It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an interesting animal. It's the sort of show where you feel you can hop in on any one episode — be you all caught up, returning to the series after an unexplained hiatus, or trying it out for the first time — without concern for the established canon. The nature of the program as a vehicle to tackle an endless array of sociopolitical constructs, current events topics, or pop culture tropes allows each entry to come across as a self-sufficient little story, and one structurally similar to its many brethren.
But Sunny has changed quite a bit since its early days. A closer look at that which started out as a simple week-to-week cultural satire reveals a constantly evolving and self-deconstructing intricate universe built over the years by creators and stars Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, and Charlie Day. The change is so drastic, in fact, that a glance back at the pilot might render the characters and their bizarre world altogether unfamiliar.
Ten years on the air can do that to a show — nurse it from a simple seedling into something entirely new. With so many elements in today's seasons of It's Always Sunny that we've grown used to, what does a rewatch of that very first episode reveal as a little strange in retrospect?
Subtitles It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Jerks, Sunny, Always Sunny, Sunny the 13th Season, It's Always Sunny) TV Series, 19 Season, 197 Episode. Good Crossed Out. Clean Crossed Out. An animated intro homage to one of my favourite shows of all time - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.Direction/Design/Animation: Paul Cooper http://www.team. Created by Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney. With Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson. Five friends with big egos and small brains are the proprietors of an Irish pub in Philadelphia.
The series title card displays before the episode title card
Starting with the second episode of Season 2 ('The Gang Goes Jihad'), every episode of It's Always Sunny has cut into a plot-establishing cold open with a punchline title — one that answers a character's rhetorical question, exposits the situation we just saw begin to unfold, or otherwise lays the groundwork for whatever trouble the gang is about to get itself into.
The pilot, like the seven entries to follow, precedes its episode title with a card for the series' name It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia... sensible, since the show in these early days didn't quite have the notability that it does today, and wouldn't want to estrange or confuse new viewers.
Sweet Dee is, in fact, sweet
Present day Deandra Reynolds is marked by the same vile, selfish, manipulative behaviors that compose her male counterparts... she's just not as good with Machiavellian ploys, primarily because of her weighty insecurities. But a pilot-era Dee actually shows off some compassion. Twice she tells her friends and brother that she loves them, only to be rebuffed by disinterest on each occasion.
Mac is dumber than Charlie
Charlie Day's eponymous character has become a fan favorite for Sunny viewers, largely due to his apex of emotional instability and intellectual vacancy. But in the pilot, Mac was the clueless numbskull. Sure, he's not exactly shown to be the genius of the bunch today, but he's leagues more on-the-ball than Charlie.
Not only that, but Charlie is socially competent
Not only is contemporary Charlie dumb, he's also riddled with psychological maladies and anxieties that make everyday interactions a nightmare for him. But in the pilot, Charlie shines when introduced to a group of Temple University students, making friends (and winning a few wandering eyes) instantly without much effort.
The comedy is softer, slower, and more intimate
Whereas today's It's Always Sunny episodes are marked by erratic scenes filled with excess shouting and wacky plot turns, the pilot feels almost Mumblecorey in its ambiance. Long takes of civil conversation fill the episode, which is particularly strange when such scenes consist only of Charlie and Mac (the two loudest and most erratic buffoons on the show).
Mac and Dee team up!
Of all the in-group enmities that exist on today's Sunny, that between Dee and Mac is by far the most volatile (which is doubly funny considering the fact that actors McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson are married in real life). But the final act of the pilot sees Mac and Dee teaming up to undermine Charlie and Dennis' business plans for Paddy's Pub.
Dennis smokes a cigarette
A minor detail, but an odd one nonetheless.
It's a little regressive, even for a liberally-minded show
The characters of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are about as admirable and open-minded as a young, booze-filled Archie Bunker, but the creators use this ignorance to purvey some pretty progressive messages. While latter day episodes often hit the nail on the head when aiming to undercut their characters' backwards ideals, the pilot doesn't quite come far enough.
