User reviews

I haven't seen any episodes, until Chris started posting his specials and episodes on his YouTube channel. Christopher Titus TV. Once a week, there's also a podcast, very smart guy, his wife Rachel is very smart, talented and gorgeous!

The series itself is A bit hardcore, but worth the ride! Some of the phrases and stories are from his specials. I've been a longtime fan. Definitely worth a watch!

Network: FOX; Genre: Sitcom, Dysfunctional Family Sitcom; Content Rating: TV-14 (for language, violence, nudity, strong sexual content, crude humor & dark, adult content); Available: DVD; Classification: Modern Classic (Star range: 1 - 5);

Season Reviewed: Complete Series (3 seasons)

If the sitcom is dying, nobody told Christopher Titus. "Titus" is the spiky-haired comedian's 1-man show, "Norman Rockwell is Bleeding", translated into a 1-set, multi-camera, studio audience sitcom. More than that, "Titus" is a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. It rocks the audience and the genre, breaking rules left and right and turns the mold of the sitcom inside-out in the process.

Like "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Titus" is a post-modern dysfunctional family sitcom in which what may have been the children of television dysfunctional families 2 decades ago ("The Simpsons", "Rosanne", "Married… with Children") have now grown up and are trying to make their own way - unable to shake their parents and upbringing. "Titus" is the autobiographical life story of it's namesake lead who grew up with a drunken, abusive father (Stacy Keach) and a deranged schizophrenic mother (played by a different actress in each season). To help and hinder him along the way are his borderline retarded half-brother Dave (Zack Ward), his effeminate best friend and the show's "normal" character Tommy (David Shatraw) and the grounding support of his fiancé Erin (Cynthia Watros). Most sitcoms pair an average guy with a hot babe without explanation. On "Titus" there is one, but I wouldn't dare spoil it.

Titus breaks the 4th wall and narrates these stories from a bare room furnished only with a wooden chair and overhead light bulb - these scenes filmed in raw black & white. This "neutral space" serves as a metaphorical playground of the mind, representing sitcom Titus' thoughts and self-perceptions. In the tour de force episode "The Breakup" (that will no doubt separate the drive-by sitcom viewer from the show's hardcore target audience) Titus gets into a fight with Erin to sabotage his own happiness and "neutral space" Titus becomes a boxer. When his parents appear to reconcile, his inner child comes out and "neutral space" Titus literally regresses to 5-year-old Titus.

Not to insinuate that "Titus" with it's occasional moralizing and fascinating abundance of psycho-babble is anything really sophisticated. Actually, the show is stupid humor at its funniest. It is fast, shameless and brazen in it's stupidity. There aren't many places where you will see people thrown through plate glass windows or getting hit in the face with a rake handle (twice!) for a laugh, but "Titus" is goofy enough to go there. Sometimes I laugh in spite of myself, sometimes the gags flop on the floor and inspire a cringing wince. But the show is at such a constant fever pitch that duds are quickly lost in the avalanche of lunacy that is heaped into the lap of the audience. Amid the insanity, the scripts are spiked with an acerbic wit.

The skill and chemistry of the cast sell the show in it's more childish moments. Christopher Titus is new to the game and at times it shows, but he bounds around with endless energy, delivers a fresh voice to the TV landscape and displays a rarely seen naked honesty that fills the lead role of this televised therapy session just fine. Shatraw has an impressive skill for physical comedy, throwing his body around in a way that many actors now wouldn't have the guts too. Watros is sublime and gives the show it's biggest anchor of credibility. Keach, of course, is an absolute joy. Ken Titus is an instantly classic character. Watch him liven up any scene with just a look. Everyone here is in pitch perfect harmony with the tone and vision of the show. They all come to the project with a single-minded determination and belief in what they are doing. The show has the look and feel of a play with all the players doing a dance. They are excellent.

