Latest from CinemaBlend in Its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia

Kaitlin Olson's HIgh Potential And Always Sunny Co-Stars Share The Love After Big Emmy Nomination

Nick Venable — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 22:45:00 +0000

Pop culture may never know another embarrassment of riches quite like having three different Kaitlin Olson TV characters to look forward to in a single year, but my goodness, everyone who has watched the trifecta of High Potential, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Hacks can attest to these splendors. Speaking of the latter, her ever-hilarious performance as DJ Vance was once again championed when the 2026 Emmy nominations were announced, as she landed her third Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nom.

This latest recognition marks Olson’s fourth Emmy nomination overall, though she has yet to secure a win. (Presumably due to otherworldly and purely evil forces, or perhaps just catastrophic human foible.) Fans know she’s more than worthy, however, which is partially why High Potential is one of the most-watched scripted shows to hit the 2026 TV schedule, even if the Emmy voters aren’t caught up yet.

Olson shared the news on social media, which understandably drew a bunch of positive reactions and fans pointing out just how deserving she is.

A post shared by Kaitlin Olson (@kaitlinolson)
A photo posted by on

Naturally, some of those comments came from not just the adoring audience members watching from home, but also actors that have worked with Kaitlin Olson across all three of her current shows. (Or currently Emmy-eligible, at least, since Hacks has concluded.) Check out how the actress' famed colleagues shared the love, with one fellow nominee voicing her hopes for Olson to win out.

Garret Dillahunt (High Potential): Are we shocked? Love it when excellence is rewarded. 🙌
Jimmi Simpson (It's Always Sunny): DOY!!! 👏❤️
Lauren Weedman (Hacks): Godd-mnit. I want you to win
Jaimie Alexander (It's Always Sunny): 🔥🔥🙌wooohooo!!!!
Hacks' IG: Soooooo d’nominated. 🥂
Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It's Always Sunny): Duh! 🏆🏆🏆
Tricia O'Kelley (High Potential): Wheeeeeee!!! Soooooooo well-deserved!!! ✨✨✨
Mary Lynn Rajskub (It's Always Sunny): Congratulations!!!
Marshall Cook (High Potential): Just give her one already @televisionacad she’s more than earned it and not to sound rude but everyone’s wondering what your deal is. Thanks.

To Olson's credit, she replied to Lauren Weedman's comment seen above and joked: "If I do, I’m having your name put on it." She's so selfless!

From an odds perspective, it seems pretty likely that someone from Hacks will take home the trophy in Olson's category, even if it's not her. (It better be, though.) Here's the group vying for the same prize.

Nominees For Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

Leslie Bibb - Hacks
Jamie Lee Curtis - The Bear
Betty Gilpin - Widow’s Bay
Cherry Jones - Hacks
Laurie Metcalf - Hacks
Kaitlin Olson - Hacks
Lauren Weedman - Hacks

If Betty Gilpin or Jamie Lee Curtis comes out ahead, that'll be a shocker indeed. Not to take anything away from either of their worthy performances. Gilpin especially since her Widow's Bay role was so bizarro. What are the chances that series' showrunner reaches out to get Olson in Season 2? Can I manifest this here and now? Maybe a little help, universe?

Weedman's wasn't the only comment that Kaitlin Olson replied to, and this may be the best of the bunch that I came across, as it references that most glorious of It's Always Sunny episodes, "The Nightman Cometh."

@2tickets2ironmaiden2: I hope you have a song prepared
- Kaitlin Olson: Tiny Boy, Little Boy….

Hey, if that musical extravaganza was good enough to inspire someone to use it for a marriage proposal, then it's good enough to be used for an Emmy acceptance speech.

Congratulations, Kaitlin Olson! Here's hoping you win it all!

All five seasons of Hacks can be streamed via HBO Max subscription, and it's worth it even if DJ isn't in the majority of episodes. Meanwhile, all seasons of High Potential and It's Always Sunny can be streamed via Hulu subscription and Disney+ subscription. Hopefully we'll be seeing Sweet Dee back sooner than later, though Morgan won't be helping the LAPD with their efforts until ABC's midseason lineup in 2027.

I've Been Waiting To Watch Glenn Howerton's Latest Movie, And It's Finally On Netflix

mick.joest@CinemaBlend.com (Mick Joest) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:05:00 +0000

I'm always amazed by how talented the cast of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is, and how they've slowly made their way across Hollywood as their hit comedy rolls on. Kate Olson has High Potential, Charlie Day has had some success in movies, and Rob McElhenney has a soccer team.

Then there's Glenn Howerton, who had a brief stint on network television's A.P. Bio, but hasn't quite taken off in the way his co-stars have. I'm even more surprised he hasn't after seeing his amazing performance in Blackberry, which I was finally able to enjoy with my Netflix subscription after a long wait.

(Image credit: IFC Films)

I've Waited A Couple Of Years To See Blackberry

I've seen a few clips of Glenn Howerton in Blackberry over the years, and it's been my primary motivation to check it out. Seeing Howerton bring the intensity of Dennis Reynolds to a serious role was intriguing, and it was just odd seeing him without a full head of hair.

I've sought out this movie on streaming for a while, but unfortunately, I found out it was only available on AMC+. Fortunately, that changed in mid-March, as the story of the rise and fall of Research in Motion is told via a dramatic film that has Glenn Howerton, Jay Baruchel, and Matthew Johnson co-leading in a movie that has the same vibes as The Social Network.

(Image credit: IFC Films)

What Is Blackberry About?

Blackberry is the story "inspired by" the story of how Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin's Blackberry technology was brought to major suppliers thanks to a partnership with Jim Balsillie. Those who lived in the era probably remember the stranglehold Blackberry phones had on the market at the time. This story is a telling of the events, but as Basillie told The Toronto Star, the movie takes creative liberties. For what it's worth, he is very high on Glenn Howerton's portrayal of him, even if it isn't entirely accurate.

‘As Douchey As It Is…’ Charlie Day Knows Why It’s Always Sunny Co-Star Rob Mac Changed His Name

Erik Swann — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:14:44 +0000

The actor formally known as Rob McElhenney made headlines a little less than a year ago when he revealed he was changing his name. While some initially thought he was joking, the multihyphenate confirmed he was changing his name to Rob Mac for professional purposes. Mac’s move led to a myriad of responses from fans as well as some entertainment industry pundits at the time. Now, Mac’s longtime It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia castmate, Charlie Day, is weighing in on his name change in a hilariously honest way.

Anyone who’s familiar with the interpersonal dynamics amongst the It’s Always Sunny cast surely know that they love to (playfully) give each other a hard time. So I wasn’t surprised that when Day asked about Mac’s name change at SXSW, he threw in some funny jabs. Not only did he suggest to Collider that Mac should’ve taken on wife Kaitlin Olson’s surname, but he also said it’s pretty “douchey” to change one’s name. (Mac actually made that same “douchey” admission). Still, Day explained why he understood the decision:

Well, first of all, a missed opportunity not to go with Rob Olson, you know, which I think would’ve been a lot cooler. But, okay, as douchey as it is to change your name, this is a man haunted by the name McElhenney. I mean, from the moment I’ve known him, no one has been able to properly spell that last [name]. Does anyone want to try to spell McElhenney right now? It was M-C-E-L-H-E-N-N-E-Y, and no one ever could spell it, and it drove the man crazy.

Even though Mac’s decision may not have been expected by fans (and the reactions to the name change were funny), I can also understand why he opted to move forward with it. McElhenney is a unique name but, considering the Mythic Quest star has a brand he’s continuing to build, it makes sense that he would want a moniker that’s easy for people to digest. In the Instagram reel, Day shared his approval but also humorously called out his longtime friend and colleague for one reason:

And now that he owns like, nine soccer teams, when he goes to other countries and he tries to explain the name McElhenney, he [sees] people’s brains melt down. So he went — he copied my three-letter last name. But that’s fine, that’s fine, but I understand. I make fun of him, but I also get why he did it.

It's Always Sunny's Gang Is Totally Doing A Die Hard In Season 18 (Unless Rob Mac Is Pranking Us)

Nick Venable — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:24:16 +0000

There’s something incredibly comforting about knowing that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is currently filming a new season, since it means fans likely won’t need to wait forever to see the Gang back at it and making life and the planet worse, one hilarious episode at a time. Details about Season 18’s subject matter are few and far between, but Rob Mac seemed to just reveal the next big action franchise the show will be parodying late in the 2026 TV schedule.

With the show likely done bringing out sporadic “sequels” to 1987’s Lethal Weapon, it only makes sense for the Gang to take another beloved blockbuster franchise to repugnant levels. And what better inspiration than an even more influential action movie from a year later, DIe Hard? While not coming right out and confirming it, Rob Mac laid the puzzle pieces out in a way where it’s easy to bring them all together. Check out his Instagram post below.

A post shared by Rob Mac (@robmac)
A photo posted by on

Let's directly lay out the clues here for easier understanding.

That appears to be the Fox Executive building (a.k.a. Nakatomi Plaza) with fire Photoshopped onto it. That skyscraper is located behind the Fox lot where It's Always Sunny films.
The building explosion seems like a clear nod to Die Hard, as does the person falling face-up the way that Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber does in that infamous shot.
Rob Mac's caption of "There’s broken glass everywhere…" is a direct reference to the Season 3 episode "The Gang Gets Held Hostage," which also featured Die Hard nods.

I'd also like to throw the fact that Charlie Day and Danny DeVito appear to be wearing white T-shirts beneath the gray coveralls, but neither appears to be the kind of sleeveless shirt that Bruce Willis' John McClane wore . But I'm calling that the only strike against this assumption.

Yesss, Kaitlin Olson's High Potential Updates Are Soothing My It's Always Sunny Worries

Nick Venable — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:47:21 +0000

Hearing the phrasing “Ask, and you shall receive,” tends to provoke a cynical reaction within me, mainly because I’m rarely the one doing the asking or receiving. But blessed be Kaitlin Olson for providing a pair of career updates that provided shockingly perfect answers to my recent inquiries about whether filming for High Potential’s second season would affect her work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Huzzah!

Any kind of updates about the show are welcomed with open arms (even if Olson’s posts are perhaps easier to celebrate for fans who also love Always Sunny). After all, High Potential is in the middle of a month-long hiatus, with episodes set to return to the 2026 TV schedule in March. Given Season 2 was given a bigger episode count than the first, it hasn’t been entirely clear how far along the production is, but that’s now been cleared up pretty effectively, as seen below.

A post shared by Kaitlin Olson (@kaitlinolson)
A photo posted by on

The first big takeaway from that Instagram post is that ABC 100% needs to start selling a Morgan Gillory doll, preferably with an endless assortment of fashion add-ons. Having it branded as Barbie would obviously be ideal, as Morgan would arguably be the smartest version out there, but even without Mattel's involvement, I'd still throw money at this thing. (The other characters could get dolls, too, after the Morgan ones make enough money to justify it. Enough about unlikely High Potential merch, though.

Kaitlin Olson's post sparked a lot of celebratory comments, but I was admittedly still a bit wary after seeing it, wondering if she might only be declaring that her role as an actress was done, but that she might still be needed on the set as an executive producer. Maybe not the most likely scenario, but showrunner Todd Harthan praised Olson for putting in extra work behind the scenes and earning her EP credit, so it's not an out-of-line thought.

Still, there's no reason to have such thoughts, as the Sweet Dee Reynolds portrayer shared an A+ video that serves as undeniable proof that she's back in the puke-stained saddle to deliver the goods for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18, which kicked off production going into President's Day weekend. Check out the clip below, which mirrors one she shared following High Potential's Season 1 wrap.

A post shared by Kaitlin Olson (@kaitlinolson)
A photo posted by on

Given the shows actually do film extremely close to one another, part of my brain is giving serious thought to whether or not ABC would be down to follow up Always Sunny's crossover with Abbott Elementary with a similar mash-up that puts Morgan and Dee in the same room together. How long before Dee would tell Morgan to shut up and then start hitting on Karadec?

So to recap what we know:

High Potential Season 2 has wrapped filming on its remaining six episodes, so it's likely we'll get an uninterrupted streak of eps when it returns to ABC, barring any further State of the Union addresses.
Even if Kaitlin Olson may not have been present and accounted for on It's Always Sunny's first days of filming for Season 18, she was back in Dee mode before a week's time passed.

As far as a time window for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia gracing viewers with Season 18, it's hard to know whether or not they'll be done in time for new episodes to drop by the end of the year, or if FXX will instead opt to debut the new season in early 2027. Rob Mac seemingly confirmed online this season will have more than the recent status quo of 8 episodes, which could obviously factor into the premiere window.

Meanwhile, Morgan is set to keep playing up her and Karadec's Will they?/Won't they? when High Potential returns on Tuesday, March 3, at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Will Kaitlin Olson's High Potential Affect How Much Of Her Sweet Dee We'll See In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 18?

Nick Venable — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:49:47 +0000

Most actors would be beyond overjoyed to star in either one of network TV’s most-watched series, or in one of cable’s longest-lasting and record-breaking shows. Yet Kaitlin Olson has her feet firmly planted on both sides thanks to ABC’s High Potential and FXX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. So far, the two shows have filmed seasons without any publicly addressed overlaps, but will that still be the case going forward?

I know I’m not alone in wishing the answer to this will be “Yes,” with the hope that Olson will forever be physically and mentally capable of bouncing between the genius of Morgan Gillory and the...uh…genus Homo sapien of Dee Reynolds. But an exciting update for It’s Always Sunny’s upcoming season could affect things. Let’s take a closer look at what we know so far while waiting for new High Potential episodes to return.

(Image credit: FX)

What's The Status Of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 18?

It's Always Sunny fans have bemoaned recent seasons not only being spaced two years apart, but also for boasting fewer episodes than what viewers grew accustomed to. (Seasons 15-17 released 8 eps each, while the prior seven seasons sported 10 eps, not to mention the higher counts for Seasons 3-7.) Amazingly, both of those complaints will seemingly be rectified with Season 18.

Co-creator and star Rob Mac shared on Instagram that the new season's production kicked off before the weekend started. Compare that to Season 17's starting point, which reportedly happened in October 2024, nine months before the second half of the excellent Abbott Elementary crossover aired in July. So if things go as smoothly this time around as they did before, fans could feasibly be tuning into the premiere in November or December 2026.

However, Rob Mac also dropped the huge news that Season 18 will be bigger than expected, in response to one fan's hope-filled comment, as seen below:

@serayepa: Pleeeeeeease say we're getting more than 8 episodes this time! It's always over so fast & l'm sad
- @RobMac: yep :)

While he didn't offer any further details regarding just how many eps audiences can look forward to seeing in the new season, the Welcome to Wrexham co-lead deserves heaps of excited praise for giving us even that detail to gnaw on. A bigger season can only mean good things, whether it's another wild crossover episode like Frank's cameo-infused run on The Golden Bachelor in the finale, or simply another example of Dennis being the most reprehensible human imaginable.

On the flip side of that optimism, more episodes of It's Always Sunny presumably means more time on that set for co-star Kaitlin Olson. So what's happening with her more prominent day job?

(Image credit: ABC)

Will Kaitlin Olson Be Able To Film New It's Always Sunny Eps On Top Of High Potential?

Back in 2024 when High Potential was coming together behind the scenes, with original showrunner Rob Thomas bowing out and getting replaced by Todd Harthan, the decision was made to cap the first season at 13 episodes to allow Kaitlin Olson to work on Always Sunny's 17th season, as that scheduling was already set in stone. The goal at the time was to avoid such issues in the future, so have they?

That's not entirely clear at this point, unfortunately, as it's unknown whether or not High Potential has finished filming its second season, which is reportedly set for 18 episodes. The current month-long hiatus brought on by the Olympics and an upcoming State of the Union address definitely makes it possible the cast and crew have yet to complete everything involved. Plus, that same cast and crew likely would have flooded social media with season-wrap posts, which hasn't happened yet as far as I can tell.

So at least early on into It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's 18th season, there's a decent chance that Kaitlin Olson will still be too busy on High Potential to immediately reprise Sweet Dee. That wouldn't necessarily indicate a dearth of the character, though. Given that Rob Mac is Olson's husband, he'd likely have the best ideas for which sequences could be filmed without Dee in the mix, allowing for her to jump right in at whichever point she's able.

That said, it's also possible fans will get one or more standalone-esque episodes focusing on just one or two main characters, as it mostly went with Season 13's "Charlie's Home Alone" and certain others.

Given the fact that High Potential has offered up a couple of low-key nods to It's Always Sunny, including through Morgan's fingernail designs, it's clear those producers are well aware that Olson's other commitments are worthy of consideration and respect. So here's hoping the ABC dramedy doesn't cause a Sweet Dee-sized void in the FXX series when it returns.

High Potential airs on ABC on Tuesday nights at 9:00 p.m., with episodes streaming the next day via Hulu subscription, which also gives subscribers access to all 17 seasons of It's Always Sunny.

I'm Loving 2 Ways Kaitlin Olson Says High Potential Changed Her Public Life After Years Of It's Always Sunny

Nick Venable — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:53:04 +0000

Kaitlin Olson is one of the most versatile actresses currently working in TV. She's proven her excellent physical comedy skills (as well as her verbal ones) on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, with her dramatic side rising up to shine in full on High Potential. It's been both impressive and extremely enjoyable to watch as a longtime fan, and I love the ways Olson has said being a network TV lead has played into public interactions with fans.

I'm far from the only viewer highly impressed by how well Kaitlin Olson has transitioned into what may become her biggest TV role to date. High Potential has maintained a chunk of its massive freshman-season viewership across the 2025 TV schedule, particularly where delayed-viewing stats are included, making it so millions and millions of audience members are familiar with her as an LAPD consultant with a photographic memory. Speaking with Esquire, Olson shared that Super Bowl Sunday 2025 is currently her go-to response when asked about the best day of her life, entirely due to High Potential fans.

For one, Olson noted (likely with only the slightest amount of sarcasm) that she was finally able to hear fans calling out to her with comments that weren't just "Shut up, Bird!" which is the phrase she hears most often from hardcore Always Sunny fans. To be sure, Olson welcomes it, as she understands that it comes from a place of love and appreciation. High Potential even seemingly referenced her bird nickname in a recent Season 2 episode. Still, though, she's not complaining about that shift in fan behavior.

Second, she said it was great to have so many fans that weren't even aware that calling her "Bird" is a reflex reference. In her words:

High Potential had come out, and there were so many brand-new fans who just knew me as Morgan. It was really fun. . . . They had no idea who Rob was.

In the 20 years since It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia debuted on FX, and in the 17 years or so since Olson and Rob McElhenney (now Rob Mac) were married, she has no doubt dealt with tons of fans who showed him preference. And he likely holds that over her head whenever he can, because they're that kind of an adorable celebrity couple. As such, I hope it was as much of a high-horse moment as possible for her to be surrounded by fans who possibly thought he was her assistant or babysitter.

So long as nobody starts badgering Kaitlin Olson to recall any of the myriad facts she spits out as Morgan Gillory, I think everything will be fine.

When asked for her thoughts on why fans seem to love her High Potential character so much, Olson pointed out she thinks it's a variety of reasons, saying:

A lot of people can relate to Morgan. It’s nice to see a person who might seem very put together but be a bit of a mess. Someone who is a really good mom but a fuck up in real life. She doesn’t take herself too seriously. She doesn’t flaunt the fact that she’s smart. It’s disarming. She’s just doing whatever she can to make it work and make sure her kids are good. Once you have kids, nothing else really matters. If they’re happy, you’re happy. That might have something to do with it.

Everyone can relate to someone who appreciates not being called "Bird" loudly in front of strangers at an airport. And I think everyone can also relate to fans who are upset that High Potential already aired its midseason finale and won't be back until 2026. It's set to return to ABC on Tuesday, January 6, with past episodes available to stream in full via Hulu subscription.

High Potential's Latest Case Ends On A Truly Hilarious Note For Kaitlin Olson's Morgan, At Least If You Love It's Always Sunny Like I Do

Nick Venable — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:16:15 +0000

Spoilers below for the latest episode of High Potential, so be warned if you haven't yet watched on ABC or via Hulu subscription.

As a longtime fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s core female star Kaitlin Olson, I’ve adored watching her spread her creative wings as one of the brainiest characters on the 2025 TV schedule, High Potential’s Morgan Guillory. Unsurprisingly, I’m also quite fond of the various ways the actress has already brought those two worlds together, from maintaining the same trailer backstage to Morgan’s fingernail easter eggs to Olson showing up as Morgan on the FXX comedy’s set. But the latest episode took the cake.

Okay, so I can’t actually say with 100% certainty that High Potential’s sixth Season 2 installment, titled “Chasing Ghosts,” featured a direct reference to Sweet Dee Reynolds, but I would have legitimate trouble trying to believe that it’s all just a coincidence, because that’s just a bunch of bird-brained nonsense.

How High Potential Seemingly Referenced It's Always Sunny

Near the end of the episode, after Morgan and Karadec successfully identified and captured the tricky killer (possibly by using not-entirely-legal means), Morgan notes the absense of an animal that was previously present in the room, which leads to the following exchange:

MORGAN: Karadec, where's the bird?
KARADEC: Bird?
MORGAN: Yeah, that giant, awesome, black raven that was perched on the clock, casting a super creepy shadow when we got here. Do you remember?
KARADEC: I guess I was just focused on that body. I don't know what to tell you.

First thing's first: KARADEC CALLED MORGAN A BIRD! Technically, he "asked" her a bird, but this still makes for a classic moment for Always Sunny fans nonetheless.

Earlier in the episode, when Olson's character clocked the raven on top of the clock, I'd thought the bird was just a decoration, but I still made a joke to myself about it being like Morgan was looking in a mirror, never expecting the show itself to come back around to that. But of course it did.

(Image credit: YouTube TV)

For any High Potential fans reading this in utter confusion, Kaitlin Olson's Sweet Dee long ago unintentionally sparked a comparison between herself and birds (one big bird in particular), and it's a running gag that hilariously continues to this day, to the point where more fans yell "Shut up, Bird!" at her than anything else. Even if I hadn't clocked that she was talking about the previously shown raven, I still would have instantly honed in on Karadec's "Bird?" comment without question.

The episode also addressed other interesting topics, of course, such as revealing what was in Roman's backpack (which debunked my theories), and giving some temporary closure to Morgan and Ava's latest tiff. Not to mention providing some backstory behind the new captain's seemingly leery nature, which in turn reminded me of those "love triangle" comments the showrunner made.

Speaking of..., let's take a second to amusingly address the specific way Karadec shared his cluelessness about the bird, saying "I guess I was just focused on that body." Hot damn! He didn't say, "I was paying too much attention to the corpse," or "attention to the case," or anything so readily innocent. Instead, he made a comment that a foolhardy fan could instantly take as being flirtatious. But that's a topic for another day.

Assuming all things go according to plan, fans hopefully won’t be waiting too long for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18, but before that sordidness resumes, High Potential Season 2 airs Tuesday nights on ABC at 10:00 p.m. ET, though Episode 8 serves as the midseason finale ahead of a longer-than-desired winter hiatus.

Kaitlin Olson Went To The It’s Always Sunny Set Dressed As Her High Potential Character, And Now I Need A Crossover

Megan Behnke — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:21:00 +0000

One of the marquee TV shows finally returning for the 2025 TV schedule, High Potential has been bringing the heat with its second season already. There are plenty of Season 2 stories to look forward to for the ABC series, and more episodes mean more of Kaitlin Olson wearing killer outfits as her character, Morgan. Evidently, the HP set is not the only place where Olson has been showing off Morgan’s fashion sense, as she stopped by the set of her other show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, while in costume. And, now, I desperately need to see a crossover.

Olson has been pretty busy, starring as Morgan Gillory on High Potential and going into her 18^th season as Deandra “Sweet Dee” Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny. Even though the two characters are wildly different from each other, it seems like Olson had fun mixing the worlds of her two shows in some way. The actress took to her Instagram to reveal that “Morgan spent the day at Paddy’s,” complete with a fur coat:

A post shared by Kaitlin Olson (@kaitlinolson)
A photo posted by on

It might be hard to do a crossover between It’s Always Sunny and High Potential strictly for the fact that Olson portrays key characters in both shows. However, if there can be a crossover between It’s Always Sunny and Abbott Elementary, you never know. Of course, both of those shows take place in Philadelphia, whereas High Potential is set in Los Angeles. Regardless, it would be fun to see Morgan and Dee together and maybe even find themselves on a crime-tinged adventure.

At the very least, new episodes of High Potential are airing weekly and, with only a few episodes, there's already so much going on. A surprising love triangle is “firmly on the table” now after the series introduced new character Nick Wagner, played by Shameless and Reba vet Steve Howey. Nick, Morgan, and Daniel Sunjata’s Adam Karadec, but that should only make the narrative more interesting. It’s still early, so there’s no telling how things will play out on that front.

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Meanwhile, it sounds like It’s Always Sunny Season 18 isn't far behind. Star and writer Charlie Day previously revealed that the writers’ room is starting up this month. Given that production may not be starting until early 2026 or sooner, Olson may have either had some downtime and wanted to stop at Paddy’s bar, had some meetings, or was helping cook up some stories while she wasn’t filming High Potential.

Whether or not a crossover between High Potential and It’s Always Sunny will ever happen is unknown. However, if anything, maybe a Halloween episode of Sunny, in which Dee dresses like Morgan and no one believes she resembles the HP character -- would suffice. We'll have to wait and see if such a nod happens.

In the meantime, know that High Potential airs on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Also, grab a YouTube TV subscription to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Had It's Second Crossover Episode, And I Need To Talk About Why It May Be One Of The Series' Best

jerricatisdale@gmail.com (Jerrica Tisdale) — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 19:02:00 +0000

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia starts Season 17 by concluding the crossover event with Abbott Elementary. The episodes are some of the best for each show. This demonstrates that the FXX long-running TV show should embrace collaborating with other shows more. It seems to take this lesson seriously because it has another surprise crossover with an ABC series.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has multiple episodes related to The Golden Bachelor, concluding with the official event. It isn’t necessarily a crossover but more a parody of The Bachelor franchise and some of its best moments and best in reality TV in general. However, The Golden Bachelor host, Jesse Palmer, makes a cameo appearance, which does make it closer to a crossover.

I thought It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia wouldn’t be able to top the Abbott Elementary crossover and its many strong elements. However, The Golden Bachelor crossover/parody episode may be the best one of Season 17.

Warning: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 spoilers. Proceed with caution.

(Image credit: FXX)

It's A Clever Spoof Of The Golden Bachelor, But Still Faithful To Sunny's Tone

Somehow, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 8, “The Golden Bachelor Live,” simultaneously feels like an episode of The Golden Bachelor and this hit FXX show. It marries the tones of the shows perfectly. Jesse Palmer deserves a lot of credit for giving this Sunny episode The Bachelor vibe. Instantly, he puts on his hosting face and embodies his usual persona. Despite the chaos of Frank (Danny DeVito) and the Gang, he never loses his composure.

Palmer not being destroyed by the Gang slightly departs from It’s Always Sunny’s norm. Usually, most normal people end up losing it after interacting with the Gang for more than five minutes. However, because even the spoof version of Jesse is so professional, he treats all their shenanigans like nothing new. This also says a lot about the circus that is The Bachelor at times.

The Gang’s antics probably fit right in with some of the wildest Bachelor moments. Also, the premise of “The Golden Bachelor Live” is that we’re watching a prerecorded version of the show. This means that we’re not seeing the Gang as natural and as lively as usual. This is an edited-down version of them. However, you still feel the chaotic nature of this group, even in their limited screen-time. I can believe this is an episode of The Golden Bachelor, and I can believe this is an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s a perfect union.

(Image credit: FXX)

It's Oddly Romantic

Romance and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia rarely mix. However, that isn’t to say that the show hasn’t had random acts of romance throughout the seventeen seasons. It’s usually either a scheme of some sort or forgotten the next day. Charlie (Charlie Day) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) randomly had sex a few seasons back, and it’s only been brought up once. Love and romance don’t go hand in hand in this series. And just because It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia spoofed one of the most romantic TV shows of all time, it didn’t necessarily mean it would welcome that part of the show.

However, it goes for it. Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney), and the rest of the gang fully believe that Frank will pick Cock Chewa (Audrey Corsa) because that’s such a typical Frank move. He’ll pick the hot young woman, despite them having nothing in common. Charlie’s mom, Bonnie (Lynne Marie Stewart), even enters the picture to save him from his younger woman complex. Surely, Frank will choose Bonnie or Cock Chewa. His long-time bang or his new bang.

In a normal, romantic world, Frank would pick Sam (Carol Kane). They have a soulmate quality. They just click. Sam even gives Frank a super romantic speech that moves him, but he chooses to send her home. Then, in a moment I was genuinely not expecting, Frank runs to find Sam and asks her to marry him. It’s a romantic moment that could compete with some of the best moments in the greatest romantic comedies.

After they kiss in the rain (another swoon-worthy touch), I sat there waiting for the punch line. I thought we'd flash two weeks later and Frank would have dumped her and be with Cock Chewa. Nope, It’s Always Sunny opted for an extremely romantic moment. I am not naive enough to think Frank and Sam will be a new thing in the show. I am sure Frank will mess it up at some point, or we’ll discover that Sam is a con artist or something. However, until Season 18 starts, I am in awe of this really unexpected Sunny moment.

(Image credit: FXX)

This It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Episode Implements Some Of The Best Parts Of The Season

I have been having a mixed reaction to It’s Always Sunny Season 17. I think the majority of the season has had some very strong episodes, like “The Golden Bachelor Live,” but some ones I really didn’t enjoy. Nevertheless, it’s been a consistent theme of the things that work for this season. We see them once again make an appearance in this episode.

It has great guest stars and cameos, continues to be true to continuity, has unexpected moments, and takes bold chances that work. After being on the air for 20 years, the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crew has proven that they can create sharp comedy, so they should use this season to experiment. Most of it has paid off in tremendous ways.

(Image credit: FXX)

The Tribute To Lynne Marie Stewart Made Me Emotional

Lynne Marie Stewart passed away in February 2025. This means “The Golden Bachelor Live” is probably the last thing she filmed. Stewart has been playing Charlie’s mom from the very beginning. Bonnie is one of those characters who you love to see appear. She brings a special brand of crazy to the show. I anticipate the series fully addressing her death in Season 18.

I almost dread having to watch the cast and their fictional counterparts have to mourn her, but somehow make it funny. The ending tribute was a nice way to honor her before getting to that chapter of the show. It also felt special that this tribute is included in one of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s most romantic and heartwarming episodes.

I only began watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia when Season 10 was about to begin, but I have seen every episode, many multiple times, so I also couldn’t help but feel the loss of this character and fantastic actress. Bonnie Kelly and Lynne Marie Stewart will be greatly missed by the fans as well as those who knew her personally.

(Image credit: FXX)

This Entire It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Episode Works Because It Breaks Tradition And Leaves A Lasting Impression

Weeks later, and I am still thinking about Carol Kane and Danny Devito’s underrated performance on “The Golden Bachelor Live.” It almost made me believe in love again. They’re such a charming pair that brings out the sweetest version of Frank. I don’t think this episode is as strong if it ended any other way. If Frank picks Bonnie or Cock Chewa, we’re thinking, “of course he did,” and move on from it.

However, it ending so romantically gives the show some hope that’s occasionally there but not often. I know next season will kill this hope, but it’s nice to see the show take a major departure from expectations. The dreamer in me hopes that Carol Kane becomes a recurring character or series regular next year and we get this chaotic duo as a permanent fixture in the show. It probably won’t happen, but I like this dream.

Stream It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 on Hulu.

Sounds Like It's Always Sunny Fans Won't Be Waiting Too Long For Season 18, And I'm Celebrating With Frank-Shaped Cake

Eric Eisenberg — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:10:00 +0000

It used to be the case that audiences would get a new season of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia annually... but like a lot of shows in modern television, that's no longer the case anymore. Looking back, 2014 was the only year from 2005 to 2019 that the series missed, but the schedule has been elongated since then, with the last three runs debuting respectively in 2021, 2023 and 2025. Recognizing that pattern, one might assume that It's Always Sunny Season 18 won't arrive until 2027 (Season 17 just concluded last week with a Golden Bachelor-themed finale), but new comments from star/writer Charlie Day suggest that it may get made sooner than that.

The most recent episode of the podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name features Day sitting down for an extended conversation with Ted Danson (both extremely well-versed when it comes to being a part of a long-running show), and it's during the chat that an interesting update on the next season of It's Always Sunny is proffered. Asked where things stand with upcoming episodes, the actor best known for playing Charlie Kelly says that he, Rob Mac, Glenn Howerton and the rest of the writers on the show aren't taking an extended break following the end of Season 17. Instead, he explains...

We're going to start the writers room in October. It's crazy how we're doing it, because last year we wrote all eight episodes in eight weeks, which was not enough time. There was a lot of writing on the weekends.

More It's Always Sunny!

(Image credit: FX)

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Charlie Day doesn't elaborate and explain how much time has been allotted to write the episodes in Season 18, but if they add an extra month to the Season 17 schedule, that would potentially mean having scripts ready before the end of the year. There will be other logistics with which the series will need to deal – like the fact that all of the stars of the show have other projects – but a start of production in early 2026 seems possible.

And If new episodes of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia do start cameras rolling in early 2026, it's very possible that we will see the finished work before the end of the calendar year. Why? Because production on the beloved FX series is run-and-gun and tends to be super fast. Or in Charlie Day's words, explaining to Ted Danson how long it takes to shoot a season:

Two-and-a-half months. It's so fast. The whole thing maybe is six months. But we're going to do it at least one more time! I know that much.

As intimated, there is a possibility that the next run of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia will be the last, as it will conclude the four-season renewal deal that was made following the conclusion of Season 14. If it does prove to be the end, hopefully it will be because stars Charlie Day, Rob Mac, Glenn Howerton, Danny DeVito and Kaitlin Olsen decide that it's time to say goodbye to Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Frank and Dee and it's not because the show gets cancelled. It should go without saying that this is a development we'll be keeping a close eye on as the new season of Sunny gets made, so stay tuned for news and updates here on CinemaBlend.

It's Always Sunny's Rob Mac Will Finally Get To Use His Muscles For Action Instead Of Comedy In A New TV Show That I'm Already Obsessing Over

Nick Venable — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 18:04:53 +0000

For quite a few years now, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans have seen star and co-creator Rob McElhenney — whose official name was changed to Rob Mac earlier this year — seemingly get more and more buff in the post-Fat Mac era, but without many creative outlets to show off his physique in a more action-oriented form of storytelling. Now, it appears that’ll be changing, as he’s set to join his second video game-related series, with his past creation Mythic Quest having joined 2025’s other TV cancellations.

Rob Mac is reportedly set to co-create and co-star in a small-screen video game adaptation of the popular series Far Cry, though the confirmation of said news is currently up in the air thanks to video game publisher Ubisoft. The studio apparently jumped the gun on sharing a press release over the weekend that detailed the new project, as the post was later removed from the site without further insights. But unless this was somehow an elaborate prank or hoax, which seems unlikely, there’s a lot to get excited about here, so let's get optimistic.

Far Cry Is Being Co-Developed By Rob Mac And Alien: Earth Creator Noah Hawley

Despite the post being taken down from Ubisoft's website, the details were noted on Reddit and beyond in the immediate aftermath. The biggest factoid there is that Rob Mac will be co-creating the Far Cry series with another A+ TV brain, that of Fargo and Alien: Earth's Noah Hawley.

If things play out accordingly, Hawley is set to take on showrunner duties for the new show, while Mac's talents will be extended to the front of the cameras. That said, it's unknown what role he'd play, or if that's even been figured out yet.

To be expected from two talents whose careers have been fueled in large part by FX, the Far Cry series is noted as happening at the cable network. It'll be interesting to see what kind of role will be taken by Mac, who was famously supposed to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine before his part was cut.

The Far Cry TV Show Will Apparently Be Dark And Moody, With Anthologized Storytelling

Unlike another one of TV's highly anticipated video game series — I'm referring here to Fallout Season 2 — Far Cry will reportedly go the anthology route with its seasonal storytelling. Meaning whoever Rob McElhenney portrays in the first season likely won't return in the second, which isn't to say that the actor himself won't return. At this early point, it's hard to predict something like that.

Far Cry's standalone stories will definitely be reflective of the source material, however. Since the first game was released in 2004, the franchise has made a point of taking each new game to a different (and dangerous) part of the world, with different (and dangerous) military factions and criminal cabals to defeat across vast and tricky terrains.

Ubisoft's head of film and TV, Margaret Boykin, reportedly shared this statement as part of the iniitial release:

This collaboration is really an embarrassment of riches. Far Cry is a psychological tailspin that doesn't shy away from the darkest and most absurd parts of humanity, which aligns perfectly with FX's bold and fearless storytelling style.

For all that I'm viewing this information with a grain of salt, this sounds like an excellent way for Mac to properly show off what he can do within the action genre. But, like, outside of Always Sunny's controversial Lethal Weapon episodes and that kind of thing. How cool/amusing would it be if he played a different protagonist in each season?

Given his involvement with Welcome to Wrexham and its central ball club, which has turned into a mega-millions investment for the actor and Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac will seemingly be as busy as ever if Far Cry does in fact get an official announcement in the near future.

Here's hoping Danny DeVito and the rest of the gang also join the Far Cry fun in one way or another.

Did It’s Always Sunny Predict The Golden Bachelor’s Mel Owens Controversy With That Finale Crossover? Why I'm Almost Convinced

Heidi Venable — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:40:00 +0000

Spoiler alert! If you haven’t seen It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s August 20 episode “The Golden Bachelor Live,” you can stream it with your Hulu subscription.

After a season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that paid tribute to series like Is It Cake? and The Rehearsal — and gave us that wild Janine curse in the Abbott Elementary crossover — Season 17 ended on a high note with “The Golden Bachelor Live.” The finale, which both made me cry and provided an awesome classic TV reunion, featured Frank going on The Golden Bachelor, with a plot that felt shockingly similar to the controversy the ABC dating show is actually currently facing with Mel Owens. Did the Gang predict this?

Former NFL linebacker Mel Owens, the 66-year-old lead of the Golden Bachelor Season 2, came under fire this summer for saying he preferred to date women ages 45 to 60 and that he planned on “cutting” any contestants older than that. Knowing this as a Bachelor Nation fan, my whole body cringed into itself during the Always Sunny finale when Frank — standing with Jesse Palmer in front of Bachelor Mansion — started immediately dismissing the women in their 60s who exited the limos, ultimately exclaiming:

No, no, no. Pass! Pass! Are all these whores gonna be this old?

My jaw was on the ground. Not because I couldn’t believe Frank would say such a thing — Danny DeV ito is always pushing the envelope with his character — but because it hit a little too close to home, given the conversation that has surrounded the upcoming season of The Golden Bachelor.

Of course, Mel Owens’ comments don’t rise even close to the crude level of Frank’s exaggerated reality on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but to me, the sentiment of instantly eliminating women because they were in their 60s felt uncomfortably similar.

What the ex-NFL player said (in part) was:

They asked me, like, ‘What’s your preferences?’ So I just said 45 to 60, just being honest, right? And then the process went and I was selected. And then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, ‘If they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them.’ … They gotta be fit, because I stay in shape, work out and stuff. And I told him, ‘Try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs,’ you know, that kind of stuff.

The Golden Bachelor Season 2 cast has yet to be confirmed by ABC, but the list of potential contestants included just one woman under 60. Mel Owens has since said he apologized to the women on his season on the first night of filming.

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So is this like The Simpsons being able to predict future events? Season 17 of Always Sunny wrapped filming in December 2024, months before Mel Owens’ June 2025 appearance on the In the Trenches podcast. With “The Golden Bachelor Live” episode airing on the 2025 TV schedule on August 20, there’s really no way one could have inspired the other.

Maybe we’ll find out Mel Owens has been working with Rob Mac and Charlie Day this whole time, and it’s a big elaborate prank that won’t be revealed until The Golden Bachelor premieres at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, September 24, on ABC. I’d almost believe it at this point.

I Didn't Expect It's Always Sunny's Finale To Both Make Me Cry AND Have An All-Time Classic TV Reunion For Danny DeVito

Nick Venable — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:11:09 +0000

Major spoilers below for the Season 17 finale of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched via Disney+ subscription or Hulu subscription!

Rather than a close-out episode featuring the core quintet making someone else’s life worse, as per usual, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia wrapped up its TV-centric 17th season with a full-on change in pastiche and theming for "The Golden Bachelor Live.” Somehow, it resulted in one of the debaucherous comedy’s most genuinely perfect installments, thanks to a surprising classic sitcom reunion and the final on-screen appearance of Lynne Marie Stewart’s Bonnie Kelly.

As a huge fan of this show for the past two decades, I thought I knew everything I could expect from any given episode, despite being blown away in the past by Always Sunny’s genre-bending finales. But I was properly schooled, and it didn’t even involve any Abbott Elementary teachers crossing over.

