Sonny with a Chance
Sonny with a Chance is an American teen sitcom created by Steve Marmel that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons between February 2009 and January 2011. The series centers on Sonny Munroe, portrayed by Demi Lovato, a teenage comedian from Wisconsin who joins the cast of a sketch comedy television series titled So Random! after moving to Hollywood, Los Angeles. Episodes deal with Sonny's attempts to develop relationships with her castmates and establish her role within the group, focusing on her life working on the show's set, as well as coming to terms with her newfound fame. The main themes depicted include the focus on friendships and adolescence. The series also stars Tiffany Thornton, Sterling Knight, Brandon Mychal Smith, Doug Brochu and Allisyn Ashley Arm. Sonny with a Chance also contains fully produced comedy sketches from the show-within-a-show. These elements draw inspiration from the Nickelodeon series All That, which executive producers Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett previously worked on, as well as 30 Rock.
The Walt Disney Company commissioned the series to follow its successful comedy programs of the 2000s, including Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place, starring Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez respectively. Lovato was cast to continue her affiliation with the network after her role in the television film Camp Rock and the release of music through Disney-owned label Hollywood Records. This cross-promotion was intended to mirror that of Cyrus and Gomez. Varsity Pictures and It's a Laugh Productions produced the program, and it premiered on Disney Channel on February 8, 2009. Sonny with a Chance experienced high viewership in the United States on broadcast television. The series did not receive wide critical coverage. It last aired on January 2, 2011; both seasons have been distributed through digital download and on the Disney+ streaming service.
Initially renewed for a third season, the series' future became uncertain when Lovato underwent treatment for personal struggles in November 2010 and was unable to continue filming for the show. The season entered production without Lovato, with a focus on the elements of the show-within-a-show as a temporary solution until her return. After it was reported that Lovato would not return to the series in April 2011, the episodes which had been produced were rebranded as the spin-off series So Random!, which aired for one season from 2011 to 2012.
Premise
Sonny Munroe is a cheerful and ambitious 15-year-old from Wisconsin who has experienced success by uploading comedic videos to the internet. After she is discovered in a nationwide casting call, she moves to Hollywood, Los Angeles, to join the cast of a popular sketch comedy series for teenagers titled So Random!. The series centers on Sonny's life working on the program as well as her home life. She comes to terms with the difficulties of working on a television set alongside her castmates, in particular the self-centered Tawni Hart, who is unkind to Sonny. The So Random! cast also includes the suave Nico Harris and his best friend Grady Mitchell, as well as the cunning Zora Lancaster. Comedy sketches from So Random! are included within the series. The cast of So Random! work at the same television studio as their rival television program, Mackenzie Falls, a drama series which stars the teen idol Chad Dylan Cooper. Sonny with a Chance explores the portrayal of a teenager with an ambitious dream, in the same style as other teen series such as Hannah Montana and iCarly. The theme of following dreams is recognized as a prominent attribute of shows produced by Disney Channel.Characters
- Sonny Munroe, a friendly and well-intentioned 15-year-old from Wisconsin with a passion for comedy and writing music. She joins the cast of So Random!.
- Tawni Hart, a self-absorbed cast member of So Random!, who is known as a diva and is initially unkind toward Sonny, but later becomes her close friend
- Chad Dylan Cooper, a teen idol who stars on Mackenzie Falls—the rival series of So Random!—who is arrogant and egotistical but ultimately develops a romantic relationship with Sonny
- Nico Harris, a suave cast member of So Random! and the best friend of Grady
- Grady Mitchell, a brainless and funny cast member of So Random! and the best friend of Nico
- Zora Lancaster, the youngest cast member of So Random!, who is intelligent and cunning
Production
Development
The series was officially announced in May 2008 as a half-hour live-action comedy entitled Welcome to Mollywood, in which the title character would be called Molly. It was set to premiere during the 2008–09 [United States network television schedule|2008–09 television season]. Gary Marsh, the president of Disney Channels Worldwide, identified the idea of "following your dream" as a core attribute of Disney Channel which would be present in the series. He described the series as a "hybrid show"; fully produced comedy sketches from the show-within-a-show So Random! would also appear. Another working title for the series was Welcome to Holliwood. The Los Angeles Timess Robert Lloyd speculated that the final title, Sonny with a Chance, makes reference to the phrase "chance of rain".Sonny with a Chance was created by Steve Marmel, who had previously written for and produced cartoons. Brian Robbins served as an executive producer on the series; he was the co-creator of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That. Sharla Sumpter Bridgett, who also worked on All That, joined the series as an executive producer; Robbins and Bridgett's joint production company, Varsity Pictures, produced the program alongside It's a Laugh Productions in association with the network. Michael Feldman was an executive producer. The premise of the show was also influenced by 30 Rock.
Casting
Demi Lovato portrays the central character of Sonny Munroe; the character was originally named Molly, and later Holli. Lovato's affiliation with the network began with her lead role in the series As the [Bell Rings |As the Bell Rings] and continued with her breakout role in the musical television film Camp Rock, which debuted in 2008 and was originally designed as a vehicle for the Jonas Brothers. Lovato had auditioned for both Camp Rock and Sonny with a Chance simultaneously in the summer of 2007 and secured both roles; Marsh described her as a "gifted comedian". Lovato's work in the company continued with her debut album Don't Forget, released by the Disney-owned label Hollywood Records in 2008. She also filmed the television film Princess Protection Program alongside fellow Disney Channel star Selena Gomez, and she toured with the Jonas Brothers before Sonny with a Chance premiered. Lovato's cross-promotion within the network followed that of predecessors Miley Cyrus and Gomez, but it differed in that her movie and album came before her leading role in a sitcom. Lovato sings the series' theme song, "So Far So Great". Fellow Disney actor Bridgit Mendler had also auditioned for the role of Sonny before Lovato won the role.The remaining main cast members were revealed in May 2008: Tiffany Thornton as Tawni Hart, Brandon Mychal Smith as Nico Harris, Doug Brochu as Grady Mitchell and Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster. The series also stars Sterling Knight as Chad Dylan Cooper. Nancy McKeon, who had been a teenage actor herself, recurs as Sonny's mother, Connie Munroe.