The show also pioneers a style of comedy you never see on TV: the cathartic laugh. The story lines herein are made up of such traditionally audience repelling topics as spousal abuse, child molestation, alcoholism, murder, suicide and post-9/11 airline fears. In finding humor in what is essentially a tragic story, it seems that creators Christopher Titus, Brian Hargrove and Jack Kenny have crafted an entire series out the "Very Special Episodes" that would grind any other sitcom to a melodramatic halt. Uncomfortable tension broke with fits of laughter. In the wrong hands, this type of material could easily be a disaster but Titus and Kenny hone the show with expert precision. They do a brilliant thing by wrapping this edgy too-hot-for-Fox material in a stupid-funny sitcom wrapper, giving the audience a tangible chaser to help swallow it all down. Many times a "Titus" episode would end on a note that glued me to the couch in silence for a few minutes, both out of shock at what I'd seen and out of pride and admiration for how well they where able to pull off this high-wire act.

"Titus" had a high hit-and-miss ratio. Dave's ability to get a dog to drink milk from his mouth ranks as a low (or high) point. But warts and all it is the soul vision of it's creator - and how unique is that? It was a NASCAR series before NASCAR fans became a political voting block. It is a serrate look at modern America that took the gloves off and left marks. It is the dysfunctional family sitcom updated and on steroids. "Titus" wasn't quite perfect, but it pushed the limits of the sitcom further than anyone has before. Based on Fox's cowardly reaction we will not likely see something like it any time soon.

* * * * ½ / 5

I am watching these episodes again, but its a first for my boyfriend. We cant stop laughing. All other shows i have ever watched never made me laugh like this. I relate to this show and wish it was still on. I dont watch TV nothing really good on. But i would watch this if it were to come back. Titus Rules!

I rarely enjoy today's sitcoms. But when I heard Cynthia Watros was in the cast. I watched it and liked it so much that I tape every episode even the repeats. I can relate to this show than any other on television. not only is Cynthia fabulous but so is Stacy Keach and Christopher Titus. This a very smart, funny show about reality and mental illness. Screw Will & Grace, that show is sexist and misogynistic for me. Titus rules and is here to stay for a very long time. Sadly, the show lasted only three seasons but it made it's way on to DVD and I can watch it forever in my opinion. Stacy Keach was robbed of an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy. I wished he brought back Titus in some other way. The real Ken Titus died, his ashes cremated and scattered over the desert.

There are plenty funny shows out there that will always hold there own. For a show that was robbed of its seasons past the second it is without a doubt one of the funniest shows ever made and we as movie customers have been ripped off by missing 6-8 more seasons of this original and hilarious show. Not to mention the perfect cast. Just like friends you could not replace one person of the main 5 cast. There's just know way. If you like funny, smart and original by all means buy the DVD, or find a way to watch it cause you won't be disappointed at all. Pretty much every scene in the whole series is funny. It would be great if they would bring it back like they did family guy.

A show you grew up with that you didn't really like or watch as much but felt it was an alright show. I still respected it

It was satire, mockery and a reflection of how Americans behaved.

A show like Titus would do well today.

I don't get it! "Critics"-fell all over themselves when Roseanne debuted. How her show captured "the real America",showing true blue collar people. And now you can't turn on cable or satellite without seeing the reruns on every other channel. Now nothing personal against Roseanne but her family does not resemble anyone I know. Then Fox has the most honest Real family around. TITUS! My family never missed an episode,we all recognized the characters.Plus we laughed our behinds off. Instead of becoming a weepy depressing soap opera-Titus showed us we have to see the humor in REAL life. Ken Titus-was a real flesh and blood human being,played to perfection by the brilliant actor Stacy Keach Jr. Shame on Fox for canceling this show-shame on television for not running the reruns!!!

I only discovered this show recently and it reminded me of how happy things were back around the time this was made and prior. TV Shows and movies existed purely to entertain, not to preach propaganda and brain wash us all to become good little Leftard Lemmings.

The first couple of seasons were quite good, although it seems to start getting a little old. Titus never wins, he is always a loser, he is always being pushed around. That is the premise but at the same time, it lacks hope. The joke gets old.

