FOX Sitcom Pilot Reviews: 'Til Death and Happy Hour - Premiere September 7th

Monday, September 04, 2006

FOX Sitcom Pilot Reviews: 'Til Death and Happy Hour - Premiere September 7th

Happy Labor Day! A special thank you to Pavan on his day of rest for bringing us daily news, schedules, and ratings. When we first started this blog over a year ago, I honestly didn't think he'd be able to post news every single day. With so little news during the summer hiatus months, he has continued to deliver on a daily basis. He'll have some exciting news on a few '80s sitcoms tomorrow when he returns.

We are proud to present reviews of the new fall sitcom pilots for the second consecutive season. There will be 8 new sitcoms premiering in September and October. There looks to be a number of promising sitcoms this fall, such as The Class, 30 Rock, The Knights of Prosperity, and Help Me Help You. Hopefully we'll see a number of big hits, as we've hit a bit of a dry spell in recent years. It would also be nice if some of last season's new sitcom hits (How I Met Your Mother, My Name Is Earl, The New Adventures of Old Christine) don't suffer any sophomore slumps. Look for our other pilot reviews in the upcoming weeks, as we get closer to their premiere dates. We'll also bring you reviews of the mid-season sitcoms, when they are announced at a later date.

'Til Death - Thursdays at 8:00PM ET/PT on FOX
Premieres September 7th at 8:00PM ET/PT

'TIL DEATH is a comedy about middle-aged EDDIE (Brad Garrett, "Everybody Loves Raymond") and JOY STAMM (Joely Fisher, "Desperate Housewives"), who are on day 8,743 of their marriage and have the battle scars to prove it. Their new next-door neighbors are young newlyweds STEPH (Kat Foster, "Law & Order") and JEFF WOODCOCK (Eddie Kaye Thomas, "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle") - idealistic, passionate, adorable and married for all of 12 days. It's a show about new marriage versus old marriage, about keeping the romance alive - or at least staying together so you have someone to drive you to the hospital for your operations. Eddie is a cynical realist who considers himself an expert on most topics. A high school history teacher, he's learned well the lessons of history and applies the basic principles to his marriage: all fights are about power, land and resources - and women love to kill fun. A veteran of the marriage wars, Eddie freely gives his advice to the younger, idealistic Jeff, who's the new Vice Principal at Eddie's school. Of course, Eddie's little secret all along is that he loves Joy more than anything. And however brash and sardonic Joy herself appears, she loves Eddie right back.

Cast: Brad Garrett as Eddie Stamm, Joely Fisher as Joy Stamm, Eddie Kaye Thomas as Jeff Woodcock, Kat Foster as Steph Woodcock

Read our review of the pilot episode here.

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday on our message board.

Related Links:

FOX.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

'Til Death Photo Gallery

Happy Hour - Thursdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on FOX
Premieres September 7th at 8:30PM ET/PT

Straight arrow HENRY BECKMAN (John Sloan, "The OH in Ohio") had it all: a great job, a perfect girlfriend and a sweet apartment. He was a big fish in the small pond of Amsterdam, Missouri. And then he let HEATHER (Brooke D'Orsay, "King's Ransom") talk him into moving to Chicago to work in her family business, where it all went wrong. In the space of one morning, Henry gets dumped by Heather, learns he can no longer work for Heather's uncle, and gets kicked out of their apartment. It's in this vulnerable state that he meets his new roommate, a vain, flashy, loveable rogue named LARRY CONE (Lex Medlin, "Still Standing"). Larry is a modern-day Dean Martin who is looking for a new protg to teach the wisdom of staying single and enjoying the good life. Larry's last roommate and best friend, BRAD (Nat Faxon, "Joey"), has gotten engaged to the shrew TINA (Jamie Denbo, "Must Love Dogs"), a cold and controlling fiance who's immune to Larry's considerable charm. Under Larry's tutelage, Henry begins to rebuild his life and goes to work for Larry's childhood friend AMANDA (Beth Lacke, "The Rest of Your Life"), a beautiful mess who's unsuccessfully trying to emulate her perfect ideal of womanhood, Kelly Ripa. Will Henry manage to hold onto his traditional values and remain a hopeless romantic? Or will Larry indeed "build a better Brad"?

Cast: John Sloan as Henry Beckman, Lex Medlin as Larry Cone, Nat Faxon as Brad Cooper, Jamie Denbo as Tina DiFabio, Beth Lacke as Beth Pennington, Brooke D’Orsay as Heather Hanson

Read our review of the pilot episode here.

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday on our message board.

Related Links:

FOX.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Happy Hour Photo Gallery

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, August 5

United We Fall - "My Favorite Marta" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Jo steps in as a role model for her teenage niece, Marta, much to her strict father Chuy’s dismay. Bill plays matchmaker for Sandy who, under the influence of post-colonoscopy drugs, inadvertently professes her love for her first husband, Dave.

The Goldbergs - "Schmoopie's Big Adventure" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mother and son have a bonding experience when Beverly buys a bicycle for Adam just like the one from “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,” while Barry and Erica turn Murray’s furniture store into an after-hours lounge for college students.

The Conners - "Live From Lanford" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mark is watching the results of the primary for a school report with Harris who is apathetic to the electoral process and believes money’s influence in politics means real change is impossible. The rest of the Conners share their differing takes on why they all think everyone should vote, including their working-class perspective that you may have to vote for a candidate you don’t love but one that will “screw you the least.” All of this happens against the backdrop of romance when Louise (guest star Katey Sagal) gets an opportunity that might send her away from Lanford, prompting the family to interfere in Dan’s (John Goodman) complicated relationship with her by throwing Louise a surprise going-away party, creating major new tensions between Dan and his daughters.

American Housewife - "Senior Prank" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Against Greg’s better judgment, Katie pushes Taylor to lighten up and participate in her school’s senior prank. Meanwhile, Anna-Kat asks Oliver to give Franklin (Evan O’Toole) a makeover so he won’t embarrass himself at a classmate’s party.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 3)

Wednesday, August 5

Jamie Foxx (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Watch Jamie on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Seth Rogen (Undeclared) - Seth is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) - Gillian appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
David Tennant (Final Space) - David is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Karen Gillan (Selfie) - Karen appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Carpoolers) - Jerry is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 10pm on Bravo. He also talks about The Secret: Dare to Dream on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Steven Weber (Indebted/Cursed/Wings) - Steven appears on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Rob Riggle (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/Golan the Insatiable) - Rob is a guest on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Lecy Goranson (The Conners/Roseanne) - Lecy talks about the season finale of The Conners on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Cedric Yarbrough (Carol's Second Act/Speechless/Reno 911!) - Cedric talks about the return of Reno 911! on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.