Latest news with #televisionhistory
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It's Always Sunny' Is Only Getting Better With Time
In addition to all of the creative superlatives we can lay on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as it approaches the 20th anniversary of its debut in August, the FX comedy has provided perhaps the greatest return on investment in television history. The series' original, unaired pilot episode — made largely because stars Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton weren't happy with the roles they were getting — cost maybe $200, with the bulk of that covering the price of videocassettes. One hundred and seventy episodes and counting later, Sunny itself is still going strong, and the three friends and co-star Kaitlin Olson are all now staples in either film or other television series. That 200 bucks has built a big enough fortune that McElhenney is today a part owner, with Ryan Reynolds, of a Welsh football club that's the subject of another successful, acclaimed FX show, Welcome to Wrexham. How did a scruffy comedy about five of TV's all-time-worst human beings last this long and do so well? In part by embracing the awfulness of the Gang, in part by being much smarter than they are. More from Rolling Stone Frank Reynolds Is the Next 'Golden Bachelor' in 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' Season 17 Trailer 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' Little People Collector Set Drops Online: Find It in Stock Here Charlotte Nicdao 'Grinds All Night' in 'Mythic Quest' Fourth Season Trailer Sunny's debut in the summer of 2005 didn't suggest that either longevity or greatness were in the offing. FX scheduled it after another new comedy, Starved, about an eating-disorder support group, which seemed to be the channel's higher priority. (Today, the most memorable thing about Starved is that it gave Sterling K. Brown his first series regular role, a decade before This Is Us.) The premiere, 'The Gang Gets Racist,' had the rough shape of the show Sunny became — Charlie (Day) says the n-word, but only when quoting a new Black acquaintance; Dennis (Howerton) is excited by the attention he gets when Paddy's Pub becomes a gay hotspot while Mac (McElhenney) is dismayed with the new clientele — but also seemed to be holding itself back from letting the Gang become truly despicable. It was the arrival of sitcom legend Danny DeVito as the businessman father of Dennis and Sweet Dee (Olson) that not only got the show a second season, but also helped provide a necessary commitment to dark comedy. Frank's presence created a dirtbag feedback loop: The more he came to enjoy the Gang's worst behavior, the worse they began to behave, and the funnier and more pointed Sunny became. It's staggering to try to rank the Gang's worst offenses. Persuading a priest to give up the collar, leading him to become an unhoused crack addict? Burning down various people's homes and businesses? Torturing a little person out of a mistaken belief he was a leprechaun? The implication that Dennis is a sexual predator and/or a serial killer? The magic trick is that Sunny gradually learned how to distinguish its POV from the characters', showing empathy not only for the Gang's victims, but also the Gang itself. It's hard to imagine the show today putting a slur for a developmentally disabled person into an episode title, which happened in a Season Three installment about Dee dating a rapper with a childlike demeanor. (That one's now best remembered for a subplot about the guys launching separate rock bands, which eventually led to the beloved 'The Nightman Cometh' musical episode.) When Mac finally came out of the closet in Season 12, the joke was never that he was gay, but about him being just as clueless as when he was pretending to be straight; the following year ended with a shockingly poignant interpretive-dance number he performed for his homophobic inmate father. The longer Sunny has stuck around, the more it's been willing and able to pull off experiments like that, or 'The Nightman Cometh,' or Season 10's 'Charlie Work,' which was presented as an unbroken take detailing everything Charlie does to keep the bar functioning while the rest of the Gang is focused on misguided schemes. The show has become endlessly memeable, to the point where people who have never watched one minute of it can recognize Charlie ranting in front of a murder board; it's just a lot funnier if you've seen the actual episode ('Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack'), where the Gang gets office jobs for the health insurance, and Charlie becomes convinced there's a company-wide conspiracy about a man named Pepe Silvia. Then there are the gags that should make no sense — Charlie donning a neon-green body stocking at sporting events, calling himself 'Green Man,' or Frank becoming obsessed with a rum-soaked ham during a trip to the Jersey Shore — yet work perfectly because it's clear the Gang doesn't think like normal humans do. Even with a recent crossover with family-friendly Abbott Elementary, Sunny hasn't gone soft — Season 16 included an episode called 'Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang.' But it increasingly feels free to surprise amid the Gang's usual felonies and misdemeanors. McElhenney likes to joke that the secret to being the longest-running live-action sitcom in TV history is that each season is short. Over 16 seasons, they've made only 170 episodes — fewer than I Love Lucy made in six. But most classic comedies were running on fumes by the time they'd produced half as many installments as Sunny has. It's a show that, after two decades, still demonstrates a level of ingenuity, insightfulness, and perseverance that would feel completely foreign to the Gang. The older they get, the worse the Gang is. For Sunny itself, it's the opposite. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
He starred in iconic 1990s teen drama and had unrelenting crush on show's star... can you guess who it is?
