[Stuart Sweet]

What the honk is going on with this show? For most of the first two seasons it was about two couples living next door... and then JB Smoove showed up.

In this season, Mr. Smoove has inexplicably moved into the house, and the next-door neighbors have disappeared.

Because of the cancellation of Do Not Disturb, Fox ran two episodes this week. The first one featured Mr. Smoove and a new actress playing the Stark's daughter (never a good sign.) In the second episode, JB Smoove was gone and the script seemed plucked from last season, with the couple next door, the workplace, the coworkers, etc.

Does anyone have any insight as to what's going on? Is this classic "Jump the Shark" behavior or is there anything else to it?

 

[phrelin]

I'm beginning to think that Fox doesn't know what to do with live action comedies. But you identified what's going on. I had looked it up I was so puzzled. From the L.A. Times:

On the set of " 'Til Death," the change was prompted by a guest star, comic J.B. Smoove, whose big brother/little brother pairing with Eddie Stark (Brad Garrett) amounted to some of the Fox comedy's best moments.

The producers wound up ditching the third-season show's founding premise -- old marriage versus new -- in favor of a comedy about a mature marriage, with Smoove reprising the character of Kenny as a series regular. Kym Whitley will guest star as Kenny's ex-wife, but the Woodcocks (Kat Foster and Eddie Kaye Thomas) are no longer part of the show.(Though they will be seen in episodes that never aired last year).

"There's always people who obviously will want the show the way they had it," said executive producer Ted Hobert. "I think there's a little bit of a risk, but I can't stress enough that it's a relatable show about marriage. That's our bread and butter. What J.B. and Kym bring is a new kind of energy to the other part of the show."

For me, it's more than a risk that I'll quit watching. But I'll watch a few more.

 

[tcusta00]

What the honk is going on with this show? For most of the first two seasons it was about two couples living next door... and then JB Smoove showed up.

In this season, Mr. Smoove has inexplicably moved into the house, and the next-door neighbors have disappeared.

Because of the cancellation of Do Not Disturb, Fox ran two episodes this week. The first one featured Mr. Smoove and a new actress playing the Stark's daughter (never a good sign.) In the second episode, JB Smoove was gone and the script seemed plucked from last season, with the couple next door, the workplace, the coworkers, etc.

Does anyone have any insight as to what's going on? Is this classic "Jump the Shark" behavior or is there anything else to it?

I remember that there was a new episode last season that was obviously plunked in there and was clearly out of sequence, too.

I hope it hasn't jumped the shark... I like the show a lot but it needs work.

 

[bonscott87]

Oh yea, this show went down the tubes. We hated it and deleted the series link. I heard that the 2nd show this week that had the Woodcocks was one that didn't air last season because of the strike. This show is done.

 

[Steve]

I'm OK with the work in progress as long as I'm still able to laugh out loud a couple of times per half-hour, which is still the case so far. I miss sexy Stef, but do enjoy Kenny.

They should consider a low-budget spin-off starring the Woodcock's... would have been better than that show they just canceled, IMO. /steve

 

[n3ntj]

Too bad we won't see Kat Foster any more..