(Image credit: FXX)

I Adored The Taxi Reunion, And Carol Kane's Performance Was Legitimately Emmy-Worthy

For all that Danny DeVito is widely celebrated around these parts for Batman Returns' Penguin and Twins, among other timeless classics, I'll never get tired of love-hating his Taxi breakout character Louie De Palma. But in all these years, I never really expected It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia to tie into that show at all. I mean, that's New York, and this is Philly, amirite?

Even so, it was extremely heartwarming and life-affirming that one of Frank's two Golden Bachelor hopefuls turned out to be Danny DeVito's former Taxi co-star Carol Kane, who has shown off her talents elsewhere on the 2025 TV schedule for an episode of Poker Face and in the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. She's a gem of an actress on all fronts, and legitimately blew me away with her minimal time on-screen here.

For all that Frank was focused on taking his blue pills and getting his freak on during his Golden Bachelor journey with Jesse Palmer, Kane's Samantha entered as a legitimate human being opposite Audrey Corsa's cartoonish penis-gnarler "Cock Chewa." She's the only woman of a similar age that Frank advanced, and their dinner scene together was arguably the most convincingly dramatic moment in It's Always Sunny's history.

Kane's story about spending her whole life as a "Sam" instead of a "Samantha" was absolutely effective enough to feasibly earn this show an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Star. Not to mention the dramatic ending, in which Frank vacated the studio to stop Sam from getting on a bus, proposing to her in the rain. Like wha-a-a-at, Frank is suddenly adorable and loving and not a weird vagrant?

Somewhere out there, the late Taxi alum Andy Kaufman's spirit was hopefully nodding in approval. And if this was the first time Kaufman's ghost watched the show, it was probably pretty confusing.

(Image credit: FXX)

Lynne Marie Stewart's Final On-Screen Role Was Honored With A Tearful Post-Episode Tribute

Going into the Season 17 finale, I wasn't expecting to see a final appearance from Charlie's mother Bonnie, considering co-star Lynne Marie Stewart (also of Pee-Wee's Playhouse fame) passed away in February 2025, not two months after filming had concluded. So when she appeared as Dennis' secret weapon to shake up the competition, I could already feel my emotions flaring.

Unlike Kane, Stewart did not get any such dramatic monologues to roll through, and instead was hilariously called a whore multiple times, with Frank giving her high compliments for always knowing what he likes in the bedroom. (That's perhaps the classier way of wording that.) Not exactly the classiest send-off, and one couldnt' ask for anything more, even if Frank eventually went with Sam.

Expectedly, the episode ended with a tribute to Lynne Marie Stewart, but it wasn't just the single-screen honor seen above that most shows tend to go with when remembering late cast and crew members. Instead, Rob Mac & Co. went the whole nine yards, extending the final scene's needle drop, Conway Twitty's "You Were Always On My Mind," to play over a montage of Bonnie Kelly's highlights over the past 20 years, starting with Season 1's "Charlie Got Molested."

The montage began and ended with Bonnie's "gingerbread boy" line, and even just sitting here writing about it, my eyes are welling up with tears. It's unknown if the show will one day address Bonnie's death within the show itself, but I don't even want to imagine how depressing that would be, so I'll instead just be greatful that Stewart pulled off such a fantastic final episode. R.I.P.

(Image credit: FXX)

This Was Also One Of The Craziest Endings To Any Of The Gang's Wild Schemes

Just in case anyone thought It's Always Sunny would deliver an emotional season finale without temporarily disfiguring the majority of its main characters, that wasn't on this show's agenda. Following up on the penultimate episode's Rehearsal parody, which featured one of my favorite Dennis Reynolds quotes, the Gang barely makes it through their scripted "Hometown Dates" dinner, which ends with Charlie freaking out and smashing plates down onto the table.

However, it's their impromptu toothpaste-related prank that sets up the jaw-droppingly funny reveal seen above, where it's explained that the prank went awry and left them all with patches of green-stained skin and giant chunks of hair missing, with the latter being the result of Charlie bringing Nair into it without others' knowledge.

It's so goddamned funny to go from the Gang's happy scheming to this horrifying aftermath. Not only were their physical appearances affected, but their voices were, also, making them all sound like they've smoked two packs of cigarettes a day since birth.

CHARLIE: The situation - [gasp] - under the circumstances - [gasp] - is quite understandable. Our appearance may seem gruesome, but all can be - [gasp] - quite easily explained.
DENNIS: Indeed, indeed. As you can tell, our voices have also been affected, creating an unintentionally sinister tone.

Such a matter-of-fact way to try and adress such a freakish abomination, and I'm almost in disbelief that Dennis even showed up in the studio, considering how badly he aimed to reverse the negative attention he received from being on Family Fight back in Season 10.

Sadly, such a fantastic finale means It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is once again in hiatus mode for the foreseeable future. I'm not sure how it could possibly top the bonkers moments this season offered up, especially when it came to the dog track, but I'll be eagerly waiting for the results in the meantime.

Danny DeVito On Pushing The Envelope On It’s Always Sunny: ‘When I See I’m Going To Eat A Turd, I Go Like Wow, Man.’

Nick Venable — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 02:10:03 +0000

Every time It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia debuts a new season, part of me thinks it’ll be impossible for the episodes to go beyond where previous installments have, and then I’m quickly reminded how naive that is. Any TV show with main characters like Dennis and Frank Reynolds knows no bounds for crazy, gut-busting moments. Lest anyone think Danny DeVito is only involved because he lost a series of increasingly heightened wagers (possibly at a dog track). He in it to win it.

Speaking with the L.A. Times about Season 17 shaking up the 2025 TV schedule — Frank was turned into cake before going off to find potential matrimonial bliss via The Golden Bachelor — DeVito and co-star Charlie Day were asked about Frank and Charlie’s incomparable on-screen dynamic, and what they’re able to discover about it with each new season that arrives. The Taxi vet put the onus for chaos on Charlie, saying that Frank is more of an enthused follower. In his words:

I think Charlie offers a lot of avenues for Frank to follow for some reason. I like the idea of the scheming and everything that everybody else does, and they do it in a normal way. They want to make money, they want to get ahead, they want to be famous, they want the bar to succeed, they want this, that. But whenever Charlie does something, it titillates Frank.

Any number of Always Sunny eps feature Dennis and/or Dee wrapped up in some quasi-nefarious scheme where the ends don't justify the means, and it's usually tied entirely to the characters' pride and pleasure as opposed to anything objectively worthwhile or beneficial. Such as, say, the aforementioned dog track episode, or the siblings' failed plot to sleep with former friends in an installment that added to my list of all-time favorite Dennis quotes.

It's Always Sunny's Last Two Episodes Featured Two Of My Favorite Dennis Quotes Of All Time, And I'm Still Shuddering With Amused Disgust

Nick Venable — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:11:58 +0000

Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn’t yet watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17’s latest episodes on FXX or via Hulu subscription, so be warned!

While “Frank Is in a Coma” may go down as my favorite episode of It’s Always Sunny to hit the 2025 TV schedule, Season 17 has been genuine bliss from top to bottom for so many reasons. Abbott Elementary characters cursing? Yep. Erotic slapfights? You know it. Dennis and Dee each gagging over the smell of dog food on the other’s breath was a truly sublime scene to behold. But it all kind of pales in the glow of the Golden God’s most recent highlights.

Both the sixth episode, “Overage Drinking: A National Concern,” and the seventh, "The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time," featured Glenn Howerton delivering some of his best-ever Dennis performances that perfectly encapsulate the Five Star Man’s endless void where compassion and sensitivity are meant to bloom. Let’s cringe gleefully through our fingers and take a closer look.

Dennis Gets Blatant About Lack Of Empathy

(Image credit: FX)

"Overage Drinking: A National Concern" featured a return guest appearance from Blindspot star Jaimie Alexander, who thanked Howerton for granting the actress her first TV role two decades prior. Even then, she was classic Tammy through and through.

To get too deeply into the plotting here would be counterproductive and just plain icky, but suffice to say, Dennis and Dee’s attempts to coerce their former school chums Trey and Tammy to cheat on each other go awry, leading Dennis to make a sex-pivot to sleep with Trey Jr.’s 19-year-old prom date. Vying to one-up her brother, Dee very nearly demeans herself beyond belief to bang the babyfaced Trey Jr. himself, but instead just rats Dennis out and breaks the kid’s heart.

Dennis Gets Confrontational With Family Dinner Focus Group

(Image credit: FX)

To give Dennis a modium of credit, his intentions were overall sound in Season 17's pentulimate episode. Believing that Frank would be bringing The Golden Bachelor's producers and more to Philly, he aims to chisel away the Gang's rudeness and lack of class so that they won't embarrass themselves on national TV. That anyone truly expected Frank to follow through is as much of a forehead-slapper as using a focus group to judge the quartet's scripted family dinner. (The ep parodies The Rehearsal, so it makes sense in that way.)

Of course those best-laid intentions instantly imploded and shat themselves, and the focus group experiment became a popularity contest, or in Dennis' case, a mirror reflecting his biggest insecurities. Upon being labeled "old" and "haggard" and "bossy," he attempted to tape his skin back to make himself look younger, and in true Always Sunny style, it all hits a crescendo when Dennis finally snaps. But instead of calling out his fellow misfits, he delivers this absolutely unhinged monologue pleading with the focus group.

DENNIS: You’re not getting this. We are not lovers. We’re simply roommates, you see. It’s not so difficult to understand. Not so difficult at all. Two men entwined only by the walls that house us, and the passage of time, that is all. Nothing more. We are all classy men and women alike. Heh-heh. But none more classy than me. Refined and dignified, and not the least bit abnormal in any way. I need you to see this. Yes? All is well and palatable and good. Hmph. You must know this, and you must reflect it on the cards as such as you’ve been given. Do you understand? I need this of you. You must make it so. There was…another show by the name of Family Fight, and I was not properly represented on that show, and I can-no-o-o-ot and will not abide another failure of that magnitude. [Stammers for 6 seconds] I just need you to see me as I, as I am. [Stammers.] I need this. I need this from you. [Stammers.] I need this from you.

This is truly next-level stammering, people.

Seriously, if William H. Macy or Steve Buscemi or Frances McDormand (might as well stick to a theme here) stepped into Dennis' role as a guest star for any other TV show, it would be a shoe-in for an Emmy nomination. I doubt it'll happen, given this show's awards curse, but Glenn Howerton deserves SOMETHING for manufacturing peak awkwardness on so many levels.

If I'm honest, I probably laughed harder at Dennis' vicious reaction to Charlie's attempt to touch Dennis' hair, as well as at the oddball-fuckery of Charlie showing up with and entirely hairless head. But neither of those moments deserves to be put in the Always Sunny Hall of Fame quite like Dennis' lines noted above. Hairless Charlie attempting to play an Easter-European Balki-esque character? HOF-er for sure.

I could realistically spend the rest of my night sitting here and adding Dennis quotes, but for now, I'll just leave things off with these:

More Of My Favorite Dennis Quotes

I’m not gonna hurt these women!
The thunder of my vengeance will echo through these corridors like the gust of a thousand winds!
Because of the implication.
It's all good. I've got a Steve Winwood CD in my car. I'll go get it.
I didn’t come here to be criticized by a man stuck in a coil!
I don't want to sit on a pile of matches!
You certainly wouldn’t be in any danger…

Only one more episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 is on the way, "The Golden Bachelor Live," and it'll hit FXX on Wednesday, August 20, at 9:00 p.m. ET.

It’s Always Sunny’s Glenn Howerton And Crew Received A Sweet Message From Jaimie Alexander After She Returned To The Show For The First Time In Years

Emma Lambiaso — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 21:34:02 +0000

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia does a lot right, and one of those things is the show's handling of running gags. That's especially true in the case of recurring characters like Rickety Cricket or the McPoyales. Sunny's record-setting 17th season, which airing amid the 2025 TV schedule, is no different. Yet I didn’t expect the writers to reach this deep into the vault. In the most recent episode to air on FXX, Jaimie Alexander's Tammy returns to the popular FXX sitcom, and the actress herself had a sweet message for the cast and crew.

If you don’t remember who the Thor alum played on the raunchy show, that’s not surprising given all the Sunny guest stars you may have forgotten. Jaimie Alexander first appeared in Season 1, Episode 3, “Underage Drinking: A National Concern”. In this episode, the gang decides to serve alcohol to minors and gets wrapped up in high school drama as a result. Alexander plays Tammy, a senior set on taking Dennis (Glenn Howerton) to the prom.

Who would've thought that 20 years later, Alexander would reprising her role for the first time in years? With that, she shared some heartfelt words about her reunion with Howerton, who reshared her Instagram story post from his own account:

(Image credit: Instagram)

When she made her first appearance as Tammy in 2005, Jaimie Alexander was only three years older than her character and, ironically, she was exactly the legal drinking age. While this is a full-circle moment OG fans of Sunny can definitely appreciate, I can’t help but feel note just much time has passed since the comedy first aired. Regardless, I love this sweet message and the fact that Tammy has been brought back into the fold.

It's interesting to consider that It’s Always Sunny marked Alexander's first TV role, especially now that she's become a veteran of the medium. Since that first gig, she landed the lead role on Blindspot and appeared in other notable shows like Bones and Nurse Jackie. Alexander even reprised her role as Lady Sif from the Thor franchise for two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

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Jaimie Alexander's return for the Sunny Season 17 episode “Overage Drinking: A National Problem” sees Tammy stepping foot into Paddy’s Pub once again. However, this time, she’s there to collect her own underage son, Trey Jr.

That’s right, Tammy and her high school boyfriend, Trey -- played by Robert Adamson -- are still together. And, of course, Charlie has kept up with all the gossip. Now, though, Dee and Dennis are in hot pursuit of the couple and, while Trey and Tammy seem to have grown up, the Reynolds certainly have not.

(Image credit: Hulu)

Following It’s Always Sunny’s highly anticipated crossover premiere with Abbott Elementary, there's been a slight lack in excitement amid Season 17. However, I think this most recent episode featuring Alexander and Robert Adamson’s returns may be a turning point. When writers are in need of material after 16 Seasons, fan service is not a bad option (in some cases). I’d love to see more characters from early seasons return this late in the game. For example, I wonder what became of the Dumpster Baby the gang exploited in Season 3…

That aside, though, Jaimie Alexander's lovely message is a testament to the bonds that can be formed amongst those who work on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Those who want to see what else is in store for the Paddy’s Gang can do so by tuning into FXX every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET. Or watch new episodes the next day with a Hulu subscription.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Is Not My Favorite Season, But I Want To Talk About What Works About It Thus Far

jerricatisdale@gmail.com (Jerrica Tisdale) — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0000

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is one of the best comedy TV shows ever. However, it’s not flawless. There have been many questionable seasons. Season 17 may be one of the most divisive yet. Nevertheless, the Paddy’s Pub gang continues to provide so much entertainment with their shenanigans.

It’s challenging for any show to maintain its high quality for such a long time. Therefore, it’s understandable that not every episode will meet the standard. Consequently, it’s sometimes just nice to see shows take bold and brave chances. The reckless abandonment that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has this season is one of the many strong aspects of it.

Warning: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 1-5 Spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

(Image credit: FX)

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Is A Lot More Experimental, Which Makes Me Admire The Bravery

It’s Always Sunny has been on for 17 seasons, so to keep things fresh, it has to take some chances, and it’s been taking a lot of them this year. Almost every one of the first five episodes has attempted something we haven’t seen on the series before, or taken things to even further extremes. To be frank, it hasn’t all worked.

Some extremes have been a little too much. There are choices in Episode 5 of the season, “The Gang Goes to a Dog Track,” that feel one step too far. Nevertheless, I would rather watch a series that makes bold moves than shows that are always afraid to do things differently. A show that never steps out of its comfort zone becomes formulaic and stale. You cannot call It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 boring or too safe.

It kicks the safety net straight to hell, where the Gang belongs at this point. It starts the season off with the highly anticipated second half of the Sunny and Abbott Elementary crossover. Even though that episode makes some pretty unexpected choices, it’s pretty tame in comparison to the four episodes that follow. Season 17 has just become more unhinged with every episode. I love it.

I am almost afraid to see how far it plans to go by the end of the season. However, I would rather have that fear than no expectations, or know the rest of the season will be dull. Give me all these insane choices over a show where you can predict every line and story.

(Image credit: FXX)

The Guest Stars And Cameos Have Been Some Of The Show’s Best

This may be a controversial and daring statement, but I think Alex Wolff’s guest appearance as Simon in Season 17, Episode 2, “Frank is in a Coma,” may be one of the best. Simon is here for a good time and not a long time. He’s ridiculously unhinged, so much so that he freaks Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), and Mac (Rob McElhenney) out. They’re all different levels of mentally unstable, yet Simon is way too much for them.

I want more characters like that on this show. Characters whom the Gang cannot corrupt because they’re already beyond salvation. We often see the Gang destroy people, and sometimes see people destroy them, mainly Frank (Danny Devito), but it’s nice to see some new character who can make them go, yeah, that’s a bit too far.

The Lawyer (Brian Unger) is one of my favorite Sunny recurring characters. I always do a bit of a fist pump in the air when I see him. Therefore, I was ecstatic when he appeared on Episode 3, “Mac and Dennis Become EMTs.” This isn’t my favorite usage of the Lawyer thus far, but it’s still always great to see him.

Additionally, the Abbott Elementary cast appearing in the season opener remains a highlight. Seeing them a little grimy and darker really showed they weren’t in Kansas anymore, by hanging out with the Gang. It just made me want more unexpected crossovers from Sunny and other series. Great things can happen when unlikely shows meet.

(Image credit: FX)

Season 17 Has A Cohesion That’s Reminiscent Of Early Seasons

Despite being on for 17 seasons, the show is pretty good with being cohesive and maintaining lore. I will not name names, but I have seen quite a few shows just completely forget something that happened by making something else happen that doesn’t make sense with the previously set lore. As a TV nerd, it can be frustrating. I have seen every Sunny episode, and all episodes of the first 10 seasons multiple times.

However, I know I have forgotten a fact or two, which may prove that the show isn’t always consistent. But, it’s consistent enough for nothing to stand out that much as a continuity error. Sunny is good at maintaining its history and lore, but only during some of the earlier seasons is it really good at having callbacks to previous episodes within the season. It did this really well in Seasons 6 and 7 with Fat Mac and pregnant Dee (Kaitlin Olson).

Season 17 has been making references to stuff that happens a few episodes earlier, like how the Gang ends up doing community service at Abbott Elementary, and the Is it Cake? storyline. These little details make me appreciate that the show wants to keep the season following a linear narrative.

(Image credit: FXX)

This Season Highlights The Gang's Lack Of Growth, And I Love It

The Gang remains immoral and repulsive. That’s just how I love them. In some shows, characters go on a journey or have major character development, but not for the Gang. Of course, we have seen small character changes like Mac coming to terms with his sexuality, Frank becoming more depraved, and Charlie sort of temporarily getting over The Waitress (Mary Elizabeth Ellis).

The show works so well because you know these characters are terrible people and you just embrace it. Seeing them become worse versions of themselves, not better, is a small comfort. We can always depend on the Gang to be awful. This brings my heart joy.

(Image credit: FXX)

Season 17 Proves That The Show Can Still Surprise

Sunny has had some shocking moments in the first five episodes of Season 17. It shows me that, as much as I can predict about it, things could easily go in directions I never expected. As a fan of a Shyamalan-level twist, I like it when the show pulls off a completely surprising turn or direction.

For example, I didn’t expect “Mac and Dennis Become EMTs” to end with The Lawyer being blamed for everything, it went against my expectations, and I loved it. I hope to see more things like that in the rest of Season 17.

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 airs Wednesdays on FXX.

Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph Had Some Hilariously Blunt Thoughts After The Big It’s Always Sunny Crossover, And I Can’t Stop Cracking Up

Caroline Young — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Abbott Elementary is one of the funniest shows on TV. It has been partially responsible for keeping the network sitcom alive in the era of streaming, and it has racked up numerous Emmys in the process. One of the funniest things the show has done was one of its most recent endeavors, where the Abbott Elementary cast teamed up with the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for a crossover. The result was hilarious, and Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph recently got blunt about what it was like working with the hooligans over at It’s Always Sunny.

Ralph recently made an appearance with the rest of the Abbott actors at San Diego Comic-Con, where they chatted about the iconic crossover episodes. She hilariously admitted that working on the It’s Always Sunny set was a bit of a culture shock, considering how pristine and well-behaved the Abbott environment is. She revealed during the panel that CinemaBlend attended:

I had sort of a visceral reaction to that cast, as Barbara Howard…. It was rough because our set is so clean, it’s so nice, everybody behaves themselves. Their set? Is dirty!

Clearly, working on the dive bar set of It’s Always Sunny was completely different than working in a school environment. Quinta Brunson was quick to jump in and note that the set wasn’t actually dirty; it was dressed to look that way to match the tone of the show. Ralph relented her point, but clearly was shaken by the stark differences between the spaces that the television casts spend most of their time.

Her co-star, Lisa Ann Walter, also jumped in, explaining that Ralph had a little bit of an issue with how the It’s Always Sunny cast operated when it came to improvising. Apparently, Charlie Day went off the rails ad libbing lines, trying some wildly inappropriate takes that had Ralph comically beside herself. You can see the full video of the Emmy winner reliving this moment during the panel below (via CinemaBlend's Instagram):

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Even if the whole thing was a complete departure from what the Abbott cast was used to, fans are loving the It’s Always Sunny crossover episodes. Both episodes do a great job of juxtaposing the tones of the shows while still emphasizing the Philadelphia setting that they share. The adlibbing may have been jarring, but it created a lot of great moments, even if some had to be cut in the end.

Even if Sheryl Lee Ralph was scandalized by some of the behavior on the much raunchier show they were collaborating with, it doesn’t seem like the entire cast felt that way. They were all laughing while recounting the crossover at the panel, and Brunson totally let loose during her scenes on the R-rated It’s Always Sunny episode that aired a few weeks ago.

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Abbott is a very family-friendly show, so I think it’s fun that ABC was open to exploring a more hard-core version of these characters, and I hope both casts, including Sheryl Lee Ralph, will be open to doing something so daring and fresh in the future.

You can stream both crossover episodes of Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia now with a Hulu subscription. For more information on other exciting premiere episodes heading to streaming this year -- including the Season 5 premiere of Abbott -- make sure to check out our 2025 TV schedule.

I Loved The Abbott Elementary And It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover Episodes, And The Jokes Are Only Part Of The Reason

jerricatisdale@gmail.com (Jerrica Tisdale) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I love crossover episodes. I used to enjoy when two series I love would promote and air these major events. where similar shows, or shows set in the same world, have characters appear in each. You also had to watch both shows to get the full story. With the introduction of streaming services, I often watch more shows on those platforms than on network television. Therefore, I don’t see crossover events often. This also means that I was extremely excited when Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia decided to do a crossover event.

I love both shows, but they’re so different. Therefore, I wasn’t convinced that this crossover could work, but I remained optimistic because the writing on both series is so brilliant. Neither episode disappointed me. They may be two of each series’ strongest ones. It’s not just the jokes that make them hilarious and memorable.

Warning: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 1, “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary and Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 9, Volunteers.

(Image credit: FXX)

The Crossovers Are Tonally Different, But That Helps Them Remain True To Each Show

Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 9, “Volunteers,” manages to remain wholesome despite the insidious presence of the Gang. There is a whole story where the Abbott Elementary teachers teach Charlie (Charlie Day) to read. A long-running It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia joke has been Charlie’s illiteracy. Therefore, it’s nice to see him finally (temporarily) learn to read. It also makes sense that Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Jacob (Chris Perfetti), and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) are the ones to do it.

They’re all very compassionate people, so only someone with that level of empathy would have the patience and understanding to help Charlie out. Not everything in the episode is wholesome, but innocent enough, especially compared to the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia counterpart episode.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17, Episode 1, “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” has some risky humor and storylines. The Gang almost feels like predators around the children, and Sunny very much leans into that idea. It paints them as their true, uncomfortable selves but allows them to play in the Abbott Elementary world. Sunny doesn’t tone things down just because the show it’s paired with is a sweet and funny series. It leans into the fact that these people should be as far away from children as possible.

Abbott Elementary ends the encounter with the Gang in a triumph, sort of wholesome way. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia sort of does the same, but in the Gang’s way. We discover they have been scamming the school and stealing copper piping, but it accidentally helps the school.

(Image credit: FXX)

It’s Fun To See The It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Episode Fill In Some Story Gaps From The Abbott Elementary One

“The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” paints them in a more complex way than we see on “Volunteers.” The Gang does so many ridiculous things while around that school. They try to form a boy band, poach a child for a white basketball team, start a successful coffee business, and so many other ridiculous things. We don’t even see a hint of half of these things on Abbott Elementary.

Then we learn that Dee (Kaitlin Olson) was never interested in Gregory (Tyler James Williams), it was all a ploy to become the star of the documentary. This actually makes more sense than Dee having a genuine interest in him. These additional details help paint each show in distinct ways. It doesn’t feel like we’re watching the same things, just from different perspectives. We’re definitely watching two different episodes that sometimes overlap in scenes.

I worried that the episodes would be too similar and they wouldn’t be as interesting individually and together. However, this was not the case. They complement each other.

(Image credit: FXX)

The It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Episode Allows The Abbott Elementary Characters To Be A Little Darker

One of the funniest scenes in “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” is when Janine (Quinta Brunson) declares that she’s about to say a bad word about Dee. You expect an innocent response. Something that’s barely profanity. However, she goes all in and goes hard with the cussing. It’s so not like her. We also see more unhinged moments from Janine in this episode. It highlights a dark side of her that Abbott Elementary fans likely didn’t know existed.

Janine is the main character we see tarnished by the brief encounter with the Gang. Nevertheless, we hear so many of the characters use profanity and are disturbed by the Gang. We also learn how Ava (Janelle James) gets away with so much of her bad behavior: bribes. Even the filming crew feels a bit darker knowing they accept them from Ava.

(Image credit: FXX)

I Enjoy How Much We See Of Dennis In The Sunny Episode And How Little We See Of Charlie In It. It’s A Clever Contrast From Abbott Elementary

Glenn Howerton was filming another show while also shooting “Volunteers,” so he was barely in it. However, he makes up for his absence by being front and center in “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary.” His storyline is also a bit more tame than expected. He just spends most of the episode making meth-like coffee.

We see a lot of Dennis because this is more behind-the-scenes footage, so he’s caught on camera. Charlie appears throughout “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” and participates in their shenanigans, but he doesn’t feel as present as some of the other characters. This is mainly because he was preoccupied with learning to read. The addition of more Dennis and less Charlie ensures that the shows remain cohesive.

(Image credit: FXX)

I Really Enjoy The New Lore Each Series Gains From These Crossovers

I am looking forward to learning a lot more about this Fall Out Boy and Gang beef. I am also excited to see Melissa at Paddy’s Pub randomly again. These are just two of the new lore that have been added from each show. Additionally, I still need to catch up on Abbott Elementary Season 4 to see if there are any other references to the Gang’s appearance, but as of Episode 4 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17, we have had a few additional references to stuff we saw in “Volunteers,” including explaining how the court order community service happened.

I hope we continue to see more references to “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” and “Volunteers” in future It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Abbott Elementary episodes. These two are so pivotal to both shows. I would also love to see them cross-over again, and other shows boldly attempt a crossover.

32 Movie And TV Characters Who Underwent Incredible Physical Transformations

Jason Wiese — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:33:00 +0000

In many cases, a satisfying story sees the protagonist undergo a dramatic change. Sometimes, this means the character adopts new personality traits, for better or worse, but there are also some notable instances in which they change from the outside, often in wild and even unsettling ways. If you have the stomach for it, come relive some of the most bewildering physical transformations from the big and small screen.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Sherman Klump (The Nutty Professor)

Star Eddie Murphy underwent multiple, incredible physical transformations, thanks to Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup, to portray various roles in director Tom Shadyac's remake of 1963's The Nutty Professor. However, his central role is Sherman Klump, a scientist who creates an instant weight loss formula that not only changes his appearance but causes him to unlock an alternate persona that begins to grow increasingly independent.

(Image credit: AMC)

Walter White (Breaking Bad)

Walter White, Bryan Cranston's four-time Emmy-winning lead role on Breaking Bad, is the ultimate example of a TV character whose personality takes a complete 180 over time. However, the chemistry teacher-turned-criminal not only changes from within, but also on the outside when he shaves his head and grows a goatee early on in Season 1.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The Joker (Batman)

Some iterations of Batman's archnemesis depict him as a man who puts on the face of a clown with makeup and hair dye, but not in Tim Burton's 1989 classic. Jack Nicholson's Jack Napier becomes The Joker when he falls into a vat of acid that turns his hair green and his skin white and leaves a permanent smile on his face.

(Image credit: Disney+)

The Doctor (Doctor Who)

The title hero of Doctor Who may hold the record for the highest number of dramatic physical transformations for a single TV character, having completely altered his appearance at least 15 times in the series' decades-long history. Every few seasons or so, the immortal Time Lord regenerates, appearing in a whole new form and portrayed by a new actor.

(Image credit: Disney)

Prince Adam (Beauty And The Beast)

Beauty and the Beast, the acclaimed 1991 Disney animated movie classic based on the timeless fairytale, is a story that reminds us that there is more to a person than meets the eye. The titular Beast used to be a handsome, but cruelly arrogant, prince named Adam before he was afflicted with a curse that could only be broken by finding true love with Belle.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Steve Urkel (Family Matters)

You could argue that making Jaleel White's nerdy Family Matters character the star of the show ruined the otherwise beloved TV sitcom, but, admittedly, Steve Urkel did prove himself to be a genius in many entertaining ways. Most notably, he invented a transformation chamber that could replicate his DNA and make him into a more suave alter ego known as Stefan Urquelle.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Steve Rogers (Captain America: The First Avenger)

I believe that none of the Marvel movies in order are more inspirational than 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, in which the 5'3", 115-lb Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) gets his wish to defend his country in World War II. All it takes to get him qualified is an injection of a special "Super Soldier" serum that allows his inner strength to also become his outer strength.

(Image credit: FX)

Mac (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

For the seventh season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rob McElhenney (who legally changed his name to Rob Mac in 2025) thought it would be funny if his character, Mac, gained a great deal of weight. The actor, and his role, would later alter his physical appearance once again when he dropped 60 pounds and achieved a shredded physique.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith)

Few characters from the Star Wars movies look quite as unsettling as Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who once had an entirely different appearance (and I am not just talking about when another actor played him in The Empire Strikes Back). The prequel trilogy reveals that the Sith leader actually looked human before the Force lightning he used to kill Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) reflected back on him, giving him withered white skin, jagged teeth, and yellow eyes.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Sean Archer And Castor Troy (Face/Off)

In one of the all-time wildest premises for an action movie, John Woo's 1997 hit Face/Off sees grieving FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) undergo a revolutionary procedure that allows him to convincingly pose as the comatose Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage). Unfortunately, he comes to discover that the notorious terrorist has awakened and has undergone the same surgery in order to look like him.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Seth Brundle (The Fly)

Arguably, the quintessential body horror movie is director David Cronenberg's (who else?) 1986 remake of The Fly. The stomach-churning classic stars Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a physicist whose instant transportation experiment goes wrong when his DNA is accidentally fused with an insect, causing him to slowly become a grotesque creature.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Henry Creel (Stranger Things)

The fourth season of Netflix's Stranger Things was chock-full of mindblowing revelations, including how all of the trouble in Hawkins has been caused by a frightening creature referred to as Vecna. A big twist on top of that big twist is that the powerful, decrepit ruler of the Upside Down used to be a human named Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower) until Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) pushed him through a portal to the alternate dimension, causing his transformation.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Sméagol/Gollum (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King)

Andy Serkis' performance in The Lord of the Rings movies is not entirely achieved with performance capture. The actor appears in his practical form in The Return Of The King for a haunting flashback that explains how the creepy little creature known as Gollum used to be a hobbit named Sméagol before he was corrupted by the One Ring.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Chuck Noland (Cast Away)

In 2000's Cast Away, FedEx employee Chuck Noland loses quite a bit of weight and never has an opportunity to shave or trim his hair while stranded on a desert island for four years. Robert Zemeckis actually took a break from production to film What Lies Beneath while waiting for Tom Hanks to lose 50 lbs.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The Gremlins (Gremlins)

In the classic 1984 horror-comedy movie, Gremlins, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) learns why you should never feed a Mogwai after midnight the hard way. The cute, cuddly, one-of-a-kind creatures mutate into the eponymous, menacing green monsters who cause anything but a silent night around Christmastime.

(Image credit: Universal / Marvel)

In the classic TV adaptation of the Marvel comic, The Incredible Hulk, Bill Bixby plays David Banner, a physicist who is dangerously exposed to gamma radiation. As a result, if his stress levels rise too high, he transforms into a green behemoth played by bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno.

(Image credit: Mubi)

Elisabeth Sparkle (The Substance)

One of the best horror movies of 2024 (and most acclaimed films of that year, period), The Substance, is a cautionary tale of vanity sealing one's downfall, told from the perspective of Oscar nominee Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle. The actor uses a black market drug to create a younger alter ego named Sue (Margaret Qualley), who begins to take over her life, disrespecting the balance and, literally, draining every last drop of her youth until she becomes a completely unrecognizable, old crone.

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Alex Murphy (RoboCop)

In 1987's RoboCop, police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) suffers an incident that leads him to become part-man, part-machine... but mostly machine. Since much of his physical form was destroyed, just about everything from the neck down is replaced with robotic parts, turning him into the ultimate crime-fighting tool.

(Image credit: Troma)

Melvin Junko (The Toxic Avenger)

Troma's cult-favorite superhero flick, 1984's The Toxic Avenger, is the story of an awkward, geeky custodian named Melvin Junko (Mark Torgl). After falling into a vat of toxic waste, as the result of a disastrously cruel prank, the 98-pound weakling transforms into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength, which he uses to make his crime-ridden community a better place.

(Image credit: Matt Infante / A24)

Edward Lemuel (A Different Man)

In the acclaimed A24 movie, A Different Man, Sebastian Stan plays Edward Lemuel, an actor born with neurofibromatosis, which causes him to grow abnormalities on his face that he has removed with reconstructive surgery. However, he soon begins to experience an identity crisis when an actor with the same affliction (played by Adam Pearson) is cast to portray him in a play based on his life.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Ben Grimm (Fantastic Four)

Like in the beloved Marvel comic that inspired it, 2005's Fantastic Four sees a group of people suffer a strange accident during a space mission that causes them to gain powers like elasticity, invisibility, and pyrokinesis. However, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) is a special case because, in addition to gaining super strength, his skin turns to an impenetrable, rock-like substance.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Dr. Henry Jekyll (Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde)

One of the few actors to win an Academy Award for a horror movie is Frederic March, who starred in 1931's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as both the ambitious scientist and his grotesque, murderous alter ego.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

David Kessler (An American Werewolf In London)

Cinema's gold standard for lycanthropic transformations occurs in 1981's An American Werewolf in London when David Kessler (David Naughton) undergoes a painful metamorphosis from man to animal under a full moon, courtesy of Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup effects.

(Image credit: Universal)

Gwynplaine (The Man Who Laughs)

In 1928's The Man Who Laughs, Conrad Veidt plays the son of an executed English noble, whose face is surgically altered into an unsettling permanent grin, which would serve as the inspiration for the comic book villain, The Joker.

(Image credit: Disney)

Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)

Hocus Pocus is recognized as a kid-friendly movie about witches, but the Sanderson Sisters (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) cast some truly dark and cruel spells. For instance, they curse Thackery Binx (played as a human by Sean Murray and later voiced by Jason Marsden) to live forever, but as a black cat.

(Image credit: Paramount / Nickelodeon)

Squidward Tentacles (SpongeBob Squarepants)

When SpongeBob Squarepants (Tom Kenny) accidentally injures Squidward's (Roger Bumpass) face, it heals in such a way that he appears more conventionally attractive, with a smaller nose, smooth cheekbones, and a chiseled jawline. However, the blessing begins to become a burden, and SpongeBob tries to help by recreating the same incident, which ultimately makes him look like he was molded in clay. I actually think "Handsome Squidward's" final form is a little creepy, but I guess I would have to be a sea creature to understand the appeal.

(Image credit: DreamWorks)

Shrek (Shrek 2)

The first Shrek ended with Princess Fiona's (Cameron Diaz) nightly transformation into an ogre becoming her permanent form after admitting her true feelings for Mike Myers' title character. However, in the 2004 sequel, the couple both take on human characteristics after he drinks a special potion.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Delenn (Babylon 5)

Mira Furlan stars on the sci-fi series Babylon 5 as Delenn, who is a type of extra-terrestrial called a Minbari. However, in Season 5, she undergoes a procedure that turns her into a half-human hybrid.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Jason Voorhees (Jason X)

In the tenth installment of the Friday the 13th franchise, 2001's Jason X, hockey-masked iconic horror movie villain, Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder), is cryogenically frozen and awakened in the future on a spaceship, where he is nearly destroyed, only to be resurrected with a new look by nanobots.

(Image credit: A24)

Wallace Bryton (Tusk)

In writer and director Kevin Smith's odd A24 horror flick, 2014's Tusk, Justin Long stars as arrogant podcast host Wallace, who thinks he has found the perfect subject for his next episode in retired sailor Howard Howe (Michael Parks). However, much to his horror, Howe intends to surgically transform Wallace into a walrus, and the result of the process is nothing short of unsettling.

(Image credit: Danjaq, LLC and MGM)

Gustav Graves (Die Another Day)

In the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, the MI-6 agent (played by Pierce Brosnan in his last 007 appearance) faces off against the Caucasian, English-accented Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). However, near the end, he discovers the foe is really North Korean Colonel Tan-Sun Moon (Will Yun Lee), who faked his death, underwent intense reconstructive surgery, and reinvented himself as a wealthy diamond magnate within a matter of months.

(Image credit: Sony)

Wikus Van De Merwe (District 9)

In Neill Blomkamp's acclaimed 2009 alien invasion movie, District 9, Sharlto Copley plays Wikus Van De Merwe, who is accidentally sprayed with some mysterious substance. As a result, he begins to slowly mutate into South Africa's oppressed extra-terrestrial visitors, known as Prawns.

The Funny (And NSFW) Story Behind Danny DeVito’s It’s Always Sunny Co-Star’s Pranking Him On April Fool’s Day: ‘I Got A Little Nervous’

Nick Venable — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 17:40:38 +0000

The rest of the 2025 TV schedule’s comedic options can probably just pack it in already, since it’s unlikely that anything will top the raunchy and disruptive madness that is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s latest season. To that end, Season 17 is indeed already earning stellar feedback from viewers and critics, with the hilarious prank at the heart of “Frank Is in a Coma” immediately becoming an all-time classic. So it only makes sense that co-star Danny DeVito would have a prank anecdote of his own.

Only in the actor’s story, it wasn’t him (or Frank) responsible for pulling off unexpected wizardry, but rather his castmates. Rob McElhenney (who’s since changed his name to Rob Mac), Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day and Kaitlin Olson were able to pull off one of the greatest (albeit silliest) April Fool’s jokes of all time, thanks in large part to DeVito not having a clue what day it was.

Speaking with Collider, DeVito brought up the BTS Gang’s real-life gag when asked about any Always Sunny situations that skirted the line of going too far. He started his story with:

Well, there was a show that was a non-starter that they teased me with a bunch of years ago. It was April 1st. I didn't know it. I didn't know it was April 1st. I didn't know what date it was. And we were going to start an episode that day. And it was morning, and I got a script delivered to my house. The news was that we were going to swap this show, the first show that we were going to do, so I should read it right away before I came in. We were going to do a table read. So, I immediately sat down and read it.

Seems normal enough so far. New episode expectations? Check. Script delivered to house. Check. Unexpected early note about an episode getting swapped out and replaced by another? Check.

However, as the actor read through the script, he reached a narrative precipice that led to quite the run of...physical...performing, if not necessarily outright comedy. DeVito continued:

It was a good show. It was very well written. And it was It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, same kind of story, but Frank gets busted for picking up a hooker, and he's thrown in jail. It’s 30-something pages of just me being butt-fucked. So it was like, you know, I… I mean, I... Look, it was in the shower. It was a white supremacist. It was a cop. You know what I mean?

I personally think it's worth writing 30+ pages of new and unusable material specifically to hear Danny DeVito say "butt-fucked" in such a context. Oh, okay, any context.

At this point, not even Frank would have gone about his daily business without reaching out to someone, so DeVito paused his read-through to get some context, which is where it was revealed to all be a joke. As he put it:

So I got a little nervous. I called them up before I finished it. I didn't call my lawyer first. I called them up, and they were all on the other side of the phone — all of them, Kaitlin, Rob, Charlie, and Glenn — laughin' their asses off. Because the last line in it, just before I was going to get nailed by seven, eight cops with billy clubs, the guy leans down, I'm on the floor, and he leans down in my ear, and he says, ‘April Fool’s, motherfucker.’

