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Papa Martin Sheen Signed On In Recurring Role As…. Yep!
After endings its 10-episode original run on lower ratings, FX has handed the Anger Management sitcom starring Charlie Sheen a 90-episode back order.
Anger Management, created/executive produced by Bruce Helford, whose episodes 2-10 only met average ratings, triggered an automatic, additional 90-episode order from the network. “We set a very high ratings bar that included some additional hurdles for Anger Mangement,” said Chuck Saftler, EVP of FX Networks, “to earn its back-90 order and the series met and exceeded those metrics.”
“Bruce Helford has created a sitcom that works extremely well in our pre-10 PM 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, according to FX, is the highest-rated new comedy series on cable in 2012, averaging 4.53 million total viewers and 2.5 million adults 18-49. “The odds are overwhelming,” said FX president John Landgraf at last month’s TCA, “for a pickup of the series, which had been authorized to start work on Season 2. There are about 8-10 scripts already ready to shoot.”
This reorder deal is a major victory for Lionsgate, who took a chance on Sheen when he was still in the midst of the controversy surrounding his public meltdown and subsequent firing from Two And A Half Men.
Lionsgate bankrolled the first 10 episodes with the hope that a back order would follow. Spearing the project from Lionsgate end is CEO Jon Feltheimer.
Sheen’s father, Martin Sheen will join the cast of Anger Management in a recurring role for the back 90 episodes, playing Martin Goodson, Charlie’s father, who like in real life rushes to help his son through life’s difficult challenges.
Back in 1977, when Martin Sheen was recovering from a heart attach in the Philippines during the filming of Apocalpse Now, his son, 11-year old Charlie would take his dad, then 36 and in a wheelchair, outside to throw around a baseball. “He would get me in the sun,” recalled Martin in a TV Guide interview, “and that was my exercise.”
Today, Martin, now 71, repays his son by leading a series of interventions to save his son and helping him with the resurrection of his acting career with Anger Management.
“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.
Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury division will now proceed with selling the 100-episode series into off-network syndication starting in September 2014, co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said.
Anger Management’s series premiere was on June 28, 2012 and was the most-watched primetime comedy series premiere in cable history.
In Anger Management, Sheen stars as Charlie Goodson, a non-traditional anger management therapist who has anger management issues of his own. Selma Blair, Shawnee Smith, Daniela Bobadilla, Michael Arden, Noureen DeWulf, Derek Richardson and Barry Corbin co-star. 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 TV and distributed by Debmar-Mercury.
You go, Charlie! With this type of family support system, your career is going to be A-OK!
–Elia Esparza, Editor
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