It's (Almost) Always Sunny in Philadelphia - by Kimberly Potts

Book Synopsis

In the bestselling traditions of Seinfeldia and Top of the Rock comes a fascinating and unauthorized deep dive into the longest-running live-action sitcom in television history, from its humble beginnings to its evolution as a critically acclaimed cult classic comedy.

Charlie, Dennis, Mac, Sweet Dee, and Frank are deplorable characters. They will never mature, become more self-aware, or be less self-involved. That's 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 seventeen seasons and counting.

Back in 2004, frustrated and unemployed actors Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, and Charlie Day 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 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 a success it would be.

With one creative note--the hiring of Danny DeVito--adding the final piece of the puzzle, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has since 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 all this is revealed through this in-depth, behind the scenes celebration--as thoughtful, provocative, and engaging as the show itself.

Review Quotes

"Pop Literacy podcaster Potts delivers an encyclopedic history of the FX comedy...peppers in plenty of fun behind-the-scenes looks at the show's most beloved moments. This will satisfy the show's many devotees." --Publishers Weekly

"A definitive telling of one of the most fascinating chapters in TV history: how a couple hundred bucks, a crazy story about a cup of sugar and cancer, and a dream landed three total unknowns their own show...and how that show became a quietly record-breaking phenomenon. Vital and inspiring." --Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, New York Times bestselling author of Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything

"Did The Gang really beat Boggs? Kimberly Potts unravels the story--fact and fiction--in her absorbing history of all things It's Always Sunny and The Gang's relationship with a certain Major League Baseball Hall of Famer." --Wade Boggs, Major League Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman (and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia guest star)

"Do you want to know how $200 (or possibly less!) can kick off a beloved comedy series that has attracted, shocked, appalled, and delighted audiences for approaching two decades? Want to learn more about how Busby Berkeley, Larry David, Kristen Wiig, and The Shield are all part of the story? Kimberly Potts's astute, action-packed, immensely detailed ode to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia seeks to unpack just what made this left-field success work. This book is an absolute must for the comedy fan in your life." --Saul Austerlitz, acclaimed author of Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the Most Iconic Comedy of the Twenty-First Century

"Entertainment journalist Potts takes a close look at the popular sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, from its very humble beginnings in the early aughts to its growth into an enduring,16-seasons-and-counting pop-culture hit...A delight for IASIP lovers." --Booklist

"The twenty-year saga of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is unlike anything else in television history, and Kimberly Potts's revelatory book takes readers deep into the minds of the twisted geniuses behind it."
--Andy Greene, New York Times bestselling author of The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s

About the Author

Kimberly Potts is a TV and pop culture journalist, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Vulture, People, Variety, and many others. She is the author of The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch and was also the cohost of bi-weekly pop culture podcast Pop Literacy. Find out more at KimberlyPotts.com.