Sonny with a Chance season 1
Sonny with a Chance | |
---|---|
Season 1 | |
No. of episodes | 21 |
Release | |
Original network | Disney Channel |
Original release | February 8 November 22, 2009 | –
Season chronology | |
The first season of the television series Sonny with a Chance aired on Disney Channel from February 8, 2009 to November 22, 2009, and included 21 episodes. It introduces the six main characters of the series which are Sonny Munroe (Demi Lovato), Tawni Hart (Tiffany Thornton), Chad Dylan Cooper (Sterling Knight), Nico Harris (Brandon Mychal Smith), Grady Mitchell (Doug Brochu), and Zora Lancaster (Allisyn Ashley Arm).
Recurring cast members and guest stars this season include Michael Kostroff, Nancy McKeon, Vicki Lewis, Kelly Blatz, Selena Gomez, Eden Sher, G. Hannelius, Daniel Roebuck, Steve Hytner, Robert Adamson, Christina Moore and Jeff Dunham.
Production
[edit]Episode taping began on September 15, 2008 and ended on March 23, 2009. Episodes were taped on Stage 11 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California.
Opening sequence
[edit]The opening sequence (which slides in from the top of the screen at the end of the teaser scene) begins with a shot of a ringing telephone, which Sonny picks up. After getting the call from Hollywood to appear on So Random! while running late, she screams into the phone, drops it and quickly packs a suitcase. The background suddenly changes from Sonny's bedroom to an airplane headed to California (though this portion contradicts a statement in the pilot episode by Sonny's mother Connie that they drove from Wisconsin to California). It continues by showing Sonny in L.A., then showing shots of the other characters (Tawni, who does a quick shine of a star with her picture on it; Chad looking out the window in the back of a limousine; Grady and Nico messing around; and Zora, atop of a mechanical monster machine she is controlling). The sequence ends with the entire cast walking together then stopping and posing, which then switches to Sonny walking next to the show's title logo where she knocks it into place, timed exactly while Sonny says "Yow!" just before the theme ends, in a manner similar to the end of the That's So Raven opening titles.
Episodes
[edit]No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
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1 | 1 | "Sketchy Beginnings" | David Trainer | Michael Feldman & Steve Marmel | February 8, 2009 | 101 | 4.1[1] |
After a funny video she posted online goes viral, Wisconsin teenager Allison "Sonny" Munroe is offered a role as the newest cast member for her favorite TV show, a sketch comedy called So Random! Her first day on set, Sonny meets her fellow castmates - eccentric middle schooler Zora Lancaster; dim-witted, fun-loving best friend duo Nico Harris and Grady Mitchell; and high-strung, conceited diva Tawni Hart. Tawni finds Sonny's charisma and talent to be an imminent threat to her own spotlight, and the two struggle to get along. This inspires Sonny to create her very first sketch, in which she writes a rap venting her frustrations towards Tawni. So Random! sketches:
Absent: Sterling Knight as Chad Dylan Cooper, as he wasn't introduced until the second episode which aired immediately after this episode. | |||||||
2 | 2 | "West Coast Story" | David Trainer | Michael Feldman & Steve Marmel | February 8, 2009 | 104 | 4.0[1] |
Sonny meets Chad Dylan Cooper (Sterling Knight), "teen heartthrob" and star of popular drama series Mackenzie Falls, and is starstruck until she learns that Mackenzie Falls and So Random! have been rivals ever since Chad mocked So Random! in his acceptance speech at an awards show. Sonny decides to hold a peace picnic to dissolve the rivalry, but after this backfires, she challenges Mackenzie Falls to a Musical chairs competition, in which the losing show will have to say something nice about the winner. Chad ends up losing after Sonny fakes an injury, leading to him then complimenting her acting skills and inviting her to join Mackenzie Falls (which she declines). So Random! sketches:
Guest star: Jillian Murray as Portlyn | |||||||
