Sometimes when a sitcom declines in ratings after a successful first season or two, a network may choose to shorten the next season while still renewing the series for subsequent runs. That is what happened with ‘Til Death starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher.

Fox declined to air all of season three’s episodes, but renewed the show for a fourth season in 2009 as they attempted to increase the number of available episodes to as near 100 as possible for future syndication.

First aired September 7, 2006, ‘Til Death was created by husband and wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa. The show followed the relationship of a longtime married couple, and how their relationship contrasted with the relationship of the newlyweds who moved in next door.

The actors who portrayed the newlyweds moved on to other projects at the end of season two changing the dynamics of the show. Later seasons focused on the Stark’s relationship with one another and their relationships with those around them, played by a series of recurring characters.

Brad played Eddie Stark, a teacher, and Fisher portrayed his wife Joy, a travel agent. They lived in suburban Philadelphia. Kat Foster and Eddie Kaye Thomas played newlywed neighbors Steph and Jeff Woodcock. After their departure from the show, J. B. Smoove joined the cast as recent divorcee Kenny, Eddie’s little brother from the Big Brother program. The Starks also had an adult daughter, Allison.

The 6’ 8 ½” Brad Garrett has enjoyed great success as an actor, voice actor, and stand-up comedian. Prior to ‘Til Death, he was known as Raymond’s brother on Everybody Loves Raymond, which ran for nine seasons. Due to his deep voice, the versatile actor has voiced a number of animated shows and movies. He played host to a celebrity roast for Cheech and Chong in 2008, and has participated in the World Series of Poker and won the fifth season of Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Joely Fisher is an accomplished actress of television, stage, and films. She is the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens, who divorced when she was two years old. She began acting at the age of seven in her mothers’ Las Vegas show. As the daughter of celebrity parents, she was Miss Golden Globe in 1992. In 2008, Fisher became an Artist Ambassador for Save the Children.

While many sitcoms rarely last one season, ‘Til Death has enjoyed an extended run, no doubt due to the acting skills of its' two stars, Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher.