Five Funny Reasons: 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'

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WHAT IS TELEVISION'S fascination with assholes?

Thanks to Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine, the idea that a sitcom should focus on people who are friends but aren't necessarily good people has spawned many a follower. Think about "Entourage," "The Office" (especially the British version) and "Strangers With Candy," which introduced the world to the random jerk-ness of Stephen Colbert.

Continuing along that vein is FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," which cops "Seinfeld's" three-guys-one-girl format — but with a more offensive spin. Created by Rob McElhenney and developed by McElhenney and Glenn Howerton (who play Mac and Dennis, respectively), the show's past three seasons have left no politically correct topic untouched — racism, sexism, terrorism, slavery, sexual harassment, rape, drug abuse, abortion, gun control, eating disorders, gay and transsexual rights ... the list seems infinite.

With the show's fourth season premiering Sept. 18, you should have a little background before jumping onto this button-pushing bandwagon. Here are the five reasons Dennis (Howerton), Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson, McElhenney's fiancee), Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (McElhenney) and Frank (Danny DeVito) star in the funniest show on TV.

5. DANNY DEVITO
The most average man of average men everywhere, Danny DeVito fully embraces his vulgar side as Frank Reynolds, the successful/shady businessman who is legally (but not biologically) Dennis and Dee's father. Though not present in the show's first season, DeVito makes up for lost time by being as much of a jerk as possible in his role.

After divorcing Dennis and Dee's mother Barbara (who, we find, only married Frank because she thought he had more money than Dennis and Dee's real father), Frank decides to shoulder in on his kids' lives by purchasing the land underneath the bar the group runs, Paddy's Pub, in South Philly. He's the kind of dad who, when told by Dennis and Dee that they have something to talk to him about, angrily exclaims, "You two aren't banging, are you? Stay away from that kind of thing. No good can come of it, trust me."

And that's simply the beginning — he abuses the hell out of both his children and their friends (telling Sweet Dee she's "just not pretty enough" to be a successful actress); concocts various harebrained schemes to make the bar more successful (similar to how he went to Vietnam in 1993 to open up a sweatshop, in which "a lot of good men died"); and even befriends a ring of Asian gangsters.

To see DeVito fully embracing his character's asshole tendencies is a pleasant return to the same kind of sniveling, manipulative qualities he displayed as the Penguin in 1992's "Batman Returns." He may be pint-sized, but in "It's Always Sunny," DeVito's obnoxiousness is wonderfully off the charts.

4. "GOING BACK TO PHILLY"
Oh, Fred Savage — thank you. The star of "The Wonder Years" directed an unexpectedly hilarious, three-minute, five-second promo for the show's fourth season. Shot entirely in black and white and set to the song "Going Back to Philly" by Brooklyn rapper Jeru the Damaja, the promo features the gang acting out some of the song's lyrics and camping it up as much as possible. See: The guys gaping at a girl sucking suggestively on a large popsicle. Mac drinking a goblet full of water (and then swallowing the goldfish swimming in it). Dee dancing up on a shirtless guy, only to have him give her the hand, turn to the similarly shirtless guy standing next to him and begin to make out. Lastly, a guy clad entirely in a green spandex bodysuit (with a very prominent crotch area).

Though the song's lyrics may claim, "Going back to Philly, Philly, Philly / Going back to Philly ... I don't think so," Savage has created a promo that's both better than most movie trailers and will make any fan want to descend down the definitely depraved, dangerously addictive show's fourth season.

3. THE SEX
If you can imagine something gross and add sex to it, then chances are some character on "It's Always Sunny" has done it. And it was probably just as foul, if not more so, than you ever imagined.

For example, a brief list: Dennis' and Dee's parents think they are having an incestuous affair together. Mac sleeps with Dennis and Dee's mom. Dennis tries to sleep with Mac's mom, but she won't go for it (Mrs. Mac: "I think you're an ugly man." Dennis: "I'm not ugly. You're ugly."). Dennis tries to then have sex with Charlie's mom, but is again rebuffed. The Waitress has sex with Frank to get back at Dennis, her unrequited love ("That's right! I had sex with your father, because just like you I like my sex old and ugly! And with fake hair on their heads that falls off when you're having sex with them!"). Mac has an on-again, off-again relationship with Carmen, a pre-op transsexual played by Brittany Daniel of Sweet Valley High fame (Mac: "Is that a penis in your pants?" Carmen: "Yeah."). Dee tries to seduce a priest who had a crush on her in high school. Dennis has an affair with Margaret, the mute, unibrowed, compulsively lip-licking sister of the incestuous brothers, Ryan and Liam McPoyle. Dee may or may not have had sex with a room full of Korean men for the recipe to an extremely delicious microbrew.

And that's just the first three seasons — the fourth season will probably bring just as many disturbingly humorous couplings. After all, it wouldn't be Sunny without stomach-turning sex.

2. TACKLING THE ISSUES
While "Seinfeld" dealt with real-world issues by mocking the judicial system and Babu's visa situation, the minds behind "It's Always Funny" just handle their chosen problem — the Israeli/Palestinian conflict — by making a series of disturbingly realistic, somewhat inappropriate jokes (of course).

The episode begins when the gang learns that an Israeli man has bought the lot next to Paddy's and is demanding the gang close down the bar, as his property extends halfway inside. When Frank learns the man is having an affair with Barbara, his ex-wife, and the gang learns their bar has been encircled by a chain link fence, forcing them inside, the two join forces to bring down the guy next door. A videotape with Mac and Dennis dressing up like terrorists and making various threats is soon created; a discussion takes place about whether "Jew" is an offensive term; and a plan to throw a flaming bag of feces into the man's property (Charlie's reasoning: "They stamp it out, get poop all over their shoes") is concocted. Fast-forward to a blown-up building and police finding the "Jihad Tape," and the future doesn't seem too bright for the gang.

At the end of the episode, you're left with one question: Did "It's Always Sunny" just get away with legitimate political commentary? Or it is just another goofy mockery of a decades-long international dilemma? Either way — slightly offensive or not — it's hilarious.

"DENNIS AND DEE GO ON WELFARE"
Probably the best episode of the 32 so far, this specific installment of "It's Always Sunny" focuses on Dennis and Dee, who decide to abandon their jobs at Paddy's now that is Frank is in charge. Vowing to pursue their career goals — Dennis wants to become a veterinarian, while Dee still harbors dreams of becoming a famous actress — the two decide to go on welfare and start abusing the federal government's generosity.

The two lie to become eligible for welfare, with Dennis claiming he's a recovering crack addict taking care of Dee, his mentally handicapped sister (Dennis, being very confident at the welfare office: "Hi. I'm a recovering crackhead, and this is my retarded sister I take care of. I'd like some welfare, please!"). But when the government demands proof, the two decide to actually get addicted to crack — how hard can it be, right?

Soon, the two are out on the street, getting two-for-one specials from their crack dealer, scratching up a storm and delaying going to rehab until they have more rocks. Everything works out in the end, but is it still outlandish? Sure. Ridiculous? Definitely. Endlessly funny? Yes, please!

Written by Express contributor Roxana Hadadi
Photos courtesy FX