This actor portrayed the nerdy next-door neighbor in a fictional Pennsylvania town on a groundbreaking 1990s teenage drama - and was hopelessly infatuated with the show's main star. Think you know who it is? The son of a visual artist and the younger brother of a producer, this future star was raised in a creatively driven Colorado household before eventually relocating to the Northern California area. After settling in Los Angeles, he made his professional debut at just 10 years old, landing roles in several television commercials before making his way onto the small screen. His first major performance came as a guest star on the hit 1990s sitcom Dream On, marking the beginning of his rise in the industry. From that point on, he appeared in minor guest roles on various shows and movies - including My Girl 2 - before landing the role that would cement his place in television history. In 1994, the blonde, curly-haired teenager quickly became a memorable face on a short-lived ABC series that, despite only lasting one season, earned national praise for its realistic portrayal of teenage complexity and social issues. Starring as an introspective and somewhat socially awkward teenager, his character often found himself on the outskirts of the typical teenage crowd - providing a counterbalance to the more emotional and rebellious characters. He appeared in minor guest roles on various shows and movies - including My Girl 2 - before landing the role that would cement his place in television history And of course, who could forget his fictional neighbor, with whom he seizes every opportunity to spark a conversation - all because he's hopelessly in love, even if it was sometimes tough to watch his unrequited crush. With a career now spanning over 30 years, this actor has amassed more than 60 appearances across a wide range of films and television series. Have you been able to guess who it is yet? It's Devon Gummersall! The now-46-year-old actor brought to life the brooding yet sympathetic Brian Krakow on hit 1990s drama, My So-Called Life. Since the show's cancelation, he has gone on to appear in several television projects - including AMC's Mad Men and CMT's Nashville. He got married to actress Majandra Delfino in 2007 before they ended up splitting the next year. Today, Gummersall is a self-proclaimed filmmaker, content creator, writer, actor, surfer, and traveler - according to social media - where he has shared updates from his travels over the years. Although short-lived, My So-Called Life is what Gummersall is most remembered for - a series that continues to resonate today for its raw, timeless portrayal of adolescence. 'Even though we were all devastated when it ended, I do think we are grateful for it being such a short-lived and kind of perfect thing that happened under glass, in a way,' Gummersall shared with Elle Magazine last year. 'It was over before it became huge, so it had a purity to it that was kind of unique and rare.' Starring Claire Danes as 15-year-old Angela Chase, an angsty high-schooler in suburban Pittsburgh, the drama followed her struggles with her parents and friends - and her obsession with the toxic Jordan Catalano, played by Jared Leto. The 19-episode, hour-long 90s drama captured the angst of teenage years while fearlessly addressing issues like homophobia, drug use, sex, homelessness and more. But one of the most crucial elements of the show was Brian's unrelenting crush on Angela, as it was never just about the romance. Instead, it centered around themes of teenage identity, vulnerability and the turbulence of growing up. His character's unreciprocated feelings for the popular high schooler showcased one of the most relatable teenage experiences - loving someone who doesn't feel the same way. In the drama, his longing never felt dramatic or manipulative, but rather quiet, awkward and achingly painful - mirroring the inner lives of many viewers, despite what year it may be. Angela was instead drawn to the mysterious and emotionally unavailable Jordan, which underscored the show's theme of teenagers often chasing risks and excitement rather than safety and familiarity. Despite earning critical acclaim for its honest depiction of teenage life as difficult and emotionally confusing rather than fun and carefree, My So-Called Life was cancelled after just one season. Still, its richly drawn characters - especially Gummersall's portrayal of a quietly yearning neighbor hopelessly in love with the shows lead - cemented its legacy as a true cult classic.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revealed: How Queen Elizabeth II was persuaded into making historic decision before being crowned
It was one of the most iconic moments in television history that very nearly didn't even make it to the small screen. Today is the 72nd anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II which made history when it became the first time the ceremony was broadcast live.
