It's (almost) always sunny in Philadelphia : how three friends spent $200 to create the longest-running live-action sitcom in history and help build a network / Kimberly Potts.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Potts, Kimberly, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Situation comedies (Television programs)--United States--History and criticism.

Situation comedies (Television programs).

Television programs.

television programs.

It's always sunny in Philadelphia (Television program).

Genre:

Television criticism and reviews.

Physical Description:

328 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First Gallery Books hardcover edition.

Other Title:

It is (almost) always sunny in Philadelphia

It's almost always sunny in Philadelphia

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster LLC, 2025.

Summary:

"Charlie, Dennis, Mac, Sweet Dee, and Frank are deplorable characters. They will never mature, become more self-aware, or less self-involved. That is what the creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are committed to--and that's why the show's millions of devoted fans have stuck with the cult comedy hit for over sixteen seasons and counting. Created in 2005 by stars Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, and Charlie Day, unemployed actors with a pair of Law Order guest appearances as the highlights of their collective resume, the frustrated trio drafted a homemade TV pilot. A few months and $200 later (the cost of videotapes, pizza for their friends who volunteered as extras, and a broomstick to tape their boom mic to), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia was ready for its network debut. All major parties either passed or were interested but wanted creative control. And then came FX looking to shake up cable TV. Willing to allow McElhenney, Howerton, and Day complete freedom to deconstruct the traditional sitcom, new president John Landgraf agreed to take a chance. No one had any idea how big of a success it would be. With FX's one creative note-the hiring of Danny DeVito--adding the final piece of the puzzle, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has enjoyed a steady climb to high ratings, critical acclaim, and a place in the cultural zeitgeist. Now, how the show and its creators have accomplished this is revealed with this in-depth, behind-the-scenes celebration. As thoughtful, provocative, and engaging as the show itself, this book also explores how the show has pushed the envelope and used absurdist comedy to explore major societal issues, including the #MeToo movement, LGBTQ+ rights, racism, and more. It also asks, what does the future hold for The Gang? It certainly won't include the characters' personal growth, but the show itself continues to move forward, adding to its dynamic history with each season"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

It's always sunny on TV

The sun always sunny on Sunny

And they're off

The gang gets a new member

The nightman cometh

The house of the rising Sunny

Sunny Dee

Philadelphia freedom . . . to get real weird with it

Sunny stans

The gang's all here . . . including the mayor of television

Still Sunny after all these years

Into the record books, into the future

Acknowledgments

Sources

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 297-309) and index.

ISBN:

9781668008508

1668008505

OCLC:

1405187974

Publisher Number:

90102216796