Movies - TV
How An Old School Sitcom Star Helped Shape It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
By JEFF KELLY
Coming from an incredibly humble origin, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has become the longest-running sitcom on TV. While Danny Devito’s casting in Season 2 proved crucial to the show, another star from a more wholesome sitcom helped “It’s Always Sunny” into the often vile, hilarious mainstay it became: Fred Savage, who directed and produced several episodes.
The “Wonder Years” star may seem like an odd choice to become involved in the crude comedy, but Savage was drawn to it because it enabled him to break free from the wholesome image of his childhood. Savage explained it allowed him to indulge in “[my] selfishness and my arrogance and hubris and ego and all of those things that you’re not supposed to exercise in public.”
Co-star Charlie Day described how naturally Savage fit in, saying, “[When] Fred came in, there’s something about his personality [...] He felt like one of our peers and understood our comedy and the show we were trying to make.” Joining in Season 3, Savage brought with him years of experience to the less experienced creators, directing some of the gang’s early legendary outings.