By Ken Foyle ‘20

FXX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is a show about a group of dysfunctional, egotistical friends who own a bar together in Philadelphia named Paddy’s Pub. The show consists mainly of episodes that follow the characters on one of their schemes or plans, each being more ridiculous than the last as the show progresses.

This comedy show’s episodes should be watched in chronological order, starting with Season 1 and finishing with the newly released Season 14 in order to get a good understanding of each character and his/her respective story arcs.

Be sure to pay attention to the show’s running jokes that are introduced over its runtime because they make some of the humor inclusive to only those who have watched every season.

For example, two of the characters Dennis and Dee Reynolds’ father, Frank, is introduced in Season 2 and becomes one of the main characters of the show. Frank, played by the loveable Danny DeVito, adds a lot more zany and whimsical humor to the series than its prior episodes without him.

The names of the four original main characters are Ronald “Mac” McDonald, played by show co-creator Rob McElhenney; Dennis Reynolds, played by other co-creator Glenn Howerton; Dee Rynolds, played by Kaitlin Olson; and Charlie Kelly, played by Charlie Day.

Mac plays the oblivious “muscle” of the group, who is known to be very irritable and also very religious.

Dennis’s character is the narcissistic “leader” of the group who thinks that the world revolves around him, whereas Dee Reynolds is the laughing stock of the group who dreams of stardom, but fails at achieving it.

Charlie Kelly is the wildcard of the group and is in charge of maintenance at the bar. He enjoys the simple things in life, such as bashing rats in the basement and drinking his self-created “fight milk.” Frank Reynolds, the father of Dennis and Dee, has a special connection with Charlie because of their similar personalities and weirdness, so the two of them are roommates.

The “gang,” as they call themselves, always put themselves in sticky situations, whether it involves an airplane miles scam or vacationing on the Jersey Shore. They seem to never have a dull moment when working together.

This show is chock-full of hilarious dialogue and concepts that almost no other show would dare to attempt.

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is a perfect show for mature adults who enjoy edgy and creative humor. Anyone who has access to the FX app or Hulu is able to watch its 14 seasons consecutively during the government-issued quarantine.