TV’s favorite dysfunctional gang is back for another season of hijinks. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is a staple in comedy television that shows no signs of slowing down since its premiere in 2005.
The momentous 14th season will tie the show with “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” (a sitcom from the early ’50’s) as the longest running live-action comedy series on American TV. Here’s what we can expect from the upcoming season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhbcZluEDNs
More About Mac’s Sexuality
The big cliffhanger from Season 13 was Mac (Rob McElhenney) finally coming to terms with his sexuality and coming out to his dad. In a show where the characters are so intentionally depraved, it will be interesting to see how the writers go about having a main character go deeper into his journey of queerness.
The episode “Mac Finds His Pride” from Season 13 was an emotionally moving one, so fans are biting their nails anxiously awaiting what’s in store next for Mac. Will he find a romantic interest? Will he reach back out to his father after coming out? Will Frank (Danny DeVito) finally get Mac on a gay pride parade float? Will they even mention it other than in the form of a passing joke? The possibilities are endless, and knowing the “Always Sunny” team, the reality is probably even more twisted than we can imagine.
Getting Themselves Into Classic Questionable Situations
Based on the glimpses into the new season from the trailer, we can expect the “Always Sunny” gang finding themselves in strange, problematic situations like usual. Some settings include playing laser tag against children, going to a zoo and an episode that looks like an ode to old-school black and white detective films.
There’s some strange fruit, a potential poisoning, Dee (Kaitlin Olsen) being stabbed with an epi-pen, the gang sitting in a conference room with Charlie (Charlie Day) talking to a window like it’s a two-way mirror, and the best part about it is that without the context of the episode, literally anything could be happening. “Always Sunny” Season 14 will be sure to keep fans on their toes.
Return of Beloved Side Characters
“Always Sunny” wouldn’t be as iconic as it is if the gang didn’t have so many side characters to harass, so we can expect recurring appearances from a lot of them. Rickety Cricket (David Hornsby) and the nameless Cugino’s waiter (Michael Naughton) are confirmed by the trailer, but fans can probably expect cameos from other wacky characters like The Waitress (Mary Elizabeth Ellis), Bill Ponderosa (Lance Barber) and Uncle Jack (Andrew Friedman).
Going Back to Their Roots
Some longtime fans of the show were concerned that recent seasons didn’t have the same feel as past seasons. Especially with Dennis’ (Glenn Howerton) infrequent appearances due to Howerton splitting his time with his leading role on NBC’s “AP Bio,” “Always Sunny” didn’t fully feel like itself — although, according to Howerton earlier this year, Dennis will definitely be in Season 14. Fans might even reasonably expect a heftier role for Dennis this season, as “AP Bio” was canceled in May of this year.
A hallmark of “Always Sunny” is having sequels to past plot points, like the iconic “Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games” and “Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo” duo among others. Based on the episode titles that have already been released ahead of the season premiere, fans can expect a callback episode to “Thunder Gun Express” from Season 7, fittingly called “Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool.” Although none of the other titles stand out yet, we can definitely anticipate some references to beloved past episodes throughout Season 14.
Maintaining Their Chemistry
The fact that “Always Sunny” has managed to stay on air as long as it has and maintain its distinct sense of humor and character for 14 years is mind-boggling. And since main stars Howerton, Day and McElhenney still write the show with occasional help from other writers, fans should be confident that their distinct eccentricities will shine through and give it the sprinkle of odd pizzaz that made “Always Sunny” so popular to begin with.
Perhaps something that fans can always bank on during a new season is knowing that the gang will always truly feel like the gang. You can almost feel the chemistry of the cast radiating through the screen when you watch the show, which always makes for great television. And when a show is as funny as “Always Sunny,” great chemistry between the cast makes it even better.
Another Season?
Of course, as excited as fans are about the return of “Always Sunny,” one burning question remains: Will we get the record-breaking but still elusive Season 15? It hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but according to FX chairman John Landgraf, the possibility is strong as long as the gang is still game. By the way the cast talks about the show, it seems extremely likely that Season 15 (maybe even more after that) is in the cards.
In an interview with all five main cast members, McElhenney said, “We all still love it and we’re still having fun, and there’s no disconnect between the writers and the actors, because we’re one and the same,” with Howerton comparing their dynamic to that of a band rather than cast mates. The dynamic definitely comes across through their on-screen chemistry, and it’s a breath of relief for “Always Sunny” fans to know that the cast and crew still love doing the show. It’s a good sign that the show isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Whether or not devoted “Always Sunny” fans will get six more seasons or just the record-breaking one more, one thing’s for certain: We know that the gang will get themselves into some depraved, cringey, lewd, really strange antics this season. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
