18 to Life

Canadian sitcom television series March 2012 18 to Life CBC sitcom logo.svg Sitcom Derek Schreyer Karen Troubetzkoy Stacey Farber Michael Seater Peter Keleghan Ellen David Alain Goulem Angela Asher Arielle Shiri Jesse Rath Tiio Horn Erin Agostino Ned Bouhalassa Canada English 2 25 Derek Schreyer Karen Troubetzkoy Andrew Orenstein Arnie Gelbart Ian Whitehead Neil Bregman Benjamin Duffield Arthur Tarnowski Montreal, Quebec Single 22 minutes CBC 2010 01 04 2011 03 28 18 to Life is a Canadian sitcom television series that debuted on January 4, 2010, on CBC.https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cbc-winter-season-brings-3-new-shows-1.837832 CBC winter season brings 3 new shows CBC Canada November 25, 2009 December 3, 2009 The series was shown in Quebec on Vrak.TV with the title Majeurs et mariés.http://www.vrak.tv/emissions/majeurs-et-maries/ Majeurs et mariés Émissions VRAK.TV fr Vrak.tv August 20, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100818045514/http://www.vrak.tv/emissions/majeurs-et-maries/ August 18, 2010 dead mdy-all Synopsis The show stars Stacey Farber and Michael Seater as Jessie Hill and Tom Bellow, a young couple who decide, on a dare, to get married right out of high school. The cast also includes Peter Keleghan and Ellen David as Tom's parents Ben and Judith Bellow, and Alain Goulem and Angela Asher as Jessie's parents Phil Hill and Tara Mercer. The two families live next door to each other and ascribe to the adage that "good fences make good neighbors." Jessie's parents are free-spirited and do not believe in societal constructs of marriage or organized religion. They have a refugee from Iraq living in their basement. Tom's parents are traditional white-collar sticklers for rules. Tom's father is a judge who converted to Judaism when he married and Tom's mother is a homemaker. Jessie and Tom eventually settle into the attic suite of Tom's parents' house as their first marital home and try to balance college, work, and the trials of being young newlyweds. The show is set in Montreal, Quebec. Production The series was originally announced in 2008 as a co-production between CBC and the American television network ABC,https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/abc-cbc-bring-18-to-life-to-u-s-1117989653/ ABC, CBC bring '18 to Life' to U.S. Schneider Michael Variety July 28, 2008 although ABC later dropped out of the production.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-idUSTRE5290V820090311 CBC ready to commit to '18 to Life' Reuters Etan Vlessing March 11, 2009 The pilot was filmed in 2008 and the rest of the first season was filmed in the summer of 2009.http://www.journalpioneer.com/Entertainment/2010-01-04/article-1382130/New-CBCTV-show-18-to-Life-takes-lighthearted-look-at-teenage-newlyweds/1 New CBC-TV show 18 to Life takes light-hearted look at teenage newlyweds The Journal Pioneer The Canadian Press The Canadian Press January 4, 2010 August 19, 2010 https://archive.today/20130127030132/http://www.journalpioneer.com/Entertainment/2010-01-04/article-1382130/New-CBCTV-show-18-to-Life-takes-lighthearted-look-at-teenage-newlyweds/1 January 27, 2013 dead The CW, another U.S. network, had interest in the series and announced on July 15, 2010 that it would pick up the show.https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cbc-s-18-to-life-to-air-on-cw-in-u-s-1.931370 CBC's 18 to Life to air on CW in U.S. CBC Canada July 15, 2010 Season 2 was filmed in the summer of 2010 and returned to CBC on January 3, 2011, with 13 new episodes. CBC has officially canceled the show and there will be no season three. The final episode, the 25th, was telecast on March 28, 2011.http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/18-to-life-canceled-season-three-19400/ 18 to Life: CBC TV Series Cancelled, No Season Three March 22, 2011 Episodes Season 1 (2010) #A62121 5 5 1 1 A Modest Proposal Peter Wellington Derek Schreyer & Karen Troubetzkoy Derek Schreyer 2010 01 042010 08 03 (The CW) 101 Tom and Jessie have been neighbors and in love with each other for years. Yet their parents and their friends remain skeptical that their love will last. So when Tom and Jessie step up and announce that they are getting married at just 18 years old, they are greeted with a fair share of disapproval. However, Tom and Jessie feel their love is truly genuine and plan to prove to their family and friends that love can conquer all. A62121 2 2 No Strings Attached Paolo Barzman Derek Schreyer and Karen Troubetzkoy Karen Troubetzkoy 2010 