By the time you get to season 3 it doesn't make sense, there seems to be serious continuity errors and I basically gave up.

Still, not bad for a few episodes all the same.

In one of the episodes of Titus, Christopher Titus tells us that the LA Times has announced that 70% of American families are dysfunctional. I wonder why the networks have never noticed this before.

Coming from a family of alcoholism and mental illness myself, I must say that Titus is probably the most accurate and intelligent portrayal of the American family in quite some time. I don't watch sit-coms, because their sugar-coated family life and staged, lame humor do not appeal to me. Titus gets through all that, he tells jokes and presents situations in the way that most people from my economic background do. You have to be able to laugh at the horrors of the world you end up.... well, you just don't end up.

Yes, at times it seems mean-spirited, but I must be honest I find the show cathartic. To see that someone else had as lousy a childhood as myself, and can laugh at it (like myself) just makes me all warm and toasty inside. I love this show, and hope to see it for years to come (although I doubt it). The show is intelligent, funny and, at times, touchingly poignant.

After years of okay shows and assorted crap, Titus is certainly a breath of fresh air.

The premise of the show is certainly unique. Comedian Christopher Titus narrates various stories loosely based on real life events, while supporting them with a string of humorous flashbacks. Titus' family, to put it kindly, is pretty damn dysfunctional, and those of us who haven't had to deal with such problems find it amusing, (though a little sad at times too). Chris Titus put it best in a recent episode when he stated, "Studies show that nearly 60% of American families are dysfunctional. That means WE'RE in the majority! When armageddon happens, all the so-called 'normal' families will be panicking, while the dysfunctional families will be thinking, 'No one's watching the Cadillac dealerships!'"

Don't be afraid of Titus because its another sitcom based on the act of a comedian. Chris Titus' comedy act is unique, and so is the show that is his namesake. I'm so glad that its been picked up for next season. Give it a chance. You'll be happy you did.

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars.

Titus was one of the best shows Fox has ever produced. Where other shows seemed to center around problems such as "Oh no, the landlord of my giant, rent-controlled 2-bedroom apartment has died and the new landlord isn't nice at all because he raised my rent by 5 dollars and now I can't afford that 5th I-pod I've always wanted", this show tackled real problems with some great humor. I can't say that my family was as messed-up as Titus' was (in real life or in the show) but through what I've seen happen to some of my childhood friends who did have to live with that I can honestly say that if you're not able to shake it off and laugh about it you're going to be sucked down. And the way this show uses humor to shake off their problems is phenomenal! The fact that they were able to discuss alcoholism, drug abuse, abortion, spousal abuse, child molestation and god knows what else while having me fall of the couch with laughter is amazing. Sometimes I even had to rewind the tape because I had missed several minutes because I couldn't stop laughing. Yes, there were the occasional duds and stupid or obvious jokes, but when show employed such a high tempo you can't expect every joke to be a classic.

I regret that this show has been canceled but I do understand why Titus didn't want Fox to get involved. If you ever get a chance to see a rerun watch it, I can't guarantee that you will like because the humor is too dark for some people but most people won't be disappointed.

11/10 (yes 11 out of ten, it's that good).

Ah, Fox... The company that built itself on controversial, hilarious comedy sitcoms such as "Married... With Children" and "The Simpsons." This is the same network that did its best to get rid of "Titus" for being too edgy?! How did this happen? Ah, I know... Somewhere along the line, Fox completely sold out. It's all about ratings now - and strangely just having good ratings isn't enough! That's why instead of seeing quality comedies like "Titus" you'll be subjected to "American Idol 2," "Temptation Island 4," or "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire Who Really Isn't But Has Some Checkered Past That We Can Exploit 7." (Stay tuned for Celebrity Boxing XII!)

"Titus" never had bad ratings. It was launched successfully, and stuck around for 3 great seasons until it was cancelled. Throughout it all, it never lost its originality or its razor sharp wit. This, despite Fox doing everything within its power to destroy it during the last season. Frankly, it deserved better; Christopher Titus deserved better - but someone high up at Fox obviously didn't agree with that, and buried the show. You can still find a few episodes floating around online if you're lucky, and you can be sure the Chris Titus will be back and successful once more. Ride those reality shows for all they're worth while you can, Fox. But when this ridiculous fad is over and you wonder where your audience went, remember that you dug your own grave.

