IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA Remains Bright

Article first published as TV Review: ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ – Season 11 Premiere on Blogcritics.

FX’s oldest original sitcom, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, returns this week for its eleventh season on spin-off network FXX. Some shows would start to grow stale after more than a decade on the air, but this one, perhaps in part because of a production schedule that only requires ten fresh episodes per year, has managed to stay inventive and engaging. It pays tribute to long-time fans by keeping the running gags and throwbacks coming, but also finds ways to not make the stories seem repetitive.

Season 11 begins with “Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo,” in which the homemade game the gang competitively tears each other apart playing re-emerges as they try to sell it to an executive. Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Dennis (Glenn Howerton) defend their title from Charlie (Charlie Day) and Mac (Rob McElhenney), as Frank (Danny DeVito) tries to put his spin on it. As you expect, things get out of hand and go horribly wrong, which our core group of characters seem completely unaffected by.
The chemistry between this ensemble is one of the best on television, finely honed after many years together. While the people they play are almost always trying to get a leg up on the others, the performers themselves mesh together beautifully, each allowed plenty of time to shine, never stepping on top of one another in the name of a good joke. They seem completely at ease and in their element.

“Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo” is enhanced by the presence of Andy (Andy Buckley, The Office), an outsider who participates with the group. For brief moments, viewers might wonder why Andy goes as far as he does in the service of the competition, but usually one is too distracted by the zaniness around him to notice, and I love seeing a fresh outsider tossed into the mess that eventually shocks even him. Plus, the half hour wraps things up nicely with no further explanation needed.

The inside jokes among the gang are communicated well enough that most of the audience at home will feel included, not excluded. When a beer bottle becomes a puzzle, it’s funny because we’re familiar with the characters and how they relate to one another, even if someone who has never seen the show before might be confused. Even if you are a first-time sampler, though, this half hour is plenty humorous enough, providing a nice example of the show’s style, to hook you in and entertain you.

For the deeper fans, there’s a chuckle when we’re reminded that Mac finds Dee disgusting, even though Olson and McElhenney are married in real life. The chemistry of the group only works because of the revulsion, though. If any of the guys ever wanted Dee, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia would fall apart, so Olson plays her just despicable enough to hang with the guys, who each are awful in their own way. Except maybe Charlie. Sort of.

Week two, “Frank Falls Out the Window” is even more for the fans, as the events from several season two episodes are revisited. Frank did not join the cast until season two, and with a somewhat clever twist on a television trope, updated for the raw edginess of It’s Always Sunny, his origin plays out again. I won’t spoil exactly what’s going on,  but it did make me want to pull out my DVD and rewatch some old installments.

If I have one complaint about the show, it’s that only seasons five through eight have been released on Blu-ray. The older and the more recent episodes are sold exclusively in standard definition DVD, which seems a waste when the show airs in HD.

While I have only viewed the first two episodes of season 11, it seems to me that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has returned exactly on the level I wanted it to, still lots of fun, and still surprising me when I think I have it all figured out. The show premieres Wednesday on FXX.

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA "Broke Dee"

Review first published as IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA Review Season 9 Premiere on Seat42F.

The new FXX network brings us the season nine premiere of IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA this week. Entitled “The Gang Broke Dee,” the episode begins with Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson) at what is perhaps her lowest point to date. She completely doesn’t care anymore, is unwashed, and won’t even fight back when the guys pick on her. In short, she’s most definitely broken.

We don’t see how Sweet Dee got broken directly in “The Gang Broke Dee.” One can assume, after having viewed eight previous season of the series, it all just got too be too much for her. Last year, especially, they were cruel and merciless to her, treating her like a little, unwanted sister. A person can only take so much of this kind of brutality, even one as hardened and blindly self-involved as the inappropriately nicknamed “Sweet” Dee.

It’s hard to feel sorry for her, as a fan of the show, though that’s not the point anyway. After all, we’ve seen Dee be horrible to the boys, too. There is a little bit of a protection instinct that says she’s the girl and so should be treated more gently. However, part of the premise of IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA is that these are heartless people who care for no one but themselves. As such, Dee likely deserves this state, and if she really wants to improve, should remove herself from the negative environment.