01 112010 08 03 (The CW) 102 Tom and Jessie's attempt to find a place of their own backfires disastrously. A62121 3 3 It's My Party Peter Wellington Jenn Engels 2010 01 182010 08 10 (The CW) 103 Jessie makes an ill-fated stab at winning Judith over at her belated bridal shower; while Tom gets roped into letting the dads crash his bachelor party. A62121 4 4 Detour Paolo Barzman Derek Schreyer & Karen Troubetzkoy Derek Schreyer 2010 01 252010 08 10 (The CW) 104 Tom's manhood is tested when Jessie tries to teach him to drive. A62121 5 5 Baby Got Bank Peter Wellington Andrew De Angelis & Derek Schreyer 2010 02 01 (CAN)2010 08 17 (The CW) 105 Jessie and Tom enter the dangerous waters of the joint bank account; Judith tries to home in on Tara's exercise regime. A62121 6 6 Goy Story Stefan Pleszczynski Skander Halim 2010 02 082010 08 17 (The CW) 106 A secret from Ben's past threatens to ignite over a family dinner with a rabbi. Guest Star: Harvey Atkin as Rabbi Goldstein A62121 7 7 Hanging Pictures Paolo Barzman Derek Schreyer Karen Troubetzkoy & Rob Sheridan 2010 03 01Unaired (The CW) 107 Tom discovers that parental endorsement does nothing for his sex life. A62121 8 8 Phil 'Er Up Stefan Pleszczynski Derek Schreyer 2010 03 08Unaired (The CW) 108 A fight between Phil and Tara forces the newlyweds to take Phil on as a roommate. A62121 9 9 Working Noon to Five Stefan Pleszczynski Derek Schreyer & Rob Sheridan Derek Schreyer 2010 03 15Unaired (The CW) 109 Tom and Phil team up in an ill-fated business scheme; Jessie gets in over her head when helping Judith re-design her kitchen. A62121 10 10 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Stefan Pleszczynski Skander Halim 2010 03 22Unaired (The CW) 110 The parents get trapped in Phil's garage with unresolved tensions and hash brownies; Tom and Jessie duel in the kitchen over what to serve their parents for dinner. A62121 11 11 In Sickness and in Health Peter Wellington Rob Sheridan 2010 04 05Unaired (The CW) 111 Judith and Jessie compete to look after Tom when he gets a cold; Ben is horrified to learn Phil is in Mensa; Tara deals with an irate mailman. A62121 12 12 Wingman Paolo Barzman Karen Troubetzkoy 2010 04 12Unaired (The CW) 112 When Tom tries to help Carter land a girl, he catches the eye of her best friend; Jessie flirts with the road not taken when she decides to party with Monica and her single gals. A62121 Season 2 (2011) #3A5092 13 One Is the Loneliest Number Stefan Pleszczynski Derek Schreyer 2011 01 03 201 Tom and Jessie take inventory of their past sexual partners. Phil's vacation plans hit a snag when Tara's past catches up with her passport. 3A5092 14 15 Minutes of Shame Paolo Barzman Skander Halim 2011 01 10 202 When Wendy does a documentary on why marriages work or fail, the couples do interviews that force them to rethink their relationships. Meanwhile, Tom just wants to fix a stubborn ceiling leak in the attic. 3A5092 15 Part Time Lovers Stefan Pleszczynski Rob Sheridan and Andrew DeAngelis Andrew DeAngelis 2011 01 17 203 Tom and Jessie get jobs at the same book store, only Jessie is the boss and Tom is her Janitor. When Ben discovers yoga, he relaxes so much it drives Judith crazy. Phil goes to war with the squirrels. 3A5092 16 I Do and I Don't Paolo Barzman Derek Schreyer and Karen Troubetzkoy Derek Schreyer 2011 01 24 204 Tara shocks everyone when she accepts Phil's joke marriage proposal. Carter and Tom have a falling out when Tom spills Carter's secret. 3A5092 17 Overcooked Stefan Pleszczynski Andrew DeAngelis 2011 01 31 205 Tom tries to one-up his mother in the art of cooking. Tara discovers the art of flirtation and competes with Jessie for the attention of the very beau Jeff. Ben discovers the uses and abuses of saying "My Bad". 3A5092 18 Family Portrait Paolo Barzman Paul Aitken 2011 02 07 206 When Tara gives the Bellows a really awful painting she's made, Ben takes extreme measures to get rid of it. Tom and Jessie misplace a very embarrassing video they made. 3A5092 19 Sleepless in the Attic Nicolas Monette Sherry White 2011 02 14 207 When Phil's school pal Serena bikes into town for a surprise visit, she has an unusual request. Jessie and Tom's sleep troubles lead to a temporary separation. 3A5092 20 The Flushing Point Paolo Barzman Shelley Eriksen 2011 02 21 208 A row over toilet seat etiquette escalates into an all-out war of the sexes. Judith wants to re-enter the workforce. Phil disguises a turkey fryer as a coffee urn. 3A5092 21 Miss Conceived Paolo Barzman Rob Sheridan 2011 02 28 209 Tom discovers a positive pregnancy stick and suddenly everyone is pregnant. Wendy builds a family memory box for her school project. 