The Thinking Man Recommends: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

The Specs

Currently: OFF SEASON
Season 8 Premiere: October 11th 2012

Channel: New Episodes on FX - Reruns on Comedy Central
First Episode: "The Gang gets Racial"
Season 1 Premiere Date: August 4th 2004
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 82
Running Time: 22 Minutes
Starring:
Charlie Day
Glenn Howerton
Rob McElhenney
Kaitlin Olson
Danny DeVito

The Gang gets a TV Show

Series Synopsis

This hilarious and GROSSLY under appreciated series follows the exploits of five amoral degenerates who run Paddy's Pub, an unsuccessful bar in the heart of Philadelphia. Every episode is a new adventure as the gang gets itself into all sorts of ridiculous situations. But be forewarned, this show is not for the easily offended. You can expect everything from foul language to drugs and outright racism (though they make sure to insult all races equally). The gang is always up to something, be it blackmail, welfare scams, or some good old fashioned crack smoking. And they will not hesitate to sell each other out in an instant if the situation calls for it. But whatever they're up too you can be sure of one thing, hilarity ensues.

A Sunny Excerpt: Fan Made Trailer

The Gang gets Actors

Characters

Actor: Glenn Howerton
Character: Dennis Reynolds

Dennis is a co-owner of Paddy's Pub and is the twin brother of Sweet Dee and non-biological son of Frank Reynolds. He is a self described "Golden God" and has a uniquely distorted world view which revolves around himself. He is blatantly narcissistic, selfish, amoral, vain and possibly sociopathic. He is always sure to put his own needs above anyone else and considers himself in the upper class because of his privileged upbringing and ivy league education, even though he is currently just as broke as everyone else who works in Paddy's Pub.

Actor: Rob McElhenney
Character: Ronald "Mac" McDonald

Another co-owner of Paddy's pub, Mac is the son of a former meth dealer and current roommate of Dennis Reynolds. Despite having no athletic ability, he brags about his cat like reflexes and combat skills which have never been demonstrated. He is the self appointed "Muscle" of Paddy's Pub and has a system of Ocular Pat-downs to find the trouble makers and bring them to justice. He is a highly religious Catholic, though he adhere's to none of the Catholic beliefs or practices (except when it's convenient). He also has some sort of venerial disease and gets fat in season 7.

Actor: Charlie Day
Character: Charlie Kelly

Charlie Kelly "King of the Rats" was a co-owner of the bar until he traded away his shares and now works as the janitor taking care of all the dirty jobs. He is also the roommate of Frank Reynolds and is obsessed with the Waitress of a coffee shop whom he stalks regularly. Charlie is the more "colorful" of the bunch and is basically a street person living indoors. He lives in squalor, huffs glue and eats garbage/cat food to survive.

Actress: Kaitlin Olson
Character: Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds

Sweet Dee is the twin sister of Dennis and the non-biological daughter of Frank Reynolds. She is the bartender for Paddy's Pub and is regularly the object of ridicule and cruelty from the others in the gang. She is sometimes the voice of reason in the group but more often then not is eager to worm her way in and take part in their idiotic schemes. She dreams of becoming an actress but is unable to pursue it because of crippling stage freight which causes her to vomit or dry heave on stage. She's also completely untalented.

Actor: Danny DeVito

Character: Frank Reynolds (Season 2-present):

Frank is the craziest member of the gang and carry's a gun at all times. In his former life he was a crooked businessman who made millions off the back of his lowlife business partner. After divorcing his "Whore" of a wife, he left his old life behind and went to go live and hang out with his two kids Dennis and Dee, though they later discover that he is not their biological father. He is now a member of the self described "Fringe Class" and regularly hangs out in sewers and under bridges. He has developed a close relationship with Charlie Kelly and they share a bed in their one room apartment.

A Sunny Excerpt: The Implication

The Gang gets Seven Seasons

Episode Guide

Season 1 (7 episodes) Originally Aired: August 2005 - September 2005 

Episode 1 The Gang Gets Racist
Episode 2 Charlie Wants an Abortion
Episode 3 Underage Drinking: A National Concern
Episode 4 Charlie Has Cancer
Episode 5 Gun Fever
Episode 6 The Gang Finds a Dead Guy
Episode 7 Charlie Got Molested

Season 2 (10 episodes) Originally Aired: June 2006 - August 2006

Episode 1 Charlie Gets Crippled
Episode 2 The Gang Goes Jihad
Episode 3 Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare
Episode 4 Mac Bangs Dennis' Mom
Episode 5 Hundred Dollar Baby
Episode 6 The Gang Gives Back
Episode 7 The Gang Exploits a Miracle
Episode 8 The Gang Runs for Office
Episode 9 Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody's Ass
Episode 10 Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad

Season 3 (15 episodes) Originally Aired: September 2007 - November 2007

Episode 1 The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby
Episode 2 The Gang Gets Invincible
Episode 3 Dennis and Dee's Mom Is Dead
Episode 4 The Gang Gets Held Hostage
Episode 5 The Aluminum Monster vs. Fatty Magoo
Episode 6 The Gang Solves the North Korea Situation
Episode 7 The Gang Sells Out
Episode 8 Frank Sets Sweet Dee On Fire
Episode 9 Sweet Dee's Dating a Retarded Person
Episode 10 Mac Is a Serial Killer
Episode 11 Dennis Looks Like a Registered Sex Offender
Episode 12 The Gang Gets Whacked: Part 1
Episode 13 The Gang Gets Whacked: Part 2
Episode 14 Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City
Episode 15 The Gang Dances Their Asses Off

Season 4 (13 episodes) Originally Aired: September 2008 - November 2008

Episode 1 Mac and Dennis: Manhunters
Episode 2 The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis
Episode 3 America's Next Top Paddy's Billboard Model Contest
Episode 4 Mac's Banging the Waitress
Episode 5 Mac and Charlie Die: Part One
Episode 6 Mac and Charlie Die: Part Two
Episode 7 Who Pooped the Bed?
Episode 8 Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia
Episode 9 Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life
Episode 10 Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack
Episode 11 The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell
Episode 12 The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition
Episode 13 The Nightman Cometh

Season 5 (12 episodes) Originally Aired: September 2009 - December 2009

Episode 1 The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis
Episode 2 The Gang Hits the Road
Episode 3 The Great Recession
Episode 4 The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention
Episode 5 The Waitress Is Getting Married
Episode 6 The World Series Defense
Episode 7 The Gang Wrestles for the Troops
Episode 8 Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten
Episode 9 Mac and Dennis Break Up
Episode 10 D.E.N.N.I.S. System
Episode 11 Mac and Charlie Write a Movie
Episode 12 The Gang Reignites the Rivalry

Season 6 (13 episodes) Originally Aired: September 2010 - December 2010

Episode 1 Mac Fights Gay Marriage
Episode 2 Dennis Gets Divorced
Episode 3 The Gang Buys a Boat
Episode 4 Mac's Big Break
Episode 5 Mac and Charlie: White Trash
Episode 6 Mac's Mom Burns Her House Down
Episode 7 Who Got Dee Pregnant
Episode 8 The Gang Gets a New Member
Episode 9 Dee Reynolds: Shaping America's Youth
Episode 10 Charlie Kelly: King of the Rats
Episode 11 The Gang Gets Stranded in the Woods
Episode 12 Dee Gives Birth
Episode 13 A Very Sunny Christmas, Part 1
Episode 13 A Very Sunny Christmas, Part 2

Season 7 (13 episodes) Originally Aired: September 2011 - December 2011

Episode 1 Frank's Pretty Woman
Episode 2 The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore
Episode 3 Frank Reynold's Little Beauties
Episode 4 Sweet Dee Gets Audited
Episode 5 Frank's Brother
Episode 6 The Storm of the Century
Episode 7 Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games
Episode 8 The Anti-Social Network
Episode 9 The Gang Gets Trapped
Episode 10 How Mac Got Fat
Episode 11 Thunder Gun Express
Episode 12 The High School Reunion
Episode 13 The High School Reunion Part 2: The Gang's Revenge

A Sunny Excerpt: The D.E.N.N.I.S system

The Gang puts on a Play

The Nightman Cometh

In season 4 episode 13, Charlie writes a play called "The Nightman Cometh". His friends are confused because of the sudden enthusiasm for musical theater but forget all about that when they are given their parts and throw themselves into the roles. As you might guess, hilarity ensues.

This episode and the play found within it became an instant classic among the fans. As a result the gang decided to take the play on the road and performed "The Nightman Cometh Live" in several locations around the US.

The Gang gets Hitched

Inside It's Always Sunny

Some interesting facts about the Always Sunny Crew:

Actors Rob McElhenney (Mac) and Kaitlin Olson (Dee) got married in September 2008. Kaitlin became pregnant with their first child during Season 6 and so the writers wrote it into the show.

Actors Charlie Day (Charlie) and Mary Elizabeth Ellis (The Waitress) got married in March 2006.

Actors Glenn Howard (Dennis) and Jill Latiano (guest starred as Cute Pharmacist in the DENNIS system) got married in September 2009.

Extras

Some funny extras from the Always Sunny crew

Free Radio Interviews Charlie, Rob and Glenn

Kitten Mittens

Glenn Howerton

Danny DeVito's Sex Tape