It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia saw one of its main characters leave last season, and star Kaitlin Olson (Finding Dory) says they are still trying to get him back.
[SPOILERS FOR THE FINALE OF ALWAYS SUNNY SEASON 12 FOLLOW]
Even if it’s not for the whole season, Olson is holding out hope that her on-screen brother, played by Glenn Howerton (The Mindy Project), makes a return. She doesn’t see how they can do the show without Dennis Reynolds and his lovable, occasionally perverted hijinks.
“We are hoping we can con him into doing at least half, so that he would recur,” Olson said to The Wrap. “There’s no way we’re gonna to do next season with zero Dennis; there just isn’t.” [A spokesperson from Olson clarified that the show is returning regardless]
Howerton has appeared in every episode of the series as Dennis as well as produce and write for the show. His character runs off to be a father at the end of the season 12 finale, which aired in March. Howerton said the option was there for his return at the time the episode aired. Since then, a comedy series starring him and Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille) was greenlit by NBC for the 2017-2018 season.
Olson has appeared in every episode of Always Sunny as well and executive produces and stars in her own Fox sitcom on the side. She hopes that Howerton can just come back and act instead of taking on his other duties.
“I’m still holding out hope that he has enough of a break from [Always Sunny] that it’ll be fun for him to come back and not have to write, not have to produce, not have to do any of that – just come back and act,” Olson said. “That would be a pretty hard thing to pass up because it’s such a fun show.”
Howerton has stepped outside Always Sunny before for recurring spots on The Mindy Project, Fargo and The Cleveland Show, but has yet to take on another leading role in a series.
Meanwhile, Olson can be seen in the currently-airing second season of The Mick, Charlie Day can be seen in Pacific Rim: Uprising in March, Rob McElhenney is set to direct a Minecraft movie for a 2019 release and Danny DeVito just received a Tony Award nomination.
NO EXCUSES HOWERTON!