The gang isn’t completely without soul, and do come up with a plan to fix Dee. Actually, two separate plans. Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), and Frank (Danny DeVito) want to put Dee on stage and encourage her to do standup comedy, a dream of hers she has been unable to accomplish. They figure since she isn’t self-conscious in this mood, she won’t get nervous and puke. Whether she’ll be funny or not remains to be seen, but at least she has a chance, and maybe the guys can get people laughing, even falsely, to boost her self-esteem.

Dennis (Glenn Howerton), on the other hand, thinks his twin is too far gone to be salvaged and should be pawned off on some pathetic guy as a wife to take care of, thus removing the responsibility of caring for Dee from himself and the rest of the gang. He searches high and low for many unworthy suitors, and brings a couple to meet Dee.

Dee, not caring at this point, agrees to both plans, though one is a lot more successful than the other.

I absolutely love the premise of “The Gang Broke Dee,” showing what happens when the characters go too far towards one of their own. I love seeing Dee begin to heal, even if that means she turns into her mean self again. Each of the actors, especially Olson, who really gets to shine this week, handles the installment amazingly, creating some very funny stuff with impeccable timing.

Most of the way through “The Gang Broke Dee,” though, I got a bit bored for a moment. I thought I had figured out the predictable ending of the episode, and while I still enjoyed watching, I assumed the writers had gone with the most logical next step.

Then, there is a huge twist that will make you sit up and pay attention, both very clever and natural-feeling, for the most part. Even the couple of leaps one must make to arrive there are totally worth it for the joke. The finale of the episode is exactly why I and so many others love IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA: this cast of characters has no lows they will not go to, and just when you think you’ve lowered the bar enough for them, they shatter expectations again. Fantastic.

This also leaves open the possibility for a second “broke” member of the gang going into the second episode, though I haven’t watched ahead to see if the show follows up on the promise. It would be cool if they do, but completely acceptable if they do not.

“The Gang Broke Dee” is everything you want in a SUNNY premiere, a chance for one of the players, Dee this time, to come to the center in a new and neat way, and there is a lot to laugh at. IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FXX.

It's Always Sunny plays out nightmares

This week, FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which recently began its eighth season, celebrates Halloween with "The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre." Maureen (Catherine Reitman) is getting married, and Dennis (Glenn Howerton) crashes the ceremony to make sure that she goes through with it, so that he won't have to continue paying her alimony. The rest of the gang comes, too, some to support Dennis, others who want to ruin things so that he will stay miserable. But what they don't count on is encountering the McPoyle clan, who soon begin acting like a hoarde of zombies.

I am not a fan of the McPoyles. I love It's Always Sunny greatly, but sometimes it ventures into a territory a little too gross for me. This includes pretty much every instance in which the incestuous clan shows up. Thankfully, they've done only a few episodes in the past eight seasons, but as I believe I am in a minority opinion here, it's inevitable that they return.

This time, however, I feel like the McPoyles are used correctly. It's hard to watch them being sweaty and gross, but considering the point of "The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre" is to be creeppy and scary, it works well. Who wouldn't be terrified trapped at a wedding in the woods with a bunch of inbred hillbillies? No one would want to be eaten, or have sex with, any of this group.

And the fake-out blowjob bit between Liam (Jimmi Simpson) and Ryan (Nate Mooney) is funny.

As things go from bad to worse, told in a series of flashbacks at the police station, Dennis not only ends up fleeing after ill-advised sexual relations, but Dee (Kaitlin Olson) attacks Charlie (Charlie Day) and Mac (Rob McElhenney), and Frank (Danny DeVito) is sort of behind all the trouble. They all get away with their terrible actions, consequence free, as always, because they don't do anything illegal. But one has to admit that, even when they stay within the confines of the law, what they're doing isn't right. This will surely catch up with them some day, a la the Seinfeld finale, only hopefully better executed.

The Mac / Charlie / Dee sequence is my favorite part of the episode, especially when the truth behind Dee's attack is revealed. Mac and Charlie are pure bozos, and it's hard to believe how believable it is that they would wreck her car and think they could lie their way out of it. Priceless comedy gold!

The only thing that really rings hollow in "The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre" is why Liam is marrying Maureen in the first place. She has fixed the dead tooth and gotten new, big boobs, so she's way too attractive for the very gross Liam. Liam is definitely still in love with Ryan, so it makes little sense that he would want to marry her. And while I won't say that Maureen can do better, as she is still as weird as ever, and improving her look can't fix that, why would she want Liam? There is no chemistry and no reasonable explanation for the union. This would have been an easy fix if only Maureen had invited Dennis to the wedding, going through with the whole thing just to make him jealous, which he does become on his own, temporarily.

Overall, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia remains a great series. This is a serviceable episode with some fantastic moments, though perhaps overall falls a little short of some other installments. But week in and week out, It's Always Sunny makes me laugh, and any series that can do that is worth watching.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

It's Always Sunny in the seventh season

FX has recently released It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia The Complete Season 7 on DVD and Blu-ray. Included in the two disc set are all thirteen episodes of last fall's run, as well as a few special features.

Like a demented Seinfeld, where the characters live with little class and care even less about one another than in the popular network sitcom, It's Always Sunny has been amusing for years, and continues to deliver the same high quality as it ages. Season seven is fantastic, slightly playing off of pop culture, like when they visit the real Jersey Shore, but more often than not, just trying to outdo one another in ways that end up with no one winning, and with familiar recurring characters and callbacks to past seasons.

It's hard to pick favorite episodes from this stellar lineup, as they are all so good,  so here's what is included in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia The Complete Season 7:

• "Frank's Pretty Woman" Frank (Danny DeVito) is dating a crack-addicted prostitute. The gang worries this will make them become known as the "gross group" (too late), but are too lazy to put any real effort into making her over. Charlie (Charlie Day) tries to help Frank con a new gal, finding that easier than fixing the current one. Oh, and Mac (Rob McElhenney) has gained fifty pounds recently, but is in denial about it. (That's no fat suit; McElhenney is dedicated to the role!)
• "The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore" None of that glamorous reality show crap, the real Jersey Shore is kind of a crap hole, as the gang finds out when they nostalgically travel there as they did when they were kids. Charlie, alone, has the night of his life.
• "Frank Reynolds' Little Beauties" Frank becomes involved in little girl beauty pageants. The more he tries to not to act child molest-y, the creepier he gets. The rest decide to use try to use his position to coach their way to victory.
• "Sweet Dee Gets Audited" Dee (Kaitlin Olson) finally reveals the real reason she served as a surrogate last year, and the boys try to turn the bar into a democracy until dirty, dirty politics ruin the system.
• "Frank's Brother" Told in flashback, we get the tale of Frank and his brother, Gino (Jon Polito), running a bar in the 1960's and '70's, and fighting over the lovely Shadynasty (Naturi Naughton).
• "The Storm of the Century" With serious wind and rain on the way, Dee tries to get the Y2K bunker she stocked back in shape, as it isn't really useable. The guys go out in search of supplies, but Dennis (Glenn Howerton) is more concerned with luring women back to the hideaway than preparing for the worst.
• "Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games" The foursome are bored, so they revive an old game they invented, not remembering the reason that they haven't played it in so long. Practically self-contained, letting the cast just play off each other as they do best, personalities clashing and yet complementing all at the same time, this installment is a true gem.
• "The Anti-Social Network" Promoting one's pub on facebook is a good idea. Stalking people who offend you online, not such a good idea.
• "The Gang Gets Trapped" Indiana Jones searched out treasures in a remote cave. The gang looks for valuables in someone's house, and aren't too happy when the family arrives home early.
• "How Mac Got Fat" Mac sits in a confessional and lets the priest in on the secret of his huge weight gain, without taking any personal responsibility himself, of course.
• "Thunder Gun Express" The President is in town, which means major traffic jams. This isn't welcome, as the gang would like to see a movie. Soon, they are all scrambling any way they can to make it across town by showtime, every man for himself!
• "The High School Reunion" In the two part finale, each member of the group tries to rewrite their past by making new identities at their high school reunion. When the popular kids refuse to let this happen, our favorite losers declare war.

This last hour shows just how little these characters refuse to change, being the same as they were as teenagers, and for people who like entertaining television, this is a good thing. No matter what they are doing, and who they screw over, the laughs keep coming, whether from hilarity or disbelief. How they are acting is really working for them, as a show, and hopefully they will continue to do it for a long time to come.

