It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

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  • Title: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Seasons 1 & 2
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“You assholes are going to hell.”
“We’ve thought about it; we’re willing to roll the dice.”

Imagine the worst people you know.  Now imagine they own Paddy’s Irish Pub in Philadelphia, hang-out together, and get themselves in wacky situations every week.  That, in a nutshell, is the premise of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

>“The Gang” consists of Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Deandra “Dee” Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), and their friends Mac (Rob McElhenney) and Charlie (Charlie Day).  Frank Reynolds (Danny Devito), Dee and Dennis’ father, joins the cast in Season Two.  Their misadventures are always properly titled (such as “The Gang Gets Racist,” “Charlie Wants an Abortion,” “”Charlie Got Molested,” “The Gang Goes Jihad,” “Mac Bangs Dennis’ Mom,” and “The Gang Exploits a Miracle”).

Whether it’s Mac trying to pick up chicks at an abortion rally, Charlie faking cancer and alcoholism to get closer to the coffee shop girl (Mary Elizabeth Ellis), Mac and Dennis finding a dead man in the bar and pretending to know him to score his hot granddaughter (Lindsey McKeon), the gang opening up the bar to high school students – to help them learn about drinking in a safe environment, exploiting a miracle and public office for profit, or turning a community kids basketball league into mindless brutality, the gang’s adventures are always memorable (though hardly ever forgivable).

It’s not for everybody.  You might need a bit of a cynical streak and a dark sense of humor to respect the show, but if that’s the case then I highly recommend this set to you.  There’s tons of laughs and quite a few memorable moments (I haven’t even mentioned Dennis’ Nazi grandfather, Mac’s transgenered lady friend (Brittany Daniel), or the hilarious take on steroids, street fighting and boxing in “Hundred Dollar Baby”).  It’s too bad a show this wrong (and this funny!) isn’t getting the viewership it deserves.  With shows like this and Rescue Me FX is making network television in general, and FOX in particular, look unimaginative and unimportant.

Also worth noting – new third season episodes begin running on FX Thursday September 13 at 10:00/9:00.