They’ve completed a deal with Debmar Mercury that will bring the Lionsgate Television-produced show for an off-net syndication launch in September 2014, announced Frank Cicha, Senior Vice President of Programming, Fox TV Stations, and Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents, Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein.
Said Cicha: “Typical wisdom says off-cable shows aren’t right for general syndication, but that’s way too narrow minded for today’s reality. When a program produces these ratings, regardless of the platform, you have to take it seriously. We did, and we expect ‘Anger Management’ to be a key piece of our sitcom dominance for years to come.”
The following FOX-owned duopolies will debut the hit sitcom: WNYW FOX 5/WWOR My9 (New York), KTTV FOX 11/KCOP My13 (Los Angeles), WFLD FOX 32/WPWR My50 (Chicago), KDFW FOX 4/KDFI My27 (Dallas), WTTG FOX 5/WDCA My20 (Washington D.C.), KRIV FOX 26/KTXH My20 (Houston), KSAZ FOX 10/KUTP My45 (Phoenix), KMSP FOX 9/WFTC My29 (Minneapolis) and WOFL FOX 35/WRBW My65 (Orlando).
“Anger Management” will join FOX Television Stations’ roster of off-network comedies, including syndication’s #1 and #2 sitcoms of the past five years, “The Big Bang Theory” and 20th Television’s “Modern Family.” FOX will offer double runs of “Anger Management” Monday-Sunday.
The series premiere episode of “Anger Management,” marking Charlie Sheen’s return to series television in June 2012, was the most-watched primetime scripted comedy series premiere in cable history. It completed its 10-episode summer run as the highest-rated new comedy series on cable in 2012, averaging 4.53 million total viewers and 2.5 million adults 18-49.
As part of Debmar-Mercury’s original deal with FX, when “Anger Management” met a designated average ratings threshold over the airing of eight of the first 10 episodes of the series, it triggered an automatic additional 90-episode order from the network (a model the company pioneered with the Tyler Perry sitcoms “House of Payne” and “Meet The Browns”). FX will retain simultaneous exclusive cable rights to its reruns, beginning in fall 2014.
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 a group of state prison inmates. 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 supersedes her poor choice in men.
Lionsgate Television began production on the 90-episode order 9/ 24, with Martin Sheen joining the cast of in a recurring role, playing “Martin Goodson,” Charlie’s father.
