With a line-up that has featured everything from critic favorite The Americans to The People v. O.J. Simpson to Tom Hardy’s Taboo, FX Networks has a knack for creating acclaimed, award-winning dramas. While its hour-long fare tends to get the network the lion’s share of its attention (and ratings), FX has had its fair share of comedies over the years. While many of its comedies, like You’re the Worst, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Man Seeking Woman, and Archer, have migrated over to its sister network FXX, a new batch of half-hour shows have ushered in a new era of comedy.
Following in the footsteps of Louis C.K.’s on-indefinite-hiatus Louie has been Donald Glover’s award-winning Atlanta, Pamela Adlon’s Better Things, and Baskets. The series is currently enjoying a stellar second season with star and co-creator Zach Galifianakis back in his dual role as Chip and Dale Baskets, joined again by Louie Anderson in his Emmy-winning role as Mrs. Baskets. Apparently, the response has been exactly what FX was hoping for, as the sad clown series was given a season 3 renewal, with two episodes left in season 2.
The announcement came earlier today from the network with a statement being made by FX President of Original Programming Nick Grad, in which he said:
“This year Baskets has solidified its standing as one of the best comedies on television, building on the momentum of its breakout first season that brought critical acclaim and awards. Our thanks to Jonathan Krisel, Louis C.K., Zach Galifianakis and the rest of the creative team, Louie Anderson, Martha Kelly and the full cast and crew for taking us on this journey with Baskets.”
The second season has been going strong, with Chip moving on from having lost his rodeo clown job by running away from home and falling in with a group of transient street performers. Meanwhile, Dale has continued to unsuccessfully court Martha. While both scenarios have afforded the show some of its biggest laughs to date, the series standout continues to be Anderson’s performance as Christine. In many ways, the role makes the series, but not for the most obvious reason. Instead, it’s an example of just how humane and kind the series to all of its characters. Rather than treat the idea of Anderson playing Galifianakis’s mother as a one-note joke, Baskets treats both actor and character with a tremendous amount of respect, making the performance richer as a result.
As such, it’s welcome news to see the series get a third season. It’s a charming comedy that has its own unique style, which means it fits in perfectly with the network’s other comedies.
Next:Baskets Season 2: The Sad Clown Comedy Becomes A True Ensemble
Baskets continues next Thursday with ‘Yard Sale’ @10pm on FX.
