Sonny with a Chance

Sonny with a Chance
Format	Teen sitcom Children's/family
Created by	Steve Marmel
Starring	Demi Lovato Tiffany Thornton Sterling Knight Brandon Mychal Smith Doug Brochu Allisyn Ashley Arm
Theme music composer	Jeanne Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman
Opening theme	"So Far, So Great",[1] performed by Demi Lovato
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	46 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Brian Robbins Sharla Sumpter Bridgett Michael Feldman Steve Marmel
Location(s)	NBC Studios Burbank, California (season 1) Hollywood Center Studios Hollywood, California (season 2)
Camera setup	Videotape (filmized); Multi-camera
Running time	approx. 22-23 and ½ minutes
Production company(s)	Varsity Pictures It's a Laugh Productions Disney Channel
Broadcast
Original channel	Disney Channel
Picture format	1080i (HDTV)
Original run	February 8, 2009 – January 2, 2011
Chronology
Followed by	So Random! (2011-Present)
External links
Official website

Sonny with a Chance is an American children's sitcom which aired on Disney Channel, created by Steve Marmel, that follows the experiences of teenager Sonny Munroe, portrayed by Demi Lovato, who becomes the newest accepted cast member of her favorite live comedy show, So Random!.^[2]

The series debuted on February 8, 2009 in the United States. This is the first Disney Channel Original Series to be shot and aired in high-definition from the beginning; like most of Disney Channel's sitcoms, it is shot on tape, but uses a "filmized" appearance. The second season, some scenes are shot on location. The series is one of three Disney Channel Original Series to feature a show-within-a-show, with the others being The Famous Jett Jackson and Shake It Up. The show ended on January 2, 2011 due to Demi Lovato quitting, and is followed by So Random!.^[3][4][5]

Characters

Main article: List of Sonny with a Chance characters

Main characters

The cast of Sonny with a Chance.
(Left to right) Sterling Knight as Chad Dylan Cooper, Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster, Demi Lovato as Sonny Munroe, Tiffany Thornton as Tawni Hart, Brandon Mychal Smith as Nico Harris, and Doug Brochu as Grady Mitchell.

• Demi Lovato as Allison^[6] "Sonny" Munroe

Sonny is a friendly, eccentric and well-intentioned teenage girl from Appleton, Wisconsin who lands a main role on her favorite comedy sketch TV show, So Random!. She is a rising star of the ensemble cast and works hard to be the best comedian she can be. Sonny often tries to solve the on-going feud between the Mackenzie Falls and So Random! casts, especially when she dates the star of "Makenzie Falls," Chad Dylan Cooper. She was Chad's girlfriend as of the episode(s) "Falling for the Falls" until they split in "Sonny with a Choice."

• Tiffany Thornton as Tawni Hart

Tawni is a main cast member of "So Random!" She originally feared Sonny was moving in on her spotlight and acted meanly towards the newcomer. However, after a while, the two become best friends. Tawni is a diva; she loves mirrors, make-up and everything about herself. She is self-centered, but also talented and has a soft side. She is a similar personality as Chad. She only wears Coco Mocho Coco lipstick, as stated in many episodes.

• Sterling Knight as Chad Dylan Cooper

Chad is a teen heartthrob as the star on Mackenzie Falls, the rival teen TV series of So Random!. He is egotistical and quite self-centered. He has a soft side, which he usually only shows to Sonny. He was Sonny's boyfriend as of the episode(s) "Falling for the Falls" until they split in "Sonny with a Choice." As a result of this romance, he started to warm up to the So Random! cast and eventually started to "hang out" with them. It is shown that he still has feelings for Sonny in the episode after they split. In the first season, he was seen as a spoiled, vain young man, but in later episodes, he has changed to be more loving and kind.

• Brandon Mychal Smith as Nico Harris

Nico is a cast member of So Random! who is best friends with Grady. He is always striking out with the girls and has a crush on Mackenzie Falls star Penelope, who constantly turns him down when he asks her out. A running gag throughout the series is Nico jumping into Grady's arms when he gets scared, like Scooby and Shaggy. He is said to have been discovered in a one man band.