3 | 3 | "Sonny at the Falls" | Eric Dean Seaton | Phil Baker & Drew Vaupen | February 15, 2009 | 112 | 3.5[2] |
After hearing that Sonny has increased So Random!'s popularity, Chad devises a plan to steal Sonny from them. After Sonny's sketch idea is rejected by her castmates, she turns to Mackenzie Falls for comfort and support. In order to get Sonny back, the So Random! cast dress up as the characters from Sonny's rejected sketch. Sonny is so touched (and angry at Chad's admission that he was using her for ratings) that she joins the So Random! cast again. So Random! sketch:
Guest stars: Jillian Murray as Portlyn and Wendy Worthington as Brenda | |||||||
4 | 4 | "You've Got Fan Mail" | Philip Charles MacKenzie | Phil Baker & Drew Vaupen | February 22, 2009 | 107 | 3.7[3] |
Self conscious that she is the only So Random! cast member yet to receive a fan letter, Sonny writes herself her one pretending to be a boy named Eric. When the show's executive producer Marshall Pike invites "Eric" to meet Sonny, she has to pretend to be him to hide her lie. Sonny later discovers that Tawni has been secretly confiscating Sonny's fan mail, and Tawni, in turn, realizes that Eric is actually Sonny in disguise. In an attempt to expose Sonny, Tawni suggests to Marshall that Eric be brought out onstage after the live So Random! taping. Chad also finds out the truth about Eric, and dons the Eric disguise himself to meet Sonny onstage in order to protect her from being humiliated. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady try and intercept a package meant for Zora. So Random! sketches:
Title reference: You've Got Mail Guest Stars: Brent Tarnol as Josh, the Mail Man. Other references: Sonny, dressed as Eric, paraphrases a line from the song "Blackbird" by The Beatles, by saying 'Time to take these broken wings and fly'. | |||||||
5 | 5 | "Cheater Girls" | Eric Dean Seaton | Dava Savel | March 1, 2009 | 105 | 4.1[4] |
Sonny and Tawni are working on a new sketch called the "Check-It-Out Girls", which they're very excited about. But when Sonny's mother, Connie, finds out that Sonny is failing geometry, she threatens to pull her from the show unless she passes an upcoming test. Tawni encourages Sonny to cheat on the test, which she reluctantly agrees to, but later confesses to when the guilt becomes too much to bear. Marshall then bans the Check-It-Out Girls until both Tawni and Sonny retake and pass the test without cheating. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady buy a snake to impress a pretty girl on the set, but chaos abounds when the snake escapes. So Random! sketch:
Guest star: Michael Kostroff as Marshall, Vicki Lewis as Mrs. Bitterman | |||||||
6 | 6 | "Three's Not Company" | Eric Dean Seaton | Amy Engelberg & Wendy Engelberg | March 8, 2009 | 106 | 3.8[5] |
Sonny is ecstatic when her best friend Lucy visits from Wisconsin, but starts to feel jealous when Tawni begins thwarting all their plans. Lucy later suggests that they attend Chad's birthday party, but Sonny, desperate for some alone time with her friend, lies and claims she was not invited. Tawni tells Lucy the truth and the two go to the party without Sonny. Sonny manages to sneak into the party (having been added to the blacklist after declining Chad's invitation) and make amends with Lucy. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady devise a plan to get revenge on the security guard, Murphy, who keeps stealing their pizza, but things go awry when Murphy lands in the hospital. So Random! sketches:
Guest stars: Eden Sher as Lucy, Steve Hytner as Murphy and Johari Johnson as Clipboard Girl | |||||||
7 | 7 | "Poll'd Apart" | David Trainer | Amy Engelberg & Wendy Engelberg | March 15, 2009 | 110 | 4.0[6] |
