Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia

[Carpet_pissr]

It sounds like it NOT something for my wife .

If in even a wee bit of doubt, then NOOOOOOOOoooooooo.

[RunningMn9]

Smoove, you haven’t even gotten to Frank yet.

The #MeToo episode was outstanding. I almost forgot the episode where Dee hits rock bottom. That episode is something else.

[hepcat]

Smoove, you haven’t even gotten to Frank yet.

The #MeToo episode was outstanding. I almost forgot the episode where Dee hits rock bottom. That episode is something else.

Frank to his lawyer on the phone during the Me Too episode...

“How soon can you get to the Hyatt? My dong just fell out.”

That episode also put the nail in the coffin of any belief that Dennis has any redeeming values. He is a sociopath...and this show has always tried to tell us that, I believe.

[RunningMn9]

Dennis is a monster. A beautiful monster.

[Carpet_pissr]

They are all unrepentant, irredeemable sociopaths.

I wonder if McElhenney and Howerton saw what Seinfeld did with its last episode and said ‘hold our beers’.

If the Seinfeld characters were so utterly self absorbed and selfish that they ended up essentially being put on trial for that behavior, the Gang is...no words.

The comparison is almost broken because the bounds of each group are so far apart.

[malchior]

I'm a huge IASIP fan as well. Agree with that hit list mostly. Another thing to go after is I really enjoy any of the episodes where they decide to take on a genre for a 1-off. A good example would be the 'The Maureen Pondera Wedding Massacre' or 'The Gang Hits the Slopes'. Not 'the best' but they clearly had a lot of fun stepping outside their already wacky box.

I wonder if McElhenney and Howerton saw what Seinfeld did with its last episode and said ‘hold our beers’.

If the Seinfeld characters were so utterly self absorbed and selfish that they ended up essentially being put on trial for that behavior, the Gang is...no words.

The comparison is almost broken because the bounds of each group are so far apart.

I think they honestly started out with that as the basic premise but quickly coalesced on being the 'Black Mirror' of comedy...before Black Mirror even existed. They are sociopaths but they are also undeniably the distilled essence of the worst elements of modern American culture in many ways.

[coopasonic]

I watched the first two episodes last night. Based on that tiny 44 minute glimpse, it appears you guys aren't exaggerating. Also, yeah, not for the wife.

[hepcat]

Dennis is a monster. A beautiful monster.

Charlie is more child than he is man though. I don't see him as a monster.

Well...except for those times the waitress is involved.

Mac and Dee are more victims who are just products of Dennis' cruelty, in my opinion.

Although we can't discount Frank's influence on a young Dee and Dennis.

[Isgrimnur]

The waitress can’t catch any luck, seeing as she dated Nick on The New Girl.

[Carpet_pissr]

They are sociopaths but they are also undeniably the distilled essence of the worst elements of modern American culture in many ways.

Yep.

Bit scary that I enjoy it so much when you put it that way!

[Isgrimnur]

I watched the first episode yesterday and enjoyed it. The swerve was a bit unexpected. And it was good to see Lem from Better Off Ted.

[RunningMn9]

Dee is every bit as horrific as Dennis, in her own right. The episode where she dates the male stripper is all the proof you need. Even Dennis is shocked.

[Smoove_B]

I think my current low bar (like, the current lowest point for any character) is Mac

Spoiler:

getting genuinely upset that he wasn't molested as a kid and then trying to fix it.

Yes, I know I'm only like 10 episodes in, but man...that was was a major WTF from me.

*So far* Dee seems like the least damaged, though she's had her moments.

EDIT: Yes, it's 15 years old, but given that there are a bunch of us moving through this for the first time, I feel like I should spoil it so you can be as horrified as I was.

[malchior]

*So far* Dee seems like the least damaged, though she's had her moments.

In the spirit of your spoiler comment - note this isn't a major spoiler and more of a behind the scenes thing they tweaked between S1 and S2.

Spoiler:

Season 1 Dee is Dee-lite. Apparently they were going to use her as a less terrible foil and then decided to throw that out and have her join the madness full on by early Season 2. By Episode 3 that ship sailed in a big way.

[hepcat]

The waitress can’t catch any luck, seeing as she dated Nick on The New Girl.

It's great that in real life she's married to the actor playing Charlie.

[AWS260]

This is old, but I hadn't seen it until tonight.



Brilliant.

[Carpet_pissr]

Damn. Someone loves IASIP as much as I do. That’s comforting to know.