• Doug Brochu as Grady Mitchell

Grady is a cast member of So Random!. He is best friends with Nico. Grady is always involved in strange plans with Nico. He is shown to be dull-witted, gullible and immature. He also comes up with very strange conclusions to certain situations. He loves to eat and hates exercising. He claims to be an expert lip-reader, but very often misreads his targets' mouths and comes up with non-sensical sentences. In the episode "The New Girl" he tells Nico that when he's around a girl that he believes likes him, he will turn into a Scotsman named Seamus McGregor. He has a big brother named Grant who is in college and is the leader of his own fraternity.

• Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster

Zora is a cast member of So Random!. She is very smart, mysterious, crazy and clever. She is the most cunning of the 'So Random!' cast and is known as "the weird one". She often pops out of nowhere, surprising her friends. She is somewhat a detective and puts her skills to use in the "So Random" studio. She listens in on her friends' conversations and then shocks them by speaking to them about it later on. She appeared sporadically throughout Season 2. Her infamous hiding spot is the airvent of Sonny and Tawni's dressing room.

Productions

The original working title for the series was Sketchpad!, and the original name for the main character was Molly Munroe. The show's title was later changed to Welcome to Mollywood, and then an article in Tiger Beat stated Lovato would be starring in "Mollywood". The lead character's name was then changed to Holli and the title changed once again to Welcome to Holliwood. The main character's name was later changed to Sonny Munroe, and the show's title was changed a final time to Sonny with a Chance. The name is a play on the words "Sunny with a chance of rain", as heard in weather forecasts, reflecting the many comical situations in which the cast find themselves in each episode.

Sonny with a Chance has a show-within-a-show, So Random!, complete with fully produced sketches. The show's executive producer Brian Robbins previously wrote for and served as an executive producer on the real-life kids sketch comedy series All That and The Amanda Show for Nickelodeon.

Gary Marsh, president of entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide, stated "This series is rooted in one of the core thematic attributes that we stand for, which is following your dreams, there also was the opportunity to do a hybrid show."^[7] The show began production on September 15, 2008 and the first season was taped at Stage 11 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California;^[7] for the second season, the show's production moved to Hollywood Center Studios in Hollywood, California, where The Suite Life on Deck, Wizards of Waverly Place and Jonas L.A. are also taped.

Lovato's departure

It was announced on November 12, 2010 that the third season would begin production without Lovato, due to her recovering from health issues. The series would now focus on the sketch/comedy/music-variety show So Random!, centering around guest stars, sketches, digital shorts, and musical performances, a similar format to Saturday Night Live, but targeted at a much younger audience.^[6][8] Production of the third season began on January 30, 2011.^[9][10]

On April 19, 2011, People.com reported that Demi Lovato would not be returning for the third season.^[11] As a result, the show will be renamed So Random! and focus only on the sketches rather than the behind-the-scenes antics. As a result of Lovato's departure from Sonny with a Chance, the series is the second Disney Channel original series to have its lead actor/actress leave during the series' run (after So Weird), and the fourth Disney Channel series to have a main cast member leave the series during its run (with That's So Raven and Jonas L.A. also included).^[12]

The third season was then turned into its own new series based on its new format.

Shows within the show

So Random!

So Random! is a comedy sketch series that employs most of the main cast. It often causes the cast of Sonny with a Chance to dress in ridiculous costumes, and act out nonsensical situations. This was spun-off to its own series after Lovato's departure.^[8]

Sketches

Main article: List of So Random! sketches

Mackenzie Falls

The enemies of the So Random! group, Mackenzie Falls is a tween drama series featuring comedic overacting. The show is similar to Dawson's Creek and Degrassi, among others. The show's name, Mackenzie Falls, comes from Chad's character's name and the name of the town (which is located near a waterfall). In the seson two episode "The Legend of Candy Face", the cast of So Random! made a parody of Mackenzie Falls titled Mackenzie Stalls, which was set in a bathroom. Minisodes and promos can be seen on the Sonny with a Chance website.

