TV Review: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
In 2005, Rob McElhenney created the TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s TV-MA, so it is designed for mature audiences. It’s very inappropriate and not made for everyone, so if this doesn’t sound like the show for you, you can stop reading now.
If you’re still reading, the show is a breath of fresh air because it is nothing like a traditional comedy. The characters aren’t fun-loving, good people. The show isn’t filled with moral lessons. It spends time subverting every expectation you’d have for a sitcom. Always Sunny revolves around five utterly selfish people who have outlandish ideas. And with no voice of reason in the group, they constantly pursue these ideas.
There’s nothing more important to a show than its characters, and Always Sunny has some of the best characters that you won’t find in a typical sitcom. Usually, there’s the funny sarcastic one, the smart one, the smooth attractive one, and the two love interests. Now, let’s go through the Always Sunny characters. We have Charlie (Charlie Day), an illiterate degenerate with really no discernible talents. The only difference between him and a homeless man is the small wage he makes from being a janitor in a bar. Dennis (Glenn Howerton) is a borderline sycophant who’s obsessed with himself and refers to himself as a “golden god.” Dee (Kaitlin Olson) constantly attempts to fill the position of the ironic comical character and falls flat on her face almost every time. Mac (McElhenney) is in denial about himself and the way he appears to others, seeing himself as a “tuff” muscular man. Frank (Danny DeVito) is a billionaire who cares about money and very little else – meaning he doesn’t care about his disgusting way of living, his appearance to others, or quality of human lives. When this highly dysfunctional group are on screen together, it’s comedic gold.
Another thing I admire about Always Sunny is that it takes risks in almost every episode. It pushes the boundaries of what’s ok to say. After years of watching shows that recycle the same tasteless jokes, it’s nice to watch a show that just says whatever its writers think is funny. They use the excuse of having the worst possible people as the main cast to their advantage.
In the end, Always Sunny will have you laughing out loud in almost every episode. It’s hilarious and will constantly surprise you. I would recommend this show to anyone who doesn’t get offended easily. Seeing how it’s not the most conventional show, it might take time to get used to. However, once you get into it, it’ll make you laugh harder than any show you’ve seen before.
