The show debuted on June 28th with a pair of episodes that averaged a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 5.61 million total viewers. The second week’s episode dropped more than 40% and the numbers kept falling, dipping as low as a 0.7 demo rating with 1.58 million during the Olympics. Still, that’s about double what Wilfred and Louie draw.
Word was that, even before the sitcom premiered that, if Anger Management reached certain ratings goals, Charlie Sheen and company would be given an extra big renewal. Apparently, they reached that goal.
Today, FX announced that they’d renewed the show for 90 new episodes, bringing the show to a total of 100 episodes — a number that’s long been seen as the minimum for a syndication package.
Anger Management will go back into production on September 24th and is expected to return to FX in January 2013. Martin Sheen, Charlie’s real-life dad, will become a series regular as Charlie’s on-screen father.
Here’s the press release with some further details:
“ANGER MANAGEMENT” GETS BACK 90
Sitcom Starring Charlie Sheen from Creator/EP Bruce Helford Exceeds Ratings Threshold to Earn 90-Episode Order from FX
Production Begins September 24th
Series Returns in January
LOS ANGELES, August 29, 2012 – Anger Management, the sitcom starring Charlie Sheen and created by Executive Producer Bruce Helford, has received a 90-episode order from FX, it was announced today by Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President of FX Networks.
As part of its original deal, if Anger Management met a designated average ratings threshold over the airing of eight of the first ten episodes of the series, then it would trigger an automatic, additional 90-episode order from the network. Anger Management is the highest-rated new comedy series on cable in 2012, averaging 4.53 million Total Viewers and 2.5 million Adults 18-49.
“We set a very high ratings bar that included some additional hurdles for Anger Management to earn its back-90 order and the series met and exceed those metrics,” said Saftler. “Bruce Helford has created a sitcom that works extremely well in our pre-10 p.m. programming lineup. Charlie Sheen and the entire cast did an amazing job in the first ten episodes, which were produced in a very tight window. I have no doubt that the producers and cast will be able to pull off the Herculean task of producing 90 episodes over the next two years.”
Anger Management marked Golden Globe(R) Award-winning actor Charlie Sheen return to series television. It was recently announced that Emmy(R) and Golden Globe award winning actor Martin Sheen will join the cast of Anger Management in a recurring role, playing “Martin Goodson,” Charlie’s father.
“Charlie Sheen is one of the great comedy superstars of our generation, Bruce Helford is an exceptional showrunner and FX has been a visionary partner who recognized the show’s tremendous potential from the outset,” said Kevin Beggs, President of the Lionsgate Television Group. “We’re thrilled that our team has created another powerful and enduring Lionsgate brand that will resonate with audiences around the world for many years to come.”
Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein added, “Anger Management has proven its value as a top performer for FX from its record-breaking premiere, finishing its initial run as one of highest-rated comedy series on cable television. Now we have 100 episodes of a top-tier sitcom with an A-list star the caliber of Charlie Sheen to sell into off-network syndication starting in September 2014. We thank the great team at FX for believing in this proven model, and Charlie, Bruce, a wonderful cast and writers for delivering a comedy that has been such a major success.”
The series premiere episode of Anger Management (6/28/12) was the most-watched primetime scripted comedy series premiere in cable history.
In Anger Management, Sheen stars as “Charlie Goodson,” a non-traditional therapist specializing in anger management. He has a successful private practice, holding sessions with his group of primary patient regulars each week, as well as performing pro bono counseling for an inmate group at a state prison.
Charlie thrives on the chaos in his life while still battling his own anger issues. His life is complicated by his relationships with his own therapist/best friend (Selma Blair), an ex-wife whose positive outlook but poor choice in men frustrates Charlie (Shawnee Smith), and their 15-year-old daughter (Daniela Bobadilla).
Blair, Smith, Bobadilla, Michael Arden, Noureen DeWulf, Derek Richardson and Barry Corbin are series regulars. Michael Boatman guest stars.
Bruce Helford serves as Executive Producer/Showrunner. Mark Burg, Joe Roth, Dave Caplan and Vince Totino are Executive Producers. Anger Management is produced by Lionsgate Television and distributed by Debmar-Mercury.
About FX
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from the Fox Networks Group. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning original series, an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other studios and an impressive roster of acquired hit series. For more information about FX, visit our web site at www.FXnetworks.com.
About Lionsgate Television
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution and new channel platforms. The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming through Debmar-Mercury and an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as “Mad Men,” “Weeds,” and “Nurse Jackie” along with recent series such as the comedy “Blue Mountain State” and the critically-acclaimed drama “Boss” as well as the syndication successes “Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne,” its spin-off “Meet The Browns,” “The Wendy Williams Show,” “Are We There Yet?” and the upcoming “Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse.”
Its feature film business has generated more than half a billion dollars at the North American box office in the past year, fueled by such hits as THE EXPENDABLES, LINCOLN LAWYER, TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY, THE LAST EXORCISM, KICK ASS and the critically-acclaimed PRECIOUS, which won two Academy Awards(R). The Company’s home entertainment business has grown to more than 8% market share and is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 13,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company’s core businesses. The Lionsgate brand remains synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
About Debmar-Mercury
Debmar-Mercury, a leading media company specializing in syndication, network, cable and ancillary markets, produces and distributes for daytime television The Wendy Williams Show and The Jeremy Kyle Show, and has U.S. distribution rights to Fremantle Media North America’s Family Feud; distributes Tyler Perry sitcoms House of Payne, spin-off Meet the Browns and For Better or Worse (premiering on TBS in November), and through Revolution Studios’ Joe Roth, Debmar-Mercury distributes the sitcoms Anger Management (premiering on FX in summer 2012 and starring Charlie Sheen) and CubeVision’s Are We There Yet?(starring Ice Cube); as well as the Revolution Studios and CubeVision sitcom ; and has U.S. TV distribution rights to South Park, Hell’s Kitchen and a movie library featuring titles from Revolution Studios. Debmar-Mercury is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading next-generation studio.
SOURCE: The Nielsen Company (Live+7 ratings)
What do you think? Do you like the Anger Management series? Are you looking forward to the show’s return?
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