It was announced earlier today at TCA that FX’s comedy Always Sunny in Philadelphia -- the longest-running live-action comedy on basic cable -- has been renewed for two more seasons, 8 and 9, and has an option for a 10th. At the panel for the show, creators/executive producers Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day spoke about why the inexpensively produced comedy has been able to survive for so many years. They said the fact that the show was so slow to be discovered has led to its longevity. In fact, they said, many have discovered the program only recently from reruns playing on Comedy Central and WGN America. “A lot of people who (love) the show came to it last year,” Day said. “We are just sort of hitting our stride (creatively) … it doesn’t feel like we’re dragging the show through the mud.” In terms of the decision to continue for at least another two seasons, he said: “We had to talk about our personal lives, and it making financial sense for everybody. … I think I speak for everybody that we really enjoy each other’s company, and there’s not reason not to keep making it if people are enjoying it.”
As the Emmy Awards approach, the producers, who also star in the show, were asked why they’re still not getting any Emmy love after all these years. “Your guess is as good as mine,” cracked Howerton. Added McElhenney, “Our audience skews very young; ultimately, that’s a hurdle when it comes to Emmys.” He also said that people often don’t understand that the show is a satire. “There are a lot of preconceptions … that really holds us back, unfortunately.”
McElhenney also addressed his physical transformation in Season 7, for which he gained 50 pounds (he has since lost half of it.) "I tried to look as ugly as possible, basically," he said. "(The idea) came when I was watching a very popular sitcom, and I noticed the people were getting better and better looking as the seasons were going on. I always thought that what we were trying to do on Sunny was the deconstruction of the sitcom." The weight gain also helped keeping the show real, Day added. "The reality of five people in a dive bar in Philadelphia is that they won't get better abs," he said.
Source: Deadline
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