Sitcoms grant laughs, but they also double as a character study. You learn what makes the characters beautiful through dialogue and actions.
On the other hand, you have “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia,” which succeeds by doing the opposite. Where sitcoms like the mockumentary “Trailer Park Boys” or animated “South Park” are funny through crime and chaos (but end on a good note), what’s gorgeous about “It’s Always Sunny” is how nothing good happens.
The show follows the shenanigans of five despicable individuals who own and run Paddy’s Pub in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Charlie Kelly, the bar’s janitor, is an impulsive idiot. He’s illiterate, and his “great ideas” are questionable. In heated situations—like failed attempts at romancing a waitress—hearing his voice turn high-pitched is hilarious. He’s arguably the most iconic character and the face of many memes.
His best friend is Ronald “Mac” McDonald, the bouncer. His role comes from his strong appearance, but looks can be deceiving. Thanks to his ego and action-flick fanaticism, he’s lost more fights than he has won.
Deandra “[Sweet] Dee” Reynolds, the waitress, has the most common sense but still mingles with mischief. She defends what she knows is right in scenarios involving women, but that’s unfortunately her morality’s extent.
Her twin brother Dennis, the bartender, is arguably the scummiest member of the gang. His attractive looks hide a narcissistically cruel, hypersexual moron. Even if his seduction works, the aftermath is never pretty. If Dennis is involved, you can safely bet everything will go wrong.
The twins’ stepfather, Frank, is the eldest, shortest, and most unpredictable character, who acts on impulse without regard for consequences. Having once lived the high life, he moves in with Charlie to enjoy being at the bottom again. When he appears, he obnoxiously exacerbates situations and disagrees with everything.
Every episode starts with a premise where something bad happens, and it lingers until it finally explodes in the characters’ faces.
In “Charlie Gets Crippled,” Dennis runs over Charlie, and his injury inspires everyone else to fake disabilities. The episode ends with Dennis driving drunk, crashing into everyone, and giving the gang a real reason to wear casts and neck braces.
During “Mac Is A Serial Killer,” the gang mistakes Mac for a murderer, and they unintentionally give him an intervention in the real killer’s apartment.
“The Nightman Cometh” is unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. Charlie randomly decides to write a rock opera, but the lyrics and story get misinterpreted as sexually explicit. Dennis plays a man dressed in childish pajamas who is repeatedly referred to as a “little boy,” which doesn’t help Charlie’s situation—neither does the fact that the musical was performed in front of an actual audience.
The clever writing gives the impression that “It’s Always Sunny” is playing a game with the audience: predict who will make the stupidest decisions.
Music is also worth mentioning. In each intro, the episode’s name appears on a black backdrop with Heinz Kiessling’s “Temptation Sensation” playing. During the meat of the episodes, other orchestral tracks are used to provide an average day’s vibe. Ironically, it’s never an average day in Philly.
Looking deeper, “It’s Always Sunny” has another trick up its sleeve. The show subtly combines chaos and social commentary. No other episode is a greater example than “The Gang Turns Black.” In this musical episode, the gang gets electrocuted and mysteriously appears black in everyone else’s eyes, leaving them to explore society from the perspective of another race. On the surface, it looks exploitative, but it comments on subjects like police brutality, cultural appropriation, and stereotyping. Other episodes handle topics like LGBTQ+ struggles, depression, and welfare in society.
Thus, “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” is sleazy, but it bears a heart of darkness that makes it unique. It’s surprising how smart the show is when dissected; who would’ve known a show about watching sociopaths act out would leave the audience entertained? Aside from that, it is also the longest running live action sitcom in history, proving that TV shows do not necessarily have to follow the formula of their more traditional predecessors in order to be successful.