3A5092 22 If a Bellow Falls in the Forest Paolo Barzman Karen Troubetzkoy 2011 03 07 210 Nature is never the same when the families roll onto the campground in an immense RV. Tom and Jessie escape from their parents only to get lost in the woods. 3A5092 23 Like Father, Like Son's Best Friend Paolo Barzman Josh Gal 2011 03 14 211 When Tom ropes Carter into helping his father with taxes, Carter blossoms into the 'son Ben always wanted'. A heart-broken Ava crashes out at the loft, Jessie and Tom can't get seem to rid of her. 3A5092 24 The Gate Nicolas Monette Karen Troubetzkoy 2011 03 21 212 When Tom's cruel grandmother dies after discovering he's married, it leaves a guilt wracked Tom to invent nice things to say at her eulogy. Phil builds a gate in the fence dividing their properties so that the Bellows can visit their grandma's shrine. 3A5092 25 House of Cards Paolo Barzman Derek Schreyer 2011 03 28 213 Tom and Jessie exchange anniversary gifts they can't afford, while their parents give them a gift that only the parents enjoy. 3A5092 International distribution 18 to Life was broadcast in the United States on The CW. The first six episodes were shown in August 2010.https://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/07/the_cw_18_to_life.html The CW Picks Up Canadian Comedy 18 to Life to Save Its Summer (and Possibly Its Fall) nymag.com Adalian Josef July 15, 2010 July 29, 2010http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/07/the-cw-gets-18-to-life-60-minutes-leads-news-and-doc-emmy-noms.html The CW gets '18 to Life,' '60 Minutes' leads News and Doc Emmy noms Porter Rick Zap2it July 15, 2010 July 29, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100719210942/http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/07/the-cw-gets-18-to-life-60-minutes-leads-news-and-doc-emmy-noms.html July 19, 2010 dead mdy-all On August 19, 2010, The CW announced that it had removed the series from its schedule.http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/08/19/exclusive-the-cw-yanks-18-to-life/8843 Exclusive: The CW Yanks "18 to Life" The Futon Critic August 19, 2010 August 19, 2010 On August 24, 2010 it was reported that Arnie Gelbart, executive producer of the series and CEO of the production company Galafilm Productions, said The CW would show the remaining six episodes of the first season in December 2010;http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=57020 Life returns to The CW Davidson Sean c21 Media August 24, 2010 August 27, 2010 this never did occur. In India, Zee Café began broadcasting the first season on February 9, 2011.http://www.zeecafe.tv/shows/18-to-life/ 18 to Life (Season 1) zeecafe.tv February 5, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110119070855/http://www.zeecafe.tv/shows/18-to-life/ January 19, 2011 dead mdy-all Reception Critical reception John Doyle of The Globe and Mail said that 18 to Life "crackles with wit" and that "Peter Keleghan is in fine fettle as Tom's uptight dad."https://www.theglobeandmail.com/subscribe.jsp?art=1416629 Television Doyle, John John Doyle (critic) Globe and Mail Canada January 2, 2010 August 19, 2010 Quebecor Media'''s Bill Harris called the premise "kind of refreshing" and described it as a "Canadian combination of Meet the Parents and Modern Family."http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/tv/2009/12/29/12297476.html Getting married at 18 – for love Actress Stacey Farber discusses her new series '18 to Life' Harris Bill Toronto Sun December 30, 2009 August 19, 2010 Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette described the series as a "gentle, intermittently entertaining Canadian import." He also compared 18 to Life to the sitcom Dharma & Greg.http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-entertainment-living/tuned-in-journal/24344-coming-soon-masterchef-18-to-life-plain-jane-and-more Coming soon: 'Masterchef,' '18 to Life,' 'Plain Jane' and more Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Owen, Rob Rob Owen (journalist) July 26, 2010 August 19, 2010 July 15, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110715110001/http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-entertainment-living/tuned-in-journal/24344-coming-soon-masterchef-18-to-life-plain-jane-and-more dead Roger Catlin of The Hartford Courant found 18 to Life to be "kind of sweet in a Disney/ABC Family kind of