Not one to be outdone by his TV cohorts, DeVito then shared a fun anecdote about getting them back ahead of an upfronts presentation. He talked a hotel manager into bringing four cots into a smaller room, and convincing Day, Howerton, Mac and Olson that they were all booked to be staying in the single room, with Howerton and Day's wives also having taken the trip.

Everyone's emotions started to spike, all while Danny DeVito watched gleefully from nearby, but he came out and fessed up before the others started making desperate phone calls to network bosses. Imagine being pranked so hard you had to call the president of FX for help.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's co-stars go the extra mile to make audiences laugh, with Kaitlin Olson regularly putting her body on the line for the sake of enjoyment. And it sounds like DeVito would have eventually been convinced to put Frank's butthole on the line if the story called for it. There should be a specialized Emmy Award for that level of dedication.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs Wednesday nights on FXX at 10:00 p.m. ET, with new episodes streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

The Internet Freaked Out Over Janine Cussing On It’s Always Sunny And Abbott Elementary’s Crossover, Charlie Day Revealed The Joke Was A ‘Perfect Test’

Heidi Venable — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:51:04 +0000

When Abbott Elementary premiered in 2021, if you would have told me that I’d someday see Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues call someone a “total fucking cunt,” I’d have called you a liar. But never underestimate the power of Sweet Dee. Part 2 of the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover with Abbott Elementary aired on the 2025 TV schedule, and as fans like myself freaked out over Janine’s shocking moment, Charlie Day explained why that joke was the “perfect test.”

Janine Has Fans Clutching Their Pearls Over Her Cussing On Always Sunny

Janine was real mad about Kaitlin Olson’s character trying to steal her man, but I think it’s safe to say that literally no one predicted the second-grade teacher uttering the C-word in front of the faux film crew. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Season 17 premiere “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” adopted Abbott’s mockumentary style for the second half of the crossover with the ABC sitcom, and fans were just not ready. One X user said:

Janine cursing sent me so hard and the way Gregory was being supportive 😭🤣 #AbbottElementary #ItsAlwaysSunny pic.twitter.com/lSRfxMlYcVJuly 10, 2025

Gregory’s reaction was everything, looking as shocked as all of us when he said, “I thought you was gonna call her a bitch.” This fan was floored by Janine’s response, quoting the character in her post:

‘Bitch can be a very fine dog, that is not what this woman is.’ Oh give her another Emmy…..

I wouldn’t be against that. This viewer even admitted to clutching their pearls when the elementary schoolteacher dropped the C-bomb, writing:

I love the gag of a character who never curses saying the most aggressive and hateful curse words when they finally do curse, got me clutching my pearls like I wouldn't say the same shit.

Quinta Brunson really did a number on fans, because the above social media user was not the only pearl-clutcher in the audience. Other reactions included:

Holy shit. Janine got me over here clutching my pearls. I wasn't ready to hear her say that. – ejaybugboy3
I screamed 😭 thought she's going to say bitch too – ladyevarina
LMFAOOOOOOO I’M JAW DROPPED 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 – aliensgroove
😂😂 When ‘tell me how you really feel’ becomes ‘damn not that real.’ – stuful

This was a huge moment, because it was when we really knew that Quinta Brunson and the Abbott Elementary crew came to play.

(Image credit: ABC)

Charlie Day Calls The Joke ‘The Perfect Test’

It was a brilliant idea for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to shock fans straight out of the gate (and condolences to anyone who didn’t heed Kaitlin Olson’s advice on the NSFW series). Charlie Day recalled how that instant classic TV moment came to be and how he used it to see just how far Quinta Brunson was willing to go. He told Variety:

I remember writing that joke and being like, ‘I don’t know if she’s going to go for this.’ When we sent it over, honestly, it was sort of the perfect test as to whether or not it was going to work. I think in order for the crossover to truly work, we needed them to play in the same sandbox that we play in and willing and so game to do it. And don’t forget, Quinta had a long career in comedy well before. It was great!

The Abbott Elementary bunch definitely seemed game to drop their network TV constraints for an episode — even Sheryl Lee Ralph’s swear swap was A+ — and it was both a great way to kick off It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s 17th season and a satisfying conclusion to its unlikely Abbott crossover.

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The first half of the crossover — Abbott Elementary’s “Volunteers” — aired on ABC in January, showing The Gang doing court-ordered community service at the elementary school. Both series can be streamed with a Hulu subscription, and new episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia air at 9 p.m. ET Wednesdays on FXX. Abbott will return to ABC this fall for its fifth season.

Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Gang Was Back At Their Worst In The Abbott Elementary Crossover, But Quinta Brunson Shocked Me With The Biggest Spit Take Moment

Laura Hurley — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Spoilers ahead for the Season 17 premiere of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on FXX, called "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary" and available streaming now with a Hulu subscription.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is officially back on FXX for Season 17, nearly two years after Season 16 ended in late July 2023. Fans did get an early look at the gang in action back in the spring of the 2025 TV schedule with the first half of a crossover with ABC's Abbott Elementary. Naturally, the Gang's usual brand of crude humor was toned down on ABC, but they could be back at their worst back on their home network. I knew I could count on the main characters getting as offensive as usual outside of network TV, but I didn't expect Janine (Quinta Brunson) to start dropping some very non-ABC words out of frustration with Dee (Kaitlin Olson)!

The premise of the Always Sunny half of the crossover was that Ava (Janelle James) discovered some hidden footage of the Gang in the halls of Abbott that didn't make the cut of the Abbot Elementary half of the crossover. While the documentary format was unusual for the FXX series, the schemes felt perfectly in line with what we'd expect from the characters: Dennis (Glenn Howerton) was on a coffee crusade, Frank (Danny DeVito) wanted to steal the copper pipes from the school's walls with Mac (Rob Mac, the artist formerly known as Rob McElhenney) along for the ride, Charlie (Charlie Day) wanted to make music, and Dee wanted to be a star... by stealing Gregory (Tyler James Wilson) and starting a fight with Janine.

I spent the early minutes of Dee and Janine's subplot wondering what High Potential fans possibly tuning in to Always Sunny for the first time thought of Kaitlin Olson as Dee as opposed to the brilliant Morgan, but an interview between Janine, Gregory, and the unseen cameraman shocked me so much that I'm still glad I wasn't eating or drinking anything at the time. Janine got increasingly angry about all things Dee, to the point that she dropped some language that would never ever aired without some serious bleeping on ABC. She said:

I liked Dee at first, but things got awkward when she tried to steal you... Safe to say I liked her less after that. But it wasn't until I saw the extra footage that I was able to realize just how much of a... I need to say a bad word. It's real bad. How much of a total fucking cunt she was!

Tell us how you really feel, Janine! Gregory looked about as shocked as I felt at his girlfriend's vocabulary, stammering out that he thought Janine was going to call Dee a "bitch," but Janine doubled down by saying she "didn't feel that was strong enough" because it can also refer to a "very fine dog [and] that is not what this woman is."

I had to laugh after my moment of shock at Janine dropping those words that she never could on ABC (and my relief that I didn't have a drink to spit take), because it was a pretty great gag. She was also not the only one taking advantage of the FXX platform, with Ava in particular having fun with some very non-network TV language.

Jacob (Chris Perfetti) wasn't swearing up a storm compared to others, but I did get a kick out of the Always Sunny gang being so chaotic that he was the straight man to their shenanigans. And honestly, those teachers don't even know how great Charlie's lyrics to his rewrite of "We Didn't Start the Fire" were, as they never witnessed The Nightman Cometh or any of his other musical endeavors.

All in all, I 100% expected that the Always Sunny half of the crossover with Abbott Elementary would be a lot more unhinged on the Gang's FXX turf, but it was still hilariously jarring to see how fed up Janine was with Dee without a handy ABC bleep to soften the language.

If you missed the Season 17 premiere of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (or the Abbott Elementary Season 4 episode that kicked off the two-part crossover), you can catch up streaming on Hulu now.

Ahead Of It’s Always Sunny’s Golden Bachelor Episode, Danny DeVito Discussed The Dating Show In The Most Frank (Reynolds) Way Possible

Eric Eisenberg — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:32:26 +0000

Going into the anticipated seventeenth season of FX's It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the episode with the most hype has been the second half of the crossover with Abbott Elementary – but that adventure isn't the only mingling that the long-running comedy series is doing with other small screen programming in the new run. Trailers for the show have revealed that there is also going to be a special parody of The Golden Bachelor with Danny DeVito's Frank Reynolds at the center, and while recently discussing it, the actor successfully channeled his character in the best way.

There is considerable distance between who Danny DeVito and Frank Reynolds are as personalities (the latter is objectively an absolutely awful human being), but there is some wonderful synchronicity between performer and role to be found in comments that the former recently gave to People about It's Always Sunny's upcoming Golden Bachelor episode. DeVito described the ABC reality show succinctly, saying,

It's about getting laid, right? That's the whole idea. Get some.

More Always Sunny!

It’s A Miracle The It’s Always Sunny Cast Came Together After Kaitlin Olson Flubbed An Audition Line And Rob McElhenney Straight Up Wondered Why She Left It Out

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It's Always Sunny's Rob McElhenney IS Legally Changing His Name (Though I Honestly Thought When He Mentioned It Before It Was A Joke)

There's no dancing around the subject for DeVito. In the eyes of some, The Golden Bachelor is about an older single man looking to find a special someone with whom he can spend his remaining years. That certainly won't be how Frank Reynolds sees the show, however, as he will instead surely view it as a new way to find women to (in his parlance) "bang" and/or "plow."

As for Danny DeVito personally, does he think that he could potentially have a future on the dating show? Once again being comedically honest, the actor expressed that he isn't sure that he could keep up without some help from a doctor and a prescription pad:

A little old boost every once in a while. It would be a trail of blue pills, you know what I'm saying? This is terrible.

At present, we don't really have an idea of what to expect with the Golden Bachelor episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia beyond what we have briefly glimpsed in the trailers (such as a part to play for host Jesse Palmer). For example, we have no idea how the other members of the Sunny gang will play into the story. Still, DeVito is promising big laughs and says that there was a lot of fun had during production:

We had a ball doing it. They write such great stuff. If it's not on the page, it ain't on the stage.

Fans have been waiting a while for the return of the show, as the Season 16 finale first aired almost two full years ago, but It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia will finally be back this Wednesday, July 9 with the premiere episode titled "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary."

'You Said It's True?' Of Course, Danny DeVito And Charlie Day Had The Funniest Reactions To Rob Mac's Name Change

Emma Lambiaso — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 22:32:00 +0000

One of TV’s longest-running and best sitcoms is set to return to the 2025 TV schedule this week, and I could not be more excited. Season 17 of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia will premiere on FXX this Wednesday, July 9th, with back-to-back episodes, but we are in for more than just new shenanigans from The Gang. Alongside this new season, Rob McElhenney will also be debuting his new name, Rob Mac, and his castmates, Danny DeVito and Charlie Day, had the funniest reactions to the news.

No, it’s not a joke. Rob McElhenney is legally changing his name to Rob Mac. In an announcement posted to Instagram, the It’s Always Sunny co-creator explained the reasoning behind his new “stage” name. However, apparently not everyone got the memo. In a Tik Tok via Decider, Danny Devito shared his confusion live on stage during a recent Hulu press event for the new season:

Wait, woah, whoah, whoah. You said it’s true?...I swear to god, I looked at the credits and thought they were fucked up. Somebody screwed it up, they took the…

This honestly is very similar to how I would expect DeVito’s character Frank Reynolds to act, and as it’s a typical Sunny cast interaction, Charlie Day had a very Charlie Kelly response, resulting in the following hilarious back and forth:

Charlie Day: Wait, Danny, let me tell you a story about my old, old friend here. Spell McElhenney…Spell it.
Danny DeVito: I barely got through eighth grade.
Charlie Day: OK, alright, see that’s why.

See this is why I love this cast. I feel like half the time, they aren’t even really acting, they’re just messing around as a friend group while on camera. At this point, they’ve all been together for at least 2 decades, given the show just celebrated its 20th anniversary.

However, even the Fist Fight actor, who has known McElhenney much longer than that, admitted to still struggling with the spelling, saying:

I’ve known you for 30 years, and the other day I went to go and write your name out in an email, and I was like ‘Wait, M, C, E, L..’ I wish you went with Blaze, which is what you called yourself in eighth grade. And your teacher called you Blaze for a year.

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While this is also on brand for Day’s Sunny character, who is illiterate, he’s one of many many people to have trouble with his friend’s former surname over the years. When I first started writing about It’s Always Sunny, I remember having to look up the spelling for McElhenney almost every time, so I completely understand the switch. The real question is why he didn’t do it sooner.

After justifying the Mythic Quest actor’s recent decision, Day brought up Mac’s former grade school nickname, Blaze. The Lost actor admitted to going by Blaze for an entire year when his 10th-grade teacher asked the class if they had any nicknames. The funniest part? He had actually responded with “Blade”, but failed to correct her when she misheard. Check out the full hilarious interaction below:

@deciderdotcom
♬ original sound - Decider

While Rob Blaze is pretty badass, I think the Wrexham owner made the right call. As to how this affects his kids’ and wife’s name, Sunny co-star Kaitlin Olson, it doesn’t. The celebrity duo told People that they are leaving the decision to keep McElhenney up to each individual person in their family.

If you are looking for a change to the High Potential star’s name in the credits of Sunny on Wednesday, you won’t find it. The Sweet Dee actress, while legally Olson-McElhenney, has always just gone by her maiden name, Olson, when it comes to her TV and movie credits. However, she has been known to occasionally respond to “Shut up, Bird!” when spotted by fans in public.

Be sure to catch (formerly) McElhenney’s first official credit as Rob Mac this Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on FXX, or the next day with your Hulu subscription.

'I Was Worried.' I'm Shocked Glenn Howerton Admitted To Nearly Quitting It's Always Sunny In Candid New Quotes

Caroline Young — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:06:08 +0000

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been on for a long time, a really long time. The FX sitcom is actually the longest-running live-action comedy of all time as it approaches its 17th season, which will premiere on the 2025 TV schedule later this month. The cast seems to still have a blast making the show, and audiences are still loving it, so there’s no reason to slow down now. However, there was a time when Glenn Howerton, who plays Dennis on the show, was thinking about jumping ship, and he got candid about why.

Howerton participated in a panel alongside co-stars Charlie Day, Rob Mac (formerly McElhenney), Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito, where they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the show. The actor got candid about feeling anxious around the time of the 12th season because he was wondering if the show had grown stale and “worn out its welcome,” as he explained (via EW):

I was worried that maybe, we had sort of peaked or something, and I just was like, you know, we've been doing this for a long time and I think I was also anxious.

It makes sense to feel that way, especially considering not many shows had gone on as long as they had, and there aren't many models for a successful show with that kind of longevity. Howerton also said that at the time, he was struggling with doing other projects outside of Always Sunny, and he felt like he was being put into a box. He said:

I had not figured out yet how to, stretch myself and be able to do other things that I wanted to do with my career outside of the show... I was aching to do other things and so I was starting to feel a little boxed in, frankly.

Thankfully, Howerton didn’t leave the show and was able to figure out how to balance multiple projects. Outside of Sunny, he recently participated in the miniseries Sirens for Netflix, between 2018 and 2021, he led the NBC sitcom A.P. Bio, and he also starred in the buzzy film Blackberry in 2023. The actor has clearly figured out how to wear a lot of hats and still maintain his role on the beloved sitcom, which he’s grown to embrace.

He also likely was able to embrace the uniqueness of his opportunity. What sets Always Sunny apart, and probably can speak to its longevity, is the fact that Howerton, Day and Mac all write on the show, and can dictate stories and the choices their characters make. They can make changes in the moment, and the three of them are also executive producers, so they have a lot of creative freedom. This kind of reach creatively is rare in television for an actor, and an opportunity he might have recognized when Howerton took some time off in Season 13 and started working on other projects.

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Luckily, after he admittedly revealed he missed giving his two cents about the episodes of the show and having creative input, he returned to It’s Always Sunny. He asserted that he has always maintained his appreciation for the show, and is still having fun doing it, which is why he, and the rest of the cast, maintain their participation as long as FX will have them. Who knows what the future may hold, but at least for now, Howerton and everyone else are still on board for more.

You can see Glenn Howerton in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which is now streaming with a Hulu subscription. The show returns for its 17th season on July 9th with its Abbott Elementary crossover episode, so make sure to check it out. The whole gang will be back, and I can safely say we can't wait to see them all together again.

Rob Mac Knows Name Change Is ‘Douchey,’ But Reveals Why He’s Doing It Anyway

Riley Utley — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:38:26 +0000

Well, it’s really real now, Rob McElhenney is now going by Rob Mac, and he’s officially spoken up about the matter. After it was revealed that he was legally changing his name, the actor took to his social media to explain why he’s decided to go through with it. While he admitted that it is “kind of douchey,” he also shared some solid reasons behind the choice.

After news broke that the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star was looking to legally change his name, he took to Instagram to explain himself. Noting that he’s aware of the silly nature of this whole debacle, he also addressed the major reason why he’s decided to do this, saying:

Yes, I’m shortening my name to Rob Mac, mostly a stage name, but I digress. Is it kind of douchey? Sure. But the amount of time that I have wasted trying to get people to say either or spell my name correctly is literally days of my life. Trust me, I added it up.

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To prove that point, he then showed a bunch of clips of people saying McElhenney incorrectly.

Now, with Season 17 of It’s Always Sunny premiering on the 2025 TV schedule on Wednesday, July 9, and the edgier half of its crossover with Abbott Elementary on the horizon, I’ve been typing McElhenney enough to totally relate to his point. It’s not an easy last name to spell, it’s very easy to misspell, and Rob Mac has been dealing with that fact for his whole life, as he said.

To that point, he also noted that we all have been dealing with it too, humorously explaining that “thousands” have had “minutes of [their] life stolen” over his last name.

I'm sure many of us can relate to all of this as well. My last name, while short, is mispronounced all the time. I've had to correct so many people about it, and I know many others who are in the same boat.

However, while this is all silly, Mac (formerly McElhenney) also provided some family history to give deeper context to this change. He noted that while McElhenney is a family name, it’s seen many different spellings over the years, and that’s why he’s not sweating the switch, as he explained:

Still, it’s a family name. My grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and I all share it, and I love them, and I want to stay connected. There’s heritage. Except, it’s not even really our fucking name. Not only have many generations changed the spelling, the current one was just given to my ancestor by a government official who decided that this was now the spelling.

So, all around, I get the choice to go by Rob Mac. It’s significantly easier to spell and say, and as the co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C. noted, his family’s name has been spelled lots of different ways anyway. He also made it abundantly clear that his loved ones are perfectly fine with this switch-up, noting that he’s been going by Rob Mac for a while now:

Times have changed, and most people already call me Rob Mac anyway. My family knows me and loves me regardless of how many syllables I have, and that’s the only thing that I really care about. There are so many things going on in the world, and this is a silly one to continue to waste your time with. Honestly, call me whatever you want.

A post shared by Rob McElhenney (@robmcelhenney)
A photo posted by on

He ended things by saying we should “maybe just keep things simple,” and Rob Mac definitely is that.

So, as he continues to work on It’s Always Sunny and becomes an even bigger name in English football thanks to Wrexham’s massive success, let’s all respect his choice to change his name to Rob Mac. Sure, I’ll miss McElhenney; it is a very cool last name. However, I also understand where the actor is coming from and why he made this decision, so as he said, “let’s see how it goes.”

32 Fake Brands In Movies And TV Shows Like Sweetums And Allied Biscuit

Hugh Scott — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 16:30:05 +0000

There are so many fun, fake products in movies and TV. Sometimes, they become so iconic that they become real products. There are a few examples of that on this list of fake products from movies and TV shows, but most of them are just things we fondly remember from our favorite films and shows. So here it is, our list of just some of the best products we could come up with.

(Image credit: ABC)

Apollo Bars - Lost

One of the things Lost did really well was building a world beyond the island. Apollo Bars were part of that world. The chocolate bars were seen all throughout the season, including when Hurley raided the pantry in the hatch when it was first discovered.

