Zoneboy
10-20-2009, 05:16 PM
"It's Always Sunny in Philadephia" cometh to Comedy Central.
The cabler has secured basic cable off-net rights to "Sunny," which will join Comedy Central's lineup next summer.
FX will continue to air original episodes of "Sunny," which is currently in its fifth season. FX has already ordered sixth and seventh seasons of the show, keeping it on the air through 2011 and eventually totalling 84 episodes.
Deal reps the first time a basic cable network has picked up an off-net comedy series from another basic cable network.
The pickup was announced by Twentieth TV exec VP/general sales manager for basic cable Steve MacDonald, FX Networks prexy/GM John Landgraf and Comedy Central programming senior VP David Vernath.
"Crossing a series from one hugely successful cable brand to another speaks volumes to the show's loyal viewers and skyrocketing ratings," MacDonald said.
Show, which launched in 2005, began as a cult hit and critical success and has morphed into a strong ratings performer for FX. Show is up this season by 55% among adults 18-49.
"We trust that (Comedy Central) will enjoy and benefit from this remarkable show," Landgraf said.
Show, which stars Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito, is known for mining irreverent laughs from hot-button topics such as abortion, underage drinking and molestation.
McElhenney created the show and exec produces with Day and Howerton; Michael Rotenberg and Nick Frenkel also EP. FX's in-house FX Prods. unit is the studio.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010168.html?categoryid=14&cs=1
The cabler has secured basic cable off-net rights to "Sunny," which will join Comedy Central's lineup next summer.
FX will continue to air original episodes of "Sunny," which is currently in its fifth season. FX has already ordered sixth and seventh seasons of the show, keeping it on the air through 2011 and eventually totalling 84 episodes.
Deal reps the first time a basic cable network has picked up an off-net comedy series from another basic cable network.
The pickup was announced by Twentieth TV exec VP/general sales manager for basic cable Steve MacDonald, FX Networks prexy/GM John Landgraf and Comedy Central programming senior VP David Vernath.
"Crossing a series from one hugely successful cable brand to another speaks volumes to the show's loyal viewers and skyrocketing ratings," MacDonald said.
Show, which launched in 2005, began as a cult hit and critical success and has morphed into a strong ratings performer for FX. Show is up this season by 55% among adults 18-49.
"We trust that (Comedy Central) will enjoy and benefit from this remarkable show," Landgraf said.
Show, which stars Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito, is known for mining irreverent laughs from hot-button topics such as abortion, underage drinking and molestation.
McElhenney created the show and exec produces with Day and Howerton; Michael Rotenberg and Nick Frenkel also EP. FX's in-house FX Prods. unit is the studio.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010168.html?categoryid=14&cs=1