Twentieth Television’s off-FX It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has cleared 45% of the country, with stations in 23 markets picking up the show for a fall 2011 launch.
Stations in nine out of the top ten markets and in 17 out of the top 20 have picked up the show, including stations in the Fox, Tribune, CBS, Sunbeam and Adell station groups.
It’s Always Sunnyalso has been cleared on cable network Comedy Central, where it will have a limited run next summer and then begin its multi-year run in January 2011. The show is currently in its fifth season on FX, where it's seen significant ratings gains each season, particularly among young men. Compared to season four, the show has improved 62% among men 18-34, 55% among adults 18-49, 51% among adults 18-34 and 40% in total viewers. The show is the third highest-rated scripted series on basic cable among adults 18-34 and men 18-34.
FX already has placed orders for seasons six and seven to air in 2010 and 2011, bringing the show's total episodes to 84.
It’s Always Sunny – the original pilot for which was shot on a hand-held digital camera and edited on a home computer for $200 -- premiered on FX in August 2005, and stars Danny DeVito, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton and Kaitlin Olson. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was created by McElhenney and is executive produced by McElhenney, Day and Howerton. Michael Rotenberg and Nick Frenkel also are executive producers.
