Brad Garrett Talks "Death"

Not that long ago, Fox's "'Til Death" led our TV Fodder deathpool. Not only did it survive to laugh in the face of "Standoff" and "The Class," but it's alive, well and actually getting ratings.

"I think that most recently, especially right before the strike, I think the show started to hit its own groove," says lead actor Brad Garrett. "It took me a little over a season to find the guy who I really thought Eddie was."

Getting time to get into a groove wasn't easy, coming off nine seasons playing Robert Barone on the hit TV show "Everybody Loves Raymond." The pressure was certainly there. However, Garrett doesn't worry about such things.

"I'm the type of guy that feels pressure when I have to order dinner," he jokes.

That's the type of guy that Garrett is -- as well as his character, Eddie. In fact, the actor says that this role is the closest he's ever played to his own personality. "I thought it would be fun to play someone that is as close to me as it can," he says. "It's just a great opportunity for an actor."

Since he's so much like the guy, it makes it easier to have an opinion on the character, and where he is -- and isn't -- going. "I've tried to move him in the direction of more introspective in a bull-headed way, instead of just a bitter guy," he says. "I just want to keep him interesting, but I want to keep him real."

Now that the writers and cast have hit their stride and the show is garnering decent, if not good, ratings, Garrett says he has, "good expectations for the future."

That's good news. Although Garrett still does stand-up, he really considers himself a TV guy. "I think my movie career is kind of like my social life," he says. "I'm picky and not in demand."

New episodes of "'Til Death" kick off Wednesday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on Fox. -- Rachel Cericola