(Image credit: A Band Apart)

Big Kahuna Burger - Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino has done a really cool job over his career, not only inventing unique products for his movies, butalso using them in multiple films. Big Kahuna Burger from Pulp Fiction is a perfect example. We first find out about the "new Hawaiian burger joint" when Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) tries Brad's nutritious breakfast. It is a tasty burger! Eagle-eyed viewers may know that the brand was actually introduced in Reservoir Dogs when Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) is seen drinking from a cup from the fictional restaurant.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

ACME - Looney Tunes

The ultimate example of fake products on TV has to be the ubiquitous ACME company from Looney Tunes. It's most often seen in Road Runner cartoons as the company where Wile E Coyote buys all the equipment he tries in vain to use to catch his nemesis. It seems it was the Amazon of the Looney Tunes world.

(Image credit: NBC)

Sweetums - Parks & Recreation

Sweetums are the controversial candy seen a few times in Parks & Recreation. Loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, Leslie (Amy Poehler) is appalled by their popularity, while Ron (Nick Offerman) is predictably less worried about how unhealthy they are.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Wonka Candy - Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

One of the examples on this list of a fictional food product that was eventually a real brand name is Wonka Chocolate (or candy in general). Obviously, it's been seen in all the movie versions of the classic novel by Roald Dahl.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Hoverboards - Back To The Future Part II

When Back To The Future Part II came out, it was filled with futuristic products, but by far the one kids most wanted to be real was the Hoverboards (from Mattel in the movie). We're still waiting, decades later–and no, the "hoverboards" with the one wheel don't count.

(Image credit: Fox)

The Cornballer - Arrested Development

Perhaps the most dangerous product on this list is the Cornballer from Arrested Development. Invented by George Bluth (Jeffrey Tambor), the product was recalled because it basically burned anyone who ever tried to use one, including Michael (Jason Bateman) multiple times in one episode. Getting Richard Simmons to help sell it in an infomercial was a bad idea, too.

(Image credit: FX)

Kitten Mittons - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Does your cat make too much noise? If so, Charlie (Charlie Day) from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has the solution for you. Kitten Mittons! Of course, your cat may not like them as much as you hope, so be careful!

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Brawndo - Idiocracy

Brawndo has what plants crave! Actually, no... no it doesn't. It turns out water is still better for growing crops, but don't tell those corporate suits at Brawndo, they pay a lot of money to sponsor basically everything you would use water for... except the toilet.

(Image credit: NBC)

Top Of The Muffin To You

Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) sure loves the tops of muffins. Personally, I like the whole muffin, but it seems enough people love the tops enough to make an entire bakery making only the tops of muffins in the world of Seinfeld. Just don't expect the local food pantry to accept only the stumps.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Entertainment)

Dapper Dan - O Brother Where Art Thou?

Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) is a Dapper Dan man. He's not interested in any other pomade to style his hair. If he can't get his Dapper Dan, he'll be sure to let you know. Accept no substitute.

(Image credit: Fox)

Allied Biscuits - The Simpsons

Apparently, Springfield is big enough to have not one or two cracker brands, but no less than eight! Luann Van Houten's family's fortune comes from Southern Cracker, but poor Kirk is a terrible manager and leads the brand to a tie for the sixth most popular with Table Time and Allied Biscuits. Marge was so embarrassed that she emptied her plate back into the box.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Soul Glo - Coming To America

Soul Glo is quite the product in Coming To America. It's made a fortune for Darryl's family, and Akeem (Eddie Murphy) seems jealous of anyone wearing the hair product. Fun fact: the song in the fake commercial was written and performed by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers of Chic.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Stay Puft Marshmallows - Ghostbusters

Not only does Ray (Dan Aykroyd) manifest the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the end of Ghostbusters, eagle-eyed viewers will notice that there is a bag of the sugary treats on the counter as Dana (Sigourney Weaver) is unloading her groceries before Zuul takes over her refrigerator.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Television)

Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor - NewsRadio

The legendary newsman Bill McNeil (Phil Hartman) only endorses products he uses and enjoys. Or, it turns out, anyone willing to pay him enough money. The best example of the latter is Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor, which he records ridiculous commercials for in one episode of NewsRadio.

(Image credit: NBC)

Tracy Jordan Meat Machine - 30 Rock

Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) was always looking for ways to branch out, and that extended to endorsing a product called "Tracy Jordan Meat Machine" in the vein of the George Foreman Grill. It's not a bad strategy, as it clearly worked for the former heavyweight champion.

(Image credit: AMC)

Los Pollos Hermanos - Breaking Bad

Los Pollos Hermanos, the fictional chicken chain in Breaking Bad, is another example of a brand on the TV show that has become real, with pop-up versions of the fictional restaurant taking over old storefronts on occasion.

(Image credit: ABC)

Oceanic Airlines - Lost

Of the many different fictional brands in Lost, none were more prominent than Oceanic Airlines. The ill-fated flight that crashed onto "The Island" on the show was an Oceanic flight. There was even a fake website set up in the real world where fans could learn more about the airline and check out the "schedule." That flight from Sidney was on it, too... lost.

(Image credit: Disney+)

Duff Beer - The Simpsons

The Simpsons has been around a long, long time, and almost since the beginning, Homer (and everyone else in Springfield) has always been loyal to one brand of beer: Duff's. There are a lot of "flavors" of Duff, but they all come from the same vat, so it's really all about marketing. Duff Man agrees.

(Image credit: Comedy Central)

Cheesy Poofs - South Park

Eric Cartman loves his Cheesy Poofs. All the kids love them, but Cartman really loves them, as he's most often the one seen eating the fake snack food that seems to be off-brand Cheetos.

(Image credit: NBC)

Mockolate - Friends

Mockolate on Friends makes light of products like Olestra that were popular in the 1990s. Mockolate is a synthetic version of chocolate that tastes terrible and is dangerous to ingest. It was eventually banned by the FDA on the show, but not before Monica tried to get a job inventing new candies with the chemicals. Yikes.

(Image credit: MGM)

Soylent Green - Soylent Green

By far the most terrifying fake product on this list, Soylent Green is people! Never forget. And never, ever eat anything called "Soylent Green." Just starve yourself, it's safer.

(Image credit: NBC)

Dunder-Mifflin Paper - The Office

Does anyone actually think about what brand of paper they are using? Do you sit in your office or at an office supply store, and make your decision based on the brand? I worked in a paper warehouse (for real) when I was in high school, and I never gave it a second thought ever again. Still, Dunder-Mifflin endures. on the US version of The Office. In the British version, it's the Wernham Hogg Paper Company.

(Image credit: Fox)

Pawtucket Brewery - Family Guy

Like The Simpsons, the guys on Family Guy have a preferred brand of local beer from Pawtucket Brewery. The big difference is that the brewery in Family Guy is owned by a Willy Wonka-like character, instead of being promoted by a Superhero-looking mascot.

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Mooby's - Clerks II

In the original Clerks, Randall and Dante worked in a nondescript shopping center (which is a real location in New Jersey). In the sequel, they've both taken jobs at the fictional Mooby's. It has since become a regular brand in Kevin Smith's films.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Bubba Gump Shrimp - Forrest Gump

Another example on this list of a fictional brand that became all too real is the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Started by Forrest (Tom Hanks) in tribute to his friend who was killed in Vietnam, the name was eventually licensed out and became a popular fast-casual fish joint with locations all over the world.

(Image credit: Pixar)

Pizza Planet - Toy Story

Pizza Planet must be based on the real-life pizza places like Showbiz Pizza and Chuck E Cheese, right? Kids love it, parents probably hate it, but it does look pretty darn fun in the Toy Story universe.

(Image credit: TriStar Pictures)

Rekall - Total Recall

Rekall, where fake memories are implanted in your head to make it seem like you went on a fun vacation, is...messed up. Total Recall is a wild movie, and the whole idea of having memories implanted is about as disturbing an example of a messed-up future anyone could ever come up with. Even if it's a trip to Mars.

(Image credit: ABC)

Shotz Beer - Laverne & Shirley

When bffs Laverne and Shirley move to Milwaukee, they get a job at that most Milwaukee of places–a brewery. Of course, it helps their dreams come true, so it seems like the kind of beer we'd all like to try.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. )

Butterbeer - Harry Potter

Butterbeer is a brand and a way of life. It also seems to be the only thing anyone wants to drink in the world of Harry Potter. It's even become a real thing, I get to try it when I toured the Harry Potter studio outside London. I'm honest, it's way too sweet for Muggle consumption. At least this Muggle.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Opti-Grab - The Jerk

I've worn glasses for most of my life, but I've never had the need for anything like the Opti-Grab from The Jerk. Sure, it makes Nathan a very rich man (at least until it's sued out of existence), so some people might be interested, but glasses can be awkward enough without having that weird thing you can pinch.

(Image credit: Fox)

Strictland Propane - King Of The Hill

Strictland propane and propane products! The best money can buy!

How To Watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Online And Stream Every Episode From Anywhere

Daniel Pateman — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 09:56:07 +0000

Watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Online

Release Date: Wednesday, July 9 (US) | Thursday, July 10 (CA)

New Episodes: Every Monday at 9pm ET/PT

Channel: FXX

Live US Stream: Watch with a Sling TV Blue subscription or a FuboTV 7-day free trial or Hulu + Live TV

Stream on-demand: Hulu (US) with 30-Day Free Trial

International stream: Disney Plus (CA)

Watch anywhere: Stream with NordVPN

Watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17: Synopsis

The narcissistic publicans of Paddy’s are back serving up big, frothy pints of comedy gold. And we can’t wait to see what Decider have called “one of the funniest” seasons of the FX show in years. They will once again wreak havoc throughout the City of Brotherly love: starting with Abbott Elementary, the first of two highly-anticipated ABC network crossovers, and later trying to find someone else to bankroll their harebrained schemes when Frank falls into a coma. Don’t miss any of their side-splittingly absurd antics with our guide below, which explains how to watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 online, live or next-day on Hulu – and potentially for free.

It’s been a hot minute, but The Gang are back together and we couldn’t be happier for more of this clever, caustic, and utterly outlandish comedy series. The unscrupulous staff of Paddy’s Pub – Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Frank (Danny DeVito), and “Sweet Dee” Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), – are still the same garbage humans we first met in 2005. Yet as per the FX press release, Season 17 will find them plumbing new depths to get ahead, no matter how much mayhem ensues. “They'll exploit cross-network promotion to increase market share; they'll scapegoat one of their own to avoid a PR backlash; they'll risk everything for a handshake with the Saudis; […] and they'll change everything about themselves to appeal to a broader audience.”

Mac and Dennis hatch a plan to become Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in a bid to appear more masculine, and Frank may or may be on the verge of death. But, after the first Always Sunny crossover with Abbot’s Elementary (Season 4’s ninth episode, “Volunteers”), we’re most excited to see what actor Chris Perfetti describes as “the R-rated version of that day," as told from The Gang's POV. Plus, they'll be an ingenious crossover with dating series The Golden Bachelor that finds Jesse Palmer helping Frank to find love, and viewers can bet it'll be as brilliantly demented as ever.

It’s got an incredible series average of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and was hailed as “one of the all-time great sitcoms” by Collider. So, get in on these gut-bustingly debauched antics with the following guide, explaining how to watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 online and from anywhere in the world with a VPN.

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How to watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 online in the US

(Image credit: FX)

“Chew on that thang!” US viewers can watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 on the FXX channel from Wednesday, July 9 at 9pm ET / PT. There’ll be a tasty two-parter at debut, before reverting to a weekly rollout of the remaining six episodes.

Long since cut the cord? There are a variety of ways to stream FXX, with IPTV services like Fubo and Sling TV, and episodes available on-demand via Hulu the day after broadcast:

FuboTV is an excellent cable replacement. It’s entry-level Pro Plan provides a lineup of well over 200 channels for $84.99 a month (after the introductory rate of $64.99 for your first month). And, if you’re new to the service, you won’t pay anything for your first week thanks to its 7-day FREE trial.

If you want something more affordable, consider a Sling TV subscription. To get FXX programming, opt for the Sling Blue plan, and then purchase the Hollywood Extra add-on. The base plan is just $25.50 for your first month (and $51 a month thereafter), while you’ll pay an additional $6 for the Hollywood add-on.

But, if you only want to watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a Hulu subscription might be the cost-effective. Hulu plans start from $9.99 a month if you don't mind ads, or $18.99 a month to lose the commercials (though not on select live content). There’s also a 30-day free trial available if you’re a new member or eligible returning subscriber. New episodes of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 will be available every Thursday, following their initial FXX broadcast.

How to watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia from anywhere

US citizen on vacation? Or perhaps you're working overseas and want to stream It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia on a streaming service, just as if you were back home. Unfortunately, in some markets you'll be stopped from doing so due to geo-blocking.

But with a VPN you can change your IP address and make your computer, smartphone, tablet or other streaming device think its right back in the US.

That means US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription no matter where you are in the world, just as if you were in the comfort of your own home.

Watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as if you were at home with a VPN
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How to use a VPN to unblock streaming services:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Hulu, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, head to Hulu or an IPTV platform like Sling.

Watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 online in Canada

Based in the Great White North? Then you can watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 on Disney Plus from Thursday, July 10, mere hours after its US release. New episodes will be added weekly, and join the entire catalogue of episodes already on the streamer.

Disney Plus subscriptions begin at CA$8.99 a month for the platform’s ad-supported plan. If you want perks like ad-free streaming and the option to watch on the go, you can select either the Standard (CA$12.99 a month/CA$129.99 annually) membership or the Premium ad-free plan (CA$15.99 a month/CA$159.99 a year).

Previously, It’s Always Sunny has also been available on CityTV Plus, with a 7-day free trial when purchased through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on channel. However, at the time of writing, there’s no guarantee if or when CityTV Plus will add all-new installments of Season 17.

Can I watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 online in the UK?

The hit sitcom is licensed by Netflix in the UK – but as of now there’s no news when viewers there can expect to see It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17. Based on the release pattern we saw with Season 16, fans could be in for a roughly three month wait.

You can watch Seasons 1 through to 16 on Netflix right now, but ONLY with the Standard (£12.99) or Premium (£18.99) ad-free plans. Due to licensing restrictions, the Standard with Adverts option doesn't allow streaming of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

But what if you’re a US Citizen abroad with Hulu? Get yourself a VPN to and connect to the streamer from anywhere.

Can I Watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 in Australia?

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will become available on Disney Plus from Wednesday, July 16.

There are a couple of subscription tiers to choose between. Go monthly for AU$15.99, or get a great saving – effectively 12 months for the price of 10 – by getting an annual plan for AU$159.99. There’s also a Disney Plus Premium plan available at AU$20.99 a month if you’re looking to boost your audio and video quality.

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Trailer

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Episode Release Schedule

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 1: Wednesday, July 9
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 2: Wednesday, July 9
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 3: Wednesday, July 16
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 4: Wednesday, July 23
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 5: Wednesday, July 30
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 6: Wednesday, August 6
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 7: Wednesday, August 13
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 – Episode 8: Wednesday, August 20

Who is in the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17?

Charlie Day as Charlie Kelly
Glenn Howerton as Dennis Reynolds
Rob McElhenney as Ronald "Mac" McDonald
Kaitlin Olson as Deandra “Sweet Dee” Reynolds
Danny DeVito as Frank Reynolds
David Hornsby as Matthew "Rickety Cricket" Mara
Mary Elizabeth Ellis as The Waitress

How Many Episodes Of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 Will There Be?

The FX show has been skimping out on us. Once again, there will be just eight new episodes of It’s Only Sunny in Philadelphia (as opposed to 10 plus in earlier years). Each guffaw-inducing installment will run for about 22-minutes long.

It’s Always Sunny Writers Gave The Abbott Elementary Cast ‘Edgier’ Lines For The Crossover, But I’m Laughing At Sheryl Lee Ralph’s A+ Swear-Word Swap

Maggie Sheck — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 01:33:22 +0000

When the idea for the It’s Always Sunny x Abbott Elementary crossover began, many wondered how the family-friendly elementary school show would fit with The Gang’s NSFW and often cringeworthy TV antics. But, as we’ve already seen on the 2025 TV schedule, it’s a knockout crossover. Now, the second part is almost here, which means we'll get to see a more explicit side of the Abbott cast in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Season 17 premiere. However, while I know that it'll be funny, what's even more hilarious is how Sheryl Lee Ralph modified Barbara Howard's dialogue to avoid saying a curse word.

In preparation for this episode's July 9 premiere, Day appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The conversation covered the hyped crossover and what we can expect from the other side of the coin for the Philly-based series' joint efforts. The Horrible Bosses alum shared how lines were punched up and edgier for the Abbott cast on his show, and that Ralph was the only one who humorously opted to swap in something more PG-rated, as he said:

We did write all their characters some lines that are much edgier than what they do on ABC. Sheryl Lee Ralph, I think, was the only one who was like, ‘I don’t think I can do this.’ But she ad-libbed ‘sugar honey iced tea,’ which, if you take each letter, you can certainly tell [what she’s saying]... [She came up with that] off the top of her head, and I was like, ‘That’s better. Let’s go with sugar honey iced tea.’

I think it’s a spot-on swap, because even though we’ve seen Mrs. Howard on edge, her churchgoing ways wouldn’t allow her to say, ‘shit,’ outright no matter what show she's on. I’m now, more than ever, convinced that Ralph is the only one who could play the tenured teacher with this much style, considering she also inspired the classic celebrity mix-up bit.

Based on the brief episode synopsis on TV Guide, my guess is her ad-libbed curse will likely come while Ava reviews the security footage from The Gang's visit as troublesome volunteers.

With the faculty and staff behavior changes incoming on Sunny, Day explained that not everyone took issue with the new verbiage. He believes that Quinta Brunson was into the ‘trash people’ vernacular and loved stepping out of network standards with Janine. He shared:

I think she was so happy to do it. I think they really kind of boxed in there on network television.

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Janine losing it with such big-hitting, swing-for-the-fences language would be a sight to see. As we know, she can get worked up over a light out, so to see her face to face with the Paddy's Pub crew will be a delight from the FX angle.

So, I'm looking forward to seeing a new side of the Abbott characters in Sunny. However, I also love that we'll get to see their reactions to the NSFW gang, as well.

Having an insight into how true Barbara remains and how much Janine will be pushed to the limits makes me more hyped to watch. Considering these are two of the best sitcoms ever (they're also both available to stream with a Hulu subscription), and we've already seen the first installment of Frank, Dee, Charlie, Mac and Dennis trying to fare in an elementary school, I can’t wait to see the Abbott family off the clock.

What’s waiting for us on those tapes, Ava will be reviewing? I don't know, but my guess is absolute havoc and expletive chaos that The Gang tends to bring. Let’s just hope there’s no turd soup involved.

'F--k The Penguin': This Super Real Moment With Colin Farrell And Danny DeVito Went Viral, And It's Pulling My It's Always Sunny Heartstrings

Mike Reyes — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 02:35:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returning on the 2025 TV schedule. That feeling only grew after this year’s Abbott Elementary crossover, which will be continued in the upcoming Sunny Season 17 premiere this July. And after The Penguin star/acting champ Colin Farrell went viral for a moment where he only wanted to talk about FX’s hit comedy with Danny DeVito, I think he’d feel the same.

The Dumbo co-stars were gathered recently, as part of the current series of Variety’s Actors on Actors. So naturally, a lot of Penguin talk came up, including Mr. DeVito’s candid Batman Returns thoughts about working with Michelle Pfeiffer. But roughly 14 minutes into the interview, Farrell flat out changed the subject with this charming pivot:

Tell me about Philadelphia, It’s Always Sunny In. Tell me about that! … Yeah yeah yeah, fuck The Penguin, enough of that shit. I want to hear about that, and when it started, and how it came to you.

For a good couple of minutes, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia dominated the conversation between these two DC villains. And rightfully so, as the stories Danny DeVito tells about the genesis of character Frank Reynolds alone are worthy of this moment.

Then again, as you’ll see in the rest of the interview, the Tim Burton vets have a great fondness for each other. Nowhere is that more apparent than in a moment towards the opening of this interview, in which Danny DeVito admits to Colin Farrell how much he missed him.

While some aren’t as taken with their 2019 live-action Dumbo remake - currently available to stream with a Disney+ subscription - I’d say you have to at least give the film credit for forging this beautiful friendship.

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Though I’m not totally sure if Colin Farrell is a Sunny fan, he seems pretty enthusiastic about talking it up. And one would think that there’s always room to create a character for the Sugar star to step in for, whether Mr. Farrell uses his natural-born accent or another of his choosing.

It certainly would beat some of The Penguin Season 2 concerns the star has over potentially reprising his character. Plus, there just might be a gap between Sugar Season 2 and the next season of Sunny that could make it happen, provided the minds behind the long-running cable satire want it to happen.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 kicks off on July 9th on FX and Hulu. But don’t forget you can also revisit all 16 seasons on streaming. And for those of you looking to watch The Penguin Season 1, you can accomplish that with access to an HBO Max subscription.

