Jerry Seinfeld thinks controversial comedy is dead, but these Always Sunny episodes prove him wrong
FX/NBCJerry Seinfeld well and truly earned his status as a legendary comedian thanks to his self-titled sitcom, but lately, he’s been talking nonsense. How can he suggest that risqué comedy is a dying art form when It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been pushing the envelope for nearly 20 years?
There’s no doubt that Seinfeld is one of the best TV shows ever made, particularly in the comedy realm. Still, that doesn’t give its creator and star a free pass to throw shade at the brilliant sitcoms around today.
Jerry Seinfeld claims the “extreme left” has killed comedy and insists shows like his would not be made today. So, how do you explain the success of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, then?
It’s one of the smartest, most binge-worthy TV shows airing at the moment, and some of the best Always Sunny episodes are full of highly offensive jokes and cover a broad range of controversial topics. Here, we dig into the best of the worst from Paddy’s Pub and discuss why The Gang is far more outrageous than anything Jerry Seinfeld ever did.
30. Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody’s Ass (Season 2 Episode 9)
FXWhat it’s about: The Gang is determined to prove their patriotism, but as usual, they all take it too far. Charlie gets aggressive at an anti-smoking group, while Frank, Dennis, and Mac entice an unsavory crowd of lowlifes into the bar, all of which leads the guys to decide they’d rather live under totalitarian rule.
Why it’s so outrageous: Politics has always been right at the heart of It’s Always Sunny, with the writers unafraid to use their silly characters to satirize the hottest topics. The satire’s not so subtle in this episode, either, as Charlie, in particular, embodies the overzealous machismo among American patriots and proves why that section of society is so difficult to love.
Author: Jakob Barnes
29. Who Pooped the Bed? (Season 4 Episode 7)
FXWhat it’s about: I mean, the title pretty much says it all. Someone has gone number two in the bed that Frank and Charlie share, but neither is willing to admit to the crime, forcing Mac and Dennis to play detective to find the culprit behind the mysterious fecal matter.
Why it’s so outrageous: Jerry Seinfeld wishes his show had included a who-pooped-it plot twist, but he didn’t have the balls. Yes, it’s gross, and toilet humor is generally rather low down on the comedy scale, but the Always Sunny gang makes it work.
Author: Jakob Barnes
28. Mac and Charlie Write a Movie (Season 5 Episode 11)
FXWhat it’s about: When Dee lands a role in the new M. Night Shyamalan movie as an extra, Mac and Charlie decide they could do a better job at coming up with a script than the twist-master. Meanwhile, Dennis, with the help of his new agent, Frank, tries to launch his own acting career.
Why it’s so outrageous: It may be Mac and Charlie who try their hand at screenwriting, but Dennis takes their idea to a whole new level — and not a tasteful one — when he suggests their script needs more penetration and lots of it.
Author: Jakob Barnes
27. The Storm of the Century (Season 7 Episode 6)
FXWhat it’s about: With a ferocious hurricane heading for Philadelphia, Mac, Dennis, and Charlie brave the local mall in search of supplies. Unfortunately, they are distracted by Jackie Denardo, the large-breasted TV reporter they’ve always admired from afar.
Why it’s so outrageous: Watching the guys leer over and harass Jackie Denardo would be incredibly uncomfortable if they weren’t so pathetic in their approach. The fact their lives are at risk with the impending storm, and all they care about is a pair of boobs, feels very fitting for this terrible trio.
Author: Jakob Barnes
26. Mac Bangs Dennis’ Mom (Season 2 Episode 4)
FXWhat it’s about: After a reunion with Frank’s ex-wife (and Dennis and Dee’s mother), Mac is consumed with guilt after sleeping with her. However, Dennis decides to get his own back, kickstarting a back-and-forth of deceit and manipulation. Meanwhile, Charlie tries to get closer to The Waitress.
Why it’s so outrageous: On paper, this might sound tame for The Gang, but rest assured, it’s still dark. Everyone plays mind games with each other to cause sexual manipulation, and by the end, they’ve managed to trick The Waitress into sleeping with Charlie. It all feels pretty icky.
Author: Jessica Cullen
25. Dee Made a Smut Film (Season 11 Episode 4)
FXWhat it’s about: When The Gang discovers Dee has appeared in a raunchy movie, they decide that all art is pointless, and Frank takes on the persona of Ongo Gablogian, a cynical art critic, to prove as much. However, Dennis has a very different take and would really like to get his own erotic movie made.