Celebrity gossip blogger Sharona targets Tawni, causing the latter's self esteem to drop drastically. When her attempts to confront Sharona are to no avail, Sonny comes up with a Wizard of Oz themed sketch parodying Sharona, portraying her as the "wicked witch of the web." Sharona is offended by this and threatens them if they show up to an upcoming awards show. The Randoms attend anyway, and get revenge on Sharona by wearing the same outfit as her. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady both try to persuade Chad to drive them to the awards ceremony in his new car by bribing him. So Random! sketch: "The Wicked Witch of the Web": A Wizard of Oz parody that makes fun of Sharona and hurts her feelings. Guest stars: Jillian Murray as Portlyn, Elisa Donovan as Sharona and Lily Holleman as Sharona's assistant, Monke | |||||||
8 | 8 | "Fast Friends" | David Trainer | Michael Feldman & Steve Marmel | March 29, 2009 | 102 | 3.2[7] |
When Sonny is interviewed by Tween Weekly TV, Chad uses the interview to make himself look better. When Sonny realizes this, she angrily reprimands Chad and the cameras witness the interaction. The clip goes viral and Sonny develops a reputation as an "out of control diva." When Chad refuses to clear her name, she retaliates by catching him being a jerk via hidden camera. Chad admits that he is impressed, indicating an attraction between the two. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady sort through Tawni's trash to sell it online. So Random! sketch: "Granny Slam!": A fake wrestling match between grandmas played by Nico and Grady; Tawni plays the referee. Absent: Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster | |||||||
9 | 9 | "Sonny with a Chance of Dating" | Eric Dean Seaton | Cindy Caponera | April 12, 2009 | 111 | 4.4[8] |
Sonny is asked out by Mackenzie Falls guest star James Conroy (Kelly Blatz), leading both Tawni (who is James' ex-girlfriend) and Chad (who is developing a crush on Sonny) to become jealous. After his date with Sonny, James' feelings for Tawni resurface and he asks her out instead, leaving Sonny heartbroken. Sonny then convinces Chad to go on a fake date with her to make James jealous, even going as far as to pretend to kiss Chad. James asks for Sonny back, but is dumped by both girls. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady are banned from the cafeteria by security guard Murphy, so Zora offers to be their lawyer, with unsuccessful results. So Random! sketch: "Sally Jenson: Kid Lawyer": Zora mentions this character she played a couple of times when trying to convince Nico and Grady to make her their lawyer.
Mackenzie Falls episode: | |||||||
10 | 10 | "Sonny and the Studio Brat" | Eric Dean Seaton | Amy Engelberg & Wendy Engelberg | April 26, 2009 | 114 | N/A |
Sonny gives a studio tour to an underprivileged girl named Dakota (G. Hannelius) who claims to be from the Children Having A Dream Foundation. It is eventually revealed that Dakota is a stuck-up, stubborn brat who is actually the daughter of the studio's owner, Mr. Condor, and faked the Children Having A Dream foundation so she could meet Chad, as she is not allowed to watch Mackenzie Falls due to being younger than the show's target age demographic. Sonny eventually caves and brings Dakota to "The Basement," a fake nightclub created by Tawni, so she can meet Chad. Mr. Condor arrives and is furious with Sonny for having brought Dakota to a nightclub, as well as Chad for having yelled at Dakota. The club is then revealed to all its attendees to be fake, and Chad has to recompense for his actions by following all of Dakota's orders for a day. So Random! sketch:
Note: "Gnomy the Gnome" was broken by Dakota in this episode but reappeared in "Tales from the House" when Chad said "Start with the gnome." He continued to appear in all other episodes. Demi Lovato's sister, Dallas Lovato, appears as the actress dancing with Nico. | |||||||
11 | 11 | "Promises, Prom-misses" | David Trainer | Dava Savel | May 3, 2009 | 109 | 4.1[9] |
