"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has been one of my all time favorite shows for as long as I can remember. In the world of television, very few shows are capable of reaching the creative heights "Always Sunny" sets, and even fewer can sustain it. For those unaware of this brilliant masterpiece, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" tells the story of a gang of absolutely loathsome friends that own and operate a bar in downtown Philadelphia. What separates this idea from something like "Friends" or a "How I Met Your Mother" mainly stems from the show's notoriety for using dark humor to be edgy, controversial, and.. well, different. I've always described it as the Anti-"Friends" as this show features truly despicable characters engaging in weekly activities most other shows wouldn't dare touch. Whereas most sitcoms would end episodes with the main characters learning some kind of lesson, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" intentionally avoids this formula by progressively worsening its main cast as the show continues. These characters do not grow, in fact, just the opposite. They become more and more childish, immature, and dangerous with each passing moment.
And it is all very, very, *very* funny.
To get a good idea for this show's tone, watch this ad run by the network of the "Always Sunny" gang spoofing the iconic "Friends" intro.
"Always Sunny" has since become known as a controversial show that does poke fun at social issues with a satirical eye. Racism, politics, religion, and social classes are all on the table here as no issue is safe from these demented geniuses. Even the series' pilot was titled "The Gang Gets Racist" as the gang reacts to a black guy joining the immediate friend circle. It's all done in good fun as the humor found in these situations tends to reflect society's standards rather than the actual opinions held by the show itself. The show comes from a place of comedy rather than hatred and is of the belief that anything can be funny when perceived a certain way. While there have been some risky episodes in the past (a fake baby funeral was held in an effort to scare off an auditor,) it has become popular to point at "Always Sunny's" latest episode to reign supreme as King of Controversial.
The absolutely stunning season 12 premiere titled "The Gang Turns Black" premiered January 4th, on FXX. Featuring the usual team of Dennis (Glenn Howerton,) Dee (Kaitlin Olson,) Mac (Rob McElhenney,) Charlie (Charlie Day,) and Frank (Danny Devito,) the gang is on the couch, ready for a movie night to brave the current electrical storm. Joining them is an old, black man that Dee, Dennis, and Mac must sleep with every night after the trio lost a bet to Frank in the previous season. The man suggests "The Wiz" and then immediately falls asleep. As the gang discusses watching something else, the conversation starts to turn a little controversial and the episode really starts to show its cards early.
When the Black Lives Matter movement is mentioned by Charlie, Dennis' response of "I don't know why it took them so long to realize that. I mean, they've always mattered. I would also say that all lives matter and while black people might not realize it, it's kinda tough out there for everyone. Really, our lives aren't all that different" is the last thing heard before a lightning strike surges through everybody, the screen cutting to black, and the gang waking up the next morning with the old man gone and their physical appearance changed from five white people to five black people. This change immediately triggers the journey for these characters to figure out how to switch back, navigate the day in the life as a black individual, and try to figure out what kind of body swapping movie stereotypes are most relevant- a journey that also happens to be a musical, by the way.
*The Following Contains Mild Spoilers For The Season 12 Premiere*
The immediate reaction to the plot of this episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" can perplex both fans and non-fans alike. The show, as wacky as it can get sometimes, very rarely ever ignores realism to tell a more supernatural or fantastical premise, and while we do find out in the end that the episode was just a dream, the story we just watched was a fantastical, musical adventure unlike what we have seen yet in the streets of Philadelphia. It's an immediate attention grabber when Charlie begins to sing his dialogue, and when the rest of the equally confused gang jump in to sing a song all about body swapping movies, the episode has already sunken its claws into unsuspecting viewers. Along the way, a few surprise cameos lead for some really funny lines, some catchy songs (I truly mean catchy) maintain the high bar of creative comedy that "Always Sunny" is famous for, and some uncomfortably dark moments further emphasize the social commentary this episode seems to be going for. These moments including racism, police brutality, Black Lives Matter, and white privilege. Throughout the episode, these characters continuously ask themselves (and those they interact with) what the rules are when approaching these subjects. Frank desperately wants to use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to say the "n-word" and questions why Dee scolds him for wanting to do so. Dennis and Mac question why the police treated them so pleasantly even after the stereotype being police discrimination against all non-whites.
But what might be the most unsettling aspect of the episode is its conclusion. After Charlie being gunned down by a trigger-happy police officer and the rest of the gang handcuffed and on their knees, the final song of the episode plays "We Just Learned Our Lesson." As the camera pans up from Charlie bleeding out and the gang repeatedly crying "I wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna go home," the scene transitions to reality in which the gang is trying to wake up the old man by shouting the words "go home." As the old man wakes up and tries to tell the gang about the crazy dream he had, Dennis (in typical snarky fashion) interrupts him and commands him to leave. Defeated, the old man kindly asks them if any of them had "learned their lesson," as the gang scoffs and dismisses him. "How are we supposed to learn a lesson from his dream?" is heard in the background as the old man solemnly heads for the door, concluding the episode (but not before a hysterical cameo I refuse to spoil here.) In all of the controversial or dark moments the show has had before (and trust me, there are plenty,) this moment stands out as the single most upsetting one. Dennis, Dee, Charlie, Frank, and Mac are not good people and it would ruin the entire point of the series to have these characters experience a revelation, but seeing as how far this episode went to make the point the main characters refuse to acknowledge, is the bleakest humor written for this series yet. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.
*End of Mild Spoilers*
To say that "The Gang Turns Black" is ambitious would be a gross understatement. As an episode of the show, it is absolutely phenomenal. As an attempt as social commentary, it is genius. But how does a show about truly awful people, incapable of learning or appreciating any kind of ethical behavior have even the slightest chance of being culturally relevant and pander to the social commentary crowd? "The Gang Turns Black" is now a shining example of the non-zero-sum game that is the competition of silly and serious. The episode is designed in such a way that no matter your side on the spectrum, you feel as if it supports your own beliefs. The ones horrified by police brutality can be moved by the final few minutes, while the more lighthearted crowd can laugh at the painfully dark comedy found in the final few minutes. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has always been a very intelligent, clever, and flat out uproarious landmark in television sitcom history, but this episode has the very amazing opportunity in making this a show that some would call important.
No matter if you laughed during the episode, were moved by the episode, or just felt indifferent to everything about it, there is no denying that this is a conversation starter. Even if the phrase "I feel really bad for laughing at _________" comes up, "The Gang Turns Black" is an episode worth talking about. This episode has been gaining a bit more exposure than the others mainly due to its controversy, and I think it is fantastic. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has a very large and very devoted fanbase, but still invisible to so many (including award season) and if this episode can start sucking more people into this world, then I will be one happy camper. This truly is quality entertainment and while no other episodes pose the philosophical concepts found here, it is nice to know that the show is capable of exploring them again in the future. It is just so wonderful to see a show in its twelfth season still be able to go new places and new directions for content, all while starting a conversation that most viewers would not have anticipated having. If the rest of this season is only half as spectacular as "The Gang Turns Black," well, my friends, we are in for one wild adventure. Just be sure to pack your Fight Milk and Rum Ham, you bird.
You can catch new episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" every Wednesday at 10:00 PM on FXX.
