The 7 Most Despicable Things the 'Always Sunny' Gang Has Ever Done
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been ten years since we were introduced to the "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia" gang. As narcissistic and self-absorbed as the world that spawned it, the brilliant comedy laced with equal parts satire and poop jokes has become a phenomenon. A phenomenon that, a decade running, shows no signs of slowing down.
To celebrate this milestone, we thought it only fitting that we take a look back at some of The Gang’s most reviled and despicable acts that left us in stitches.
Using Abortion Rallies to Pick Up Chicks
As Seen In: “Charlie Wants an Abortion” (Season 1)
Most shows would start slow, easing viewers into their brand of off-brand humor. But not "It’s Always Sunny" -- they gleefully kicked off their second episode ever with Mac and Dennis taking a stance on abortion in order to get women at the rallies into bed with them. It’s depraved but hilarious, the show cementing its commitment to amorality.
Trying to Exploit Welfare
As Seen In: “Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare” (Season 2)
The show celebrates the ignorant selfishness of its characters, perhaps never more apparent than in this episode that finds Dennis and Dee so unwilling to work – wishing instead to pursue their dreams of acting -- that they try to scam the welfare system. And so, in a bid to prove to their caseworker that they are in dire straits, Dennis and Dee begin a journey that leads to crack addiction (and never get welfare anyway).
Extreme Home Makeover from Hell
As Seen In: “The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition” (Season 4)
I guess it was a long time coming, but this incident finally added “home invasion” to The Gang’s long list of crimes. Terrifying the hell out of the poor Juarez family, The Gang once again put their own self-congratulations ahead of reality as they demolished an adequate home without the knowledge of its occupants in a vain and delusional attempt at charity.
Frank Nails Gail the Snail
As Seen In: “The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention” (Season 5)
In an episode devoted to showing how far off the deep end Frank Reynolds had gone, we get to see what might be Frank’s worst act ever: sleeping with his niece and Dennis and Dee’s “garbage pail cousin,” Gail the Snail. Sure, technically Frank and Gail aren’t related by blood, but objectively, it’s repulsive anyway you slice it.
Breaking Dee
As Seen In: “The Gang Broke Dee” (Season 9)
Sweet Dee has always been the butt of the joke; it’s a hard truth of The Gang’s dynamic. Whether they’re belittling her feelings or just calling her a bird, The Gang’s usual insular insults are generally hurled in Dee’s direction. But an entire episode devoted to staging her fast-rising success on the stand-up comedy circuit is, without a doubt, the most devastating blow ever dealt to one of their own. But Dee’s not the only one that gets demolished -- as a side effect of not being in on the joke, Dennis is left looking more foolish and desperate than ever.
Breaking Cricket
As Seen In: Too Many Episodes to Count
Starting with Season 2’s “The Gang Exploits a Miracle,” Rickety Cricket has been a beloved addition to the show. By beloved, I of course mean tortured and driven into poverty and insanity. An old high school acquaintance that has always been in love with Sweet Dee, Cricket entered the show as a priest and, as of Season 10, is a homeless drug addict that willingly offers to do disgusting acts for liquor, with horrific burns down one side of his face, a slashed throat, and a tendency to be hunted for sport. All of this The Gang’s doing, of course. It’d be awful if it wasn’t so funny.
Making Lethal Weapon Sequels
As Seen In: “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth” (Season 6) and “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6” (Season 9)
Making an unauthorized "Lethal Weapon" sequel, while admirable, is ill-advised. And when the "It’s Always Sunny Gang" does it, it’s horrifically inappropriate and impossibly funny. Black-face, anyone?