If you’re a dedicated fan, you’re going to love the callbacks in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 6.
But nostalgia aside, overall, it wasn’t very memorable.
Part of it is that the pairings for each storyline were the same as those from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 5. Two episodes in a row with the same dynamics can be a hard sell, as part of the appeal is the unique chemistry among the characters in insane situations.
On top of that, Charlie and Mac’s storyline felt inconsequential. It was pretty clear that their adventure to find Frank was just a setup for the Bachelor crossover in the next two episodes.
The absence of Frank in this episode is very noticeable. While there are episodes where I felt he wasn’t needed, this one definitely required his presence to balance out the flow.
Add in the fact that some jokes felt like they were getting pushed too hard to be funny, and the episode ends up being solidly mediocre.
High School Sweethearts Turn Bitter
It’s Always Sunny went all the way back to Season 1 for Dennis and Dee.
The appearance of Tammy and Trey from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 1 Episode 3, “Underage Drinking: A National Concern,” is a deep cut that rewards dedicated fans.
Sadly, the reveal of these characters was their most exciting contribution to the story.
To be fair, the episode mostly focuses on Tammy and Trey’s son. Dennis and Dee’s desperation to stay young is easy enough to laugh at, especially because the Gang never learning to grow is the show’s thesis.
The bit that made me laugh the most was Dennis’ cologne, which is supposed to attract women, but actually smells really bad. Also, I found it super funny that Trey’s help with household chores dissuaded Dee.
Another part I loved was Charlie’s insight into the drama among the teenagers.
The thought of a full-grown man being really invested in teen gossip is just hilarious, and it plays excellently. So far, Charlie Day’s one-liners and quips have been consistently funny throughout the season.
Other than that, the other jokes didn’t land all that well, especially since the episode clumsily tries to address a topic that they’ve already covered once.
It’s unfortunate that the other plotline in this episode is not much more memorable.
Genre-Hopping Only Gets You So Far
Mac and Charlie’s storyline suffers from the fact that they had already gone down a rabbit hole together in the previous episode. So this time around, it felt less exciting.
I was confused by the discussion of genres. It felt like the show was trying to be meta and use high-level humor, but the landing didn’t stick.
It’s Always Sunny has done a better job of genre-related humor in the past, like the black-and-white detective genre spoof on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 14 Episode 6, “The Janitor Always Mops Twice.”
Therefore, it’s disappointing that Mac and Charlie were just trying to comment on genres at a surface level rather than trying to do something interesting with that comedy.
This plotline also incorporated plenty of callbacks. Cricket and Uncle Jack’s cameos were great surprises, but Cricket’s scene made me cringe more than it made me laugh.
I wish the show could find a way to more organically integrate Cricket into the stories, as I’ve found that he’s grown less exciting to watch over the seasons. However, Uncle Jack is as creepy and entertaining as ever.
Sunny does a good job of misleading viewers into being genuinely worried about Frank with the dramatics of the storage unit scene.
So, the reveal that he’s actually just on The Bachelor plays really well.
On the other hand, that twist then makes Charlie and Mac’s chase feel like it was all for nothing, especially since the show easily reveals where Frank was all along.
What’s Next For The Gang?
At a quick glance, this episode has the classic elements of an It’s Always Sunny episode: cameos from familiar characters and the characters being awful people.
When in doubt, the show defaults to having the Gang ruin someone’s life.
Despite this, the creative spark that once made beloved episodes of this show so memorable isn’t present.
If this episode were less concerned about revisiting past episodes and teeing up future ones, it would’ve been a stronger story.
Again, I’m just as much a sucker for nostalgia as any other It’s Always Sunny fan, but I also want to see the show take risks and make new choices.
With just two episodes left in the season, I hope the show can end on a higher note.
What did you think of this episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?
Let us know in the comments below, and come back next week for coverage of the second-to-last episode of Season 17!
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