I’ve actually bought more than a couple of the T-shirts that have been worn on the show, including that RIOT one that Mack had on in that video. (To clarify, not the original shirts, that would be…weird)

[Smoove_B]

I did manage to binge my way though the entire series earlier this year. Definitely helped me get through the dark stretch of the pandemic winter. I did not believe the hype before I started, but I believe it now.

[hepcat]

When the hell is it coming back?

[Smoove_B]

They just finished filming the new season earlier this month, so I'm not sure. Maybe early 2022?

[Smoove_B]

Even better - coming 12/1, according the the AV Club:

The press release teases that the gang will “try to exploit pandemic aid, sidestep cancel culture, evade criminal justice, reflect on their origins, and reconcile their identities and homeland roots.” Oh and yeah, the gang somehow ends up in Ireland despite the global pandemic.

While it can be a bit depressing to be reminded of the pandemic on TV, It’s Always Sunny is the perfect show to be set during these COVID times, bringing humor into the horrors we experienced in the past year and a half.

[Scraper]

Awesome!

[Carpet_pissr]

[Smoove_B]

[hepcat]

I'm loving the promo poster. Dennis is especially disconcerting.

[Holman]

How many seasons in are you? Watching in order?

I can't commit to watching every episode, so I'm working through a "best of list" of about 20 eps, plus randomly jumping into others if the title attracts me.

I'm into season 9.

I feel pretty sure I see Frank and Charlie at my grocery store every week.

Since posting above, I've watched an IASIP episode every three or four days, and I think now I've seen nearly all of them. I've skipped a few, but I'm sure I've watched at least 4/5 of the series. This is a *ton* of content, and it's kind of amazing that it has stayed consistently funny.

[Smoove_B]

For those unaware, the show did start up again last night - two episodes.

I'm not quite sure I'm ready for such...contemporary humor, but as always they managed to deliver the goods.

Spoiler:

I want to believe Frank was really there with Rudy at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference. I need to believe it.

[hepcat]

I didn’t know where they going at first, but the multiple payoffs were hilarious. They managed to work in just about every huge moment of 2020 without actually talking about them.

[Carpet_pissr]

For those unaware, the show did start up again last night - two episodes.

I'm not quite sure I'm ready for such...contemporary humor, but as always they managed to deliver the goods.

Spoiler:

I want to believe Frank was really there with Rudy at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference. I need to believe it.

IASIP hears your pathetic cry of ‘too soon!’ and farts in its general direction.

[Carpet_pissr]

For those unaware, the show did start up again last night - two episodes.

I'm not quite sure I'm ready for such...contemporary humor, but as always they managed to deliver the goods.

Spoiler:

I want to believe Frank was really there with Rudy at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference. I need to believe it.

I have to disagree. I watched the episodes that are available, and while it's not as bad as the re-started Arrested Development season, it's very bad (relative to their prior content). I don't think I laughed once- probably a couple of chuckles. For a show that has made me literally howl with laughter quite often over the past decade+, I was pretty disappointed in the lack of teh funny.

Full disclosure: this is one of my all-time favorite comedy shows, and I have high expectations built around many, many viewings of all previous episodes. The last couple of seasons, I will admit I was already feeling that things were shifting, and wondering how long could they possibly keep it up AND continue to be funny?
I suspect we have an answer, sadly.

By some miracle if these first eps were just duds and things revert back to being funny, I will loudly and gladly recant this entire post.

In the meantime, here's some old school funny IASIP in the guise of a show that was recently cancelled, called "AP BIO" Stars Glenn Howerton, playing his IASIP character (which is fine by me, that character is amazing!!). I heard about this show from a recent tweet from Howerton saying he enjoyed working on it, and sad to see it cancelled. After watching the highlights below, I plan to watch everything that's available (not sure how many total seasons).

https://youtu.be/VMe6AJMO4nA

ABOUT A.P. BIO
When disgraced Harvard philosophy scholar Jack Griffin (Glenn Howerton) loses out on his dream job, he is forced to return to Toledo, Ohio, and work as a high school Advanced Placement biology teacher. As he comes crashing in to Whitlock High School, Jack makes it absolutely clear he will not be teaching any biology. Realizing he has a room full of honor roll students at his disposal, Jack decides instead to use the kids for his own benefit. Eager to prove that he is still king of the castle, Principal Durbin (Patton Oswalt) struggles to control the force of nature that is Jack Griffin.

[Isgrimnur]

AP Bio, Peacock streaming, 4 seasons, appears to be free with registration.

