So Random! Explained

Genre:Variety show
Creator:Steve Marmel
Developer:Michael Feldman
Opentheme:"So Random!", performed by Brandon Mychal Smith
Endtheme:"So Random!" (short version)
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:26
Runtime:22 minutes
Location:Hollywood Center Studios
Hollywood, California
Channel:Disney Channel
Related:Sonny with a Chance
Based On:Sonny With A Chance

So Random! is an American Disney Channel sketch comedy series that premiered on June 5, 2011.[1] It was announced as an independent series after Demi Lovato left the parent series, Sonny with a Chance.[2] The series features the actors who acted in Sonny with a Chance, besides Lovato: Tiffany Thornton, Sterling Knight, Brandon Mychal Smith, Doug Brochu, and Allisyn Ashley Arm along with other featured actors who recur in the series. The series premiere was watched by 4.07 million viewers.[3]

On May 2, 2012, Tiffany Thornton indicated that the series had not been renewed for a second season and the show was cancelled after only 1 season.[4]

Concept, production and premise

In Sonny with a Chance, Demi Lovato plays the title character, Sonny Monroe, a new member of the cast of the sketch comedy show So Random!, which is presented as a show-within-a-show. The series follows the experiences of Sonny, and the rest of the cast. The full length sketch comedy episode format was played within Sonny with a Chance during season 2 of the series for the Christmas and Halloween episodes. In November 2010, Lovato underwent treatment for "physical and emotional issues," and in April 2011, they confirmed that they would not be returning to Sonny with a Chance for its third season.[5] They stated that returning to acting immediately wouldn't be healthy for their recovery.[6]

Following Lovato's departure from the series, So Random! was introduced as its own series that focused more on comedy skits than Sonny with a Chance. Filming for the season began on January 30, 2011.[7] Each episode features sketch comedy skits with the So Random! cast, as well as a musical performance by a guest star. Originally intended to be a third season of Sonny with a Chance, Disney began to describe the show as a separate series following Lovato's confirmed departure.[2]

Each episode typically consists of five or six sketches. Though it is formatted as a sketch comedy series, So Random! retains the fictional universe style of the sitcom it spun off from, with the main cast members playing both the characters they originated on Sonny with a Chance, in addition to playing the characters appearing in each of the sketches. Such a reference to Sonny with a Chance was made when Grady kept hitting the applause button while trying to open a pickle jar, and Zora goes offstage to tell him to stop. She asks what he's doing, and he tells her that he always has a pickle before the show and can't open the jar. Zora opens the jar without difficulty, horrifying Grady. However, the episode "Miss Piggy" would be the first and only episode to feature backstage scenes where Grady, Zora, and a couple other cast members visit Miss Piggy in her dressing room.

Each episode is typically written by two writers (whereas opening segments and sketches in a traditional sketch comedy series are written by a team of up to twelve writers).

Cast

See also: List of Sonny with a Chance characters.

Main

Image:SoRandomCast.png|thumb|right|The main cast of So Random! circle 34 109 56 Sterling Knightcircle 186 96 25 Tiffany Thorntoncircle 234 128 35 Allisyn Ashley Armcircle 300 75 35 Doug Brochucircle 397 187 44 Brandon Mychal Smithdesc bottom-leftExcept for Demi Lovato, the main cast of So Random! is identical to that of its parent series, Sonny with a Chance.[8]

Recurring

Guest stars and artists

Performers

Participators in sketches

Recurring sketches

Broadcast

The series premiered on Disney Channel on June 5, 2011 and on Family Channel on June 10, 2011. It premiered on July 27, 2011 on Disney Channel (Australia and New Zealand) and on October 31, 2011 on Disney Channel (UK and Ireland).

Video on demand

The series became available to stream on Disney+ on April 3, 2020, however it was listed as "season 3" of Sonny with a Chance, instead of as a separate series. On July 14 of the following year, both series were separated on the platform.

