How "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" Changed Comedy Forever

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Chances are that even if you aren't a fan, you've at least heard of the show or seen clips of it on the internet. What started as three friends making a pilot with no budget has turned into one of the longest-running live-action sitcoms of all time, tied with the tried-and-true classic, you guessed it, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. And Sunny even has more still to come. That kind of accolade might make you wonder, "Hey, what makes this show so successful?"

In this video, I'll break down what makes Sonny so consistently funny and groundbreaking, as well as how it has changed the way we view comedy forever. What is white trash about that? So, let's start at the beginning. In the mid-2000s, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton were three struggling actors looking for work. They decided to shoot a sitcom pilot with a camcorder and no budget, titling the show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and basing the premise off of what they knew best.

Three out-of-work actors struggling and living in Los Angeles. As they pitched the pilot to different networks, they honed and adjusted the concept, changing the characters' occupations from actors to bar owners, and relocating the setting from Los Angeles to McElhenney's native Philadelphia. This ultimately resulted in the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" we know today. "I'm gonna put my thumb through your eye, you little bitch!" FX picked up the show, and the cast added the talented and virtually unknown at the time, Kaitlin Olson. "Oh, hey, Dee."

And they were set for their first season. While the first season was undoubtedly funny, the ratings just weren't there, and the gang hadn't yet hit their stride. God damn it, the jabronis at the network were close to pulling the plug. They were just going to pull the plug on this creep and get out of here, right? However, salvation came in the form of a seasoned powerhouse comedy actor—the star of such comedy staples as *Taxi* and *Twins*, the always hilarious Danny DeVito. "I'm a man cheater." The story goes that DeVito's son was a fan of the show, so when McElhenney came knocking, DeVito was game. "Can I offer you a nice egg in this trying time?" He had to film all of his scenes in 20 days, and it was unclear whether he'd be back for any future seasons.

Flash forward 15 years, and DeVito's Frank Reynolds is one half of the infamous Gruesome Twosome. Gruesome Twosome! Woo! He's that! He's that!

And the show's dynamic wouldn't be the same without him. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Now that we know how the show began, let's discuss what makes the character dynamics so unique. Sitcoms are known for being predictable with their characters. The characters are usually friends or family, and no matter what happens, they'll always be there for each other.

One of the best examples of this is *Friends*. I mean, the theme song literally says the words, "I'll be there for you." When trying to come up with something unique for Sonny, Rob McElhenney said he thought, "Well, what if we were the opposite of that? The anti-*Friends*. People who are never there for each other."

Because I hate you! And that idea turned out to be comedy gold. When all the main characters are selfish, garbage people, you never know what they'll do. The unpredictability breeds comedic setups galore, and the payoffs are hilarious because the gang never behaves like the viewer would behave in that situation. Tools!

Tools! Duct tape, zip ties, and gloves! I have to have my tools! In a normal sitcom, the audience is supposed to root for and identify with the characters. But when your characters are set up as awful people, the possibilities are endless, because the audience doesn't identify with them and may even be actively rooting for them to loot.

Oh baby, you! Is that what I mean? Another way that "Sonny" sets itself apart from other sitcoms is by being single-camera with no studio audience. What the hell was that, man? Now, I know what you're thinking: plenty of other comedy shows have used this format.

The Office started in the same year and uses the same style, with a mockumentary twist. Arrested Development did single-camera comedy two years prior. Hell, The Larry Sanders Show was doing it in the '90s. But in the mid-2000s, much like the previous 50 years before that, three-camera, live studio audience sitcoms were at the height of popularity. Friends and Frasier ended in 2004.

"How I Met Your Mother" started in 2005. "That '70s Show" ended in 2006. So, when "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" started in 2005, a way to separate itself from the pack was to avoid that format. It seems that they were ahead of their time because, in recent years, the popularity of single-camera comedy has surged while studio audiences have fallen by the wayside. I think there's a reason for that.

The single camera allows the audience to get up close and personal with the characters, making the world feel more real. And speaking of characters, everyone in the gang is unique and downright psychotic most of the time, and their quirks enable them to poke fun at a wide variety of topics. So, let's review the resumes. Played by Rob McElhenney, Mac's full name is Ronald McDonald. Mac is a Bible-thumping religious nut who spent many years struggling with his own sexuality before finally coming out as gay. While Mac openly denies his clear and overt tendencies, the pride he feels when he finally accepts himself is actually quite a strong sentiment. Mac was raised in a household with two moms, and he uses his character in *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* to help shine a light on LGBTQ issues.

Mac is also obsessed with being badass and doing karate, even though he has never been trained. His physique has been the center of many conversations on the show, most notably when he gained 60 pounds for Season 7, lost it all by Season 8, and then got shredded for Season 13. His original idea was to once again stray from sitcom clichés, as most characters start to look better as the show progresses. He wanted to make himself look worse. It seems that this has just turned into him doing outrageous things with his body, well, because he can. Bam!

As a character, Mac can be a well of information on certain specialized topics, like creatine. Charlie Kelly, aka Trundle the Great, played by Charlie Day, is an illiterate dirt grub and the janitor-slash-rat basher of Paddy's Pub. Ooh, that felt good. Was that sexy?

With a propensity for huffing glue and eating cat food, Charlie is the lovable wildcard of the group. Wildcard, bitches! He spends much of his time pining over and stalking the waitress, and when his advances are rebuffed, he heads home to live in squalor with Frank, even sharing the same pull-out bed with him. Through Charlie's haze of illiteracy, sometimes his virtue will shine through, whether he is waxing eloquent about bird law, writing and producing a grand musical, or just doing the dirty work that no one else will do. As evidenced many times throughout the show's run, Charlie is the glue that holds Paddy's Pub together. And even if all that work becomes tough, he can always go hide in the crevice. Deandra Reynolds, known as Sweet D for the first few seasons until that moniker was dropped, is the only female member of the gang, played by Caitlin Olson. She is the twin sister of Dennis and the legal daughter of Frank, though he isn't her biological father, which we'll get into later. D still dreams of being an actress, though she has no talent or real ambition, and finds herself the butt of many of the gang's jokes.

There are many references to her looking like a bird, as well as many other insulting names slung at her, many coming from her own brother. Is this why we had to wait for you to go to Bed Bath & Beyond? Yes, bitch. It's common for Mac to let everyone know how repulsed he is by Dee, which is funny when you realize that Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson are married in real life. Over the course of the show's run, they began dating, got married, and have had two kids, making Mac's disdain for Dee all the funnier.

I had two kids, making Max's disdain for Dee all the funnier. I got that stupid bitch. The gang's constant degradation of Dee and her lack of skills leave her feeling unfulfilled, with no hope of changing her trajectory, because every time she gets nervous, she gags and dry heaves relentlessly. I'm one part robot and three parts asshole. Jesus Christ!

But don't ever cross her, because she's been addicted to crack and steroids, and she's liable to do just about anything. "I will eat your babies, bitch!" Dennis Reynolds, narcissistic sociopath, probable serial killer, and self-proclaimed golden god. Tethered at my rage, no snow bounds! Played by Glenn Howerton, Dennis is Dee's twin brother, Dee, you gangly uncoordinated bitch, Frank's legal son, and always tries to be the leader of the gang.

He is also a bastard man. Oh, because Dennis is a bastard man! His violent outbursts of rage and creepy insinuations make him one of the most unsettling characters in sitcom history, to hilarious effect. But the thing is, she's not going to say no. His rage and creepy insinuations make him one of the most unsettling characters in sitcom history, to hilarious effect. But the thing is, she's not going to say no; she would never say no because of the implication. At times, he has a malicious supervillain cunning.

At others, his inane antics keep him down on the same level of stupidity as the rest of the gang. My God! Do I look foolish? Dennis's vanity and insecurity are his perpetual downfall, and his superiority complex, paired with his implications, always provide grounds for an uneasy laugh. You better look at him when you're talking to him.

Look at me when you're talking to me! Oh, shit, I think the stakes are high here. And you better not cross him either. I swear to God, I will dice you into a million little pieces and put those pieces in a box.

A glass box that I will display on my mantle. Entering the show in Season Two, Frank is a veritable troll played by Danny DeVito and is initially thought to be the father of Dennis and Dee. "Hi ladies, I'm Frank." Shit. He raised them as their dad, but it is eventually revealed that he is not actually the father of Dennis and Dee.

