Claim: Sonny with a Chance debuted in North America.

Sonny with a Chance is an American sitcom created by Steve Marmel which aired for two seasons on Disney Channel from February 8 , 2009 to January 2 , 2011 . The series follows the experiences of teenager Sonny Munroe , portrayed by Demi Lovato , who becomes the newest accepted cast member of her favorite live comedy television show , So Random ! .   The series debuted on February 8 , 2009 , in the United States . This is the first Disney Channel Original Series to be shot and aired in high-definition from the beginning . Like most of Disney Channel 's sitcoms , it is shot on tape but uses a `` filmized '' appearance . The second season , some scenes are shot on location . The series is one of the three Disney Channel Original Series to feature a show-within-a-show , along with The Famous Jett Jackson and Shake It Up . On June 1 , 2009 , TV Guide reported that Disney Channel had renewed Sonny with a Chance for a second season , with Gary Marsh saying `` Sonny was a hit right out of the gate '' . The second season premiered on March 14 , 2010 to 6.3 million viewers , and was reportedly cancelled over a year later on April 19 , 2011 following Lovato 's official departure announcement and Disney Channel 's decision to rebrand the series .   Disney Channel originally renewed the series for a third season on November 12 , 2010 , but Lovato 's role was at an uncertainty at the time after she checked into treatment two weeks prior . No word on whether Lovato would return to her role had been said , and production on the season carried out as planned in January 2011 without Lovato , focusing on the So Random ! aspect rather than behind the scenes . An official name change to So Random ! was announced on April 4 , 2011 , and later that month Lovato announced that she would not be returning to her role as Sonny Munroe , putting an end to Sonny with a Chance . So Random ! premiered on Disney Channel on June 5 , 2011 to an audience of 4.1 million viewers , but ratings soon dropped and the series was cancelled after a 26-episode first season .