Why it’s so outrageous: Honestly, you only need to look at Dennis’s incredibly graphic and lude drawing of what his ideal woman would look like to understand just how outrageous this episode is. The way he entirely believes he is complimenting the women he objectifies is undeniably hilarious. Plus, Ongo Gablogian may be the funniest fake character we’ve ever met in Always Sunny, which is saying something.
Author: Jakob Barnes
24. Time’s Up for the Gang (Season 13 Episode 4)
FXWhat it’s about: After being blacklisted as a bar that’s sexually hostile to women, the whole Paddy’s gang is forced to attend a sexual harassment seminar in order to change their ways. Obviously, it doesn’t work, and the guys just double down on their unruly ways.
Why it’s so outrageous: This episode came around in the wake of the Time’s Up and Me Too movements, and, in typical Always Sunny fashion, it did not skirt the issue at all. From Mac aggressively lifting Dee up in the air by her crotch to Dennis excusing all the misdemeanors he’s been guilty of over the years, The Gang clearly just do not get it and are scarily representative of a section of society that has only become even more hostile towards women in the last few years.
Author: Jakob Barnes
23. Flowers for Charlie (Season 9 Episode 8)
FXWhat it’s about: Charlie undergoes a medical experiment that leaves him with enhanced intellect. Feeling superior to the rest of The Gang, Charlie abandons the bar, meaning the others have to take on the arduous tasks they previously described as “Charlie Work.”
Why it’s so outrageous: Far from the most offensive Always Sunny episode to date, Flowers for Charlie still exceeds the boundaries Seinfeld was willing to push. Charlie’s low intelligence has been used as the butt of many jokes in the show, so when he realizes he has been fooled into believing he is smarter than everyone around him, it’s quite a sad moment. Of course, the real kicker is that all five of the crew are absolute idiots anyway, so it doesn’t matter who is the smartest.
Author: Jakob Barnes
22. A Very Sunny Christmas (Season 6 Episode 13)
FXWhat it’s about: Instead of their usual scheming ways, the gang is determined to have a holly jolly Christmas this year. But it’s not as easy as it looks, with Mac and Charlie’s childhood memories being tainted by reality and Dennis and Dee attempting to pull a “Christmas Carol” on Frank.
Why it’s so outrageous: Once again, Mac and Charlie are at the center of this episode’s wildest moments. Mac realizes his childhood celebrations were a front for theft, and Charlie discovering that his mother was at the center of a Santa-themed prostitution ring is the least of their worries — a bloody and violent run-in with a mall Santa will really have your jaw on the floor.
Author: Jessica Cullen
21. Dennis and Dee Go On Welfare (Season 2 Episode 3)
FXWhat it’s about: After Frank takes over Paddy’s Pub, Dennis and Dee quit to live their dreams. But they need money, and in order to get welfare, they both claim that they’re addicted to drugs — a claim they decide to prove by…actually getting addicted to drugs.
Why it’s so outrageous: It’s not often that a crack cocaine addiction is played for comedy, but that’s what It’s Always Sunny is all about. Dennis and Dee quickly become shells of themselves, hitting an all-time low, which makes for some very sorry laughs. What makes it even more bizarre is that the addiction is simply a means to an end, highlighting the consistently messed-up and blasé mentality of every member of the gang.
Author: Jessica Cullen
20. The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis (Season 4 Episode 2)
FXWhat it’s about: Irritated by rising gas costs, Dennis, Mac, and Charlie come up with a scheme to buy large amounts of gas and resell it down the line for a higher price. Meanwhile, Dee and Frank find out that Bruce Mathis, Dennis and Dee’s real father, has been donating money to a Muslim community center.
Why it’s so outrageous: There’s a lot going on in this episode, and laced throughout it are plenty of questionable jokes that no doubt raised a lot of eyebrows. Frank buys a “rape van”, Charlie all-but harasses an innocent homeowner using an off-putting oil baron persona, and Dee gets waterboarded. As Charlie would say, it’s a “wild card” episode.
Author: Jessica Cullen
19. Dee Gets Audited (Season 7 Episode 4)
FXWhat it’s about: After Dee claims a non-existent baby as a dependent, she undergoes an audit by the IRS, and pretends that the baby actually exists. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang attempts to run the bar in a “democratic” way.