It’s A Miracle The It’s Always Sunny Cast Came Together After Kaitlin Olson Flubbed An Audition Line And Rob McElhenney Straight Up Wondered Why She Left It Out

Eric Eisenberg — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 01:24:18 +0000

In analyzing the multi-decade success of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, one can't undersell the unique and genius chemistry that exists between the five members of the main ensemble. The comedic dynamics shared between Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Danny DeVito, and Kaitlin Olson ultimately make the show what it is... which is why it's pretty wild to learn that Olson not only made a notable mistake during her first audition that could have cost her the part, but that she also turned down the role of Sweet Dee Reynolds before being convinced to sign on.

Now married with a teenage son in addition to being sitcom co-stars, Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson are the subject of a new Variety profile, the the piece details how their first encounter during the development of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia didn't go ideally. Olson recalls that she read a scene with Charlie Day while McElhenney was directing, and when she was told to put down her sides and do a bit of riffing on the material, she accidentally left out a key line:

I let go of the already funny stuff and concentrated on leveling up the rest of the material. After, I called my manager and said, ‘The audition was great. I want this job. But I’m so pissed that I left out the funniest line that was already in there, because I was so focused on just making everything bounce better.’

It wasn't just Olson who noticed. McElhenney picked up on it too. In fact, he says that he questioned her fit for Sweet Dee because of the choice – though he admits that part of the hesitance may have come from a tough of ego. The actor recalls,

So she leaves the room, we’re no doubt 100% thinking she was awesome. But I don’t know if her instincts were 100% right, because she left out the funniest line. Now, is it a coincidence that I happened to write that line? I was 26 years old, and probably very precious with what I was writing.

More It's Always Sunny!

32 Times The Gang Ruined Someone's Life In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
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12 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Guest Stars You May Have Forgotten About

But this story doesn't simply end with Rob McElhenney being convinced he was wrong. That did happen – with credit in the profile given to producer Nick Frenkel, FX boss John Landgraf among others – but then Kaitlin Olson said "No" to their "Yes."

When she got the offer, the High Potential star asked for a collection of episode scripts, and she was disappointed with what she read. Sweet Dee wasn't written to be a funny character and instead was more of a "nag" to foil the antics of her three male friends. McElhenney got in contact with her personally, and when he explained that what she read didn't fully reflect the vision for the part, she was convinced and signed on.

Twenty years after its premiere, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is now hailed as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time (despite being totally ignored by major award groups), and new episodes are coming very soon. Nearly two years after the end of Season 16, Season 17 will premiere on FXX on July 9 – and the season will kick off with the second half of the acclaimed Abbott Elementary crossover.

Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson Explains The Show’s Characters Acting Differently On The It’s Always Sunny Crossover And Makes A Point I Hadn’t Considered

Emma Lambiaso — Sun, 25 May 2025 21:48:28 +0000

Earlier this year, sitcom fans were treated to a special crossover event between two of the funniest shows on Hulu: Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Both series are set in Philadelphia, but that’s where the similarities end. The first part of the event aired in January amid the 2025 TV schedule, as an Abbott episode, while the second part takes place on Sunny. Abbott creator Quinta Brunson just made a point about how the teachers on her show will behave differently while on Sunny, and I hadn't thought about this.

The creators of Abbott Elementary, including Quinta Brunson, recently attended a panel for IndieWire’s “Pass The Remote” series in partnership with Disney. During the May 20th panel Q&A conversation, the show-runners were asked about the second crossover between the two Philly based shows during It’s Always Sunny’s upcoming Season 17. In a clip posted to TikTok, Brunson teased that Abbott fans should expect the unexpected from their favorite on-screen elementary teachers:

[You have to] realize our teachers act a certain way in front of our documentary, everyone does. You wanna be seen as your best when you’re in front of the camera. And, when they’re not in front of their documentary crew, you get to see a very different shade of every single person who’s at Abbott.

If you're a fan like me, then ahead of the TV event, you probably wondered how the crossover would balance the family friendly tone of Abbott Elementary with It’s Always Sunny’s NSFW content. Two episodes, one for each show but both containing all the characters together, is a good decision. However, it didn’t really occur to me that the Abbott crew might act completely differently without a documentary crew pointing a camera at them. It sounds like we might get the answer a question some kids have: what do teachers do outside of school?

More on Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny

(Image credit: Disney/Gilles Mingasson)

I Just Found Out About The Great Moments Cut From The Abbott Elementary And It's Always Sunny Crossover, And I Am Bummed

Throughout Abbott’s four seasons, we’ve caught glimpses of some of the teachers’ alternative behavior. I’m most curious about Melissa, who clearly has some shady connections and a no-BS attitude. Fans know she could have had a similar background to the Sunny characters in the past and, in fact, she was the one to recognize them and expose their true intentions at the school. I can’t help but wonder if other Abbott characters ever crossed paths with Sunny characters.

However, those background details seem to be completely in the hands of the Sunny creators. Quinta Brunson mentioned that during the writing process, there were almost no edits between scripts. The Abbott Elementary team didn’t touch the It's Always Sunny script and vice versa. So Brunson and co. must have been in for a surprise when they got their lines and direction. The Big Mouth actress teased the experience, and I honestly can’t wait to see it after seeing this response:

I think it’s really fun. I was in it, I acted in it, and then when I saw it, I was like, ‘Oh my God, girl.’ So it’s really fun.

To leave my comedic queen somewhat speechless is no small feat but, if anyone can do it, it’s the Paddy’s Pub gang. Now, I’m really looking forward to seeing the Sunny crew and Abbott teachers interact, no holds barred. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creators and show leads Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton have been mercilessly ruining the lives of Sunny characters for nearly 17 Seasons, and I have no doubt they have some chaos in store for the staff of Abbott Elementary.

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It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 will premiere with the second part of the Abbott Elementary crossover on Wednesday, July 9 at 9 p.m. ET on FXX. You'll also be able to use a Hulu subscription to stream the episode the next day.

Rating 32 Sitcom Families By How Well They Got Along

Maggie Sheck — Fri, 23 May 2025 20:32:00 +0000

Great sitcom families come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to the expansive landscape. From animated favs to semi-autobiographical cranktakorous comedians, and even classic Hollywood iconic fams, all show up, good, bad or ugly. Regardless of their grade or feelings for one another, each brood left an indelible mark on the television genre. Wherever you stand within your family tree, this list is for the fathers, mothers, step-parents, kids, siblings, cousins and much more.

(Image credit: ABC)

The Addams - The Addams Family 5/5

Though they can be considered creepy and kooky, the Addams remain as relevant as ever in pop culture. Starting as a single-panel New Yorker comic strip, the blended oddballs continue to showcase true love through dark and dismal ways. The success of these longstanding family unit vibes is due to one of the best couples (outside of rom-coms), Gomez and Morticia, and their unwavering love and pride.

(Image credit: 20th Television)

The Simpsons - The Simpsons 4/5

The long-running cartoon has become a recognizable pop culture staple worldwide. Even if Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie aren’t the Cleavers of the past thirty years, they still show up for one another however they can. Realistically, though, Marge has and continues to be the anchor of the Simpson family dynamics.

(Image credit: CBS)

The Taylors - The Andy Griffith Show 5/5

Mayberry, North Carolina, wouldn’t be the same without the Taylors, in my opinion. Andy, Aunt Bee and Opie paved the way wholesomely for many other families, of any shape or size, in the sitcom landscape. Now and again, though, small conflicts would arise between the trio (I still can’t get over the Opie, slingshot and bird episode) that would get addressed head-on and with care.

(Image credit: CBS)

The Bunkers - All In The Family 3/5

The Bunkers live in a working-class Queens home fueled by loud opinions, generational clashes, and sharp-tongued debates. Archie’s old-school views and Edith’s unwavering sweetness lend to the frequently boisterous home. Though daughter Gloria and husband, Mike, are no strangers to stirring the pot, either. Underneath it all lies a stubborn but constant love for each other amid all the high-strung dynamics.

(Image credit: CBS)

The Jeffersons - The Jeffersons 4/5

The titular unit first starred on All in the Family as the Bunkers' neighbors. Not long after did George, Louise and their family moved on up. The Jeffersons showcased a pretty average but caring reflection of familial dynamics–dad’s arrogance clashed with mom’s calm, while their son, Lionel, tried to be a voice of reason. Along with the trio’s inner workings, extended relatives were added into the mix in a humorous but heartfelt way.

(Image credit: ABC)

The Stephens - Bewitched 3/5

Though Bewitched was presented as generally lighthearted with a focus on comedic situations, the storylines made the Stephens’ experience some turbulence. Between Samantha’s relatives interfering in her everyday dealings, to Darrin initially doubting her abilities, and even her kiddos stirring the pot, the familial layers ran through a whole gamut.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Sanfords - Sanford And Son 3/5

Fred and Lamont make up this parent-kid relationship, and while it’s relatively stable, the less-than-stellar communication skills hinder these two from leveling up. Notably, it’s a love-hate vibe between the two, with Fred’s habits and personal beliefs that cause the most trouble in their day-to-day lives.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Munsters - The Munsters 5/5

Presented as a satirical counterpoint to the other familial shows during the 60s, the spooky eponymous unit was quite loving. Herman and Lily, Frankenstein’s monster and a vampire, respectively, were good-natured parental role models who welcomed open conversations, even when things went haywire.

(Image credit: YouTube)

The Petries - The Dick Van Dyke Show 4/5

The veteran black and white trio balances everyday life with Hollywood dealings. Filled with quick wit, heartfelt moments, and the occasional misstep (often turned laugh), they face the ups and downs of everyday personal and professional issues as a unit. The Petries are a great example of running a home with grace, humor, and even a little song and dance when needed.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Gellars - Friends 2/5

Monica and Ross are typical sister-brother fodder. They both hang with all of their pals in a home I've wanted to explore forever, and from time to time, break out an iconic childhood dance number. When their parents come into play, that rating dives off a cliff. While Ross is viewed as a golden child, Monica continuously gets scrutinized or patronized for every element of her life, and her bro is MIA to defend her.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Costanzas, The Seinfelds - Seinfeld 3/5

While Seinfeld isn’t centered on regular relative relations, the Seinfelds and Costanzas got featured somewhat consistently. Jerry and his parents' (and occasionally, Uncle Leo's) dynamics are pretty run-of-the-mill, but can be somewhat quirky. Meanwhile, George’s mom and dad illustrate the louder side of caring, but also outspoken heads of the family. Together, they’re a hilarious blended group poking and prodding at their kids.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Banks - Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air 4/5

Like many of the other blended broods, the Banks show up at the end of the day for one another. Will coming to stay with the Bel-Air residents showcased from the jump what type of good-willed, community-driven people they are. Their actual reactions in their relationships on the surface may look quite different, though.

(Image credit: Fox)

The Bundys - Married… With Children 1/5

The Married… with Children family is built differently. The Bundys are filled with insults, bad luck, and relentless sarcasm, paired with Al’s bitterness, Peg’s laziness, and the kids’ scheming--making it one unpredictable place. As miserable as they claim to be in regards to money, love and success, they’re stuck together—and wouldn’t have it any other way.

(Image credit: Peacock)

The Tucker-Pritchetts, Pritchett-Delgados and Dunphys - Modern Family 5/5

Ed O’Neill’s second run with a family sitcom was as notable as Married… With Children, but related much better to his loved ones, playing Jay Pritchett, the staunch but understanding patriarch. Between him and his OG kids, Claire and Mitchell, their respective families, his new wife and kids, and everyone interacting regularly, it’s more often than not a fun-loving and humanistic give and take of blended familial relationships.

(Image credit: Hanna-Barbera Productions)

The Flinstones - The Flintstones 3/5

The titular family of the first notable animated sitcom premiered back in the 1960s. And while it was widely successful and has multiple iterations a la The Addams Family, Fred is far from Gomez. But the fictionalized caveman continued to show up for his family even when the going got tough, or got him flustered.

(Image credit: Fox)

The Belchers - Bob’s Burgers 4/5

As one of the most rewatchable shows ever, The Belchers' family dynamic is the stuff of magic. While they may be far from perfect, overly successful, or even popular (to some), the five humorously and oddly show up for one another every week. Now and again, Bob or one of the other four shows some defiance with the goings on, but it never lasts for long.

(Image credit: ABC/HBO Max)

The Tanners (and co.) - Full House 4/5

The blended household has a lot going on within all of its floors, including regularly showing up for each other. Danny, Joey, Becky and Jesse do their best for the collective kiddos but can also lead them into trouble from time to time. All in all, though, the collective fam has nothing but the best intentions, except maybe when DJ’s neighbor's best friend, Kimmy Gibbler, comes around.

(Image credit: Fox)

The McCulloughs - The Bernie Mac Show 4/5

The Bernie Mac Show is another classic, somewhat reflective look into the late comedian Bernie Mac’s real life. As the McCulloughs take in their two nieces and nephew after their mom has issues, lots of boundaries are explored for the new fivesome. With his bold humor but well-intended grace, they all learn to bond.

(Image credit: Fox)

The Wilkersons - Malcolm In The Middle 3/5

Malcolm and the rest of his family live in middle-class chaos, outside of careers, much of which is due to the close-knit but quarrelsome four brothers. Regardless of how messy, wild, or outlandish it gets, Lois, with the help of Hal, is there to rein it all back in time and again. Through thick and thin, and a bonkers way of getting their feelings across, they continue to stick together.

(Image credit: CBS)

The Barones - Everybody Loves Raymond 4/5

Ray and his family live in a whirlwind of sarcasm, guilt trips, and unsolicited visits, mostly stirred up by their impossibly close but constantly bickering dynamic. With Marie’s meddling, Frank’s gruff indifference, and Robert’s simmering resentment, Ray and Debra are rarely left in peace. Still, no matter how overbearing or absurd it gets, they always find a way to resolve any quip.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

The Rocks - Everybody Hates Chris 4/5

The Chris Rock reflective sitcom is the perfect blend of comedy and heart between the core five. Even though the noted balance hangs true in most episodes, the reactions and happenings that fill out the original UPN show highlight the realities of their normalcy. All of them are trying their best in their personal and collective lives, and it’s an excellent showcase.

(Image credit: UPN)

The Mitchells - Moesha 3/5

The Mitchells on Moesha broke barriers and still remains a part of pop culture due to breaking untrue industry perceptions. Though Frank ran his household in a tight manner, alongside his second wife, Dee (remarried after his first wife, Marguerite, passed), they faced issues head-on and together. (Including Frank’s past infidelities.)

(Image credit: ABC)

The Lopezes - George Lopez 4/5

Another outstanding example of parents and their kids comes from the early ‘00s George Lopez series. Not that it didn’t have its issues, including Lopez’s spotty communication skills, the fivesome navigated their best through an array of ups and downs using humor and diverse perspectives.

(Image credit: HBO)

The Davids - Curb Your Enthusiasm 1/5

In the off chance you’re not familiar with this somewhat factual Larry David sitcom, Larry has and always will be the problem. It’s exactly why Cheryl Hines divorced him during the long-running 12-season show. The writer and comedian loosely based this on his own marriage, but with a larger-than-life comedic spin to it.

(Image credit: CBS)

The Mosbys - How I Met Your Mother 3/5

It may be a forgotten fact that the Mosby kids are sprinkled throughout the series, but their presence is the hinge of the show. From the small sampling we have of Ted with his son and daughter, it all seems pretty average (depending on who you ask). During the 9 seasons, Mosby ignores direct questions from his children, albeit comedically, and focuses on recounting the whole thing in order.

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Bluths - Arrested Development 2/5

The Bluth family and their fictional company were a comedic trainwreck from start to finish. Even though they all had shining moments of showing up for each other, their rich, out-of-touch ways, personally and professionally, wreaked some major havoc. With the corrupt and scheming patriarch George Bluth at the helm, sooner or later, all the issues were bound to hit a boiling point.

(Image credit: Fox)

The Griffins - Family Guy 2/5

As one of the more outlandish cartoon families, the Griffiths don’t hold down the homestead title as well as others. From Peter to Stewie, each of them has some highlights, but their flaws and how they relate to each other through those traits are the glue that somehow holds them together. Overall, they have fine moments of true connectedness, but it's not commonplace.

(Image credit: ABC)

The Landrys, Campbells - Sister Sister 5/5

The still lovable Sister Sister shows just how to work through a wildly unexpected happening together. Starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as long-lost twins of the same name to reunite and live with their respective parents under one roof takes a lot of gumption. By no means did the new era between the four run smoothly, but all were onboard to give it their best shot to let the sisters get to know each other.

(Image credit: CBC/Pop Media Group)

Schitt’s Creek 5/5

Co-creators and real-life father-son duo, Eugene and Dan Levy, nailed this fictional riches-to-rags story’s foursome. The Canadian sitcom took over the world because of the Schitt’s humor, ridiculous banter, but a pure heart of gold for one another. From start to finish, we watched them grow as a family and as individuals who truly realized that our relationships are the most important thing any of us has.

(Image credit: Fox)

The Hills - King Of The Hill 4/5

You’d never expect a place like small-town Texas to house one of the best animated shows and families of all time, but it does. The Hills reflect a completely average American family in suburbia, with, generally, semi-realistic issues they work through together. Hank may be a little rough around the edges when something goes wrong, but he usually works through it and celebrates by cracking open a cold one with his pals, uh-huh.

(Image credit: FXX)

The Reynolds - It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 2/5

The Philadelphia area-based family isn’t for the faint of heart. They are a ragtag bunch that dysfunctionally can be supportive, but often through very muddied lenses of narcissism, manipulative behavior or shallowness. Somehow, through all of the dynamics, they continue to co-own and successfully tend a bar together.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Solomons - 3rd Rock From The Sun 3/5

This case stands a little differently from the rest, in terms of human family dynamics vs. alien ones. As the Solomons, the quartet of ETs are wacky and get into a lot of antics Earthside that get them into trouble. But how they act toward one another as who they really are helps bump their score up.

'If That Goes South, You're F---ed. ' It's Always Sunny Stars Share Stories About Learning Rob McElhenney And Kaitlin Olson Were Dating

Adrienne Jones — Fri, 23 May 2025 01:04:30 +0000

The hit dark comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been known for many, many things during its time on the air. There are the 16 (and counting) seasons, with the 2025 TV schedule playing host to Season 17 this summer. And, with the series being around for so long, there are a number of actors who appeared on Always Sunny that you’ve likely forgotten about. Plus, there are hilarious side characters and the wild number of terrible things that the gang has done. But, one thing that might not be discussed enough is how the show brought leads Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney together. Their co-stars are now sharing funny stories about finding out that the two were dating.

Always Sunny Star Glenn Howerton Thought The ‘Whole Show Is Fucked’ When He Heard Kaitlin Olson And Rob McElhenney Were Dating

Seeing as how Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney (who portray Sweet Dee and Mac, respectively, on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) have been married since 2008, and have two teenaged sons (one of whom they allow to watch their show about the mostly depraved Paddy’s Pub crew), their millions of fans likely know that the show is how they met and fell for one another. While the story is very sweet, as co-star/executive producer Glenn Howerton (he’s potential serial killer Dennis) told Variety, he was stunned when he found out, and noted:

How did I not see this was happening? She would always come over and then would get too drunk and sleep there. In retrospect, she wasn’t really that drunk; she was just using that as an excuse to stay at our apartment. And then Rob would disappear for a couple of nights, and I’d be like, ‘What’s going on?’ He’d tell me he went out with some girl, just making shit up!

OK, it certainly didn’t help that McElhenney lied about his whereabouts on the reg (though the scheming Paddy’s gang would certainly approve), his position makes sense. He and the A.P. Bio star were roommates, and went through a lot of lean days to get the show off the ground. To find out that all of your sacrifices were potentially being put in jeopardy because your buddy has begun dating one of your co-workers is a tough blow. Especially because if things go wrong in that relationship, things could permanently go wrong at work and sacrifice all your hard-won success. Howerton continued:

I thought he was doing a bit, because he knows that the stupidest thing you could possibly do is to date your co-star. You’re compromising the show and everybody’s job. If that goes south, you’re fucked, and your whole show is fucked, and you fucked everybody. So I laughed, and he was like, ‘No, I’m serious. We both tried to stop it, but it was inevitable. We’re in love.’

