It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is one of the most consistently enjoyable comedy shows on television. However, it’s fair to say that the show’s greatest days have passed by. The last few years/seasons have remained worthwhile but the real spark of demented brilliance that made the show a cult favorite dimmed a bit.
Thankfully, with Season 17, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia managed to do something I had not anticipated: make the show feel like it’s got that old juice back. Talk about a perfect surprise.
Dark And Deranged
I’m not really a regular watcher of television sitcoms. What made me such a fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was the fact that it didn’t give off the same airs you find in a lot of the genre. In fact, it deliberately wanted to stink up the place with foul characters and twisted schemes. It was that spirit that made the show what it is.
Though that has never fully left the identity of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it has been tamped down or downplayed as the show went on. Granted, that’s likely due to creative desires changes as the show continues to stay on the air. The creators and writers want to try different things so they don’t get stuck in a rut. But, that has made the show more serious and approachable at times, which in turn has led to it feeling less potent than its earlier seasons.
But, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 has recaptured the unique unhinged quality that made the show a standout in the first place.
Cakes, Bets, And A Bachelor
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 premiere was a follow-up to the crossover episode the show did with Abbott Elementary. That was fun and had its moments, but the second episode, “Frank Is in a Coma” felt like one of best possible returns to form in the show’s history. It was a dark story dealing with the potential death of Frank and the Gang’s reactions to his condition. It also ends with one of the best punchlines in the show’s entire run.
Probably the highlight episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 is “The Gang Goes to a Dog Track”, where you can hopefully guess the premise thanks to the title. It’s the kind of classic Gang episode that feels right at home with any one of your favorite outings for the Gang. A brutal, dehumanizing commentary on capitalism that ends with some of the most depraved acts ever committed by Dennis and Dee.
There was an eventual overarching story to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 in the form of another crossover with The Golden Bachelor. Frank ends up on the show and that leads to the Gang practicing for their eventual guest appearance in “The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time”, another highlight of the season.
Though the final Golden Bachelor episode was probably the weakest episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17, it did give us Carol Kane and Danny DeVito reuniting from their Taxi days and set up one heck of a season ending. Not to mention the touching and heartbreaking tribute to Lynne Marie Stewart that truly ended the season.
It feels like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 got a shot of adrenaline for the show, and I’m thrilled the Gang is still finding a way to keep the show fresh twenty years after its debut.
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