way."http://blogs.courant.com/roger_catlin_tv_eye/2010/08/on-tonight-18-to-life-shaqs-re.html On Tonight: '18 to Life,' Shaq's Return Catlin Roger The Eye (The Hartford Courant) August 3, 2010 August 19, 2010 https://archive.today/20120707001617/http://blogs.courant.com/roger_catlin_tv_eye/2010/08/on-tonight-18-to-life-shaqs-re.html July 7, 2012 dead mdy-all Brad Oswald of the Winnipeg Free Press said there is "plenty of next-door comedy" however he found the premise "simply isn't believable".http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/entertainment/TV/those-clever-kids-in-the-hall-turned-into-brilliant-grownups-81209447.html Those clever Kids in the Hall turned into brilliant grownups Oswald Brad Winnipeg Free Press January 12, 2010 August 19, 2010 Glenn Garvin of The Miami Herald does not like the series. "The CW, a network aimed at teenage girls, apparently couldn't find an American network stupid or venal enough to make a sitcom about the amusing foibles of teen marriage. Thanks for stepping in, Canada. What would we do without you?"http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/01/1753916/a-look-at-the-week-ahead-in-the.html A look at the week ahead in the movies and on TV Garvin Glenn Miami Herald August 1, 2010 August 19, 2010 Megan Angelo of The Wall Street Journal leads off her review by mistakenly claiming this is "adapted from a Canadian hit" when there is no American adaptation of the show. She then mentioned the general critical decrying of the glamourisation of out-of-wedlock pregnancy in the films Juno and Knocked Up and then says that out-of-pregnancy wedlock is not any better for teenagers. Angelo goes on to say that "what makes it really hard to watch is Tom and Jessie's casual discourse on sex." She further explains that what makes 18 to Life so difficult to watch compared to shows such as Gossip Girl and 90210 is that creating a believable world and "trying to legitimize the whole thing only makes it worse – and usually, the CW doesn't try."https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/08/02/cws-18-to-life-puts-spotlight-on-teen-marriage-for-better-or-worse/ CW's '18 to Life' Puts Spotlight on Teen Marriage — For Better or Worse Wall Street Journal August 2, 2010 Angelo Megan Mary McNamara, television critic for Los Angeles Times, opens her review by saying, "The setup for this CW show isn't anything new. Except, possibly, in its old-fashioned commitment to marriage." McNamara later says "It is much more shocking to see these young people leap into matrimony than it would be if they were just having sex or even moving in together." As to the writing, McNamara says it "plays like an improv exercise in a high school drama class".https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-aug-03-la-et-life-20100803-story.html Television review: '18 to Life' Los Angeles Times August 3, 2010 Jaime Weinman of Maclean's reviewed the negative American reviews, in particular those from the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal, and had concern about their "criticizing the show because it's about two over-18 teenagers who get married." In writing of The Wall Street Journal review Weinman said it is an "odd presumption" that "a relatively realistic portrayal of teenage sex, of somewhat normal and (comparatively) de-glamorized teens who have been sexually active, is worse than the glossy version we get on the CW's own shows." In response to McNamara's comment in Los Angeles Times about the marriage of the two main characters being shocking Weinman said, "That's part of the point of the show: the characters make a decision that has more impact, legally and culturally, than any other, and one that their parents fear will ruin their lives."http://www.macleans.ca/authors/jaime-weinman/18-to-life-shocks-the-u-s-critics/ 18 To Life Shocks the U.S. Critics Ratings The show premiered on January 4, 2010 on CBC. Only the weekly top 30 ratings are available to the public in Canada and 18 to Life never ranked in the top 30 during its first season. The U.S. premiere on The CW on August 3, 2010http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/07/15/18-to-life-brings-summer-loving-to-the-cw/20100715cw01/ "18 TO LIFE" BRINGS SUMMER LOVING TO THE CW The Futon Critic July 15, 2010 July 15, 2010 garnered 1.01 million viewers and a 0.4 rating with adults 18–49 and even lost viewers from an encore of the low rated summer reality series Plain Jane'' which preceded the premiere. The next two episodes aired on The CW on August 10 and fell in the ratings even further with only 0.76 million