Episodes

Main article: List of Sonny with a Chance episodes

Season		Episodes	Originally aired (U.S. dates)
			Season premiere	Season finale
	1	21	February 8, 2009	November 22, 2009
	2	25	March 14, 2010	January 2, 2011

Theme song and opening sequence

The show's theme song "So Far, So Great", was written by Jeanne Lurie, Chen Neeman and Aristedis "Aris" Archontis, who have each written songs for several artists on Disney-owned Hollywood Records. It is performed by series actress Demi Lovato. The theme is of pop-rock style (the music cues composed by Scott Clausen and Christopher Lee, signaling scene changes and commercial breaks are styled similarly).

A full-length version of this theme was released via the Radio Disney network on March 31, 2009, less than two months after the show's U.S. premiere. The theme song is also featured as a track on the Disney compilation album, Disney Channel Playlist, released by Walt Disney Records on June 9, 2009. It is also available as the 14th track on Lovato's second album Here We Go Again, released by Hollywood Records on July 21, 2009.

Soundtrack

The Sonny with a Chance soundtrack was released on October 5, 2010 via Walt Disney Records.^[13] It was preceded by the single "Me, Myself and Time", which was released on August 3.^[14]

DVD releases

Compilations

Title	Release date	Episodes
Sonny with a Chance: Sonny's Big Break	August 25, 2009 (USA)	"Sketchy Beginnings", "West Coast Story", "Sonny At The Falls", "Cheater Girls", "Sonny In The Middle" (bonus episode)
Bonus features include a never before seen season 1 episode entitled, "Sonny in the Middle". The DVD also includes a Mackenzie Falls season finale short, a collectible card and Demi Lovato's official 2007 audition tape for the series.

Season volumes

DVD Title	Release Date	Episodes Featured	Bonus Features
Season 1: Volume 1: Hello, Hollywood!	AUS: March 3, 2010[15] UK: August 2, 2010[16]	First seven episodes (4:3 versions) "Sketchy Beginnings" "West Coast Story" "Sonny At The Falls" "You've got Fan Mail" "Cheater Girls" "Three's not Company" "Poll'd Apart"	Mackenzie Falls Mini-Episodes
Season 1: Volume 2: So Far, So Great!	AUS: June 2, 2010[17] UK: August 23, 2010[18]	Seven episodes (4:3 versions) "Fast Friends" "Sonny with a Chance of Dating" "Sonny And The Studio Brat" "Promises, Prom-Misses" "The Heartbreak Kids" "Battle of the Networks' Stars" "Prank'd"	Cast Auditions
Season 1: Volume 3: Star On The Rise!	AUS: August 3, 2010 UK: September 13, 2010	Seven episodes (4:3 versions) "Tales From the Prop House" "Sonny in the Kitchen with Dinner" "Guess Who's Coming to Guest Star?" "Hart to Hart" "Sonny in the Middle" "Cookie Monsters" "Sonny: So Far"	Blooper Reel
Season 2: Volume 1: Sonny With a Chance of So Random!	AUS: June 2011 UK: N/A	Eight episodes (4:4 versions) "Walk a Mile in my Pants" "Sonny With a Goat" "Gassie Passes" "Sonny With a Song" "High School Miserable" "Legend of Candy Face" "Random Act of Disrespect" "Gummy With a Chance"	Cast of Season 2 Interview
Season 2: Volume 2: Channy in Love?	AUS: UK: N/A	Ten Episodes (4:6 versions) "Falling for the Falls (Part 1) "Falling for the Falls (Part 2) "Sonny With a Secret" "The Problem with Pauly" "That's So Sonny" "Chad Without a Chance" "My Two Chads" "A So Random! Halloween Special" "Sonny With a 100% Chance of Meddling" "Dakota's Revenge"	Alternate Ending of Sonny With a Secret
Season 2: Volume 3: Up & Down	AUS: UK: N/A	Six episodes (4:2 versions) "Sonny With a Kiss" "A So Random! Holiday Special" "Sonny With a Grant" "Marshall With a Chance" "Sonny With a Choice" "New Girl"	Season 2 Wrap Party

Complete seasons

The complete first season was released on May 7, 2010 in Poland^[19] and Mexico, and on August 26, 2010 in Germany.^[20]

Awards

Year	Award	Category	By	Result
2009	Teen Choice Awards	"Choice TV - Breakout Star Female"	Demi Lovato	Won
	Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards	"Favorite Comedy Show"	Sonny with a Chance	Nominated
2010	Nickelodeon 2010 Kids' Choice Awards	"Favorite TV Show"	Sonny with a Chance	Nominated
	Young Artist Awards 2010	"Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Comedy or Drama)"	Allisyn Ashley Arm	Nominated
	Teen Choice Awards	"Choice TV Show: Comedy"	Sonny with a Chance	Nominated
		"Choice TV Actress: Comedy"	Demi Lovato	Nominated
		"Choice TV Actor: Comedy"	Sterling Knight	Nominated
	Hollywood Teen TV Awards[21]	"Teen Show Pick: Comedy"	Sonny with a Chance	Won
		"Teen Pick Actor: Comedy"	Sterling Knight	Won
		"Teen Pick Actress: Comedy"	Demi Lovato	Won
2011	Teen Choice Awards	"Choice TV - Comedy Actress"	Demi Lovato	Nominated
	Do Something	"TV Star"	Demi Lovato	Won
	Alma Awards	"Favorite TV Actress – Leading Role in a Comedy"	Demi Lovato	Won

International release

Country / Region	Channel	Season 1 Premiere	Season 2 Premiere	Title
United States	Disney Channel	February 8, 2009	March 14, 2010	Sonny with a Chance
Canada	Family Channel		April 5, 2010
United Kingdom	Disney Channel (UK and Ireland)		April 23, 2010
Ireland
Australia	Disney Channel Australia	April 27, 2009	May 10, 2010
	Seven Network (on Saturday Disney)	February 13, 2010	February 12, 2011
New Zealand	Disney Channel New Zealand	April 27, 2009	May 10, 2010
	TV 2	August 15, 2010	TBA
Israel	Disney Channel Israel	July 1, 2010	February 10, 2011	תנו לסוני צ'אנס
France	Disney Channel France	May 13, 2009	September 8, 2010	Sonny
	NRJ 12	January 10, 2010	TBA
Chile	Canal 13 (Chile)	July 12, 2010	September 25, 2010	Sunny Entre Estrellas
	Disney Channel Latin America	May 24, 2009 (Advance) May 29, 2009 (Premiere)	April 18, 2010
India  Sri Lanka	Disney Channel India	May 22, 2009	November 20, 2010	Sonny with a Chance
Paraguay	Disney Channel Latin America	May 24, 2009 (Advance) May 29, 2009 (Premiere)	April 18, 2010	Sunny Entre Estrellas
Uruguay
Colombia
Argentina
Peru
Mexico	Disney Channel Latin America	May 24, 2009 (Advance) May 29, 2009 (Premiere)	April 18, 2010
	Azteca 7	July 15, 2010	TBA
Spain	Disney Channel Spain	June 20, 2009	June 18, 2010
Brazil	Disney Channel Brazil	May 24, 2009 (Advance) May 29, 2009 (Premiere)	April 18, 2010	Sunny entre Estrelas
Portugal	Disney Channel Portugal	June 20, 2009 (Advance) June 27, 2009 (Premiere)	June 25, 2010
Japan	Disney Channel Japan	May 28, 2009	2010	サニーwithチャンス
Germany	Disney Channel Germany	May 29, 2009	September 3, 2010	Sonny Munroe
	Super RTL	November 8, 2009 (Advance) February 27, 2010 (Premiere)	2010
Italy	Disney Channel Italy	June 18, 2009	May 15, 2010	Sonny tra le Stelle
	Italia 1	May 3, 2010	TBA
Poland	Disney Channel Poland	June 20, 2009 (Advance) September 5, 2009 (Premiere)	May 1, 2010	Słoneczna Sonny
Denmark	Disney Channel Scandinavia	August 21, 2009	2010	Sonnys Chance
Sweden				Sonnys chans
Norway				Sonnys sjanse
Latvia				Sonijas Iespēja
Finland				Sonnyn tilaisuus
Estonia				Sonny with a Chance
South Africa	Disney Channel South Africa	September 5, 2009	May 1, 2010
Turkey	Disney Channel Turkey		March 1, 2011	Sonny'nin Yıldızı
Taiwan	Disney Channel Taiwan	September 12, 2009		加油！桑妮
Arab World	Disney Channel Middle East			Sonny with a Chance
Hong Kong	Disney Channel Asia	October 17, 2009	April 3, 2011
Pakistan
Singapore
Malaysia
Philippines
Indonesia
Vietnam
Thailand
South Korea	Disney Channel Korea			유쾌한 써니/기회를 가진 써니
Greece	Disney Channel Greece	November 7, 2009	TBA	Μια Ευκαιρία για τη Σόνυ
	ERT	November 11, 2010
Romania	Disney Channel Romania	December 5, 2009	September 11, 2010	Sonny şi steluţa ei norocoasă
Bulgaria	Disney Channel Bulgaria			Съни на алеята на славата
Hungary	Disney Channel Central and Eastern Europe			Sonny, a sztárjelölt
Czech Republic				Sonny ve velkém světě
Slovakia
Netherlands	Disney Channel Benelux	January 18, 2010	August 27, 2010	Sonny with a Chance
Belgium
Russia	Disney Channel Russia	September 4, 2010	March 6, 2011	Дайте Санни шанс

