It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the longest-running live action U.S. sitcom of all time, is also very much one of the funniest shows of all time. With fantastic writing and characters that could only be played by those inhabiting the roles, it’s comedy gold. To call it the “R rated Seinfeld” is both accurate and a bit too much of an overgeneralization. It’s a show about rotten but lovable individuals, yes, but it’s also a show that pushes itself frequently and in diverse ways. And, as far as quality goes, it’s been remarkably consistent. In fact, even its weakest seasons, like Season 10, for instance, contain at least one masterpiece episode. In that case, “The Gang Beats Boggs.”
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But just what are the most impressive of its 17 seasons? Unlike most series, it’s not just the early run years that stand towards the top of the heap.
5) Season 6
The first season to be displayed in crisp HD, Season 6 has a few qualities that make it notable. For one, this is where we really start to see Mac struggle with his sexuality. Two, it features the introduction of Maureen Ponderosa. And three, it does a marvelous job of incorporating Kaitlin Olson’s real-life pregnancy.
This season also has several of the best Charlie Kelly-focused episodes. His scavenging for “oysters” (actually barnacles) in “The Gang Buys a Boat,” his thinking his costume is “too sexy” in “Who Got Dee Pregnant?,” his jealousy of the Gang’s renewed infatuation with Schmitty in “The Gang Gets a New Member,” the entirety of “Charlie Kelly: King of the Rats,” it’s all good stuff for Charlie fans.
4) Season 14
Again, Sunny‘s best stuff didn’t just come out in the early years. Season 14 is proof positive of this. What’s most impressive about this season is, even nearly a decade and a half in, the series showed no signs of slowing down. Just look at the finale, “Waiting for Big Mo,” which has the characters acknowledging how long they’ve been around (which is, of course, the actors doing the same) and seemingly closing the curtain only to come back and screw over a kid who’s about to usurp their title as the kings (and queen) of laser tag.
But that’s not the only great episode. There’s also “Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool,” which has the characters (and, again, cast) analyze modern day entertainment industry standards, “Dee Day,” “The Gang Chokes,” and “The Gang Texts.” The season also shows that there’s still room for the beloved characters outside the Gang. For instance, the Waitress, the best Sunny supporting character, who is put to great use in “The Janitor Always Mops Twice.”
3) Season 2
Some shows take multiple years to display their stars’ comfort in their respective roles. With Sunny, however, it took just two.
Season 2 is technically the most important of Sunny‘s entire run. After all, this was when Danny DeVito was brought on as Frank Reynolds. He was the opposite of a fifth wheel. He was the presence that gave the show and the core dynamic of the Gang its real spark. That said, there’s more to Season 2 that is special than DeVito. Specifically, this is when the show started to learn the best pairings. Dennis and Dee in “Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare,” Frank and Dee in “Hundred Dollar Baby,” Mac and Charlie in “The Gang Exploits a Miracle,” this was when we saw just how uniquely wonderful and hilarious it was to see the Gang’s members bounce off one another instead of just make life worse for those outside the Gang.
2) Season 5
Season 4’s “The Nightman Cometh” is the best episode of the series, but as a whole it was a more uneven year. That is, compared to Season 5. This season had 12 episodes and not a single dud in the bunch, with “The Gang Hits the Road,” “The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention,” “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens,” “Mac and Dennis Break Up,” and “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System” all standing as perfection. Then there’s “The Gang Wrestles for the Troops,” which features the late Roddy Piper delivering such a hilarious (but frightening) performance as Da’Maniac that he will always be the show’s best guest star.
Not to mention, while “A Very Sunny Christmas” aired after Season 6 finished its run, it was actually the first episode filmed for Season 5 (hence its being in standard definition), so the bonus points that classic earns belong to the fifth year, not the sixth.
1) Season 7
There’s a degree of irony to Season 7 taking the top spot, considering it’s the home of what is considered by many to be the weakest episode of them all: “Frank’s Brother.” However, while that episode is a bit too much of a departure for its own good, it does still have the Shadynasty joke and a performance by the late Lance Reddick.
Not to mention, that episode is more than balanced out with several of the series’ very best episodes. “Frank’s Pretty Woman,” “Frank Reynolds’ Little Beauties,” “Sweet Dee Gets Audited,” “Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games,” “The Gang Gets Trapped,” “How Mac Got Fat”…those are all sublime. Season 5 and Season 7 are Sunny at its best, but Season 7 gets the slight edge for pushing the characters in interesting new directions and expanding them in humorous ways, especially when it comes to Mac. Rob Mac gaining weight for the show is a wonderful illustration of his commitment to it, and it’s a choice the Gang has a lot of fun with (“You have candy coming out of your pocket!”).
Stream It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu.
What is your favorite season of Sunny? Let us know in the comments.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
