10:00 PM, Eastern Time. On a Wednesday, namely December 1st, 2021. That was the day FX’s satirical comedy It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia made history as the longest running live action comedy series on television. The show has been on air since August 2005, now with 15 seasons and 154 episodes thus far. Creator and star Rob McElhenney showed no signs of slowing down. The fifteenth season brought the gang – Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny Devito) – out of Paddy’s Pub to Ireland, a change of setting and pace that paid off. Albeit the shortest season of the series yet, it received positive reception, and actually stood out in comparison from more recent seasons.
While these eight episodes revisited old tropes and answered major questions, its schadenfreude comedy and sleazebag shenanigans remained the same. All the episodes were enjoyable, although not every episode was a hit. Here are the episodes ranked from worst to best:
8. “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 7” (Episode 2)
A recurring theme is the revisitation of previous plots, such as the gang obtaining a gun in “Gun Fever” (Season 1, Episode 5) and “Gun Fever: Still Too Hot” (Season 9, Episode 2) and playing a chaotic homebrewed board game in “Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games” (Season 7, Episode 7) and “CharDee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo” (Season 11, Episode 1). From a creative standpoint, it makes sense to circle back to successful concepts, and by now, the audience probably expects at least one rehash per season.
Echoing the tones of “The Gang Solves the Bathroom Problem” (Season 13, Episode 6), this episode comments on the insensitivity of their homemade films Lethal Weapon 5 and Lethal Weapon 6. However, knowing the gang never learned their lesson, this episode imbues the metaphor of performativity and white saviorism. But when stacked up against the other episodes, especially the Ireland arc, this second episode seemed to be the clear weak link. The pacing wasn’t up to par, and the ending of Mac wanting to play Murtaugh again doesn’t justify the means. It’s almost as if doing this second off-shoot served no purpose.
7. “Dee Sinks In A Bog” (Episode 7)
Much like thick limes are the cornerstones of Paddy’s Pub, explanatory titles are the cornerstones of Sunny. As soon as Dee agrees to the date with the Irish doctor, the audience knows she won’t make it, because she’ll sink in a bog. This is where the funny part of the predictability ends.
When Mr. Shelley Kelly – portrayed by guest star Colm Meaney – started explaining Irish burial traditions, it was easy to guess the chain of events. Judging from the next episode’s title, “The Gang Carries A Corpse Up the Mountain,” the audience can reason that Shelley will somehow die, and the gang will carry him up the mountain. He then talks about the curse of banshees, described as tall, spindly, and covered with filth, which when described in conjunction with this episode’s title, leads to the conclusion that Dee will stumble out of the bog and scare Shelley to death – which actually wasn’t too far off.
Relying on one distinct moment (and the classic Waitress name joke), plus sandwiched in the middle of the two best episodes, this episode was probably the most feeble in the Ireland arc. In addition, there could have been a smoother transition from this episode to the finale.
6. “The Gang Buys a Roller Rink” (Episode 3)
Ever wondered how the gang came to buy the pub? Or how “Sweet Dee” turned sour? Lace up your roller skates – but don’t mess with the screws – and travel back to the nineties, where this episode provides some context. The retro aesthetic, complete with Mac in a “phat” (a joke referencing his weight gain from Season 7) NBA Charlotte Hornets jacket, infused some fun into this backstory. Some jokes did land, including Dennis’ naivete about his father’s “business” and Mac and Charlie’s failed drug dealing.
Although in comparison to other episodes, it fell kind of flat. A flashback is a great device to explain things, but it seems this episode was mostly to fill up space. Compared to the later reveals that contributed to more overarching questions, such as the significance of Ireland and Charlie’s father, this one felt meh, similar to Lethal Weapon 7. Perhaps it could have worked in another season, where the second half wasn’t as paramount.
5. “2020: A Year In Review” (Episode 1)
When our favorite dirtbags return for a new season, they come in with a bang. Such hit openers include “The Gang Beats Boggs” (Season 10, Episode 1) and “The Gang Turns Black” (Season 12, Episode 1). Given the current situation of the public health crisis and the presidential election, 2020 has been a tumultuous year for the gang as well.
As illustrated in prior episodes, McElhenney scores by keeping the show up with modern times and nods to actual events. It’s always funny when an outsider stumbles into the deranged world of the five barowners. The best parts were Frank’s underground hair dye business, reminding us that Devito’s addition to the cast was a godsend, and the hilarious reveal of the gang voting for Kanye West. Although, Mac and Dennis could’ve had a more extravagant hand in meddling with the election, and their antics fell short of Charlie/Dee and Frank. It was a solid introduction, but this middle ranking mainly boils down to just not being the main storyline.
