You can stop drinking your sorrows, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” fans, cause Dennis Reynolds hasn’t totally bailed on you yet.
During a panel for his new NBC show “A.P. Bio” at the Television Critics Association press tour on Tuesday, Glenn Howerton confirmed to the room that he “has not officially left” the FXX (and formerly FX) program that has been his home for twelve seasons. He exited after the finale last spring, and signed on for Seth Meyers, Mike O’Brien and Lorne Michaels’ comedy, which also stars Patton Oswalt, Lyric Lewis, Jean Villepique and Mary Sohn.
“I hope people will understand that,” Howerton said. “This is just a totally separate project. Look I mean, I hope people — I think one of the tough things about doing a show for 12 years is people might have a hard time seeing you as anything else. Um, I realize that, that could be a little bit of a struggle for me as an actor. But that’s why it was important for me to get to do something with someone who has a distinctive voice, like Mike.”
When Howerton left “Always Sunny,” it went on “extended hiatus,” though it has been renewed through Season 14. At the time, the actor told TheWrap, “the option to come back is there, is in place.” “It’s very much a creative decision.”
During the panel, Howerton said he hadn’t intended to take on another role, but “A.P. Bio,” which centers around a former philosophy professor who takes a job teaching (well, you get it) and uses his students as tools to get back at his enemies.
“You know, I wasn’t even planning on jumping into anything else,” Howerton added. “But I read the script and I saw it was Lorne Michael and Seth Meyers and I couldn’t pass it up. But mostly I just love the script and the character.”
When asked by a reporter if his new schedule would allow him to do both “Always Sunny” and “A.P. Bio” he gave a very confident: “Absolutely.”
Well then, drinks on us at Paddy’s Pub!