[hepcat]

AP Bio is great the first season. Then it starts to slide and by the last season, it's pretty unfunny. But there's an episode in the first season that features a monologue by Howerton on his "murderous morning" that had me in stitches.

edit: neat, it's online

Spoiler:

As for IASiP, I really enjoyed the new season opener. I don't see how it's not as good as previous seasons. Or at the very least, a marked decline in quality.

[Carpet_pissr]

Brilliant.

Glenn Howerton is a gem, but I'm not sure he could do any character other than 'that guy'. Kinda sorta like Jason Bateman. Fortunately for me, I love their characters (in a "ha-ha, they are witty and hilarious!" way, not a "I love egotistical sociopaths!" way). Not sure if that continuity in multiple shows/films is part of their shtick, or actually parts of their true personalities (I suspect it's both).

He also played a physical trainer douchebag/moron in one of the Fargo seasons, and he was pretty good in that. Side note: if you haven't watched that series, GET YE TO WATCHIN' - it is amazing (or at least the first 3 or 4 seasons are...can't remember where it fell off the cliff, but it did, and you should stop watching before that season. <----Apologies to the Cohen brothers, the cast of Fargo: S4, and particularly Hepcat of GoneGold and OO fame for writing this stupid, wrong bullshit. I have no idea what I was talking about, and obviously missed out on a fabulous season of an AMAZING show, which is currently being corrected.

[hepcat]

Fargo never fell off a cliff. Every single season is an absolute gem. This is a hill I’ll die on as I’m a massive Fargo fan.

P.S. there are only 4 seasons of Fargo. Are you sure you’re not confusing it with another show?

[Carpet_pissr]

Fargo never fell off a cliff. Every single season is an absolute gem. This is a hill I’ll die on as I’m a massive Fargo fan.

P.S. there are only 4 seasons of Fargo. Are you sure you’re not confusing it with another show?

Possibilities, after going back and starting to watch Season 4 after the exchange above:
1. Whoever wrote that Season 4 was terrible, was high at the time. Bad on me for believing what I read. Must have been some harsh shit for me to not even START the season, just for a PEEK! WTF man.
2. I'm thinking of a different show (but I don't THINK so, bc I never watched Season 4, which would be a weird coincidence considering how much I loved the first three seasons)
3. Since I am only about halfway through watching Season 4, it COULD STILL fall off a cliff. And then YOU'D be the one on crack, WOULDN'T YA?!!?
4. Perhaps whatever I read only meant "terrible" relative to the first three, which were indeed, stellar. The odd thing is that RT gives the 4th season super high marks, so NO IDEA wtf I was thinking.

Prior post edited for stupidity and general wrongness.

[hepcat]

The 9th episode of season 4 is one of the best hours of television I’ve ever seen. I think you’ll be impressed.

I will say that the RT score from critics was lower for it than the other seasons. And the audience score was surprisingly low. But I’ve learned that when it comes to shows featuring racial themes, that latter score can sometimes be driven down by certain people who love to hate on the internet.

Still, you are right that it appears not to be as well reviewed as the other seasons, albeit not by a lot. But I loved it all the same. Doctor Senator was such a great character.

[Carpet_pissr]

I will say that the RT score from critics was lower for it than the other seasons. And the audience score was surprisingly low. But I’ve learned that when it comes to shows featuring racial themes, that latter score can sometimes be driven down by certain people who love to hate on the internet.

Still, you are right that it appears not to be as well reviewed as the other seasons, albeit not by a lot. But I loved it all the same. Doctor Senator was such a great character.

Yep, was going to include that very thought in my ‘possibilities’ but thought it was too cynical even for me. But sadly, yep. And I’ll bet a lot of money that I noticed that critics vs audience discrepancy and started reading audience reviews. Dammit! Tricksy white supremacists with their smooth talk and convincing tv reviews!!

And yes, not only is Doctor Senator possibly one of the coolest TV characters I’ve seen in a loooong time (puts Nick Fury to shame), his name alone is awesome.

[hepcat]

I'm not saying I'm right about my sneaking suspicion for the low audience rating for season 4. However, I did see a couple of the uses of the word "agenda" in the audience reviews for season 2. That usually makes me wary about the reason someone doesn't like a show that involves race or LGBQT themes.

I can't wait to hear your take on episode 9 though.

[Carpet_pissr]

Updating the thread since the new season has been dropping episodes.

They are ok so far, but pale in comparison to the classic episodes.

We aren’t at ‘tacked on Arrested Development season’ levels of bad, but it seems to be veering that way.

[Smoove_B]

I thought last season was a letdown but these first three episodes had me laughing. I guess we'll see.