting to find its legs. It may never be a great sitcom. It may wind up paired with THE WAR AT HOME should HAPPY HOUR succumb to a justifiable cancellation. But 'TIL DEATH has its moments.

This show is obviously being written by someone who has been married for quite some time. Eddie and Joy have moments of Truth. They interact realistically, comfortably, and with a sense of shared time.

They also have moments of Not Funny, but those are getting less and less frequent.

I'm not giving up on 'TIL DEATH...yet. I see too much of Mrs. Kimosabe and myself in Eddie & Joy. We remember when it was new, too.

Mrs. Kimosabe points out that the house used for the exterior shots of Eddie & Joy's house is the same house that was used for Ray & Debra Barone's. Fitting, isn't it? Like Robert, Brad Garrett may never escape from the long shadow of Ray Barone.

'TIL DEATH, indeed.....