Special features include a blooper reel, commentary on certain episodes, and Artemis (Artemis Pebdani) giving a tour of the city. I wish there was a bit more, but It's Always Sunny is merely a cable sitcom, and the jokes stand well enough on their own. Seven seasons in, those who wants to know what goes on behind the scenes already do. I guess it makes sense for the bonus features to begin to dry up at this point, even though previous sets were much richer in this regard.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia The Complete Season 7 is on sale now. And check out new season eight episodes, currently airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing.com

"The Storm of the Century" hits It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

     With media hype about every hurricane growing more and more ridiculous, it isn't surprising that FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia chooses such a topic to tackle in "The Storm of the Century." While note on the coast, Philadelphia is close enough to suffer from some serious wind and rain should such a storm make land fall. In last night's episode, the city was in a panic, preparing for the worst. The gang ventures out to get supplies, intending to party in the bar, and if needed, head to the bunker in the basement to ride out the disaster. Of course, along the way, they create much of the problem themselves.

     It's Dee's (Kaitlin Olson) idea to use the bunker, which they built for Y2K, and everyone knows how that turns out. She is surprised to see it is no longer in good shape, and sends the guys out to restock it. Except for Frank (Danny DeVito), who is too slow to get away from the crazy lady. While Dee frets and freaks out, the guys take things relatively calmly, likely heading to the store as much to get away from Dee, as to actually accomplish their missions.

     But the characters are nothing, if not adaptable. Upon arriving at the market, only Charlie (Charlie Day) keeps to the original purpose, gathering funny clothing and a hatchet. Which infringes on Dennis's (Glenn Howerton) goal to get women to come back and party (and have sex) with them. Dennis doesn't need to be any creepier than he already is around women, and Charlie's insistent mentioning of a bunker, as well as general look, makes them seem more scary. At least Dennis is honest about his motivations, angrily sending two girls away when they reveal they have boyfriends. They probably only talk to Dennis as long as they do because he owns a bar, and hey, you don't pass up free booze! And those are just dumb, young bimbos. Dennis's dream weather girl is far out of his league.

     Mac (Rob McElhenney) continues his mission this season to get as fat as possible. Going into the store searching mainly for food, he has no problem leaving his friends to make sure the edibles make it back to the bunker. It's a sad development for the character, whose portrayer decided that packing on weight for real this season would be funny. Olson, McElhenney's real-life wife, must be an incredibly patient woman. But it's not entirely out of character for Mac to do this, either. The characters in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia care only about themselves, and in Mac's case, food for himself. Tubbo needs to get back in shape, and he will, when he realizes that he is danger because of his declining health.

     As "The Storm of the Century" approaches, even finding supplies and hunkering down proves impossible for this motley crew. Frank shoots Rickety Cricket (David Hornsby, How to Be a Gentleman) in the hand when they find him lurking in the basement. Charlie, Frank, and Dee start a riot in the store after an injured Cricket drives their car through the front windows. And, it doesn't even matter, because "The Storm of the Century" proves to be a light drizzle. Which will in no way make the gang feel guilty for what they've done. They have no guilt and no shame. That's just who they are. And their comfort in their own skin is why, even as detestable as these characters are, we keep tuning in week after week. That, and they are positively hilarious.

     It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To catch up on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with streaming episodes and DVDs, please click here.

Blu-ray Review: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia The Complete Season 6

     Now available on Blu-ray and DVD is FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Complete Season 6. The two disc set contains all twelve episodes of another very funny season, as well as a wealth of extras. The stories in season six tend to run longer than in previous seasons, with some plots stretching for multiple episodes or the entire season. But there are also the shorter adventures more common for the show.

     Season six finds the gang getting into some humorous trouble, just as the past five years have. But some of the situations they get into here have lasting consequences. This season begins with most of the gang contemplating marriage after Mac (Rob McElhenney) learns that Carmen (Brittany Daniel) is now a woman, and engaged. Dennis (Glenn Howerton) marries a girl he liked long ago, but soon regrets the decision. Frank (Danny DeVito) and Charlie (Charlie Day) pursue the idea of a gay marriage without sex. None of these work out, and it isn't long before the group reverts to status quo, though Dennis is still stuck playing alimony.

