Plot: Get ready for some of the series’ most outrageous moments yet, with loads of star cameos, as well as nods to both iconic Philly traditions and other classic TV sitcoms – the season’s writing took place in the Lagoon Building of CBS Radford, the original site of “Gilligan’s Island”. It’s art imitating life imitating art. So, step right up to the plate and brace yourself for one hell of a swing. The Gang may be into their 50s and 80s now, but their behavior is more out of control than ever. Who said with age comes wisdom? That person sure is a jabroni.
Review: The longest-running live-action sitcom of all time is back for its eighteenth season, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia remains as bitingly dark and hilarious as ever. With the creators and stars all actively working on other projects, it is impressive that the gang still makes time to reunite for new seasons of the cult favorite series that kick-started their careers and gave Danny DeVito yet another winning project in his long career.It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia has consistently been a blend of South Park and Seinfeld as it delivers nonsensically hilarious stories that are often ripped straight from current events and transformed into some of the funniest and bleakest comedy on any platform. In the twenty-first year of playing these characters, the cast continue to make this one of the funniest comedies on television with some special surprises in the form of returning characters, unexpected twists, and celebrity cameos while never wavering from the stupidity and satirical lens that has made this show such a beloved presence for over two decades.
Over the last handful of seasons, It’s Always Sunny has tried different approaches with extended runs in other locations than Paddy’s Pub, like when the gang went to Ireland for a multi-episode arc, a crossover with sitcom Abbott Elementary, as well as last season’s Golden Bachelor-style subplot including an entire episode presented in the format of the popular ABC reality show. The series has mixed things up with musical episodes, relevant episodes tied to the Me Too movement, Black Lives Matter, gun control, racism, drugs, and so many more topics that invariably go down bizarre tangents that they inevitably end up weirder than where they started. Embracing the surreal and strange has never been an issue for It’s Always Sunny, but it has also become a different series with the main quartet of Rob Mac, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Kaitlin Olson all reaching the age of 50, while Danny DeVito is now in his 80s. You would think they would adjust the plots to fit their midlife and golden years, but It’s Always Sunny still doesn’t play by conventional ruiles.
After this many seasons, it is hard to come up with original ideas that do not repeat some plot elements or jokes that we have seen before. Instead of pretending that they are being original, It’s Always Sunny dives right into revisiting themes, characters, and jokes we have seen going back to the first season of the series. Season 18 picks up with the nuptuals of Frank (Danny DeVito) and Sam (Carol Kane) that does not go the way you would think and crosses over a couple of episodes before shifting to stories involving artifical intelligence, neurodiversity, rennaissance fairs, little league teams, conspiracy theories, and Jamiroquai. Yeah, if that combination of plots struck you as odd, you are clearly unfamiliar with It’s Always Sunny. For everyone else, you are in store for a solid run of episodes that ranks with some of the best we have had on this series in several years. The Gang is firing on all cylinders as they embrace their generation in conflict with the newly of age youngsters who do not drink the way their elders did, putting these pub owners in an awkward situation.
There are plenty of memorable moments this season including the Gilligan’s Island themed seventh episode that will rank as one of the series’ all-time best. Looking at the conspiracy theories as to how the classic sitcom never made it to 100 episodes is a meta-hilarious entry considering this series is closing in on almost 200. There is also a return appearance from Guillermo Del Toro in one of the funniest and unexpected cameos on any series and proves that this brand of pitch-black humor appeals to everyone from the average viewer to Oscar-winning filmmakers. There are not many weak episodes this season with the exception of the opening episodes reducing the multi-episode plots from last season into something else, but it is the combination of continuity and freedom to play with plot elements that has kept It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fresh for almost two decades.
With Rob Mac busy with Welcome to Wrexham and his real-life commitments to running a soccer team with Ryan Reynolds, Kaitlin Olson starring on the hit series High Potential, and Danny DeVito still an in demand actor on the big screen in projects like Jumanji: Open World, the only cast-member with writing credits this season is Charlie Day. Longtime supporting cast-member and writer David Hornsby appears as Rickety Cricket as well as scripting multiple episodes. The lack of episodes written by Mac or Howerton does not detract from the quality of these entries which all work consistently better than the last few seasons have. Directors Heath Cullens, David and John Chernin, Richie Keen and Todd Biermann all keep the trademark tone and style of It’s Always Sunny in line with prior seasons and every one of the eight episodes is a blast to watch.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia remains one of my favorite sitcoms and an easy and hilarious series to watch at any time. I had the privilege of binging the new season, but getting new chapters weekly for the next few months certainly ranks as worthy destination viewing. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a prime example of a cast reuniting year after year and still giving it their all even when the physicality of the roles may be more challenging that it would have been in their thirties. This series could go on forever and if Mac, Day, Howerton, Olson, and DeVito are able to have fun with it, we will cotninue to enjoy it from our side. This eighteenth season feels as fresh as the first and I hope this show never goes off the air.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia premieres on August 17th on FXX.
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed