‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Season 19 Has Not Been Confirmed as the Current Season Wraps
The eighteenth season of ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ has reached the end of its weekly schedule, with episode listings placing the finale on October 12. That leaves the future of ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ as the open question for viewers heading into the fall.
TV Insider reported while the season was getting underway that the sitcom had not yet been renewed for another run, and noted that FX never labeled the current season as the end of the series. What follows is a look at the renewal status, the broadcast schedule, the cast and the early critical response.
Renewal Status Remains Unconfirmed
FX ordered four additional seasons in December 2020, a deal that carried the show through its eighteenth season. That extension made the series the longest running live action scripted comedy in television history, passing ‘Ozzie and Harriet’.
FX CEO John Landgraf announced the extension during Disney’s investor day presentation, and both he and the producers had been open about keeping the show on the air for as long as possible. The contract that secured the show’s future has now been fully used.
Beyond that agreement, TV Insider said no further renewal had been issued, and it expects that whichever season ends up being the last would be announced as such. Until FX says otherwise, the show’s status remains unresolved.
Release Date and Where to Watch the Current Run
Because a renewal has not been announced, there is no release date for another season. The most recent batch of episodes is the only schedule that can be pointed to. It premiered on August 17 with two episodes.
The premiere aired on a Monday at 9 p.m. Eastern on FX, FXX and Hulu. Wikipedia’s list of FXX programming notes that episodes air at the same time on FX from the seventeenth season onward, and on Hulu from the eighteenth season onward. Viewers who missed any installment can find the season on those platforms.
The ten episode order was the show’s longest in several years. The previous season ran eight episodes. Day and his collaborators have seen each season grow shorter while the wait between them grew longer, which is context that matters for any talk of a return date.
Cast Expected to Return
The current season stars Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito as the Gang. That core group has defined the series since its early years.
TV Insider expects those same performers to come back if the show is renewed, continuing the stories of Paddy’s Pub. The season premiere picked up with a wedding at the bar between Frank and Sam, played by Carol Kane.
A report on Charlie Day’s comments said the cast has expressed willingness to continue if given the chance, while acknowledging that the decision rests with the network. Day himself suggested the eighteenth season might be the last, or that the team could try to reach a twentieth. His remark captures how open the series’ future has been.
Critic Reception Ahead of Any Renewal
Early reviews were largely positive, and PhillyVoice reported a perfect approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from the first six critics listed. Metacritic assigned the season a score of 75 based on four reviews.
CBR editor Jamie Parker wrote that the sitcom is “still the funniest show on TV” and called the season one of its strongest in recent years. Another review on Metacritic offered a more measured view, saying the season may not match its immediate predecessors but still rises above many comedies on the air.
IndieWire gave the season a B, describing it as a deliberately disgusting run of episodes in complimentary terms. With the wedding chaos behind the Gang and no renewal in hand, would you rather see ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ push toward a twentieth season or close out its run on the strength of Frank’s disastrous marriage to Sam.