Hi ladies, I'm Frank. Shit! He raised them as their dad, but it is eventually revealed that he is not their biological father and may in fact be Charlie's father in a hilarious twist of fate. And I'll tell you what else—you're not going to find a bang made because there's no such thing! I really did your mom. Goodbye! However, paternity tests conducted on Charlie and Frank's blood bucket were inconclusive, so the world may never know. Frank is a rich man, but he decides he wants to give up his materialistic ways and live in squalor with Charlie. The two become inseparable, sharing an apartment, a bed, and playing nightcrawlers together. Frank always feels comfortable when he's in possession of his toe knife and trusty handgun, just in case he needs to start blasting.

Along with Charlie, Frank has become a reckless, unpredictable madman, although whether it's from senility or a case of donkey brains is yet to be determined. With such outrageous behavior, the Reed Mental Institution hereby decrees that Frank Reynolds does not have donkey brains. What? With such outrageous and unique characters comprising the main cast, it's no wonder every interaction is brimming with comedy. Did you ever know that you're my hero?

But the well-written and developed main characters are only one part of the dynamic machine that makes "Sonny" comedy royalty. Yes! And I would be remiss if I didn't briefly mention some of the supporting and recurring characters that grace the show with their presence. Sunny, the waitress, is at the center of Charlie's obsession, and he stalks her frequently despite numerous restraining orders. The waitress went to high school with the gang, but even so, nobody seems to know her real name.

She openly dismisses Charlie and even sleeps or pretends to sleep with every male member of the gang except him. Their relationship is made even funnier by the fact that the waitress is played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Charlie Day's wife. Eventually, the waitress caves and sleeps with Charlie, who quickly becomes tired of her, reversing their roles. However, it seems that things have returned to the status quo, as Charlie is stalking her again in recent seasons.

Artemis, who once started out as Dee's friend from acting class, has become a loose cannon who's down for just about anything. My name's Artemis. I have a bleached asshole. She and Frank are involved in a sexual relationship. This is my booty call.

And they're into food play and fooling around in a Wendy's dumpster. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah! Too cold! Hey! Ryan and Liam McPoyle are two members of an incestuous family that Mac and Charlie know from their youth. Ryan and Liam, as well as other members of their family, including their sister Margaret and patriarch Pappy, played by Guillermo del Toro, show up intermittently in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" to be weird and creep everyone out. They have an unquenchable thirst for milk and maintain a generally slovenly and disheveled appearance at all times. Chaos seems to follow them wherever they go or whenever they meet the gang, even resulting in Liam losing an eye.

Gail the Snail is Frank's niece and Dennis and Dee's cousin. Gail earned her nickname by being so insufferable and clingy that the only way to get rid of her was to salt her like a snail, which no one likes doing. Nobody enjoys salting the snail, but she gives you no choice. She doesn't leave you with any options. She is in a state of constant arrested development, has trouble swallowing her own saliva, and even had a semi-sexual relationship with her uncle.

We did a bunch of those Monster Energy drinks and drove afterwards. It was awful; I think she gave me poison ivy. Gail the Snail is gross. Hey Frank, I’m giving this guy a handy under the table. Are you jealous? She’s mashing it! Bill Ponderosa used to date D in high school. They reconnected, started hooking up, and things went downhill from there. He’s a drug addict. “Jesus, son, what you got this with?” “Shut up, bitch!” They even spiked the milk with bath salts at the Ponderosa McPoyle wedding. The party just started. You gotta have some—come on, try it! Loosen you up a bit, make your butthole hot! Marine Ponderosa is Bill's sister and used to date Dennis in high school. They reconnected, got married, and then got divorced when Dennis realized he hated her personality and dead tooth. It wafted over here—the dead tooth! It's burning my nose; it stinks. Later on, she almost married Leah McPoyle, augmented her breasts and face, and then decided to have procedures done to become a cat named Busted.

Yes, she died after falling off a roof. It shows her prancing around on the roof like an idiot, and then she just falls off. It is speculated that Dennis pushed her off to avoid alimony payments and rid himself of Maureen for good.

Did I kill Maureen? No. Am I glad she's dead? Sure. Bonnie Kelly is Charlie's mom.

