The ‘Always Sunny’ Season 12 Finale Will Live in Infamy
I can still remember my mom crying when the final episode of Seinfeld came to a close on May 14, 1998. And personally, I couldn’t blame her. Not only did they cue “Good Riddance” by Green Day in the closing moments -- which is notoriously known for spurring waterworks at just about every high school and college graduation EVER -- but it truly was the end of an era. Unfortunately, it looks like March 8, 2017 will also go down in history.Its been roughly a week since the twelfth season of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia came to a close, which is undoubtedly one of the greatest live action comedies of all time (and longest running). But the closing moments of the finale left fans with a lot of unanswered questions. Canvs, the emotion analytics company, helped TV[R]EV uncover how fans felt about the finale, as well as what it means for the future of the show.It all started with Glenn Howerton -- who plays the severely psychopathic Dennis Reynolds -- when he tweeted to fans five minutes before airtime, resulting in 40.5% of Emotional Reactions (ERs) expressing excitement leading up to the show.
5 mins. till the finale. All will be answered.
— Glenn Howerton (@GlennHowerton) March 9, 2017
And fans were not let down. Within the first few minutes Dennis’ secret life and child was brought to light, and after twelve seasons of persistence, dedication, and a little bit of stalking, Charlie finally managed to hook up with the “waitress.” How did fans feel? 40% of ERs mentioning “waitress” and “sex” expressed crazy, with love prompting 24%.But in the closing moments of the episode, things took an uneasy turn. In an uncharacteristic moment of self reflection, Dennis became intolerant of the gang's usual shenanigans. He expressed his frustration with the group, and officially retired from Paddy’s Pub. Fans immediately flocked to Twitter to converse about the happenings, and 29.9% of ERs expressed crazy, with afraid also sparking 1.9% of ERs.At first I thought “Oh, that’s an interesting story arch,” but after reading a recent interview with Glenn Howerton and The Wrap, it seems like my worst nightmare might come true. The show will, at the very least, be taking an extended hiatus, and Howerton is unsure if he will even return. Despite the current question marks, the show was already signed on for another two seasons. And according to iSpot.tv, the attention analytics company that measures audience reach, viewer attention and actions from a panel of 10 million smart TVs, FXX is most likely crossing their fingers that the relationship continues.Not only does the show have a solid stable of advertisers across industries, but it also provides a prime opportunity to promote other shows on the back of a loved and trusted program, with 23.2% of impressions going to TV networks.
And the best part? Fans are even glued to the tube during the commercial break, with. 81.8% of advertisements viewed from the third quartile to completion.
Fans also keep coming back for more, with 21.8% of impressions coming during a 3 day time shifted period (DVR or VOD).
With the show being a certified fan favorite, and the numbers proving that, it looks like all anyone can do is keep their fingers crossed for the full cast to reunite whenever season 13 comes around. Lets hope everyone comes to their senses.