4. “The Gang Replaces Dee with a Monkey” (Episode 4)
Finally, the seasons starts to pick up with its fourth episode, where the boys replace an assumedly menopausal Dee with a monkey. Because of course they do. Meanwhile, Dee opens an acting school and uses her acting advice to manipulate her students. This scam highlights her need for validation in her acting career, as well as how depraved Dee can really be. She gets a callback regarding a taped audition for a filming in Ireland, thus setting the catalyst for the second half of the season.
This episode illustrates Sunny’s classic absurdity. A monkey serves them beer, and then proceeds to trash the place. Charlie lacks any knowledge about geography, confusing colors with locations, hence the brilliant revelation of Ireland as “monkey beer (whiskey) island of green and fight.” This is probably the funniest episode of the entire season, and the phrase “thank you monkey” is now a secret code my dad and I share.
3. “The Gang Goes To Ireland” (Episode 5)
So long Philly, hello Dublin! Packed in a tiny European car, the gang has reached Ireland. However, instead of a charming and authentic experience overseas, Dennis and Dee end up helping Frank get rid of the evidence of working with Jeffrey Epstien. But don’t worry, he was only on the beach snorkeling. Mac and Charlie look into their Irish heritage. Charlie realizes he can read Gaelic, thus explaining his illiteracy in English, and via a curt phone call from his mother, Mac discovers he’s not Irish at all.
Taking the motley crew to Ireland was a risk that paid off. This episode attests to a successful test of Sunny’s ventures and boundary breaking, proving the show can work outside of Philly’s borders to an international degree. Each character gets their moment to shine, two of which lead to self-discovery.
2. “The Gang’s Still In Ireland” (Episode 6)
Everything comes together: Shelley Kelly, fittingly a cheesemaker for a son who adores cheese, converses with Charlie in perfect Gaelic, as he confesses his fathership. Dennis and Dee rent a decaying castle, and in the spirit of Poe’s house of Usher, reflects Dennis’ deteriorating health due to COVID, and toys with his ongoing psychotic tendencies. Mac grapples with the facets of his identities (gay and Christian) by entering the priesthood.
Although the follow-up of a two-parter, this episode ranks higher. While the former introduced new opportunities for each character, the latter goes into more depth in exploring these dynamics. After fifteen seasons, Charlie gets to meet his real father and feel he’s making a real connection. In turn, Frank feels betrayed, and his jealousy proves that he very much thought of himself as not only Charlie’s best friend, but father figure.
1. “The Gang Carries a Corpse Up the Mountain” (Episode 8)
Sunny knows how to do season finales and do them well. Recent finales have taken a shift from extravagance, such as one of the best, most memorable episodes in the show’s history, “The Nightman Cometh” (Season 4, Episode 13) to more serious and contemplative. For instance, the Season 12 finale, “Dennis’ Double Life,” brings in the possibility of Dennis actually settling down and becoming a father, which resulted in the cliffhanger of his return. Next, the season thirteen finale, “Mac Finds His Pride,” evokes bravery and serenity, as Mac finally accepts his sexuality, demonstrated by a beautiful choreographed number. Now it’s Charlie’s turn.
Charlie never outwardly expressed his feelings towards the mystery of his father, and pretty quickly accepted Frank as his surrogate father. But when he’s the only one left to carry Shelley up the mountain, he breaks down. He laments on how his father should have been there for him, culminating in a damning equivalent of “you were supposed to carry me.” Out of everyone, Charlie is the most ridiculed, but at this moment, he is the most raw. In what he lacks in literacy skills he makes up for in emotional depth. The pouring rain emphasizes his agony and despair, and “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes may be a reference to Tommy Boy, when Tommy’s dad died. His grief-stricken monologue displayed some amazing acting from Charlie Day.
This episode serves as a microcosm for the Ireland arc, as it transposes the gang into an unfamiliar environment. Unlike the lower rankings on this list, it provided substance, and gave importance to this foreign adventure. And in spite of their inflated egos, the rest of the gang comes back to help Charlie fulfill the burial rite, realizing that if you love someone, you don’t leave them behind.
According to FX Networks, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been renewed through Season 18, meaning viewers can expect three more seasons. However, that may not end our time with the gang either. McElhenney quoted FX’s tweet saying that the show was “originally pitched as a 36 season arc” and is “so happy to be halfway done.” In the meantime, viewers can watch every season, from one to fifteen, on Hulu.