     This year, the main characters are looking to better themselves, though those familiar with the series know that is unlikely to ever happen. Dee (Kaitlin Olson) works at a school for a while, and Charlie soon joins her as a janitor. They do okay until they expose the students to their friends, and both are soon out of a job. Dee is also pregnant, but won't say who the father is, driving the guys crazy as they try to figure it out. I'll refrain from spoiling the surprise as the paternity is not revealed until the season finale, but it's unexpected, for sure.

     Besides these longer stories, there are some of the stand alone stories that are standard for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In these episodes, the gang buys a boat, looks for a pool, and gets lost in the woods. Each is humorous in its own right, and there isn't a disappointing entry in this entire season.

     Among the many extras included on this release are the expected deleted and extended scenes, bloopers, and four audio commentaries on select episodes. FX has kindly included the "pilot" of Wilfred, to introduce fans of this series to another on the network. There are also three minutes of Jack Kelly's late night legal show.

     For some of the other bonuses, the gang gets extra creative. Three episodes of Dennis and Dee's podcast, about four minutes in length, are included, as is a 15 minute cut of the gang's Lethal Weapon 5. If you'll remember, this is the movie they show to Dee's class, and among the offensive things in it are Mac in blackface and a long sex scene starring Frank. The cut on this Blu-ray set is longer than the one shown in the broadcast episode. LW5 has an optional audio commentary track provided by Charlie, Dennis, and Mac--in character--and it may just be funnier than the short film itself. A fourth episode of the podcast is included, too, if your Blu-ray player contains memory.

     On the Blu-ray only, not included on the DVD, is The Sunny Flip Cup Trivia Challenge. This is an addictive interactive game consisting of three rounds of five trivia questions each, based on episodes from season six. After each round, players are given the opportunity to play one of four randomly selected mini-games. They're more complicated than expected, and there are enough different trivia questions to keep your attention for a long time.

     It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia The Complete Season 6 is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen picture, and has English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. This means it looks and sounds as good as anything else on Blu-ray, despite it being so much more low budget than most shows and movies. Why do you need excellent, crisp, clear sound and picture for a sitcom with virtually no special effects? Well, why not? It looks great, the details are vivid, and that allows the viewer to be more fully drawn into the world onscreen. The characters really come alive with such a perfect image. I can't recommend any other format besides Blu-ray when high definition is available.

     New episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia air Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To catch up on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with streaming episodes, Blu-ray, and DVDs, please click here.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Complete Season 6 on Blogcritics.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Frank's Pretty Woman"

     FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (finally!) returns with "Frank's Pretty Woman." Learning that Frank (Danny DeVito) intends to marry a crack-addicted prostitute named Roxy (Alanna Ubach, Men of a Certain Age, Hung), the gang decides to class her up a bit, a la the movie Pretty Woman. After all, they wouldn't want to be known as the "gross" group. But in typical fashion, the guys get bored, and leave Dee (Kaitlin Olson) to finish the job herself. That is, until Dee learns from Roxy that she can make a lot of money doing very little, and considers a career change.

     While Dee is off with Roxy, Charlie (Charlie Day) tries to hook Frank up with a better girl, more worthy of his time. His brilliant plan? Pretend to be a millionaire with Frank as his limo driver. The girl will show up, thinking she is dating "rich" Charlie, and then be ditched with Frank, who she will find in rich in spirit. Of course this doesn't work, but the way it fails is epic. In a very sick way that really could have been left out of the episode.

     The third plot line finds Dennis (Glenn Howerton) attempting to assist a suddenly fat Mac (Rob McElhenney) with his declining health. A doctor visit proves that neither one is in good shape, for completely different reasons. Of course, both try to twist the results to prove they are better off than the other, but the bottom line is, both need a major tuneup in their diet and physical regimes. Not that this is news to anyone who watches the series.

     McElhenney actually did gain fifty pounds before filming this season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, citing fat as funny. That's some real dedication for a sitcom, albeit one of the cleverest, most original works currently on television. The whole think could have potentially been pulled off with a fat suit, but by gaining the weight, McElhenney does lend "Frank's Pretty Woman" some real legitimacy. Let's just hope, for his health's sake, Mac makes a major life reversal soon.

     As to the worry that the gang is "gross," too late; they are. In fact, there are few characters on television as gross as the main staples in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

     Yet, they are also incredibly funny as a bunch of losers who spend their lives in a bar that they own and run. Their hair brained schemes and weird ideas make them more than your typical oddballs. For instance, in "Frank's Pretty Woman," Dennis is really craving some crack. Who, besides an addict, normally does? Not many people. Lucky for him, he knows someone he can get it from - his (sort of) father's hooker girlfriend! This episode, like many, will have viewers almost constantly cracking up at the things the characters say and do.

     The ending of "Frank's Pretty Woman" demonstrates perfectly what kind of people this gang is. Roxy dies of an overdose just as Frank is proposing. They drag her out in the hall, and plan to call 9-1-1 from a pay phone, anonymously. You know, if it's convenient. They certainly don't want to have to worry about answering questions and filling out paperwork. That would inconvenience their (planned?) fun evening, which will surely involve drinking at the bar they own. Never mind that a human life has ended, and one Frank presumably loves.

     The gang doesn't concern themselves with anyone but themselves. They are TV's most narcissistic group since Seinfeld. They especially don't care about their customers, which is probably why there are almost never any in their bar. Just don't ask questions about how they manage to stay open and (barely) support themselves year after year. That would be too much analyzation for a series that doesn't need it.

     Don't miss next week's episode, which finds the gang vacationing at the Jersey Shore. It will involve rum ham, a familiar face, and two very different parties.

     It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To catch up on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with streaming episodes and DVDs, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Frank's Pretty Woman" on Blogcritics.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Is Obnoxious Fun

     It has been nine long months since FX has aired a new episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (there was a Christmas special released on DVD, but way over priced for something so short). I missed the gang at Patty's, and I'm sure many other viewers did, too. That's why it's so nice to have them back.

     The sixth season premiere was entitled, "Mac Fights Gay Marriage," and it vamped on many different types of marriages. Mac (Rob McElhenney) ran into The Tranny, whom he had previously been with, and was glad to discover that she had gotten her male private parts removed. Unfortunately for him, instead of calling him after the surgery, as he had hoped for, she went and got married. And so Mac begins a crusade to break them up, finding a bible and preaching of the evils of homosexuality.

     Frank (Danny DeVito) and Charlie (Charlie Day) learn of this so-called gay marriage, and ignoring Mac's complaints, decide to apply it to themselves. Charlie needs to see a doctor, and so tries to convince roommate Frank to marry him to get on his insurance. Frank is resistant; we eventually find out because he doesn't want to be the girl in the couple, nor does he want to see Charlie as a girl. Here's a little bit of the dialogue:

Charlie: We'd be two cool, straight dudes married together.
Frank: Oooh. Well, I never thought of it that way. Two dudes getting married, that doesn't seem very gay.

     Once he realizes it's just going to be two straight dudes, he doesn't see anything gay about it and is ready to go through with it. I wonder how long this plot will last.

     Meanwhile, Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson), after hearing of Mac's problem, decide that they should be married, and look up a brother and sister they were interested in a long time ago. Dee's crush has gotten fat, but she sleeps with him anyway. Dennis takes it a step forward and takes his girl to the courthouse, where they are soon wed. I assume this new union won't last very long, because next week's episode is called "Dennis Gets Divorced." That's probably for the best, because by the first evening, he was getting tired of her.

     That's what It's Always Sunny does. The main characters are more self-involved than the Seinfeld gang. They act only in their interests, not caring a bit who they hurt along the way. Not a one of the main characters ever exhibits the slightest bit of remorse. Though past mistakes do sometimes come back to haunt them, they always escape those situations unscathed and go right back to what they were doing before, never learning any sort of lesson. The random recurring characters that drift in and out are just as shocked at their behavior as we the viewers are.

     For some people, it's loathsome television. For myself and plenty of other fans, it's hilarious. No, you can't feel for the cast, but you have to see what they're going to do next. Modern television has brought the anti-hero to the forefront of many a series lately, but none quite like this gang from Philly. It's one of the worst sitcoms out there, so bad that it's great. Like a train wreck, it's hard to look away.

     So I suggest you don't fight it. Tune if for new episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Thursday nights at 10pm on FX.


Article first published as TV Review: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Is Obnoxious Fun on Blogcritics.