It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Season 9 (FXX) (1 Viewer)

[joshEH]

“All these years, I thought I hated karate...and Project Badass...and God. But what I really hate...is Mac. He made all those cool things suck.”

Hey, Seann William Scott: You are always welcome on my screen.



I loved the different things that made the different Gang members have to reach for the scream-pillow. For Dennis, it's fake badassery; for Charlie, it's religion; for Frank, it's greasing dudes. I also like that they take the seemingly-huge step of having the gang openly acknowledge Mac's homosexuality, but as an aside in the middle of an episode that doesn't lead to him actually confronting it in any way.

(“These guys work off their beautiful glutes for our enjoyment. The least we can do is pay them off in tan and grease!")

Occasionally the Gang does/says something that reflects actual, acceptable levels of humanity, and they always underplay it as a "no duh" kind of moment, which is their sole redeeming quality, as a group. I always go back to Mac's reaction to The Implication as proof he isn't completely a self-deluded monster.

Country Mac was awesome, so he had to die. The minute he was accepted by the Gang, invited to join their gang, and got on that motorcycle, I somehow knew he was not long for their world. I thought to myself, "Yep, he's gonna die. The Gang can never have anyone that cool be in their group."

R.I.P., Country Mac.

 

[joshEH]

List in order of what other characters' days I would have to loved to have seen, if I had the option:

1. Charlie (denim chicken, getting high, chasing ghouls, spcially-composed theme music, etc.)
2. Dennis (would basically be like an episode of Dexter)
3. Frank (too unthinkably horrifying to contemplate)
4. Mac (I predicted karate, and stuff with dudes -- I was right; but did not foresee epic Country Mac)
5. Dee (it would be depressing)

What say everybody else?

 

[ScottH]

We NEED a Charlie day.

 

[joshEH]

Man, Mac's fantasy had me busting a goddamn gut, and I loved how Dennis just looked utterly confused by his own rapey murder-fantasy. This might have been the best episode of the season.

I actually liked Frank's fantasy, with him just eating hot dogs while all the other gunfire-shit is happening offscreen.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Time Warner rejiggered their channel lineup in my market Tuesday night, and FXX got lost in the shuffle. I'm hoping it reappears ahead of next week's episode.

 

[joshEH]

It was an easy joke. But I thought it was funny that Sweet Dee gets killed in almost every single one. The cartoon-Dee getting shot up made me laugh so damn hard.

Also, the discussion about saving the reporter's breasts fucking killed me.

"Her breasts were obliterated."

 

[ScottH]

Man, opinions really differ...I thought this was by far the worst episode of the series. I don't think I laughed even once. The only potential saving grace was that I was looking forward to Charlie's fantasy the entire time and it ended up being the worst one of all of them. I guess they couldn't get Mary Elizabeth Ellis on set in person.

 

[Walter C]

I actually thought Charlie's fantasy was the best, combining both "Ratatouille" and "Up". Then again, this coming from someone who likes watching Pixar. The only fantasy that I did not really care for, was Dee's.

 

[joshEH]

"Religious, stuttering army-carnies!"

Kaitlin Olson should win an Emmy solely on the basis of how she Southern-stuttered through, "[He] got throat cancer from eating some bad pussy." I had to pause the show for a solid 30 seconds after that. Compared to just 25 after Dennis's, "Not too hard...not too soft."

Jesus, DeVito will just do anything this show asks. He looked like he just escaped from the Matrix.

Always Sunny has to be the only show where the bottle episodes are the best (the McPoyle "Die Hard" one was great, and "Chardee MacDennis" might be the single funniest in the whole run).

 

[ScottH]

Yeah this episode recovered nicely from last week's stinker.

I have no idea what I was watching with Danny DeVito at the end. To steal a line from Ruxin on the Wednesday night FXX follow-up show...FOREVER UNCLEAN!

I saw an interview with Charlie Day where he was talking about the episode where DeVito had to stay inside the playground spiral ladder thingy. DeVito showed up in boxers, but they wanted him in tighty whiteys, so he said he would do that if the other guys would take off the boxers and put the tighty whiteys on for him.