Okay, this show is the number one show I watch. It is funny, dramatic and did I mention FUNNY! I advise people to watch! My favorite character, as most people may agree, is Papa Titus. He may seem like a hard-ass, but he can make fun of everyone.

Meet Christopher Titus. His dad's gone through 7( or was that eight, or nine?) wives, resulting with him and his dumb brother Dave. His dad's never supported him, stopped him, and has laughed at his face for his whole life. As for that brother, he has no idea what the hell is going on and is the butt of the family joke. He creates custom cars, which brings out the, well, um, side of him that shows he has a small obsession of being in charge. His mom's a looney, his girlfriend is all loving and trusting( not a good thing), a depressed drug-selling teenage girl was just forced to move in with him and his best friend can't even tell himself if he's straight, or something else.

Welcome to his world. Christopher tells his every-day story from a wooden room with a chair, a light bulb, and any diagram he can think up. He's screwed up and knows he's screwed up, always on the verge of cracking but not there yet, and walking the fine line between genius and nut job that a single toe out of place can unleash. He refers to the years of childhood torture to bring out the sunny side of things, or, that may depend on your opinion.

Fox never knew this shows' potential. If it would pick a damn timeslot and not only advertise it during the news and Futurama, they would have a hit. The writing is the best thing about this show. Titus's life is so full of trauma, it would make a regular man criple in a womanly nervous breakdown, but not for Screwd-Up Man. His lousy childhood( hilarious, I might add) makes him automatically say what we all think, and do what he wants to. His years of nothing but trial and experience gives him a cool edge to solve any problem, and his outlook on life with his many metaphors and "meaning of life" discoveries we all seek yet are given so casually make him probably the most unpredictable, entertaining guy there ever was. I have to find out these other guys' work.

Catch this before it's completely gone, or you'll regret it. I hope they release it on DVD some day.

Although I may not be as experienced in the television field because of my young age, I have seen many, many comedies and Titus has got to be the best I've seen in years. Not only is the material original and unpredictable, but the humour is so fast moving you'll never be at a loss for laughs. In fact, if you tone out for more than 30 seconds you'll miss a hilarious squeal from Tommy(David Shatraw) or a silver-tongued comment from the charming Christopher.(Chris Titus) I love the way the show has "real life stuff" in it, completely different from the hit shows "Growing Pains" although that was supposed to be realistic and take a gripping hold on teenage life. I should know, I'm a teenager, it didn't. Don't get me wrong though, I'm a big fan of Kirk. Anyway, I think that Titus in undoubtedly one of the funniest comedies in the current line. Especially for Fox.

I just got hit by this show on Fox Portugal and have yet to research on Christopher Titus the person behind most of what's so witty, urbane, universal, hallucinatory and yet basically a healthy self-look at america as it enters/entered the 21st century - but I can already say this has got to be one of my favorite comedies ever. Did it got canceled, did it just come to a natural death(much doubt it)? The network is on a continuous loop of re-runs here, so it could have gotten frustrating. But hey, it's Titus! So - to paraphrase somebody else - put the damned thing on DVD now and with plenty of extras please! And keep region 2 in mind, OK?

Sick of dumb comedies, finally came this one, that uses a lot of black humor, and a very fine techinc. The example of the postmodern family, totally disfuntional, totally crazy. But what can we do, that kind of familiy is real. I hope fox doesn't cancel it like many others, because is one of the best of this season.

Titus is a fresh and funny show. The commentaries on Titus' past are hilarious, like the father giving swimming lessons. Priceless. On the outside it would appear like a Seinfeld rip off (It's Like, You Know...), but Titus certainly is not. Titus is good and ranks up there with The Simpsons and That '70s Show.