She's often emotionally unstable. I don't want a dog to eat my face, Charlie. It's implied that she was once a prostitute; she displays signs of OCD that may have been passed on to Charlie. Charlie is the center of her world and hates anyone who tries to hurt him. "Everybody's stealing my Charlie." Mrs. McDonald is Mac's mom, though we're never given her first name, and she remains mostly an enigma. She enjoys smoking, coughing, and grunting. I know that grunt; she's open to it and dislikes when people bother her while she's watching TV. Bonnie and Mrs. McDonald cohabitate and live out their own personal sitcom, "Old Lady House." "I'm gonna take a shit." Luther McDonald is Mac's dad. He's a felon who is constantly in and out of prison. Mac just wants a relationship with his father, while Luther wants nothing to do with Mac because his life gets inevitably worse when Mac is in it. "Of course you weren't gonna kill me; I'm your son." "No, I wasn't gonna kill you, but I'm going to now." Huh. Luther had a brief relationship with Bonnie and also tried to get Mac and Charlie to smuggle him drugs in their butts while he was in prison.

Then we promise we will come back with our butts filled. So filled. Ben the soldier was introduced to the gang through D, who started chatting with him online. Ben is a pure-hearted veteran who always gets himself used by D and wrapped up in the gang's messes. Sometimes she tricks him—she tricks him into giving her sex. And, of course, we can't forget Ben the soldier's most important trait: the jorts. He received the jean shorts as a gift from the gang, and he's worn them ever since. Let me just say, Ben wears the hell out of those jorts. Uncle Jack, he's the lawyer. I'm Jack Kelly; I'm a lawyer. Let's get this out of the way up front: Uncle Jack should be in prison. He displays signs of pedophilia almost constantly, and it is heavily implied that he abused Charlie when Charlie was a child. His lawyering skills are often suboptimal because he’s too focused on the fact that his hands are too small. For the love of all that is good in this world, don't mention the size of his hands.

Oh my God, nobody look! Nobody look! Nobody look! Nobody look! Nobody look!

Nobody look! Whenever the gang needs legal advice or is in legal trouble, the lawyer shows up. It seems like you have a tenuous grasp on the English language in general. Okay, well, filibuster. Originally wanting nothing to do with the gang because they don't pay him and generally make his life a living nightmare, he eventually shifted his focus to actively trying to ruin the gang's lives.

He even swindled them out of the rights and monetary gain from the revolutionary kitten mittens. Meow! Gugino's, an Italian restaurant frequented by the gang, is one of their favorite spots to eat, even when it's out of snapper. Get the goddamn snappers! The waiter always seems to have the unfortunate luck of having to serve the members of the gang.

Get the goddamn snappers! The waiter always seems to have the unfortunate luck of serving the members of the gang, usually resulting in a barrage of insults or a plate full of spaghetti to the chest. And what's worse, they never remember who he is. "I'm sorry, do I know you, pal? I've never seen this man before in my life."

Played by former professional wrestler and star of *They Live*, Rowdy Roddy Piper. "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." The Maniac is an unhinged, washed-up wrestler who lives to kick ass, and I'm all out to get above him.

The Maniac is an unhinged, washed-up wrestler who lives out of his car, will wrestle to surprise the troops for next to nothing, and is extremely susceptible to pyramid schemes. Unfortunately, Roddy Piper passed away a few years back, and although the Maniac only appears in two episodes of "Sunny," he definitely made himself worth remembering. Sometimes loud noises make the squirrels go on my head, and I don't fight in the ring anymore, but I still fight with the demons in the Maniac's head. Last, but certainly not least, arguably the best recurring character who deserves his own title card is Rickety Cricket. The de-evolution of Matthew Mara into Rickety Cricket is potentially the funniest and saddest character arc in the history of television. From a man of the cloth to a crackhead street rat, here is the degradation of Rickety Cricket. Matthew Mara went to high school with the gang and had a crush on Dee. He wore leg braces, lending him the mean-spirited nickname "Rickety Cricket," often shortened to just "Cricket." Cricket became a priest and reconnected with the gang when they tried to get him to bless an image of the Virgin Mary in Paddy's Pub. In an effort to manipulate Cricket, Dee pretends to be interested in him and convinces him to leave the priesthood, only to shatter his heart.