 

[joshEH]

The reveal at the very end killed me, as did Charlie's invention.

"Nine-plus-nine equals box, and that's where the cat goes."

("Flowers for Charlie"/"Flowers for Taco" -- is it coincidence that both The League and Sunny did the same theme on the same night?)

I didn't realize this was the Benioff and Weiss episode. I think this episode will be even more entertaining upon rewatch. Knowing Charlie wasn't really speaking a different language or making much sense is actually quite funny, looking back.

Anyone else wish that we could've seen Charlie's explanation of how his invention allowed Spydars and Cats to talk to each other?

So...with Del Toro appearing last season as the McPoyle Patriarch from whose loins all McPoyles spring, and Burn Gorman's Science Bitch™, are we far off from a Ron Perlman appearance to finish off the Pacific Rim Cameos?

 

[joshEH]

One more quick thing:

Seeing Dennis and Mac sway sensually makes me think that they've had sex before. The way Dennis turns away right as Dee walks into the room is a little too perfectly-timed to be a coincidence.

True, it could've just been Dee interrupting them, or of Dennis realizing, "Yeah...you're getting too close -- I like seeing that I can seduce you, but no thanks," and turning to cut him off.

Either way, it's one of those great jokes that The Gang pulls off so well – dense, economical, and, if you turned to look at your smartphone, you missed it.

 

[ScottH]

("Flowers for Charlie"/"Flowers for Taco" -- is it coincidence that both The League and Sunny did the same theme on the same night?)

I don't think that was a coincidence at all. And I'm torn as to which one was funnier - "smart" Charlie or "smart" Taco. I realize I should probably post this in The League thread, but Taco's realization that he's not a "catch" might have been the funniest bit of either episode.

 

[Walter C]

Yeah, both shows did a funny take on "Flowers For Algernon", but I have to give the edge to "The League", as I laughed more at that episode. Still, I did like watching smart Charlie.

 

[Hanson]

The reveal was great. I knew it was a placebo, but was unprepared for the part where everything Charlie did was utter nonsense. The gibberish Mandarin was awesome.

I definitely liked this version over the League one. Taco was actually smarter off of pot, which isn't as funny as Charlie only thinking he was smarter.

 

[joshEH]

Oh boy, that shower scene. Astonishing.

 

[ScottH]

Didn't care for this episode, and I loved the Lethal Weapon 5 one. The sudden role switch was good, but expected.

 

[joshEH]

"I may have started a money-fire."

A really good ending to a strong season. The Gang locking their nemeses in a burning room after a half-assed attempt at making peace -- ON THANKSGIVING -- is the absolutely perfect distillation of their ethos. I laughed my ass off all the way through.

Liam McPoyle's fake eye was terrifying, Cricket's deterioration is still heartbreaking, and Dennis's delivery of the "contract" line was, I think, the point where he's no longer funny-creepy but repulsive-creepy. But still in a really effective way.

(My opinion is that the flesh-colored eyepatches are way more badass, and I cite as an example Colonel Tigh.)

Did anyone else notice they used the same weird tropical music during the video store scene, as they do in the scene at the McPoyles' house in "Who Got Dee Pregnant?" Now, I will forever think of McPoyles when I hear tropical music. I am okay with that.

 

[ScottH]

I can't believe that was the season finale already. It seems like there were less episodes this season. Even The League still has more (I can't remember if The League started later).

The Liam eye patch (with the painted on eye) was hilarious. Only the McPoyles would buy a video store!

 

[joshEH]

Yeah, I had no idea this was the finale until I caught the promo last week. It seemed like a short season, but I guess last season was only ten episodes, as well. Damn, those ten weeks flew by.

Any guess as to Rickety Cricket's condition next season? I'm guessing he'll have lost the arm that got the hatchet, and he'll perhaps have a nasty burn-scar or two (or three) across his face.

Also, I fucking love Bill Ponderosa. I want to try coke now.

I wonder if they'll have continuity next season with the fact that Mac and Dennis's apartment burned up? ("They are definitely going to burn to death.")