Update: While 'Til Death is still off of Fox's schedule, and has been since October, 2008, Fox has already purchased a full season of episodes for NEXT season. Yes, 2009-10. When they will show all these episodes is anybody's guess. For the latest on Fox show prospects, click here.
Fox has pulled 'Til Death from it's schedule effective immediately. The show will be off the air for at least two weeks according to TVWeek, but would return for November sweeps. Repeats of House will air in the timeslot for at least the next two weeks.
This seems like the final straw for the extraordinarily weak performer that escaped cancellation last year by forces unknown to us. We speculated that it was extremely cheap and Fox was desperate for Fall shows after the writers strike. 'Til Death is produced by Sony Pictures Television, so Fox would have no clear incentive for its syndication.
This season it has performed dreadfully as well, only marginally better than newcomer Do Not Disturb that was the season's first scripted show to be cancelled. In our Renew/Cancel Index I had it lasting through the entire season because it reportedly had an order for a full season of shows. I may have been too optimistic.
Fox may say it's coming back in November, but all claims like this need to be viewed with skepticism. Once off the schedule, getting back on is very tough.
I’d place the odds of it making any sort of comeback at greater than zero since it’s halfway to 100 episodes and crazier things have happened. But less than 50%
but, no way it shows up for november sweeps. I meant to write about this Tuesday since I sort of saw it coming based on the data. They burned off THREE episodes during the World Series rain delay on Saturday night and none of them were reruns!
Dead, second to go. Must be annoying when a rerun outrates you.
Back to You would’ve done better even if it was more expensive…
Vader, that’s a guess at odds with the facts from last season when their results were nearly identical.
I really think this show’s resigning last May was the equivalent of the Dodgers disastrous Juan Pierre signing. Pierre is an outfielder that produces at about 70% of that of an average outfielder while ‘Til Death did about the same. Both are absolutely puzzling and it’s hard to think that the network and the Dodgers can’t find better replacements.
I read somewhere (I think it’s Futoncritic) that it is benched for the entire sweeps, and that they will be showing the 4 post-strike episodes of House… which is wonderful.
wonder if they’re trying to take the look off the show and then cancel it quietly.
If I were FOX I’d re-run Prison Break or Terminator in that spot, monitor the ratings and see how fans respond.
Frank, I think the goal is to come out of Novemeber sweeps looking the best it can. I’d run the House reruns.
I’d air four unaired episodes of Wonderfalls. Or maybe Profit.
There are some higher ups at FOX that LOVE ‘Til Death, regardless of ratings, who have been pulling for it to stay on. I think they’ve pulled it out as long as they can and it’s done.
It was only a matter of time before someone mentions Terminator. While I’d be very happy if Terminator got more exposure, I also prefer to stay realistic – House repeats make more sense.
Yet; odd that reruns whip new shows. Quite imbarrassing. Terminator should be axed; that was quite obvious from the previous season. But there are two reasons for that:
1) fear of doing worse
2) the writers strike affects on the show
Plus the show is obviously expensive and gets near its set veiwership in comparrison to its budget. There will be a point in may where FOX won’t be able to break even if their not careful. They should run reruns like robert said and just try to pick a new pilot for next year. I mean it can’t get any worse than this.
I think FOX don’t have a replacement for this show or maybe they are just waiting for mid-season to cancel the show.
I think Terminator should be move and bring back to wednesday, it had ratings when it was on Wednesday.
Good, the whole point of the show was old married couple and new married couple, yet the newly weds disappeared for no reason!
David4, guess that is what made it so cheap
Bill,
The show had two big names that could at least most likely make it gain viewers down the road, whereas ‘Til Death didn’t. It still beat ‘Til Death last year, and I still stand by what I said.
ABCFanatic,
Terminator’s always aired on Mondays (except for the series permiere on a Sunday) and never aired on Wednesday. I do agree with you though that it would do better on Wednesday.
Fin,
Why don’t we axe Prison Break as well then? At least Terminator can offer some reasons for it’s ratings this season. Prison Break’s lost a million viewers each season it’s aired. The fact of the matter is, they will do better than anything else they have. I see Dollhouse getting taken out back behind the woodshed after 13 episodes and doing terrible in the ratings (no offense, Whedon fans). I don’t think Lie to Me will be very successful either. So unless you want House reruns all over their schedule, that’s why they haven’t pulled either of them and won’t.
Guess so, they don’t want to over-do the House popularity thing, like NBC did with Heroes. But stillthey have to find replacements for them both and quick.
It’s Til Death. The show has escaped cancellation twice. First after its bad numbers for Season 1 and then after the writers strike during Season 2. FOX will return the show probably in January to save it, but its highly unlikely to get a fourth year.