The next time we see Cricket, he's homeless and begging for change. The gang ropes him into a drug-dealing scheme, gets him hooked on cocaine, and then uses him as a patsy for a mob boss, which leads to his legs being broken. He also tries to win Patty's Pub in a dance contest, but fails. Later on, Mac and Dennis are looking for a thrilling game to play, so they decide to hunt Cricket for sport. Much of the pain the gang has caused Cricket up to this point is only psychological or emotional, save for the broken legs, but that soon changes. When the gang wrestles for the troops, they get Cricket to play the villain in the ring, the "Talibum." Frank, as the Trash Man, chucks a trash can at Cricket, which deeply lacerates his neck and leaves him bleeding profusely on the mat with a gnarly scar. When Cricket appears on Dennis and Dee's podcast, he reveals that dogs are trying to become intimate with his new scar and that one of his kidneys has been stolen.

During the chaos preceding a hurricane, Frank shoots Cricket in the hand. Then they leave him in the car, and he drives it into a storefront. At the gang's high school reunion, Cricket appears to have cleaned himself up and regained the priesthood, but it's only a ruse to steal people's jewelry. It is also revealed that Cricket has ringworm. Later, Cricket works at a dog pound, doing community service for an altercation he had with a chocolate lab that left him with a scar over his left eye.

He begs Dennis and Dee to put him down, but they release him with the stray dogs instead. On Thanksgiving, when the gang is squashing their beefs, Cricket shows up uninvited. By the end of the dinner, Cricket ends up with a hatchet in his arm, locked inside an apartment, set ablaze. When the gang next sees Cricket, his face is horribly burned from the Thanksgiving incident, yet they don't remember him being there. He then offers sexual favors for alcohol or crack.

If you have crack, let's boogie. When the gang tries to pull a scam, they get Cricket to pose as a tortured artist. He reveals that he has been intimate with many dogs—often at the same time. "All right, well, what do you want to hear about? Do you want to hear about a dog orgy or when a cat bit off my toe?" Brother Cricket shows up at the bar multiple times to smoke PCP in the bathroom and shower in the urinal. He makes more references to providing sexual favors for money. Later, the gang gets him to host a male strip show. At one point, Cricket tries to clean himself up and work for his father when he meets a girl he falls in love with. It turns out that the woman he thought was his love interest was actually a dog, and Cricket had been hallucinating due to smoking PCP. He ends up returning to his life as a street rat. It's also revealed that the gang has GPS-chipped Cricket. He shows up dressed as Dee, and the janitor always mops twice and gets slapped around by Charlie, which Cricket seems to enjoy. "Oh yes, dude, yes, I'm a slut." It's revealed that Frank hired Cricket to stick his fingers in the garnish stations of other bars to contaminate them with feces and make people sick. It's also stated that Cricket forages for eggs on Patty's roof, and according to the gang, he is now considered subhuman.

And that catches us up with the present day. That's not even every time Cricket has shown up in the show, just the most important points in his slow downward spiral into ruin. What's better is that Cricket is played by David Hornsby, a producer on the show, and he seems to be up for anything. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm the suck boy you're looking for. You want my time, you gotta pay to spray.

Cricket is a fantastic foil for the rest of the gang because, while their lives remain generally the same, the consequences of their behavior are reflected in Cricket's descent. The development of recurring characters and their interactions with the cast contribute to the great world-building of *Sunny*. The running jokes associated with each character are always good for a laugh, too. With so many crazy characters and plotlines, *Sunny* could probably get by on its sense of humor alone. I have a twin sister, is what I'm trying to say.

Yeah, she farts a lot, man. But the show does much more than that. They also tackle hot-button issues and reflect the current state of affairs in America. When it comes to subject matter, there's hardly a topic that Sonny hasn't covered. Uh, one please.

One what? Uh, one rock of crack. And for a show with such a refined sense of humor, I've got to be honest; I feel a bit silly! You may not be surprised that it also provides astute social commentary. Wow!

Children! Good candy! Good candy! This is good candy. The range of influences on the episode's plot seems unending, and often an absurd plot will lead to clever satire or philosophical insight.