The pilot sets out to shine a light on the 'casual' racism and homophobia of its main characters, approaching the subject with benign intention. But that doesn't stop the episode from cashing in on one or two jokes wherein homosexual acts serve as the punchline... primarily at a straight character's expense, but nevertheless. Thankfully, It's Always Sunny has matured quite a bit over the past 10 years, shying away from the utilization of cheap gags like that in favor of the criminalization of the mentality behind them.
The characters eat a meal during the day, at an outdoor restaurant, like human beings
It's just plain weird to see them doing anything that seems healthy or normal.
And stranger still: they get drunk
Almost every single episode of It's Always Sunny is marked by excess drinking on the part of Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie, and Season 2-and-on recruit Frank (played by Danny DeVito). But we almost never see the gang reach levels of intoxication. Why? As we learn in Season 9, Episode 7 ('The Gang Gets Quarantined'), the group has imbibed so much alcohol that they're practically immune to intoxication... and, what's worse, stricken with torrential withdrawal symptoms if even mere hours are to pass without a sip.
In the pilot, we see Dennis get black-out wasted after just a few shots of tequila. I guess 2006 is when things started to take a dark turn for these folks...
Images: FXX
| It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | |
|---|---|
| Season 8 | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | FX |
| Original release | October 11 – December 20, 2012 |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 7 | |
| List of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes |
The eighth season of the American comedy television series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered on FX on October 11, 2012. The season consists of 10 episodes, and concluded airing on December 20, 2012.[1]
Cast[edit]
Main cast[edit]
- Charlie Day as Charlie Kelly
- Glenn Howerton as Dennis Reynolds
- Rob McElhenney as Mac
- Kaitlin Olson as Dee Reynolds
- Danny DeVito as Frank Reynolds
Recurring cast[edit]
- Mary Elizabeth Ellis as The Waitress
- David Hornsby as Cricket
Guest stars[edit]
- Richard Ruccolo as Corporate Rep
- Jimmi Simpson as Liam McPoyle
- Lance Barber as Bill Ponderosa
- Guillermo del Toro as Pappy McPoyle
- Sianoa Smit-McPhee as Bridesmaid
- Alexandra Daddario as Ruby Taft
- Kerri Kenney as Therapist
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs as Dr. Jinx
- Lynne Marie Stewart as Bonnie
- Artemis Pebdani as Artemis
- Joel Murray as Andrew Kane
Episodes[edit]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 1 | 'Pop-Pop: The Final Solution' | Matt Shakman | Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney | October 11, 2012 | XIP08002 | 1.05[2] |
| Dennis and Dee are given the difficult decision of whether their grandfather Pop-Pop should continue to live on life support. Meanwhile, Charlie, Mac, and Frank search Pop-Pop's Nazi memorabilia for a dog painting said to be created by Adolf Hitler during his failed time as an artist. | |||||||
| 86 | 2 | 'The Gang Recycles Their Trash' | Matt Shakman | Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney | October 18, 2012 | XIP08001 | 1.10[3] |
| When Philadelphia's trashmen go on strike, the Gang decides to go into business for themselves: Mac, Dennis and Charlie use a limousine to collect trash from Philadelphia's rich while Frank and Dee try to undermine the union by getting the city's garbage contract. | |||||||
| 87 | 3 | 'The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre' | Richie Keen | Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney | October 25, 2012 | XIP08009 | 1.12[4] |
| In this parody of zombie horror movies, Dennis, Mac, Frank, and Charlie are arrested after everyone goes on an insane rampage at the McPoyles' wedding, Dennis lives in fear of a horrible thing he did to his ex-wife Maureen, and Sweet Dee freaks out over her crashed car. | |||||||
| 88 | 4 | 'Charlie and Dee Find Love' | Richie Keen | Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney | November 1, 2012 | XIP08006 | 1.39[5] |
| Charlie finally lets go of The Waitress and he and Dee find themselves mingling with society's elite; each manages to find a love interest that inspires them to stick around for a tennis tournament that gets out of control. | |||||||
| 89 | 5 | 'The Gang Gets Analyzed' | Todd Biermann | Luvh Rakhe | November 8, 2012 | XIP08005 | 1.11[6] |
| The Gang visits Dee's therapist to determine whose turn it is to wash the dishes. | |||||||
| 90 | 6 | 'Charlie's Mom Has Cancer' | Richie Keen | Scott Marder & Rob Rosell | November 15, 2012 | XIP08008 | 0.94[7] |
| Charlie's mother says she has lung cancer and needs money for an operation. Meanwhile, Dee and Frank think Barbara is still alive and hiding money; and Dennis tries to shock some emotion into himself. | |||||||