viewers and a 0.3 rating in the adults 18–49 demographic. Order Episode U.S. air date Rating Share Rating/Share (18–49) Viewers (millions) Rank (timeslot) 1 "A Modest Proposal" August 3, 2010 0.7 1http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2010/08/04/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-tuesday-august-3-2010/ Broadcast TV Ratings for Tuesday, August 3, 2010 yourentertainmentnow.com Calabria Rosario T. August 4, 2010 August 8, 2010 August 11, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190811133521/http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2010/08/04/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-tuesday-august-3-2010/ dead 0.4/1http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/04/tv-ratings-hells-kitchen-masterchef-best-wipeout-shaq-vs/59050 TV Ratings: 'Hell's Kitchen,' & 'MasterChef' Best 'Wipeout' & 'Shaq Vs.' tvbythenumbers.com Seidman Robert August 4, 2010 August 8, 2010 October 10, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101010042355/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/04/tv-ratings-hells-kitchen-masterchef-best-wipeout-shaq-vs/59050 dead 1.010 5 2 "No Strings Attached" August 3, 2010 0.6 1 0.3/1 0.862 5 3 "It's My Party" August 10, 2010 0.6 1http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2010/08/11/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-tuesday-august-10-2010/ Broadcast TV Ratings for Tuesday, August 10, 2010 yourentertainmentnow.com Calabria Rosario T. August 11, 2010 August 11, 2010 August 11, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190811133523/http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2010/08/11/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-tuesday-august-10-2010/ dead 0.3/1http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/11/tv-ratings-hells-kitchen-finale-americas-got-talent-top-viewing/59683 TV Ratings: 'Hell's Kitchen Finale ' & 'America's Got Talent' Top Tuesday Viewing tvbythenumbers.com Seidman Robert August 11, 2010 August 11, 2010 August 16, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100816091929/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/11/tv-ratings-hells-kitchen-finale-americas-got-talent-top-viewing/59683 dead 0.747 5 4 "Detour" August 10, 2010 0.5 1 0.3/1 0.776 5 5 "Baby Got Bank" August 17, 2010 0.5 1http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2010/08/18/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-tuesday-august-17-2010/ Broadcast TV Ratings for Tuesday, August 17, 2010 yourentertainmentnow.com Calabria Rosario T. August 18, 2010 August 18, 2010 August 11, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190811133521/http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2010/08/18/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-tuesday-august-17-2010/ dead 0.3/1http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/18/tv-ratings-wipeouts-big-balls-dominate-shaq-vs-stands-taller/60265 TV Ratings: 'Wipeout's Big Balls Dominate; 'Shaq Vs.' Stands Taller tvbythenumbers.com Seidman Robert August 18, 2010 August 18, 2010 August 23, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100823103610/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/18/tv-ratings-wipeouts-big-balls-dominate-shaq-vs-stands-taller/60265 dead 0.802 5 6 "Goy Story" August 17, 2010 0.5 1 0.3/1 0.746 5 Home video On January 18, 2011 the first season was released on DVD in both the US and Canada. The second season has not been released or announced on DVD, but both the first and second seasons are available for purchase from the Canadian iTunes Store in both HD and SD format, and were previously available on Netflix. It is currently available to stream on the media content platforms Freevee and Tubi TV. Streaming In July 2019 the series has been released on the Canada Media Fund Encore + YouTube channel.May 2020 It is also streaming on Freevee and Tubi as of 2026. References External links 1411254 Category:2010 Canadian television series debuts Category:2010 English-language television series debuts Category:2010s Canadian teen sitcoms Category:2011 Canadian television series endings Category:2011 English-language television series endings Category:English-language Canadian television shows Category:CBC Television original programming Category:Television series about couples Category:Television series about families Category:Canadian television series about teenagers Category:Television shows shot in Montreal Category:Television shows set in Montreal Category:The CW sitcoms