I know some people hated this show. I LOVED it. It was brilliant - hence the "loved it, hated it" responses out there. VERY well written, extremely funny, well acted. It was hysterically funny, it made people think, it had really sad moments, etc. In other words, a very well written and acted series. The fact that Titus decided to end it because he didn't want OR need Fox's intervention was

enough for me to want it back (or at least to have it on DVD). It would be great if it could come back on another network. I know that probably can't happen, but I would by the DVDs in a heartbeat if they ever come out.

Titus. What can I say? This guy's got it bad: a totally neurotic family, a freaky friend who either needs to come out of the closet or get in touch with his manhood, a good looking girlfriend, and a business that is struggling to get off the ground. Okay, the good looking girlfriend is the really good part, and the freaky friend isn't all that bad when you look at the rest of what Chris has to deal with. But, he keeps kicking back, episode after episode. They knock him down and he jumps right back into the thick of things. Much like the Simpsons, Married with Children, and others in the genre, this show makes your family, no matter how deranged, seem like the Brady's. The first season and the beginning of the new one had me coming back for more, time after time, and little did I realize that the series is based on Chris Titus' real life story. I laugh when I watch the episode's, and then thank god that I wasn't forced to be raised by these people. Titus himself says that this show (and the standup act the show is based on) is therapy for his soul and from what I've glimpsed in the show so far, it is a soul long tortured.

My friends think I am crazy, but I love "Titus." What began as a seemingly half-hour therapy session for its star, Christopher Titus, has developed into a solid 30 minute blend of near-slapstick humor, intelligent writing and light introspection.

The cast of "Titus," once somewhat disjointed and contrived (as is the case with many freshman shows), has coalesced into a tight comedic ensemble who riff off each other easily, and help the storylines move along at a refreshing clip.

A major strength of the show, (the only one, my friends contend), is Stacy Keach's role as Ken Titus, Christopher's father. He takes an abusive, callous father, and almost impossibly makes him hilarious. After all, if you remove the humorous context, child abuse is no laughing matter.

And yet, it is Christopher's approach to his past that allows us to laugh with him. While I never saw his one-man show, "Norman Rockwell is Bleeding," I can only assume he conveyed a similar take on his family in that setting as well. This TV show could have easily been rendered as a "Pity Me, I Am So Screwed Up Because Of My Dysfunctional Past" scenario. Instead, Titus' skewed perspective provides enough levity so we may understand how absurd the perverted communication process with those who have hurt us deepest can be, without completely breaking our hearts. It is a testament to everyone involved in the show, that Titus' vision is pulled off with such aplomb.

The supporting cast shines as they reflect what is going on in Titus' subconscious, conveyed cleverly by black & white sequences in a room with only a chair and light bulb, where Christopher frenetically interprets how his past has affected his present. Think of it as Freud on Ephedra, and you'll do just fine.

Cynthia Watros's 'Erin' gets my vote for best character development. Her loving, accepting yet equally madcap persona has flourished into a fully realized partner-in-crime for Christopher, when she could have remained a one-dimensional support figure.

Zack Ward as Titus' slow-witted adopted brother Dave is the 'Chrissy Snow' of the show, as he often, unwittingly foils Chris's attempts at revenge or reconciliation with their father.

My only complaint is Shatraw's character, who is supposed to be Titus's best friend, hardly gets any exploration or airtime. Hopefully, the show will be on for a while, so the effeminate and riotous Tommy can be more developed.

If you're looking for a half hour of audacious comedy, the likes of which you have never seen on network TV, check out "Titus." Considering most good shows get shelved within a year if they don't get the ratings, you might only have a little time left!

I don't pray much, but I do pray to the television go to bring back the funniest show I've seen since the simpsons and family guy. How can anyone not love these characters, they are on the same level as everyone else and it makes them even more enjoyable to watch. Dave has to be the coolest brother ever, how can you not enjoy watching someone having a dog drink milk out of their mouth? exactly you can't! the worst thing FOX ever did was cancel Titus, hopefully the whole series will be put out on DVD or something, its the least FOX could do.