It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been renewed for four more seasons at FX. That extension will add three more years onto the show’s extension for a 15th season in May of this year, setting It’s Always Sunny up for a confirmed 18 seasons, at least by the time it’s finished. The series has developed a widespread and dedicated following over the course of its already extensive run, and it’s now primed to continue as a leading presence in the genre into the future.
The show, which has starred Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenney since its first season and Danny DeVito since its second, has always set itself apart from other sitcoms via its crass and irreverent style and free-flowing structure. As the series has developed, its content has expanded into often bizarre spaces, including meta-humor, experimental comedy, and occasional bouts of more dramatic social commentary. Through the past 14 seasons, Sunny has remained a one-of-a-kind show.
Now, it will continue that legacy for four more seasons. At a digital event for Disney's Investor Day, FX announced that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been renewed by FX through its 18th season, blowing away records for the longest-running comedy series. For fans, that’s incredible news and an awe-inspiring achievement for a show that’s rarely been given the accolades many believe it deserves.
Of course, that’s assuming that all five core cast members will be staying with the series through those four additional seasons. Given their massive creative influence on the show as an ensemble, and the fact that the series was created by Howerton and McElhenney, it seems unlikely that any of them would leave. The powerfully distinct style and aesthetic that It’s Always Sunny has cultivated is largely due to the incredible chemistry between the central five degenerate characters, and shows without even one of them would be a very different series altogether.
Assuming that the whole gang is staying through the next four seasons, however, the renewal announcement is fantastic news for fans and the world of comedy at large. Sunny is as stalwart a veteran of the genre as any show currently on TV, and its consistent dedication to new and original material—even if that means making jokes at its own expense—has kept it fresh and popular. Whatever else the next four years hold, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will continue to be a part of them.
Source: FX