Dazed, confused, and gradually reclaiming control of their extremities as the numbing effects of a mysterious elixir wear off, the gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia find themselves in shackles—and diving headfirst into season 11 of the critically-acclaimed FXX series.
In the corner of a dilapidated basement, an outdated, static-laden TV set hums to life. Danny DeVito appears onscreen sporting an impressive disguise straight out of Saw, but the man’s short stature and trademark screeching voice blow his cover almost immediately.
“Hello, gang,” he growls. “The keys to your cuffs have been sewn into your forearm. Beside you are some tweezers attached to a car battery. Last team out of the room loses.”
Well, what else could one expect from an episode titled “Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo?”
The executive of a game company contacts the crew about a potential business deal involving “Chardee MacDennis”, the gang’s own original board game of physical, mental, and emotional challenges featured way back in season seven. With utterly insane rules and incredibly dangerous “puzzles” (like piecing a shattered beer bottle together and proving its sturdiness by drinking out of it), the gang attempts to show the businessman exactly what the riveting competition entails.
Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) return weirder, funnier, and more shameless than ever. The newest season doesn’t waste a minute in revealing how dissolute and horrible these not-so-clever con artists can be. Willing to risk anything to make a quick buck, their new venture in the game industry and the subsequent physical harm it causes is just another day in the life of the gang.
Episode two opens with a nonsensical argument in Charlie and Frank’s apartment. Suddenly, Frank falls out of the window and slams his head against the unforgiving pavement below, which gives him an impressive, bloody gash and a strong bout of amnesia. Mentally, Frank becomes stuck in the year 2006, which allows Dennis and Dee to take advantage of their father’s unfortunate condition. The twins try to have another go at inheriting Frank’s fortune. Meanwhile, Charlie and Mac conspire to toss Frank out of his own apartment in hopes of raking in more rent money.
Sunny tackles major controversies and profits off of political incorrectness. The characters are the worst people one would ever want to meet, their hilarious depravity responsible for a number of horrible situations (the manipulation and subsequent transformation of a priest into a drug addict and “street urchin,” for example). Since its season one premiere in 2005, the gang has sold a variety of hard drugs, faked their own deaths, performed several kidnappings, and posed as police officers. They’ve committed fraud, ruined innocent lives, and eaten more cans of cat food than can be counted. Each new episode of horrifically immoral hijinks brings a tasty delinquent activity du jour, and fans eat it up every time.
Throughout its long run on FXX, Sunny has received incredible praise virtually unmatched by today’s top comedy shows. With all but two seasons receiving a 100% on rottentomatoes.com, Sunny is an unapologetic show that takes major comedic risks while expertly retaining the quality and sheer originality that avid viewers have come to expect and crave from creator Rob McElhenney. Having teamed up with fellow co-stars and executive producers Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day since the show’s conception, McElhenney has churned out nearly 11 seasons of uproarious episodes.
If this absurd season premiere and its subsequent second episode are accurate representations of what insane (and undoubtedly illegal) shenanigans the gang will get caught up in this time around, Sunny faithfuls are sure to be more than satisfied.
Three friends, one washed up actress, and their perverted patriarch walk into a bar. Eleven seasons and a whole lot of get-rich-quick schemes later, longtime Sunny fans hope they’ll never want to leave.
Featured Image By FX Productions
