About It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a dark comedy series that first aired back in 2005, and has over a decade's worth of seasons to its name. The show follows a group of five underachieving, unethical, and selfish friends who run a dive bar in South Philadelphia, called Paddy’s Pub. The friends, known as "The Gang," frequently find themselves in a series of absurd situations often as a result of their own schemes and blunders. The series explores the numerous hilarious and shocking escapades of these characters with the charm of being simultaneously heartless and charismatic.

Making / Production

The show, often credited for pioneering a new era of television comedy, is the creation of actor Rob McElhenney and is produced by RCG Productions, Bluebush Productions, and 3 Arts Entertainment. Behind its crass humor and shameless characters, there's brilliance in the way that it satirically sends up topical and cultural issues.

Actors

• Rob McElhenney as Mac: A deeply insecure and closeted gay man, Mac is the brawn of the group, often diving headfirst into the group's schemes.
• Charlie Day as Charlie Kelly: Known as the "wild card" of the gang, Charlie is the most morally upright despite being hopelessly addicted to various substances and living in squalor.
• Kaitlin Olson as Dee Reynolds: The sole female of the gang, Dee dreams of making it as an actress though she lacks the skill and often falls victim to the group's constant ridicule.
• Glenn Howerton as Dennis Reynolds: The most narcissistic and borderline sociopathic of the group, his vanity-driven antics frequently complicate the group's plans.
• Danny DeVito as Frank Reynolds: The primary source of the gang's funding, Frank is an unethical businessman with a morally questionable lifestyle.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The show features a myriad of celebrity guest stars like P. Diddy, Josh Groban, Sinbad, and others.
• Many of the characters' quirks and personality traits were developed from the actors' own characteristics and improvisations.
• Despite featuring numerous instances of unethical behavior, the characters rarely face any real consequences for their actions.

Awards

While being highly-acclaimed and influential, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has surprisingly been largely overlooked by the major awards. Nonetheless, it has a dedicated fanbase and won a Satellite Award for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy in 2008.

Quotes

• "I'm not fat. I'm cultivating mass." - Mac
• "Wildcard, bitches!" - Charlie Kelly
• "Because you are crackhead children, and I am the only adult here." - Frank Reynolds

Music, Soundtrack

• The show’s original theme music is "Temptation Sensation" by Heinz Kiessling.
• Charlie Day, one of the series' lead actors and writers, occasionally writes and performs songs for the show such as the cult favorite "Dayman."
• The show features a mix of licensed music and original scores by composer Cormac Bluestone.