Upset about missing her prom back home in Wisconsin, she asks Marshall if Condor Studios can hold their own prom. When he refuses, the Randoms distract him so they can throw the prom in secret. Unfortunately, Sonny is too caught up in making sure everything goes smoothly to actually enjoy the prom herself. The cast are almost caught by Marshall, but they cover it up by claiming they are practicing for a prom sketch. Impressed by their hard work, Marshall changes his mind and allows them to hold a real prom as a reward. While Sonny is alone and lamenting the fact that she missed her first prom, she is found by Chad, who offers to slow dance with her. So Random! sketches: "The Prom": Marshall guesses that Sonny is thinking of doing a prom sketch when he sees her twirling around in a pretty dress. Sonny and the rest of the cast later actually think of doing a prom sketch. "Princess Girl": This is the dress Sonny wears that angers Tawni. "Mermaid Girl": This is the dress Sonny wears to keep Tawni happy. | |||||||
12 | 12 | "The Heartbreak Kids" | Eric Dean Seaton | Cindy Caponera | May 17, 2009 | 103 | 3.4[10] |
Seeing that they are both lonely, Sonny sets up Marshall with the Randoms' teacher, Ms. Bitterman (Vicki Lewis). The couple are happy together, much to the Randoms' delight, but things take a turn for the worse when Ms. Bitterman begins changing existing So Random! skits and replacing them with unfunny ones, which Marshall, blinded by his affection for her, gladly allows her to do. Sonny enlists Chad's help to break up Marshall and Ms. Bitterman. Chad instructs Nico to scare the two in a Bigfoot costume (inspired by a Mackenzie Falls episode) but the incident just brings Marshall and Ms. Bitterman closer. Sonny then realizes she was wrong to meddle in their relationship and decides to leave them be. So Random! sketches: "Scotland's Top Model": This is the sketch where Sonny, Tawni, Nico are dressed up in kilts and Grady is the announcer. Mackenzie Falls episode "Episode 319 – Bigfoot Gets the Girl" – This is the episode Chad, Nico, and Grady use to break Marshall and Ms. Bitterman up. The episode is about Bigfoot wanting to get this girl, and he scares her boyfriend away to get her. Note: Ms. Bitterman says Davenport, the last name that is used in the Disney XD show Lab Rats. Absent: Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster | |||||||
13 | 13 | "Battle of the Networks' Stars" | Eric Dean Seaton | Michael Feldman & Steve Marmel | June 7, 2009 | 116 | 4.0[11] |
Chad is making an autobiographical movie about his life and hires actress Selena Gomez to play the role of Sonny. However, problems arise when Gomez detects the romantic tension between Sonny and Chad and tries to get them to admit their feelings for one another. This culminates in Gomez storming off set and quitting the movie after she gets fed up with Sonny and Chad's constant arguing, though not before she manages to get the two to allude to having crushes on one another. Eventually, Chad agrees to let Sonny play the role of herself. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady meet a pair of actors who look identical to them, but somehow have much better luck with girls, and enlist their doppelgängers' help in picking up women. So Random! sketches:
Also:
Absent: Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster References made: Camp Rock, Mitchie Torres (from Camp Rock), Jonas Brothers, Robert Feggans, Harry Potter, Wizards of Waverly Place, Lassie, Hannah Montana. Also referenced is Lovato's friendship with Gomez. Note: In the end, Chad tells Sonny and her friends that his movie is on, but it appears to be the same day because they are all wearing the same clothing. Which is strange, because Chad tells Sonny that they will start the next day. | |||||||
14 | 14 | "Prank'd" | Carl Lauten | Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert | July 5, 2009 | 115 | 5.2[12] |
Chad becomes the new host of a reality TV series, Celebrity Practical Jok’d, in which he plays pranks on unsuspecting celebrities, leading the Randoms to become constantly anxious that they will be his next target. When Chad sets up an audition for Sonny for the role of her favorite superhero Fashionita, she grows suspicious that it’s a prank for his show and sabotages the audition on purpose. At the end of the episode, the show is revealed to have been an elaborate prank orchestrated by Zora, the real host of Celebrity Practical Jok’d, for which the first step was leading Chad to believe he was the host of the show. The prank concludes with Chad being glued to the floor and forced to watch in horror as his convertible is filled with elephant manure while the Randoms look along and laugh. So Random! sketches:
Also:
Guest star: Andrew Abelson as Director | |||||||
15 | 15 | "Tales from the Prop House" | Eric Dean Seaton | Dava Savel | August 2, 2009 | 117 | 4.0[13] |
The So Random! finds out that they are being evicted from the prop house, which will subsequently become Mackenzie Falls' meditation room. The Randoms fight for their prop house back and eventually succeed, while Chad buys them all gifts to apologize, admitting that he didn't realize how much the prop house meant to them. So Random! sketches: "Dolphin Boy (from Episode 1)": The story of "Dolphin Boy" who is half-dolphin and half-boy. "Annoying Girl": A girl who always annoys the people around her. "Check It Out Girls: First Fight": A continuation of the "Check It Out Girls" sketch where they get into the first argument. Guest Star: Jillian Murray as Portlyn | |||||||
16 | 16 | "Sonny in the Kitchen with Dinner" | Linda Mendoza | Danny Warren | August 16, 2009 | 118 | 5.3[14] |
Tawni has a crush on the new Condor Studios intern, Hayden, but enlists Sonny's help in talking to him as she is unused to dating men who aren't wealthy or don't have a celebrity status. Sonny gets the three of them tickets to a Lakers game, but during the game, she and Hayden are caught by the "kiss cam" and pressured into kissing by the audience. This upsets Tawni, but Sonny promises to make it up to her by setting up another date with Hayden. She later finds out that Hayden's ideal type is the exact opposite of Tawni's Hollywood upbringing, but Tawni comes up with the idea to bring Hayden to Sonny's apartment and claim that it's hers, as well as providing him with a "home cooked meal" prepared by Sonny. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady are jealous that Chad has a sandwich on the cafeteria menu named after him, and try to make a sandwich that will impress the cafeteria staff enough to name it after them. Absent: Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster | |||||||
17 | 17 | "Guess Who's Coming to Guest Star" "Sonny with a Chad (alternative)" | Eric Dean Seaton | Michael Feldman & Steve Marmel | September 27, 2009 | 108 | 4.1[15] |
Chad is guest starring on So Random! and, much to Sonny's horror, the two will be acting in a sketch together in which they will have to share a kiss. Chad proclaims that by the end of the week, Sonny will have fallen in love with Chad, as all of his previous female co-stars have. Sonny desperately tries to avoid looking into his eyes to prevent this from happening. Meanwhile, Marshall allows Chad to use Nico and Grady's dressing room for the week, and allows the two to use his office in exchange. However, the two end up abusing their privileges as the new "heads" of So Random!. So Random! sketch:
Also:
Absent: Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster | |||||||
18 | 18 | "Hart to Hart" "Who's the Dummy? (Alternative)" | Eric Dean Seaton | Lanny Horn & Josh Silverstein | November 1, 2009 | 119 | 4.1[16] |
Tawni's overbearing manager forces her to do a "dumb blonde" sketch, which Sonny worries is offensive to women and blondes. She convinces Tawni to fire her manager, but as it turns out, Tawni's manager is also her mother. Tawni stays at Sonny's apartment until Sonny manages to get the two to make up. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady try to get past the new security guard Jeff's ventriloquist dummy Walter (who appears to have a mind of his own) so they can use Chad's private bathroom. Absent: Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster | |||||||
19 | 19 | "Sonny in the Middle" | Eric Dean Seaton | Lanny Horn & Josh Silverstein | November 8, 2009 | 113 | N/A |
Sonny gives Nico and Grady a video game chair for their birthday, which ends in disaster when the two end up fighting over it and end up declaring that they are no longer friends, subsequently trying to hang out with Sonny instead of each other. By the end of the episode, they make up. Meanwhile, Zora manipulates her co-stars into taking her to do various activities. So Random! sketches:
