The fifth season of FX’s "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is off to a strong start, with Thursday’s premiere attracting 2.24 million viewers and notching double-digit increases over last September’s bow.
"Sunny" was up 22 percent vs. its 2008 premiere (1.73 million), and was particularly strong in adults 18-34 (1.42 million, up 76 percent) and adults 18-49 (1.78 million, up 57 percent). Compared to the show’s overall 2008 average, "Sunny" soared 90 percent in adults 18-49 and 70 percent in overall viewers.
As great as the numbers were, "Sunny" didn’t match its best premiere: Season three of the series notched 2.33 million viewers and 1.79 million in adults 18-49 in 2007. Still, given that most fifth-year sitcoms are losing viewers, FX execs have to be thrilled with this year’s growth.
It’s been a good month for returning FX series. Drama "Sons of Anarchy" kicked off its second season with massive ratings gains.