Everybody's dying, bitch. Let's get you some fruit. Not all of *Sunny's* episodes can be broken down into neat subcategories, but there are enough that do to warrant a discussion. There are over 150 episodes of *Sunny* as of the making of this video, so not every applicable episode will be mentioned here—just enough to get the gist. Rock, flag, and eagle!

Sure! Here's the text with correct capitalization and spelling: "So, let's see how the gang manages to keep their fans ever interested and happy. Politics is just one big blast. Few things can get entire subgroups of people fired up like politics. That's politics!"

But these same hot-button issues provide great jumping-off points for comedy. The gang tended to be more political in earlier seasons but has maintained subtle and sometimes overt political commentary throughout their entire run. The discussion of politics starts in the second episode of the show, titled "Charlie Wants an Abortion." This episode feels just as timely today as it did 16 years ago, offering social commentary and poking holes in the thin arguments frequently used in discussions surrounding this issue, while also allowing the gang to engage in very gang-like antics.

Dee actually seems to have a legitimate opinion, while Mac chooses the side his religion tells him to, until he's faced with reality, that is. "I'm pregnant! You’ve got to get an abortion!" Dennis flip-flops depending on what he thinks the best way to hit on women will be, and hilariously enough, both sides seem to despise the gang the most when they are literally on the fence, going so far as to pelt them with eggs. Later in the season, the political insights progressed to gun control in "Gun Fever."

And later in the Season 9 episode "Gun Fever 2: Still Hot," the gang splits into diametrically opposed groups. By the end of the episode, each group's ideals and opinions have done a 180, showcasing their susceptibility to influence and overall lack of knowledge. There's even an episode entitled "The Gang Runs for Office," in which the absurdity of American politics and the public perception of politicians as being corrupt and inept is on full display. Hello, fellow American.

This is who you should vote for: me! I will leave power! Good! Thank you!

Thank you! The focus on politics lessens as the show goes on, but it is nonetheless sprinkled throughout various episodes in every season. We did have a Black president before the orange one. And if anything ever happens in politics that makes you shake your head and want to scream into the abyss, you can bet that Sonny will cover it. It's a perfect example of when democracy has failed.

Social and societal issues may be the most popular topics covered in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," mostly because there are infinite sources of controversy, and one thing the gang does is pay attention to controversy. Some of the most thought-provoking and insightful episodes of "Sunny" deal with societal issues, such as "Hero or Hate Crime," where the gang discusses intolerant behavior and the use of slurs; "The Gang Turns Black," which highlights the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and systemic racism; and "Time's Up for the Gang," which tackles sexual harassment and assault.

These episodes just scratch the surface, however. The gang has delved into a plethora of other issues, including the mortgage crisis, the Great Recession, bathroom issues, and even quarantine. Talk about being ahead of the curve. And with Sonny's signature brand of television, they managed to somehow make these episodes both perceptive and absurdly hilarious. Just one of the many great things about the cast and crew of "Sunny" is that they can make fun of the industry they work in; some people say it's better than "busting a nut."

Despite being beloved by countless fans and being on air for a decade and a half, Sonny has never won a major award. It's a major award. But at least he has a sense of humor about it. Yeah, he doesn't even get us, man. It's—we're talking about you!

And the gang tries desperately to win an award. Meta humor arrives in spades as the gang complains about Paddy's Pub never winning an award, closely paralleling the show's lack of accolades. I really wanted an award, though. I was dying for one. It would have meant a lot. They simultaneously poke fun at themselves while also showcasing the outrageous and frankly mind-numbing aspects of sitcoms that are fawned over by mainstream audiences and media. I think he should spend a little less time on his work and a little more time on you. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" also loves to use tropes and parody other genres, such as when the gang makes "Lethal Weapons 5" and 6, and when they portray Dennis Reynolds as a murderer. This perfectly captures the vibe and foolishness of making a murderer while also retaining the "Sunny" style.

They're nice. And industry trends aren't safe from Sonny's pithy blows either. The propensity of studios to try to cash in on all-female reboots was front and center in the "Gang Beats Boggs" ladies' reboot. That's the whole point. It's the same exact thing, but it's with women, right?

So it's a new idea. Audience expectations of action blockbusters were the central focus of "Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool." Give me dong or give me death. No matter what you do or who you are in the Hollywood landscape, nobody is safe from Sonny's biting satire. That's funny!