Why it’s so outrageous: Dee having to falsify the existence of a fictional baby is bad enough, but things take a really cringe-worthy and questionable turn when she then has to pretend that the baby — which she names Barnabas — died. There’s a fake funeral and everything, which makes the whole affair feel incredibly uncomfortable. But thanks to the incredible lengths the gang will go to, plus a chaotic end, the episode will still get laughs out of you.
Author: Jessica Cullen
18. Frank Reynolds’ Little Beauties (Season 7 Episode 3)
FXWhat it’s about: Frank fears that people might misunderstand his intentions when he hosts a child beauty pageant and enlists the gang to help him run the event.
Why it’s so outrageous: The idea of trotting children out on stage is a little off-putting on a regular day, let alone when it’s the basis of an It’s Always Sunny episode. When the central focus of the plot becomes an obsession with a certain implication (stay tuned) involving little kids and grown men, there’s always going to be a sense of discomfort. Thankfully, it’s too ridiculous to be taken seriously.
Author: Jessica Cullen
17. Dennis Takes a Mental Health Day (Season 16 Episode 8)
FXWhat it’s about: Feeling the stress more than ever, Dennis decides to indulge himself in a mental health day. However, he soon realizes that barriers to his well-being are littered throughout the modern world, with mobile phone apps, unhelpful baristas, and electric vehicles driving him to the very edge of his sanity.
Why it’s so outrageous: We all know the world is a bit of an annoying place, right? But only the Golden God, Dennis Reynolds, is prepared to call out the bullshit and wish for a simpler, happier time. As his calm and composed facade starts to slip, we get to witness a mental breakdown in real-time, and yet, somehow, it’s comical.
Author: Jakob Barnes
16. The Gang Dances their Asses Off (Season 3 Episode 15)
FXWhat it’s about: After Charlie offers Paddy’s Pub as the grand prize for a local dance marathon, the gang have to be the last dancers standing in order to win back the business from the various foes that have collected to take it from them.
Why it’s so outrageous: This episode is a perfect example of just how much editing plays a pivotal role in Sunny’s comedy. There’s an appearance from Cricket’s “bionic” legs and The Waitress grinding up on a homeless man to make Dennis jealous, but the episode is famous for Mac’s recreation of Saved by the Bell’s “Slater Dance.” Oh, and Dennis is being a predator, as always.
Author: Jessica Cullen
15. The Gang Beats Boggs (Season 10 Episode 1)
FXWhat it’s about: Wade Boggs apparently drank 70 beers on a cross-country flight once and still managed to play baseball. So naturally, The Gang tries to outdo that feat and cause absolute chaos on their flight in the process.
Why it’s so outrageous: We’ve seen The Gang drunk before, but this Always Sunny episode takes things to the next level. They abuse cabin crew, hurl profanities at each other and fellow passengers, and still find time for some casual sexism. If that wasn’t enough, Frank and Dennis engage in a bet to see who can have sex on board the plane as part of Frank’s revolutionary “Air Sex Club” idea.
Author: Jakob Barnes
14. Reynolds vs Reynolds: The Cereal Defense (Season 8 Episode 10)
FXWhat it’s about: Dennis, for some reason, decides that eating cereal while he drives would be a good idea. He’s proven wrong fairly quickly when Frank rams into the back of his car, sending milk and cereal flying all over his dashboard. So, the pair lock into a heated legal battle, with Mac leading the trial.
Why it’s so outrageous: The day-to-day habits of Dennis Reynolds have never quite made sense to me, but the fact he eats cereal when he’s behind the wheel of a car is perhaps the most insane thing he’s ever done. Still, seeing him filled with road rage is very funny, and his line delivery of “dumb bitch” is so misogynistic and bitter, it works.
Author: Jakob Barnes
13. Charlie’s Mom Has Cancer (Season 8 Episode 6)
FXWhat it’s about: After Charlie finds out that his mother has cancer, the whole gang bands together in their own strange way. Mac, Charlie, and Dee confront their ideas of faith, Frank fears for his mind, and Dennis tries to access even a single emotion.
Why it’s so outrageous: Look, let’s be honest: it takes a lot to try and even make a joke about cancer. But this is the backbone of the entire episode, accumulating in a horrific fundraising scene in which Charlie exploits his own sick mother. It’s a painful watch and very much pushes the boundaries of what you feel comfortable laughing at. But a clever resolution clears the air, so you don’t have to feel like a complete monster for enjoying this particularly depraved scheme.
