There really isn’t anything quite like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s crude and disturbed in such a particular way that it’s tough not to fall in love with these moronic and deluded idiots. So, with season 12 headed to our TV screens on Jan 4, 2017, we thought we’d look back over the last 11 years and rank the six funniest episodes of TV’s most unusual sitcoms.
#6: “Mac Day” (Season 9, episode 5)
Seann William Scott as “Country Mac” is a brief but phenomenal character. He helps shed light on just how delusional “City Mac” really is. “Country Mac” is everything Mac wishes he was but will never be. Irony comes into play at the end of the episode as “Country Mac” dies after falling off his motorcycle in a very non-badass way.
Best Quote:
Mac: “Uh, day three is when God created trees and grass and nature. You know, kind of a bullshit day, so we’re gonna move on to day four where God created the stars.”
#5: “The Gang Buys a Boat” (Season 6, episode 3)
A P. Diddy-style shrimping vessel, inflatable tube man, “The Implication”, Patrick Swayze’s brother, tasty treats, “edible” barnacles – all these classic moments help make “The Gang Buys a Boat” one of the most creative and hilarious It’s Always Sunny episodes of all time.
Best Quote:
Boat Salesman: “Let me just see if I have this right here. It seems like what you guys are looking for is a P. Diddy style of shrimping boat.”
Charlie: “You’re a really good listener and I didn’t peg you for one when we came in here because of the pinky ring.”
4: “Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs” (Season 11, episode 5)
For anyone who thinks that the quality of It’s Always Sunny’s humor has gone downhill with the recent seasons, you’re dead wrong. Season 11 is easily in the top five for best seasons, and I’m sure season 12 will continue to amaze.
“Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs” tells the tale of two “men” who move from the hard-edged streets of Philly to the well-manicured cul-de-sac of the suburbs. What appears to be paradise eventually leads to monotony and madness. What makes this episode so funny is the small talk that Dennis is forced to engage in with his Leave it to Beaver-inspired neighbor, Wally, that eventually leads to Dennis’ psychological collapse and the pair’s inevitable return to Philly.
Best Quote:
Dennis: “Hot, huh. Yeah. It is super hot. It’s getting really hot around here. So hot, Wally, but you don’t really know what hot is, do you? Hot’s a storm. You ever been in a storm, Wally? I mean, a real storm. Not a thunderstorm, but a storm of fists raining down on your head. Blasting you in the face. Pummeling you in the stomach, hitting you in the chest so hard you think your heart’s gonna stop. You ever been in a storm like that, Wally?”
#3: “The Gang Gets Invincible” (Season 3, episode 2)
The Donovan McNabb impersonator who is clearly plugging McDonald’s, Frank’s intense LSD trip that includes getting stuck in a trashcan and the first ever Green Man appearance help shape “The Gang Gets Invincible” into one of the finest It’s Always Sunny adventures of all time. Plus, we get a first-hand look at the whole McPoyle tribe.
Best Quote:
Donovan McNabb Impersonator: “Hey guys, I’m Donovan McNabb, and I play quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. And I’m here to tell you that you can too, if you start every day with a hearty breakfast from McDonald’s. Like the new sausage/egg McGriddle Value Meal, available now for a limited time for under five dollars. Remember, guys, real champs eat at McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it!”
#2: “Mac and Dennis Break Up” (Season 5, episode 9)
Coming in at a very close second is “Mac and Dennis Break Up”. I love this episode for two reasons: Firstly, the deep dive into the overbearing, jealous, apple-peeling relationship that Mac and Dennis have is absurdly hilarious. Secondly, there’s the whole “cat-in-the-wall situation” that’s happening over at Dee’s house making this episode a two-pronged masterpiece.
Best Quote:
Dennis: “Yeah, I, look, man, I… , I know you wanted to see Predator again but I feel like we’ve seen that 30 times in the last two months and thought maybe we could mix things up. Video store clerk guy said this movie is awesome, so…”
Mac: “The video store clerk guy. I feel like you won’t stop talking about him.”
#1: “The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis” (Season 4, episode 2)
“The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis” episode is the funniest It’s Always Sunny episode of all time. “Gas Crisis” is jam-packed with absurdities like filling up garbage cans with gasoline to strike up door-to-door business and Mac getting his head blasted with a gasoline fireball thus looking like a “burned up freak”. The amount of quotable material is this episode is endless and the complex plot makes a half hour feel more like a couple of hours.
Best Quote:
Mac: “Yeah! Yeah, that’s the classic setup. You know this, no? Look, every great crew in history has followed that basic dynamic, right? Looks, brains, wildcard. Think about it! The A-team did it. Scooby-Doo did it. The Ghostbusters did it!”
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns to FXX on Jan. 4, 2017.