That's weird because the situation really isn't funny. I know, but the laughter tells me that it's funny. They have timing, man. They definitely have timing. One thing that the gang isn't afraid to do is revisit an issue, especially if the topics involved are still heavily prevalent in society.

Hi, I'm a recovered cracker. Head, and this is my donkey-brain sister that I take care of. I'd like some welfare, please. Arguments over gun control have not lessened in the years since "Gun Fever," prompting the Season 9 episode "Gun Fever 2: Still Hot." The gang isn't afraid to call themselves out for reusing things either, best shown by the title of the Season 8 episode "The Gang Recycles Their Trash." Sometimes things are revisited because they were just too much fun the first time around. Shut up, dog! Hence, "Charty McDennis 2: Boogaloo." Did you poop in your pants, Charlie?

Sure! Here’s the passage reformatted with correct capitalization and spelling: "Yeah. Whether it's brand new or something reused, Sonny finds a way to make it feel fresh. I smell terrible. Mack's fixation on religion lends itself to many religious jokes throughout every season, but there are some episodes that target organized religion more directly. I have the good Lord; he's going down on me."

The gang exploits a miracle, highlighting the gullibility and vulnerability of people who believe in it. They target organized religion more directly. "I got the good Lord, it's going down on me." The gang showcases how blind faith can lead to manipulation. "Mom has cancer" offers probably the most accurate depiction of what going to church feels like: "You son of a bitch, this is a scam! Okay, this is a scam." There's a sense of confusion with all the kneeling and standing, and "The Gang Goes to Hell" focuses significantly on the hypocrisy of Mac's brand of religion, which is more concerned about excluding and shaming people, and smiting those who are different. Yet, even in Mac's religious beliefs, there are always moments that provide a good laugh.

Well, first of all, through God, all things are possible. So jot that down. A hallmark of any good comedy show, Sonny knows how to get really silly and weird. You know what it is, right? Sometimes it's nice to take a break from scathing but astute critiques of society to try to figure out who pooped the bed.

My God. Charlie's musical, "The Nightman Cometh," sometimes makes you feel like you sniffed Charlie's glue—in the best way. It has endlessly quotable lines, wonderfully awful costumes, and musical numbers that will get stuck in your head for weeks. You gotta pay the troll toll.

If you want to get into that boy's hole, you have to pay the troll toll to get in. And who could forget when the gang had a complete mock trial that revolved around spilling cereal in a car? I'm Sandra. Dumb bitch. A trial in which some good points were raised, I might add.

Science is a liar sometimes. Oh boy. It's important for a show to know how to get silly, and when Sonny does it, I eat it up like milk steak. Now I'm going to want the milk steak boiled over hard, and a side of your finest jelly beans raw. It's always fun when the gang continues a through line from a previous episode to revisit themes, but it's equally good when they do a one-off contained episode.

I'm sorry, Rum Ham! I'm sorry, Rum Ham! I'm sorry, Rum Ham! Aww. Sometimes these episodes include brand new locations, such as when Mac and Dennis move to the suburbs, where both of them fall into insanity while trying to endure life outside of the city. In another episode, the gang goes to a water park, where Mac warns us of the dangers of the pool drain. Sometimes, one-off episodes do something different with the dynamic of the gang, such as in "The Gang Dines Out," where everyone is in the same location but separated, only interacting tangentially.

Or it could be doing something completely unprecedented with the camera work, such as in "Charlie," where there's a long take that rivals the direction of "Birdman," and you can quote me on that. When the gang tries something new, sometimes that leads to the most creativity and, in turn, the biggest laughs. Dragon! And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I've talked for 84 years, and it still doesn't feel like I've done "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" justice.

It's a show that has mastered a multitude of different comedic styles. I'm not allowed to eat it with the skin. I'm not allowed. It is constantly rewriting the rules of comedy. What are the rules?

I truly believe that Sonny has changed comedy forever, and they're still going strong. Do you like hard candy? I have candies. Time will be kind to Sonny. His neck is high, which makes me trust him.

And the brilliance of the show will only become more apparent as the years go on. You must excuse me; I've grown quite weary. Now, in lieu of a proper ending, I guess I'll leave you jabronis with this: I want freedom.

I want freedom.