Guest star: Lanny Horn as Howie | |||||||
20 | 20 | "Cookie Monsters" | Eric Dean Seaton | Story by : Cindy Caponera Teleplay by : Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert | November 15, 2009 | 120 | N/A |
Zora wants to break the record for the most Blossom Scout cookies sold, which Sonny enthusiastically helps her with, as she too had been a Blossom Scout when she was younger but failed to earn all of her badges due to failing to pass the CPR test. However, Dakota learns of Zora's plans and tries to foil them out of spite by also becoming a Blossom Scout and trying to break the record, enlisting Chad's help in selling cookies. By the end of the episode, the girls have tied, and one unsold box of cookies remains. When both Dakota and Sonny try goading Chad into giving them the cookies, he panics and eats the whole box, subsequently choking until Sonny performs the Heimlich maneuver on him. Disavowed with the manipulative and deceitful behavior displayed by Dakota, Blossom Scout leader Mrs. Montecore exiles her from the Blossom Scouts and declares Zora to be the record breaker, as well as granting Sonny her Blossom Scout title due to having successfully saved Chad. Meanwhile, Nico and Grady create their own cologne to impress girls, and Tawni becomes a more generous and kind person when she stops looking at mirrors for two days after Zora bet her she couldn't. Title reference: The Cookie Monster from Sesame Street Guest stars: Patricia Bethune as Mrs. Montecore, Madison de la Garza as eight-year-old Sonny (in flashbacks). | |||||||
21 | 21 | "Sonny: So Far" | Eric Dean Seaton | Michael Feldman & Steve Marmel | November 22, 2009 | 121 | 3.8[17] |
Sonny and Tawni make an appearance on the talk show Gotcha! with Gilroy Smith, and are excited until they realize that the eponymous Gilroy is famous for exposing and humiliating his guests. Things take a turn for the worse when Chad joins them, and Gilroy alerts the audience to the growing romantic tension between Chad and Sonny. Absent: Brandon Mychal Smith as Nico Harris, Doug Brochu as Grady Mitchel and Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora Lancaster |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Sergio Ibarra (February 10, 2009). "'Sonny' Lights Up Sunday for Disney Channel". TelevisionWeek. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- ^ Disney Channel weekly ratings highlights – tvbythenumbers.com
- ^ WWE RAW, The Closer and Monk lead weekly cable viewing Posted on 24 February 2009 by Robert Seidman
- ^ WWE RAW, The Closer and President Obama lead cable viewing – tvbythenumbers.com
- ^ iCarly, Burn Notice and WWE RAW top cable charts Posted on 10 March 2009 by Robert Seidman
- ^ WWE RAW, Cars, Hannah Montana and SpongeBob Lead Weekly Cable Viewing – tvbythenumbers
- ^ Kids’ Choice Awards, Penguins of Madagascar and WWE RAW lead cable – tvbythenumbers.com
- ^ "Disney Channel Nielsen Ratings Highlights April 6-12, 2009". April 14, 2009. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016.
- ^ Bulls vs. Celtics, WWE RAW and NCIS lead cable shows Posted on 06 May 2009 by Robert Seidman
- ^ NBA Playoffs, NASCAR and WWE RAW lead cable Posted on 19 May 2009 by Robert Seidman
- ^ Corrected: Burn Notice, Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Royal Pains lead cable Posted on 09 June 2009 by Robert Seidman
- ^ Hannah Montana Tops Cable Shows, SpongeBob Casts A Big, Square Shadow Posted on 07 July 2009 by Bill Gorman
- ^ Updated:The Closer, Burn Notice, Royal Pains Top Week’s Cable Shows – tvbythenumbers.com
- ^ "Disney Channel is TV's No. 1 Network in Total Day and Prime in Target Kid Demos". August 18, 2009. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016.
- ^ Cable ratings: Monday Night Football, WWE RAW, Monk top weekly cable chart – tvbythenumbers.com
- ^ Cable ratings: Monday Night Football, RAW, White Collar and Monk top weekly cable chart – tvbythenumbers.com
- ^ Cable ratings: NFL, Sons of Anarchy, Monk, WWE RAW and White Collar top weekly cable charts – tvbythenumbers.com