| 91 | 7 | 'Frank's Back in Business' | Richie Keen | Dave Chernin & John Chernin | November 29, 2012 | XIP08007 | 1.08[8] |
| When Frank's old company runs into trouble, he puts on his CEO suit and heads into the corporate jungle, but his decision to make Charlie his right-hand man isn't the best; Dennis is mistaken for a Canadian businessman after finding his wallet at the bar and uses his new identity in disturbing ways. | |||||||
| 92 | 8 | 'Charlie Rules the World' | Matt Shakman | David Hornsby | December 6, 2012 | XIP08003 | 1.01[9] |
| Charlie, Dee, Mac, and Frank become immersed in an online role-playing game; Dennis goes inside a sensory-deprivation tank to answer questions about reality. | |||||||
| 93 | 9 | 'The Gang Dines Out' | Matt Shakman | Mehar Sethi | December 13, 2012 | XIP08004 | 0.92[10] |
| The Gang goes to Guigino's Italian Restaurant in separate groups, each of which causes a scene when they fear that one of the groups is planning to publicly humiliate them. | |||||||
| 94 | 10 | 'Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense' | Richie Keen | Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney | December 20, 2012 | XIP08010 | 0.94[11] |
| Frank and Dennis stage a mock trial after Frank crashes his car into Dennis' while Dennis was eating cereal at a red light. |
Home media[edit]
| It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Complete Season 8 | |
| Set details | Special features |
Technical specifications:
|
|
| Release dates | |
| Region 1 | |
| September 3, 2013[12] |
References[edit]
- ^Chitwood, Adam. 'FX Announces Fall Premiere Dates for SONS OF ANARCHY, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, THE LEAGUE, and More'. Collider. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^Kondolojy, Amanda (October 12, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: Thursday Night Football Wins Night + VP Debate Coverage, 'Jersey Shore', MLB, 'The Greatest Event in TV History' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
- ^Bibel, Sara (October 19, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Thursday Night Football' Wins Night, 'Jersey Shore', 'Project Runway', 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 26, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^Kondolojy, Amanda (October 26, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: Thursday Night Football Wins Night + 'Jersey Shore', 'Gold Rush', 'The Daily Show', 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
- ^Bibel, Sara (November 2, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Thursday Night Football' Wins Night, 'Jersey Shore', 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia', 'The League', 'Project Runway All Stars', 'Beyond Scared Straight' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
- ^Kondolojy, Amanda (November 9, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: Thursday Night Football Wins Night, + 'Jersey Shore', 'Burn Notice', College Football, 'Daily Show' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
- ^Bibel, Sara (November 16, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Thursday Night Football' Wins Night, 'Jersey Shore', 'Burn Notice', 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia', 'Project Runway All Stars', 'Beyond Scared Straight' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
- ^Bibel, Sara (November 30, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Thursday Night Football' Wins Night, 'Jersey Shore', 'Burn Notice', 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,' 'Project Runway All Stars' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
- ^Kondolojy, Amanda (December 7, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: Thursday Night Football Wins Night + 'Jersey Shore', NBA Basketball, 'Burn Notice' and More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
- ^Bibel, Sara (December 14, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Thursday Night Football' Wins Night, 'Jersey Shore', 'Burn Notice', 'Impractical Jokers', 'Project Runway All Stars' & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 18, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^Kondolojy, Amanda (December 21, 2012). 'Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Jersey Shore' Wins Night + 'Burn Notice', NBA Basketball, 'Beyond Scared Straight', & More'. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 22, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
- ^'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 8 [Blu-ray] (2013)'. Amazon.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
Putlocker It S Always Sunny
External links[edit]
| Wikiquote has quotations related to: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (season 8) |
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia – list of episodes on IMDb
- List of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 8 episodes at TV.com
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia at epguides.com
It's Always Sunny Title Maker
