So many modern TV shows have come and gone. Maybe you love epic period dramas like Shogun, or you are into sci-fi like Stranger Things, or maybe you’re a rom-com lover like I am, and you check out the latest cute shows on Netflix. Either way, TV shows come and go.
But It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia stays forever.
I say this as someone who genuinely does love this show and has for many years but also can take an objective look—I really do believe It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia might be one of the greatest shows of all time, and not just because it’s funny or because it’s had basically the same cast since the beginning. There are other reasons this series has carved its way into my heart and onto my Mount Rushmore of television—and I’m here to convince you why too.
The series is constantly reinventing itself
I don’t mean reinvention in terms of new concepts or trying to redo any of their old jokes or any of that. I mean, they don’t stick to the same stuff all the time. They keep up with the times, and they hilariously include modern-day issues.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is one of those shows where you can pick any episode from any season and still follow along without knowing what happened in the previous one. Some seasons were more linear, but most of the time, it’s your typical sitcom with hilarious moments between the cast.
However, when it does decide to go linear, it pays off instead of being forgotten, which is something the series didn’t do at the beginning. It doesn’t become a big thing, but it stays in the background and serves as a reminder half the time.
A great example would be Mac (Rob McElhenney) and his sexuality. It had been hinted at for years, but only in season 12 did we finally get the confirmation that Mac was, indeed, gay, and you want to know what happened? No one in the group cared because they all knew that he was. And it didn’t become a thing. However, that little character trait that came out seasons later has stayed with the character and pops up now and then to create fun storylines.
It knows how to incorporate modern takes without overdoing it, and that’s something that a lot of other comedies should take note of. They even did a crossover with Abbott Elementary, a family-friendly sitcom, and made it hysterical. That’s hard to do.
It’s not afraid to try something new, even if it fails
By this, I mean the classic “throw spaghetti at the wall and see if it’s done.” That is essentially what happens in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: many bits have certainly fallen flat, and many you would never expect to be so good are absolutely hilarious and land expertly.
It also helps that, pretty much from the beginning, the crew of characters we see in this show are… just not great people, so we know they'll get into the wildest shenanigans possible to create hilarious scenarios that make the audience laugh. Sometimes they work, and other times they don’t. But that’s what makes this show so fun—it's a leap of faith.
Has every season been great? No, not at all. But that’s what separates this show from many other sitcoms. It doesn’t stick to the same formula every time; it tries new things and isn’t afraid to do so, which is a big reason it has such a large fanbase. Early on, much of its comedy was very dark and satirical.
Now it’s aged up alongside the actors and can still be pretty dark, but it's even funnier because they have become masters at it. I’ve been enjoying it, but they wouldn’t have gotten there if they hadn’t tried things first.
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast feels like family
This show has been running for 20+ years. It premiered in 2005, and somehow we still have the same cast. At times, there were only four people, like at the very beginning or when Glenn Howerton left for a bit to star in his series, A.P. Bio. Most of the time, though, it's the core five: McElhenney, Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, Charlie Day, and Danny DeVito. Olson and McElhenney are even married.
These guys, as their characters, are what make this show so good. Their chemistry and how they work as a unit make the bits funny and make things go wild, and it really wouldn't be the same without them.
Yes, they’ve all gone on to do other things outside this series, but truthfully, this show keeps running because the cast is one of the best in comedy, and they love working on it. With eighteen seasons of dark comedy, it’s clear that they’re doing something right.
If you’ve never watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I’d highly suggest checking it out sooner rather than later—but knowing this series, it’ll still be running in another twenty years.
You can watch all 18 seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu.
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