Some of the most popular shows on TV tell stories of love and friendship, characters developing and growing and how good people truly are. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (which I shall just refer to as Sunny from now on) takes those concepts and throws them out the window, as we follow the horrible exploits of a group of people who refuse to develop, grow or just be civil to anyone. Starring Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson and from Season 2, Danny DeVito plays degenerate businessman Frank Reynolds.
Sunny started life as a short film by McElhenney and Howerton that featured a man telling his friend that he may have cancer, while the friend is only interested in trying to borrow a cup of sugar for the "shitload" of coffee he just made. This barely-a-film was then taken and turned into a pilot called It's Always Sunny on TV, filmed using a digital camcorder and with no budget to speak of, just a pizza for the cast and crew. Charlie Day made his appearance in the pilot, and the three of them sent it around to executives where it was eventually picked up by the FX Network.
The show is known for it's outrageous humour, rivalling that of South Park creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone. We follow "The Gang", five self-serving friends who own and operate a run-down bar called "Paddy's Pub". The gang is made up of twins Dennis and Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds, Mac, Charlie and Danny DeVito plays the twins' rich but "fringe" father Frank. Many credit the addition of DeVito at the beginning of Season 2 as being the pivotal moment for the show, saving it from cancellation, and he works so well in it. Every member of the gang is alcoholic, egotistical and vengeful which they demonstrate time and time again. Just as you think one member might have learnt a lesson from their pretty much criminal misdeeds, they go and return to their usual degenerate ways even at the cost of their own happiness.
There are recurring and in jokes scattered throughout the show, like the fact that not a single member of the gang can remember the Waitresses name. Even Charlie, who has been in love with the girl since they were young. There's Wolf Cola, Chardee Macdennis (the game of games) and their continuation of the Lethal Weapon series of films (blackface and all).
Since its premier episode all the way back in 2005, Sunny has garnered itself a huge cult following and is now tied for the longest running American sitcom of all time since it was renewed for its 13th and 14th seasons. The commitment doesn't just come from the fans, as McElhenney himself is probably the most committed of all. He has gone from "skinny twink" Mac in the early seasons, to "Fat Mac" and now "Fit Mac" in season 13. He reportedly ate nothing but chicken and rice in vast quantities for months in order to gain the weight we see on screen, and yes that's all real baby. While the guys may come across as being permanently pissed on screen, none of the cast are even allowed to drink on set.
If you binge watch Sunny on Netflix like I often do, you might have missed the hidden audio message at the end of each episode. As the guys' production company logo comes on the screen, you can hear a garbled message. Play it backwards and you get a secret message from the guys, surprise!
Oh, and then there's The Nightman Cometh. What starts as a glue fueled song written by Charlie, possibly about him being molested by his uncle as a kid, soon grows into a full blown musical in a bid to win the waitresses heart. The gang even took the show on the road in real life, performing the full musical in several US cities in September 2008. Man, I wish I could have seen that.
If you're a fan of subversive humour, then I can't recommend this show enough. I must have watched the entire series in its entirety at least half a dozen times over the past couple of years. What do you think about the gang's misadventures? Let me know your thoughts and feelings down in the comment section, and I'll see you down there. Season 13 has just begun airing, so now is the perfect time to get caught up with gangs mishaps. As always, make sure to follow me for the latest Technology, Internet and Pop Culture updates and until next time, remember: we don't know how many years we've got on this Earth, so let's get weird with it!
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Sources:
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Always_Sunny_in_Philadelphia)
20 Crazy Details Behind The Making Of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (https://screenrant.com/always-sunny-philadelphia-behind-scenes-details-making-trivia/)
All images are copyright of FX Networks