FX orders a fourth series

Zach Galifianakis’s dark comedy series Baskets has been renewed for a fourth season.

In it, the comedian plays both failed clown Chip Baskets, who fails to get a degree at a prestigious clowning school in Paris and winds up stuck with a job at a California rodeo, and his twin brother Dale.

Galifianakis created the show with showrunner Jonathan Krisel and Louis CK, but ties with the latter were severed for the third series after stories of his sexual misconduct emerged.

Eric Schrier, president of original programming for FX Networks, which airs the show in the US, announced the news tonight.

He said: ‘Baskets continues to deliver thanks to the dream creative team led by Jonathan Krisel and Zach Galifianakis, and we couldn’t be happier to order a fourth season to air next year.

‘Each season brings us closer to the Baskets family and their pursuit of life, love and clowning glory. Our thanks to the producers and the cast for making Baskets such a joy to watch.’

The cast also includes Louie Anderson as Chip & Dale’s mother Christine Baskets, and Martha Kelly as Chip’s only friend, Martha. 

Season three launched on FX with 540,000 viewers in January, sliding to 310,000 by the final episode in March, but has won largely favourable reviews.

The comedy has aired on the Fox digital channel in the UK.

Published: 24 May 2018