#It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: FXX Comedy Renewed for Four Years, Through Season 18

(Photo: Patrick McElhenney/FXX)

The dysfunctional quartet of friends will continue to be just as irreverent as ever, for at least four more seasons. In May, FXX renewed It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for a 15th season. Today, it was announced that the comedy show had been renewed for seasons 16, 17, and 18 as well. This will conceivably keep it on the air into 2024

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia stars Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito. The show revolves around five underachieving and dysfunctional friends who run Paddy’s Pub in South Philadelphia — Ronald “Mac” McDonald (McElhenney), Charlie Kelly (Day), Dennis Reynolds (Howerton), Dee Reynolds (Olson), and Frank Reynolds (DeVito). In season 14 of the sitcom, Mac learned a new language, Charlie did a period piece, Dennis attempted a one-act play, Dee cut her hair, and Frank performed a death scene.

Season 15 will make Sunny the longest-running live-action comedy series in US television history. The show will surpass The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, which ran for 14 seasons on ABC from 1952 until 1966. It’s worth noting, however, that Ozzie and Harriet’s run generated 435 episodes while Sunny’s made just 154 installments thus far.

Will the Philly gang eventually surpass the episode tally as well? At the current rate of 10 episodes a year, we’re looking at season 43. That seems unlikely but few would have thought this irreverent sitcom would have lasted this long.

Here’s the press release:

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Renewed for Four More Seasons

Seasons 15 Through 18 Will Propel Sunny Into the Record Books as the Longest-Running Live-Action Comedy Series in Television History

More Than 1.5 Billion Hours Viewed Since Sunny’s Series Premiere in 2005

Season 15 Scheduled to Air in 2021 on FXX and the Next Day on FX on Hulu

LOS ANGELES, December 10, 2020 – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been renewed for four additional seasons, it was announced today by John Landgraf, Chairman, FX Entertainment and FX Productions. With season 15 due next year, Sunny will set the record as the longest-running live-action comedy series in television history, bypassing The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Sunny’s remarkable run has also racked up more than 1.5 billion hours viewed since its premiere in 2005.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia follows the misguided dreams and blundered schemes of everyone’s favorite bar owners – The Gang at Paddy’s Pub – Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Frank (Danny DeVito).

“The pitch for Sunny came into FX within the first few weeks of my joining the company in 2004,” said Landgraf. “I was 42 and Rob McElhenney was 27. Rob McElhenney is now 43 and, strangely, I’m now 44 – but I’m still at FX and he (with his original partners) is still running Sunny and will be for at least 4 more seasons. That kind of thing just does not happen in live action TV.”

Sunny creator Rob McElhenney noted, “When we first pitched Sunny, we saw it as a 36-season arc. We are so excited to be halfway there.”

“We have absolutely cherished our partnership with Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howertown and Charlie Day,” added Nick Grad, President, Original Programming, FX Entertainment. “It’s extraordinary how with each new season they and their collaborators Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito continue to make episodes that stand with the show’s very best and most classic. We’re happy the forecast will remain Sunny for years to come.”

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was created by Rob McElhenney, who also serves as executive producer along with Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Michael Rotenberg and Nick Frenkel. The show is produced by FX Productions.

can I offer you four more seasons in this trying time? it’s always sunny in philadelphia has been renewed through season 18, making it the longest-running live action sitcom in TV history. pic.twitter.com/EtIbGBljrO

— FX Networks (@FXNetworks) December 10, 2020

What do you think? Do you enjoy the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia TV show on FXX? Are you glad that it’s been renewed so far into the future?