Author: Jessica Cullen
12. The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis (Season 5 Episode 1)
FXWhat it’s about: Frank buys a foreclosed home and wants to flip it for profit, and Dennis and Mac want in. So, of course, they decide to become real estate brokers, taking on the persona of Vic Vinegar and Hugh Honey.
Why it’s so outrageous: The real-life mortgage crisis of 2008 literally cost people their homes, their happiness, and in some cases, their lives. But nothing is off limits for Always Sunny, and this episode truly undercuts the seriousness of the matter, with the Honey and Vinegar Real Estate duo mirroring the lowlife predators who benefited from the mess.
Author: Jakob Barnes
11. Mac is a Serial Killer (Season 3 Episode 10)
FXWhat it’s about: With Mac acting more peculiar than usual and a mysterious serial killer on the loose, The Gang comes to the conclusion that Mac is the culprit. He’s not, of course, but they do make shocking discoveries along the way.
Why it’s so outrageous: The very idea of trivializing serial killers and the innocent victims they pursue is ballsy enough. Then, when you throw in the fact this Always Sunny episode ends up revealing Mac has been secretly involved in a sordid affair with a transsexual, you can’t help but laugh at how wrong the guys were to suspect him of murder. There’s also the scene where Dee is used as bait and ends up being kidnapped by a pimp, which will always elicit nervous laughter.
Author: Jakob Barnes
10. Sweet Dee has a Heart Attack (Season 4 Episode 10)
FXWhat it’s about: After Dee has a heart attack and discovers she and Dennis no longer have health insurance, the gang makes great efforts to correct that; Dee and Dennis join a gym, Mac and Charlie get a job, and Frank winds up in a mental health facility.
Why it’s so outrageous: Having an episode literally start with someone having a heart attack sets a high bar, but the various antics that the gang finds themselves in prove to be utterly ridiculous. This episode is to thank for the enduring “Pepe Silvia” joke, made all the better by Charlie’s red-eyed, shaky monologue.
Author: Jessica Cullen
9. Mac and Dennis Break Up (Season 5 Episode 9)
FXWhat it’s about: We could all see it, but it took a while for Mac and Dennis to realize their friendship had gotten a little too cozy and needy. So, they decide to distance themselves from one another for a while. Meanwhile, Frank and Charlie go to extreme lengths to help Dee get rid of the cats that have taken refuge in the walls of her apartment.
Why it’s so outrageous: The homoerotic tension between Mac and Dennis has always been strong, and clearly, absence makes the heart grow fonder as we see the pair simply cannot live without each other here. However, it’s the subplot of the cats in the wall that generates the most laughs and shows that Always Sunny thrives when it takes its wackiness to the extremes.
Author: Jakob Barnes
8. The Gang Goes to a Water Park (Season 12 Episode 2)#
FXWhat it’s about: The gang heads to a waterpark on a beautiful day, which results in several unideal antics. Dennis finds a young protégé, Charlie and Frank become obsessed with one ride, and Mac and Dee get stuck down a water slide.
Why it’s so outrageous: It’s the lengths that Frank and Charlie will go to in order to get on their favorite ride that makes this episode so dodgy. After claiming he has AIDS in order to bypass the waiting time, it’s clear that any sense of morality has gone out of the window just to take a very dry and bloody trip down a water slide. (Which, on its own, is downright nasty to witness.)
Author: Jessica Cullen
7. The Nightman Cometh (Season 4 Episode 13)
FXWhat it’s about: The Gang comes together to put on a show: Charlie’s seminal rock opera, The Nightman Cometh. Nobody understands it, but they all throw themselves into their roles, accumulating in a show that has to be seen to be believed.
Why it’s so outrageous: Frankly, it doesn’t get more iconic than this. Mac wearing cat eyes and hissing? Frank trying to “get into the boy’s hole”? Not a single minute of this Always Sunny episode is wasted, and the build-up to the show is just as entertaining as the musical itself — which, admittedly, is a work of absolute genius packed with double entendres.
Author: Jessica Cullen
6. The DENNIS System (Season 5 Episode 10)
FXWhat it’s about: Dennis Reynolds reveals his highly immoral, meticulously strategic methods for attracting women and keeping them keen, and The Gang is in awe of his sordid talents. So much so, that they try out his tactics in their own chaotic ways in order to ensnare the men and women they crave.
Why it’s so outrageous: Let’s be real here: Dennis Reynolds is a sexual predator. He’s a menace to women everywhere, and his callous pride at the way he manages to trick them into bedtime and time again is the behavior of a lunatic, really. The only thing more deranged than Dennis’ approach, is seeing Dee and Charlie try the same things and failing miserably.
Author: Jakob Barnes
5. The Gang Dines Out (Season 8 Episode 9)
FXWhat it’s about: The Gang often go their own ways throughout various Always Sunny episodes, but this particular episode asks the question, “What happens when their separate worlds collide?” Charlie and Mac can’t stop staring at each other, Frank wears a horrific wig, and Dee is forced to watch it all unfold from behind a menu as the odd one out once more.
Why it’s so outrageous: OK, outrageous is probably the wrong word for this one. Chaotic is more appropriate, and few episodes of this show underpin the chaotic nature of the lives these strange characters lead. The funny thing is, we’ve probably all been in a situation where we try desperately to pretend we haven’t spotted someone we know, but the way these guys lean into the paranoia, and do it all with such frenetic energy, leads to a wicked blend of slapstick humor and subtle social commentary.
Author: Jakob Barnes
4. Mac Finds His Pride (Season 13 Episode 10)
FXWhat it’s about: Frank initially plans to use Mac’s homosexuality to his advantage as part of a Gay Pride parade in Philly but eventually realizes that Mac’s immense sexual insecurity needs to be addressed — and the only way to do that is to help Mac come out to his father.
Why it’s so outrageous: It was incredibly brave for such a silly sitcom like Always Sunny to lean right into its theatrical elements in order to do justice to Mac’s sexual journey. Most of the comedy is stripped out of this Always Sunny episode, and in its place are more tender moments, all of which peak with Mac’s incredible dance and Frank’s emotional reaction.
Author: Jakob Barnes
3. Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs (Season 11 Episode 5)
FXWhat it’s about: When the city gets too expensive, Mac and Dennis decide to move out to the suburbs, refuting the claim from the others that they won’t be able to hack it. However, cabin fever quickly kicks in, leaving the two at dangerous odds.
Why it’s so outrageous: The best Always Sunny episodes always end in an explosive climax, and this one is no different. Watching Dennis and Mac slowly lose their minds and reach psychotic heights — like literally eating a dog — is so much fun. Throw in a montage set to Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ and Dennis doing what he does best (simply screaming at people), and this is a real winner.
Author: Jessica Cullen
2. Charlie Work (Season 10 Episode 4)
FXWhat it’s about: On the day of a health inspection, Charlie attempts to get everything in order and get the pub up to standard. Fortunately, nobody knows Paddy’s weird little quirks better than Charlie, but he has a hard time wrangling the tasks as the gang gets in the way.
Why it’s so outrageous: If there’s one thing that sells me on a TV show every single time, it’s when there’s an episode that’s made to look like (or genuinely is) one extended take. ‘Charlie Work’ uses this method to put a farcical twist on Charlie’s stress at trying to get Paddy’s Pub up to code. As this Always Sunny episode goes on, it gets more and more ridiculous, including some unsightly images — like Frank covering himself in black paint and Mac with bloody scratches across his cheek — that are unforgettable.
Author: Jessica Cullen
1. The Gang Buys a Boat (Season 6 Episode 13)
What it’s about: Would you believe it, this Always Sunny episode sees The Gang buying a boat? But, between failed attempts to clean said boat and Mac and Dennis trying desperately to lure women onto their vessel, the whole adventure — quite literally — crashes and burns.
Why it’s so outrageous: Because of the implication, of course! I would argue that no single scene in Always Sunny history is funnier than the conversation between Dennis and Mac, where the latter becomes increasingly fearful that his friend is going to force women into sex by reminding them that, at sea, no one can hear you scream.
A grim thought indeed, but the contrast between Dennis being so oblivious to the connotations of what he’s saying and Mac’s pure horror at what he’s hearing proves they are the ultimate odd couple. This is the quintessential example of how Always Sunny can get away with such controversial topics by simply creating characters that are so deplorable and yet so stupid that nothing they say or do really holds any weight at all.
Author: Jakob Barnes
So there you have it, 30 Always Sunny episodes that prove Jerry Seinfeld is full of crap. For more crazy comedies, check out our list of the best South Park episodes, or our rundown of all the characters The Simpsons has killed for real. Or, look ahead to some of the most outrageous new movies on the way, like Deadpool & Wolverine.
