Wednesday nights on Fox are all about comedic star power. The creators of Back to You and Til Death hope that Emmy-winning stars Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, and Brad Garrett have built up enough goodwill over the years that you'll stick with them even if their new material isn't as good as their old stuff. Of course, it's not fair to compare new shows to classics like Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond, but it's a double-edged sword for Back to You and Til Death. The household names bring in the viewers, but those same viewers also know that the household names can do better than this. Back to You started with a reasonable head of steam but has settled into a depressing groove by its seventh episode, while Til Death has actually improved a bit on its lackluster first season but still feels like a comedic afterthought compared to what everyone involved has done before. There's so much talent in front of the camera that both of the shows could be worth saving, even if they're not quite worth your time yet.

This week's Back to You is a prime example of what's gone wrong with this show just seven episodes in. Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, and Fred Willard have some of the best comic timing in the business and how do the writers of Back to You choose to use that talent? Physical comedy. Everyone on Back to You feels like they're coasting and you get the impression that it's not their fault. Grammer tries his hardest to turn the lines he's been given into something interesting and Heaton almost looks pained at times to be doing such ridiculous slapstick humor. This week's episode is about a birthday party for Heaton's daughter. In case you're not familiar, that also happens to be Grammer's daughter, but she doesn't know that. While trying to help out with the party, a raccoon makes it into the attic and, suddenly, everyone on the ensemble show is involved with trying to get the invader out before the guests arrive. Back to You swings wildly from the more serious tones of a father who doesn't know his daughter to ridiculous jokes about child plastic surgery and physical humor. Heaton and Grammer can make anything watchable but when the writers return from their strike, they really need to give them something more up to their skill level to keep Back to You from getting canceled.

Til Death suffered from a similar vibe - writers not living up to their cast - in season one but has actually improved a bit since then. I wasn't a regular watcher, but I saw a few episodes for review and couldn't believe that the series got renewed for a second trip around the block. Having seen my first season two episode, I'm curious enough that I might actually keep watching. The show felt too strained in season one, hitting the differences between the bitter longtime husband played by Garrett and the newlywed played by Thomas to death. This week's episode shows a cast and group of writers that's a little more relaxed, even if the "old husband, young husband" bit is still overplayed. In it, Garrett and his wife argue over who should fix a broken lamp while Thomas deals with his ridiculous bedtime behavior. It's not landmark comedy, but if Til Death can keep up this reasonably humorous pace, it could be popcorn TV for a few years. The writers and producers of Back to You should take a look.