Despite very lackluster ratings, which reached comically low levels later in its run (see here for details
), the show managed to make it to four seasons due to the production company offering it for a pittance, hoping to get enough episodes for syndication to make their money back. Possibly as a result, the show wound up going in weird directions, which didn't gain it any further viewers, but briefly made it must-see TV for television critic types. The strangeness of the fourth season in particular is highlighted in this AV Club article by Emily Todd VanDerWerff.
This show provides examples of:
- 555: In-Universe, the use of this trope apparently tipped off employers that Joy had used fake references on her job applications.
- As Herself: Mayim Bialik's therapist character from the fourth season. Eventually taken to the logical extreme when Dr. Bialik arranges an In-Universe reunion of her fellow Blossom castmates (but with Joey Lawrence inexplicably replaced by a fat guy who thinks he's Joey) as part of her treatment of Doug's Medium Awareness "delusions".
- Breakout Character: Eddie and Joy's daughter, Allison, was a minor recurring character in seasons one, two and three, then promoted to series regular in season four. Although all the
Executive Meddling makes this progression difficult to fully appreciate. - Break the Cutie: The whole point of the show (originally) was how marriage changes a couple, and in the case of the wife, this is implied to be one of the changes. Joy is the finished example, and Steph is "in the process", so to speak.
- Buxom Beauty Standard: Joy is very well-endowed, often emphasized by the cleavage of her outfits. They also apparently stopped her from getting speeding tickets a couple of times.
- The Cameo / Shout-Out: In the first episode, Ray Romano makes a guest appearance as an old friend of Eddie's. When asked by his acquaintance who Eddie was, Ray remarks "I dunno, some guy I used to work with."
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome:
- Jeff and Steph, who of course took the show's original premise with them.
- Kenny, after season three.
- Gilbert Gottfried's character from early in season four.
- Lampshaded when Doug inexplicably remembers all of the above during a late-season relapse into "Sitcomosis". The others have zero clue who he's talking about.
- The Couch: Played straight, though the easy chair to the left of it was used just as often.
- Deadpan Snarker: Eddie Stark. Hell, his last name rhyming with 'snark' probably isn't a coincidence.
- Death Glare: Dr. Bialik to Doug, after he calls Jenny Von Oy (Six from Blossom) "The Hot One".
- Later-Installment Weirdness: The show got downright surreal in its final season when nobody was watching, including Doug realizing he's a character in a sitcom and his girlfriend keeps getting recast, Mayim Bialik as a therapist who is really Mayim Bialik in a reality show, and other bizarre adventures.
- Medium Awareness: Bizarrely obtained by son-in-law Doug in the final season. In one episode, "Hi Def TV", he spends whatever screen time he has being the Fourth-Wall Observer. He is suddenly fully aware of when the camera is on him, that their food is from brands that don't exist, convenient plot elements, censors, the laugh tracks, that all the rooms have only three walls and there is no such thing as a second floor. He is even unfortunate enough to catch a glimpse of one of the mics. Needless to say all the other characters think he's a little off his rocker.
- No-Hoper Repeat: When FOX burned off all the remaining season 3 and 4 episodes in the 2009-10 TV season, they would stick them in any spare prime time slot where they didn't expect any viewers, including opposite the Super Bowl (two new episodes, in fact). FOX's entire prime time lineup on Christmas Night 2009 was four new episodes, and FOX still finished in fourth place that night, against Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest on ABC, a Saturday Night Live Clip Show special on NBC, and reruns of Ghost Whisperer and Medium on CBS.
- The Other Darrin: Four different actresses played Ally. In order: Krysten Ritter, Laura Clery, Lindsay Broad, and Kate "Oates" Micucci, with Clery, Broad and Micucci all sharing the role at the same time due to Out of Order. In-Universe, Doug sees the change to Ally 4 during his Medium Awareness. He becomes OK with it only after he realizes Ally 4 is friskier.
- Revenge: Eddie's new boss in season four declares this her mission in life, as she's a former student of Eddie's, who blames him for a psychotic break she suffered.
- Seinfeldian Conversation: Several examples, notably a whole episode devoted to Eddie and Joy arguing about whether or not a toaster uses enough electricity when plugged in but not toasting to warrant unplugging it when not in use.Eddie: If you think I'm plugging this thing in every time I want a slice of toast, you're high.Eddie: This wood is... MY wood!
- Self-Deprecation: Several characters engage in this toward the show itself while trying to convince Doug that his Medium Awareness is a delusion. At one point, Doug even goes so far as to say he's not sure if his show is on the air right now, in reference to the atrocious Schedule Slip mentioned above.
- The following disclaimer showed up on-screen during a scene, just as Joy was about to sing the song "Memory", from the play Cats:We'd show you the rest of the scene but the song would cost an extra $40,000. And this is not a real freeze frame, that would cost an extra $89. It's not that we're cheap, explaining this cost us an extra $36 dollars.
- The following disclaimer showed up on-screen during a scene, just as Joy was about to sing the song "Memory", from the play Cats:
- Show Within a Show: "The Dr. Bialik Show". Did not help Doug at all.
- Springtime for Hitler: As elaborated by the AV Club:"Fox kept ordering new seasons of ’Til Death because the production company sold it to them for a steal, hoping to get the series to syndication. But by the end of season four, the ratings had become practically non-existent. Knowing no one would watch freed the show’s producers to wander into off-the-charts insanity. That included making one character aware he lived in a sitcom, recasting a part with a rotating wheel of actresses, and throwing in an animated episode for absolutely no fucking reason whatsoever."
- Techno Babble: Eddie tries to show off his knowledge of power tools to a hired handyman by spouting random questions and comments about a power drill. It backfires.Eddie: Left or right handed? Full torque? Upside-down capable?Handyman: ...you're saying words, but... they don't mean anything.
- Toilet Humor: With the name 'Woodcock', you'd better believe Eddie had plenty of fun at the expense of Jeff and Steph.Eddie: I bet with the name "Woodcock" it must be pretty hard for you to get through email filters.
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: We get it in stereo with this show.
