The cast members of ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ have never been afraid to shy away from controversial topics for their humor.
Racism, sexism, abortion, gun control transsexuals, underage drinking, cancer, child abuse, crack, welfare, slavery, necrophilia, North Koreas, the mentally disabled, sex offenders, adoption and the homeless are just a handful of topics the show has tackled in previous seasons.
Season four premiered last week and already has tackled two pressing and current issues: manhunts and the gas crisis.
The show revolves around three friends, Mac, Charlie, and Dennis, who own an Irish bar, Paddy’s Pub, in Philadelphia.
The three guys are joined by Dennis’s sister, Dee, the bartender and her father, Frank Reynolds, played by Danny Devito.
All the characters are selfish and the hijinks they find themselves in are largely their own doing.
Dennis is obsessed with his looks, to the point where he pretends to be gay so that he can hear men compliment him. Mac thinks he’s a tough guy and strives to be ‘hard.’
Charlie is illiterate and the wildcard of the group, and he loves to remind everyone about his flaws constantly. Dee, who can be an annoying character at times, is often forced to run the bar by herself. Sweet Dee, during the gas fiasco, is referred to as the one who really doesn’t do anything and is useless.
Frank wants to be part of the gang and frequently financed their adventures through his large, personal expense account. However, things took a turn for the worse and his ex-wife received most of his money in their divorce settlement before dying and leaving the fortune to Dennis and Dee’s real father.
Charlie typically carries the show, while Mac and Dennis are also comedic. However, Dee and Frank’s roles can get stupid at times, even for this show.
Charlie, Mac and Dennis, played by the comedy trio of Charlie Day, Ryan McElhenney and Glenn Howerton all created the show in their spare time for about $75 and pitched it to a variety of networks. FX liked the original humor of the show and gave the three friends creative control to produce their own show.
The show gained popularity through word of mouth, according to McElhenney and was given a second season by FX, which ended up being its best.
Season four should continue in the same vein as the previous seasons. The gang will continue to push limits and do whatever they can to further their own agendas.
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