References

1. ^ "So far so great". http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=10657835&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID. Retrieved April 21, 2010. 
2. ^ Michael Schneider (2008-05-20). "'Mollywood' welcomed to Disney - Demi Lovato to star in live-action series". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986208.html?categoryid=14&cs=1. Retrieved 2008-05-21. 
3. ^ Teen Mag 5:00 PM http://www.seventeen.com/teenmag/sonny-with-a-chance-new-name www.seventeen.com 2011-03-04
4. ^ http://perezhilton.com/2011-03-04-demi-lovato-sonny-with-a-chance-changes-name-to-so-random www.perezhilton.com 2011-03-04
5. ^ http://www.clevvertv.com/tv-show-news/22467/brandon-smith-talks-sonny-with-a-chance-name-change.html www.clevvertv.com 2011-03-01
6. ^ ^{a b} Schneider, Michael (November 12, 2010). "Disney to rework Demi Lovato series". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118027434. Retrieved November 14, 2010. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Kimberly Nordyke (May 20, 2008). "Disney greenlights 'Mollywood'". The Hollywood Reporter 404: 3. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080528095817/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i0a20bf2d051d830ebe1ed2bf32e5392e. Retrieved May 20, 2008. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Disney Channel to Revamp Demi Lovato Series Yahoo!.com
9. ^ Finn, Jessica (January 7, 2011). "We Know The Official Start Date For ‘Sonny With A Chance’ — Will Demi Make It Out In Time? Exclusive!". Hollywood Life. http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2011/01/07/demi-lovato-released-from-rehab-treatment-shooting-sonny-with-a-chance-official-date/. Retrieved January 7, 2011. 
10. ^ Grego, Melissa (November 4, 2010). "Disney Channels Ramp Up Series Episodes By 30 Percent". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/459436-Disney_Channels_Ramp_Up_Series_Episodes_By_30_Percent.php. Retrieved November 5, 2010. 
11. ^ Demi Lovato Is Leaving Sonny with a Chance - People.com
12. ^ Demi Lovato Exits Disney Series: 'I Don't Think It Would Be Healthy for My Recovery' - TVLine.com
13. ^ Sonny with a Chance Soundtrack
14. ^ iTunes Preview Page
15. ^ "From teen wizards to rock stars on Disney". Bribie Weekly: p. 12. January 8, 2010. 
16. ^ Sonny With A Chance: Hello Hollywood - Season 1: Volume 1
17. ^ "Jonas Thrice the Fun". Sunday Herald Sun: p. 4. May 30, 2010. 
18. ^ Sonny With A Chance: So Far, So Great - Season 1: Volume 2
19. ^ "łeb pełen filmów!" (in (Polish)). Filmweb.pl. http://www.filmweb.pl/f493952/S%C5%82oneczna+Sonny,2009/wydanie. Retrieved 2010-04-21. 
20. ^ "Fanartikel-Kalender". SaveDisneyShows.de. http://savedisneyshows.de/merchandising.php. Retrieved 2010-04-21. 
21. ^ Hollywood Teen TV Awards hollywoodtentv.com. Accessed 2010-07-13.

External links

• Official website
• Sonny with a Chance at the Internet Movie Database
• Sonny with a Chance at TV.com
• Sonny with a Chance at TV Guide