Critical reception

The series's premiere earned mixed reviews. Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the series four out of five stars, writing, "Sonny spin-off offers family-friendly sketch comedy, an excellent choice for families".[18]

Music

Notes and References

  1. The Tween Comedy Series "So Random!," First Made Popular in "Sonny With A Chance," Begins to Air Sunday, June 5 (8:30 P.M., ET/PT) on Disney Channel . . May 16, 2011 . . May 11, 2016.
  2. The Tween Comedy Series "So Random!", First Made Popular In "Sonny with a Chance", Begins To Air Sunday, June 5 (8:30 P.M., ET/PT) On Disney Channel. DOC. The Walt Disney Company. May 16, 2011. May 22, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120402002523/http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2011/SR_051711.doc. April 2, 2012. mdy-all.
  3. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'Pawn Stars,' 'SpongeBob,' 'WWE RAW' Top Weekly Cable Viewing – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers. https://web.archive.org/web/20110609180015/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/06/07/cable-top-25-pawn-stars-spongebob-wwe-raw-top-weekly-cable-viewing/94864/. dead. June 9, 2011. Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. April 23, 2024.
  4. Web site: Tiffany Thornton Talks "So Random!" Memories – Selena Gomez, Helmet Ninjas. clevverTV. YouTube. May 1, 2012. May 12, 2012. June 9, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120609155358/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYz1KNqQ_tU. live.
  5. Web site: Demi Lovato Is Leaving Sonny with a Chance. Sharon. Cotliar. people.com. April 19, 2011. May 22, 2011. July 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200722235911/https://people.com/tv/demi-lovato-leaving-sonny-with-a-chance-on-disney-channel/. live.
  6. News: Stelter. Brian. Demi Lovato Leaves 'Sonny with a Chance'. May 24, 2011. The New York Times. April 19, 2011. New York NY. April 24, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110424160557/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/demi-lovato-leaves-sonny-with-a-chance/?partner=rss&emc=rss. live.
  7. Web site: We Know The Official Start Date For 'Sonny with a Chance' — Will Demi Make It Out In Time? Exclusive!. hollywoodlife.com. January 7, 2011. May 22, 2011. January 2, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192730/http://hollywoodlife.com/2011/01/07/demi-lovato-released-from-rehab-treatment-shooting-sonny-with-a-chance-official-date/. dead.
  8. Web site: So Random!. Disney Channel Medianet. June 11, 2011.
  9. Web site: Aug 14, 2011: Colbie Caillat. So Random! Episodes on Disney. TV Guide. July 24, 2011. October 25, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131025111126/http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/random-2011/episode-9-season-1/colbie-caillat/326242. live.
  10. Web site: Ficarelli. Ricky. Back In Florida!. YouTube. May 24, 2011. May 21, 2011. June 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140615124140/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZl9CuZejDE. live.
  11. Web site: Ficarelli. Ricky. Q & A #11 * !! And MAIL!!. YouTube. August 29, 2011. August 24, 2011. June 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160618154129/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVY0U0-llOw. live.
  12. Web site: Hot Chelle Rae Official Twitter. Twitter. June 18, 2011. January 25, 2016. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930224244/https://twitter.com/HotChelleRae/status/82140800770781185. live.
  13. Web site: Disney Channel and Disney Junior November 2011 Highlights. Peterson. Heather. The Walt Disney Company. 8. October 28, 2011. November 6, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120616173947/http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2011/Disney_Channel_and_Disney_Junior_November_2011%20Highlights.doc. June 16, 2012. mdy-all.
  14. Web site: Justin Bieber to Guest Star on the "So Random!" Christmas Episode. cambio.com. October 4, 2011. October 26, 2011. November 8, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111108234740/http://www.cambio.com/2011/10/04/justin-bieber-to-guest-star-on-the-so-random-christmas-episod. live.
  15. Web site: Tweet 129285887145148417. Twitter. October 31, 2011. Disney Channel PR. October 26, 2011. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930224329/https://twitter.com/disneychannelpr/status/129285887145148417. live.
  16. Web site: (#3??) "Leigh-Allyn Baker and Mia Talerico". Listings – So Random! on Disney. the Futon Critic. November 15, 2011. February 4, 2013. https://archive.today/20130204025626/http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20111028disney21. live.
  17. Web site: Disney Channel and Disney Junior November 2011 Highlights. Peterson. Heather. The Walt Disney Company. 29. October 28, 2011. November 15, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120616173947/http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2011/Disney_Channel_and_Disney_Junior_November_2011%20Highlights.doc. June 16, 2012. mdy-all.
  18. Web site: So Random! – Television Review. Emily Ashby. Commonsensemedia.org. October 11, 2011. October 3, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111003134816/http://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/so-random. live.
  19. Jacob Latimore . September 7, 2011 . So Random! . Disney Channel . July 31, 2011 . 7 . 0:27 . "Ketchup on Everything"; Tomatow Sue and the Posse; Music from So Random! . August 31, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110831004119/http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/sorandom/videos/ . live.

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