Apparently the duo had been trying to quell their non-professional feelings for each other, but it was after the wedding of co-star Charlie Day (he’s, of course, Charlie on the show) and Waitress actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis, that they had to finally give up and face facts. At the time of this confession (which was far less vulgar than the ultimate reveal of Mac being gay), Howerton was actually being a solid housemate, and scooping the litter boxes of their two cats. He added:

All of this is happening while I’ve got a fucking cat pooper-scooper in my hand. I was like, ‘You idiot! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. You know this is the stupidest possible thing you could be doing, right?’

Can you imagine? What if this hadn’t worked out? The unbelievably inappropriate comedy might not now be the longest-running scripted comedy on TV. We might not have gotten some of the best It’s Always Sunny episodes. Or, maybe the show would have eventually been Dee-free, and Olson wouldn’t have put her body on the line for laughs nearly as much. What kind of world would we be living in if she can’t have people yelling “Shut up, bird!” at her in public?!

Danny DeVito And Charlie Day Were Far More Chill About Kaitlin Olson And Rob McElhenney Dating

Though it’s pretty easy to understand why Howerton (who was largely and hilariously absent from Sunny’s crossover with Abbott Elementary) had some strong words for his buddy after hearing of the romance, it turns out that not everyone felt that way. Danny DeVito (who stars as Dennis and Dee’s dad, Frank) not only saw it coming, but seemed to have very positive feelings about the pairing. As he added:

When we were going on a trip or something like that, you got the feeling that they were kind of gravitating toward each other in a cool way. Every once in a while, people who are supposed to be together wind up together.

Awww. That’s lovely, right? Meanwhile Day noted that he didn’t have any suspicions about the couple, but also wasn’t worried in the least about them pairing up:

I had zero suspicion. I didn’t see it coming at all. And conversely, didn’t care one way or the other. Maybe because Mary Elizabeth and I had been together for so long at that point, I thought, ‘Well, what’s the big deal?’ I think I remember Glenn was a little more thrown off.

To say that Howerton was “a little more thrown off” is clearly an understatement, but hey, it’s no biggie now. Everything turned out great, and we just might get this amazingly long-tenured comedy for many more seasons to come!

How Do Crews Actually Work Together When Shows Like Abbott Elementary And It’s Always Sunny Cross Over? I Had To Know About The ‘Blend’

Riley Utley — Thu, 15 May 2025 00:05:54 +0000

Whenever crossovers happen on TV, obviously, we’re thinking about how the casts will work together, and that was especially true when Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossed over on the 2025 TV schedule. However, what I didn’t think about as much was how the crews had to work together, too. So, I asked Abbott’s Head of the Hair Department about it, and she told me how it all blended together.

Considering the excitement around the Abbott and Always Sunny crossover earlier this year and the fact that we’re still waiting on Sunny’s half of the event, I had to ask the ABC comedy’s Hair Department Head and Hair Designer, Moira Frazier, about it. She immediately praised Sunny’s Hair Department Head, Abby Roll, when speaking about this project, and noted how well they collaborated, saying:

Me and her kind of work together. Always Sunny took care of their cast, and for me and my department, I took care of our cast and anything Abbott-surrounding. But to have them there was – it was just so seamless. We went like this [interlocks fingers together]. It was just a seamless blend. Whatever they needed, we provided and vice versa. It was a beautiful experience to have to collaborate with them for this whole crossover episode.

Overall, it sounds like Frazier took care of her cast while Roll handled hers, which makes sense, seeing as most members of each cast rock the same hairdo from episode to episode. However, they also had to collaborate because ultimately, both their work would end up on screen together, so they had to “blend.” And it all paid off brilliantly, because people loved seeing the Abbott and Sunny characters together.

It’s also worth noting that while these two shows are both comedies, they’re so different in many ways. For example, Abbott is a significantly more family-friendly show than It’s Always Sunny, which is famously NSFW. Blending the tones and characters must have been hard work, but it ended up going great, and seeing these polar opposite characters collide made for brilliant TV.

It also served as an educational experience because the crews got to collaborate and learn from each other. I asked Frazier what she learned from working with Roll on this crossover, and she explained why she adores how her fellow department head “streamlines and runs” her team:

I love how, because every department head is different, I love how she just streamlines and runs her team and vice versa. So for both of us, we were there, kind of like sharing ideas and things of that nature. But to be honest, Abby is an amazing department head, and it's great to work with other people alongside when you're collaborating on two big shows like Abbott and Always Sunny. To be able to come together to create one cohesive project, I couldn't ask for a better link-up.

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Well, I love to hear that! Watching the episode, it was clear to me that the two casts meshed together flawlessly, the visual styles of the shows worked together well, and it made my anticipation for the second half of the Abbott/Sunny crossover even stronger. However, knowing that the crew also got along makes me want this crossover to go beyond two episodes.

It’s honestly fascinating to know how these two shows worked together to pull off this comedy event. The shows are different, they require two crews and casts, and putting them all in one place sounds like it could be very challenging. However, they expertly pulled it all off, as Frazier illustrated with the hair department, and you can see by re-watching the first half of the crossover (Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 9) with a Hulu subscription.

Kaitlin Olson Shares A Funny Take On Her And Rob McElhenney’s Son Watching It’s Always Sunny Years After He Used To ‘Sneak Scripts’

Emma Lambiaso — Mon, 12 May 2025 13:31:36 +0000

Those who have seen It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia surely know it’s not exactly a family-friendly show. The Paddy’s Pub gang has been known to be overly destructive, extremely offensive, exploitative and irredeemably immoral people. So it wouldn't be wild for married Sunny co-stars Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson to shield their kids from their show. As it turns out, though, their son is actually a fan, and Olson had a funny take on why they allow him to keep watching it.

Olson recently spoke at a panel, and an attendee shared a snippet of it to TikTok. It was there that the actress revealed her teenage son, Axel, is watching the raunchy FX comedy, just in time for It's Always Sunny's 17th Season to premiere on the 2025 TV Schedule. While he is not unfamiliar with the show’s vulgar content, having visited the set growing up, Olson admitted the real reason she lets him watch, and it may or may not be humorously vain:

I don’t go back and purposefully watch, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like that my 14-year-old is watching Sunny now, and there’s nothing we can do, he’s 14. But he loves it so much. When he was little, he used to sneak scripts, we would find them in his room. And, now, he’s watching it. Rob and I found ourselves like standing – I’m making dinner like, ‘oh I’m about to – oh don’t turn away I’m about to say something.’ So I do like it.

Though Olson could not be more unlike her character in real life, this is such a Dee Reynolds answer. Dee would certainly be caught watching herself on TV. I shouldn’t be surprised, since she and her hubby wrote the damn show but, man, do I wish I had two comedians as parents.

The Hacks actress is even a good sport when people publicly yell at her in front of her kids like she’s Sweet Dee, and she says her boys find it hilarious. It seems McElhenney and Olson are very proud and appreciative of their successful sitcom and are happy to share it with at least one of their two kids now that they’re old enough.

Though Olson could not be more unlike her character in real life, this is such a Dee Reynolds answer. She would be caught watching herself on TV. I shouldn’t be surprised, since she and her hubby wrote the damn show, but, man, do I wish I had two comedians as parents.

The Hacks actress is even a good sport when people publicly yell at her in front of her kids like she’s Sweet Dee, saying her boys find it hilarious. It seems McElhenney and Olson are very proud and appreciative of their successful sitcom and are happy to share it with at least one of their two kids now that they’re old enough.

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I’m not going to just skip past the part where Olson says Axel used to "sneak scripts" into his room ,though. Clearly, their son has been a fan of Sunny for a lot longer than they thought. I can’t say I blame him, because the show is hilarious. However, I definitely don’t think a child should be reading that kind of content.

Even the best Sunny episodes are hilarious mostly because of how inappropriate and ridiculous they are. Look no further than Charlie’s musical, The Nightman Cometh, and the D.E.N.N.I.S. System -- in which Dennis details how he traumatically manipulates women into sleeping with him -- to get a sense of how wild the show is.

Kaitlin Olson Just Shared Her Best Improv Advice (So Naturally She's Starring In A Criminal Procedural Now)

Nick Venable — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:06:54 +0000

Certain actors are seemingly so perfect in every role they play, I start thinking about a future where cloning exists, and what it’d be like to remake the classics with just one super-talented person playing all the roles. It’s a dumb idea, sure, but Kaitlin Olson is the just the kind of multi-talented performer who’d justify trying the clone thing at least once. She’s currently a triple threat on the 2025 TV schedule, and when she offers up comedy advice, anyone within earshot should be listening.

Case in point: the SAG-AFTRA Foundation shared an Instagram video featuring Olson’s mini-Masterclass session that, while obviously limited in time, still lays out a few of the best tenets to adhere to within a comedy career. As she put it:

When you’re doing improv, just listen. Listen, listen, listen. You don’t have to talk so much. Especially if you’re in a scene with a bunch of people who know what they’re doing. Listen, let them be funny, and when you have something to say, go ahead and go for it. And do not be afraid to fail, because not everything that comes out of your mouth is gonna be a home run, and that is okay. It’s not supposed to be.

The key talent of listening during any given scene, as opposed to reacting audibly, is one that comes with time and experience. In youth, everybody thinks they're capable of blurting out MST3K-level comedy on a dime, and that's so very rarely the case. Because early on, it's all about taking the most swings, even when so many of them fail to connect.

Even though it seems counterintuitive, the best piece of advice beyond "Listen" is "Try anything." Which isn't to say "Try everything all the time." Nobody wants that.

For someone who is so incredibly adept at physical, verbal, and mental humor, Kaitlin Olson would be a welcome addition to just about any TV comedy out there, no matter how broad or how satirical. Which is why it's still so wild that she landed arguably the biggest show of her career to date in 2024, and it's an hour-long crime-solving procedural. Albeit one that features other comedy stalwarts like Judy Reyes and Taran Killam.

(Image credit: Disney+)

This Supercut Of It's Always Sunny's Kaitlin Olson Literally Putting Her Body On The Line For Comedy Always Makes Me Appreciate Her So Much

I can imagine that every TV exec wants a star on Olson's level, and one with the same built-in fanbase, considering High Potential was among the most-watched debuts of 2024, and it only capitalized on that audience for its midseason return. And while procedurals aren't often bountiful by way of award nominations, Disney's TV boss seems bullish about the actress landing an Emmy nod.

Olson will be popping up across the currently airing fourth season of Max’s Emmy-hoarding comedy Hacks, as well as the impending 17th season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and let’s of course not forget the previously renewed second season of ABC’s procedural dramedy High Potential.

If there's anybody out there who watched the above video and still can't figure out how to be funny, maybe that engineering degree IS the way to go.

Somebody Actually Used It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Musical To Propose, And It’s Weirdly Sweet

Emma Lambiaso — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 22:21:00 +0000

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is set to air its record-setting 17th season later this year on the 2025 TV schedule. The raunchy FX comedy has had some pretty memorable moments in its long run on the network. In fact, one fan recently recreated one of the best episodes of It’s Always Sunny to propose to girlfriend. Said person drew inspiration from the musical episode, and I'm honestly impressed by the results.

Content creator @eliseypeach took to TikTok after deciding that the world needed to see how her boyfriend proposed to her, and I’m so glad she did. In the video posted to her socials, her now fiancé enlisted the help of friends and family to help him recreate Charlie’s musical, The Nightman Cometh, from the Season 4 episode of the same name. This episode is a fan favorite and, to me, it's a big reason why Season 4 is one of the best seasons of It's Always Sunny with this as its finale. I have to say, this group of people nailed their reenactment:

@eliseypeach
♬ original sound ypeach - elise

For a fan of It’s Always Sunny, this is probably a dream come true, although maybe more of a fever dream. The Nightman Cometh is a play Charlie writes while high from huffing paint as revealed in an earlier episode in Season 3. Not to mention, he doesn’t know how to read or write, so Artemis has to do her best to translate his drawings and script into words.

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The result is a strange play with morally questionable events and characters that don’t really make sense. I would expect nothing less from the Paddy’s Pub gang though, as they are known for their morally corrupt actions.

In the musical, siblings Dennis and Dee play a little boy and grown woman (who happens to be a cafe waitress) who are in love. Mac plays the Nightman, who has to pay Frank’s troll toll if he wants to get into the “boy’s hole." (That's supposed to be boy's soul but, of course, it's mispronounced by Frank.) The boy transforms into the Dayman, killing the troll and defeating the Nightman in a karate fight. (Sounds romantic right?) Here’s the clip of the original scene:

In the end, the entire production is revealed to be a set-up so that Charlie can ask his unrequited crush (the Waitress) to marry him. So this is a kind of genius move on the fiancé’s part, and everyone involved totally committed to the bit. The happy couple’s family and friends absolutely nailed their performances line for line. Even their costumes and mannerisms were so on point that I need to know how many times they watched that one episode.

The video also shows the bride-to-be’s live reaction, and you can see the moment she remembers the musical in the show ends in a proposal. On the show, the Waitress is ironically played by Charlie Day’s actual wife, Mary Elizabeth Ellis. In Sunny though, the Waitress promptly says no to Charlie’s offer to “come on stage and join me in this thing called matrimony,” so I can’t get over FX Network’s comment on eliseypeach’s TikTok video:

This went significantly better than it did for Charlie.

Thankfully, it did. Similar to Charlie, can you imagine if the boyfriend had done all that just to be turned down? He must know his bride-to-be very well though, assuming she would say yes even after recreating one of the strangest, yet iconic episodes of any sitcom.

While It’s Always Sunny comedic style is always pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable for television, clearly many people enjoy it as much as the to-be-wed couple. The engagement video has over 3M views and 400K likes on TikTok. It’s amazing to me that this show is constantly snubbed by award shows, but at least the fans sure know how to show their appreciation.

32 Movies And TV Shows That Make Comedy Out Of Dark Situations

Jason Wiese — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:30:00 +0000

There is a famous saying that claims, “Comedy is tragedy plus time,” and it appears that some artists like to put an extra emphasis on the more tragic element of that equation. Some of the all-time funniest movies and best TV sitcoms boast a plot that would normally be found in a serious drama if it were not for their more absurd or quirky tones. Hopefully, you have never felt too guilty for laughing at any of these darkly humorous classics of the big and small screen.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)

A film by Stanley Kubrick about a group of politicians and military personnel desperately struggling to find a solution to an imminent nuclear catastrophe sounds like an intense thriller. In truth, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, based on author Peter George's Red Alert, is a blistering, gut-busting satire, brilliantly led by Peter Sellers in three distinct roles.

(Image credit: HBO)

Barry (2018–2023)

Just about the best thing starring former Saturday Night Live actor Bill Hader, which he also co-created with Alec Berg, is Barry, which follows a hitman struggling to put his past behind him when he takes up an interest in acting. The HBO series starts off as a clever comedy with effective moments of intense drama before slowly evolving into an intense drama with moments of clever comedy.

(Image credit: Warner Bros)

The Hangover (2009)

Most films set in Las Vegas, no matter the genre, fixate on the more glamorous aspects of the Entertainment Capital of the World, but not The Hangover. As seen through the eyes of three groomsmen (played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis) desperate to find the groom (played by Justin Bartha) after a bachelor party they can't remember, Todd Phillips' hilariously unhinged blockbuster boldly embraces the "sin" in Sin City.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Beef (2023)

Road rage is already nothing to joke about, but even an incident that small can evolve into a conflict of uproariously disastrous proportions. This is demonstrated brilliantly in Netflix's Emmy-winning A24-produced TV show, Beef, starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as two sides of a feud that slowly spirals out of control.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

After Hours (1985)

Martin Scorsese is most definitely not a filmmaker who is commonly associated with comedy, but he has a few funny flicks on his resume, such as After Hours. The relatively overlooked '80s movie, in which an unassuming New Yorker (played by Griffin Dunne) becomes embroiled in a series of dangerous situations over the course of one night, actually does sound like an on-brand effort for the Goodfellas director based purely on its plot description.

(Image credit: Netflix)

BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)

BoJack Horseman is one of Netflix's darkest original series, depicting the life of a self-destructive, narcissistic, washed-up actor and the negative effect he has on the people he encounters. The series might not be as funny if it were not animated and the title character (voiced by Will Arnett) was not an anthropomorphic horse.

(Image credit: Renaissance Pictures)

Evil Dead II (1987)

Even on a shoestring budget, writer and director Sam Raimi achieved "the ultimate experience in grueling terror" with the first installment of his Evil Dead movies. However, the second chapter, following Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his fight against possessive spirits, is one of cinema's most perfect blends of horror with comedy of a most nonsensically cartoonish degree.

(Image credit: Adult Swim)

Rick And Morty (2013–present)

The fate of the world, and even other worlds, often rests in the hands of the titular duo from Rick and Morty: an alcoholic scientist and his anxious teenage grandson. In fact, even some of the bizarre situations they find themselves in, while undeniably threatening, are pretty ridiculous, such as when an alien race challenged Earth to an intergalactic singing competition in one of the best Rick and Morty episodes, "Get Schwifty."

(Image credit: Focus Features)

In Bruges (2008)

In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two Irish hitmen who are forced to take a holiday in a mundane Belgian vacation spot after a job goes horribly wrong. Only a storyteller with a sense of humor as bleak as writer and director Martin McDonagh could construct such a witty romp out of an increasingly dark plot such as this.

(Image credit: FXX)

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-Present)

Perhaps the most definitive example of cringeworthy comedy on television is FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The dim-witted gang of bar owners (played by Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito) often get themselves into situations that are certainly infantile, but also deeply hazardous.

(Image credit: Gramercy Pictures)

Fargo (1996)

In retrospect, it's a good thing Joel and Ethan Coen's Oscar-winning satirization of midwestern culture, Fargo, is not based on fact, as they claimed, because audiences might feel guilty for laughing at a story of an insurance scheme gone violently awry. Creator Noah Hawley's spin-off series would honor that same tone by telling new, seasonal stories set in similar rural locations and with the same quirky tone.

(Image credit: HBO)

Succession (2018–2023)

Sibling rivalry of even the most immature kind can last long into adulthood. Exhibit A: the Roy Family from HBO's Succession, a wealthy patriarch (played by Brian Cox) suffers a stroke that sparks a war over his corporate empire between his three youngest children.

(Image credit: Unison/Paladin)

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

The life of a vampire, which involves committing murder to satisfy their insatiable bloodlust, is a horrifying concept. However, the beloved horror-comedy movie What We Do In the Shadows (which begat an equally hilarious spin-off series on FX) offers a documentary-style glimpse into that sort of existence that is somewhat relatable and even charmingly funny.

(Image credit: Hulu)

Only Murders In The Building (2021-Present)

A TV show about two elderly men and a young woman teaming up to produce a podcast documenting their investigations of mysterious deaths that occur in their New York apartment complex does not sound very funny. However, with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez in the lead roles and scripts boasting a razor-sharp wit, Only Murders in the Building is a comical delight.

(Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Anyone familiar with the work of Martin McDonagh should have been able to expect that Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri would not hold back on its heartbreaking material. However, the story of a grieving mother (played by Frances McDormand) at odds with local law enforcement regarding her teenage daughter's unsolved murder, creates a light aura of false security early on with its bold use of humor.

(Image credit: BBC America)

Killing Eve (2018–2022)

Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Killing Eve is a wildly acclaimed series chronicling the intense cat-and-mouse game between a spy (played by Sandra Oh) and a skilled assassin (played by Jodie Comer). The thriller is renowned for its unique blend of high-wire suspense with absurdism.

(Image credit: SKE)

Death At A Funeral (2007)

In director Frank Oz's English comedy, Death at a Funeral, anything that could go wrong at a gathering for a deceased loved one does go wrong, and then some. Daniel (Matthew McFadyen) deals with issues that include the wrong body being delivered to his childhood home, a guest going berserk after unwittingly taking a hallucinogen, and a stranger (played by Peter Dinklage) appearing to reveal a secret about his father's past.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Shameless (2011–2021)

One of the best American TV shows based on a U.K. series is the hit Showtime original, Shameless. Developed by John Wells, the series follows the Gallaghers – a large family from Chicago facing extreme poverty and other various, debilitating struggles, with little to no help from their patriarch (played by William H. Macy).

(Image credit: Searchlight Pictures)

At first glance, The Menu seems like the kind of delicious food movie that fine dining enthusiasts could get a nice laugh out of. Indeed, director Mark Mylod's acclaimed hit starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult is funny, but Ralph Fiennes' Chef Slowik has something planned for his carefully selected guests that proves to be truly "to die for."

(Image credit: Showtime)

Weeds (2005-2012)

Mary Louise Parker received three Emmy nominations for her performance on creator Jenji Kohan's dramedy, Weeds, as a widowed suburban mother who relies on drug dealing to make ends meet. It is easy to understand why Vince Gilligan was accused of ripping off the Showtime original when he proposed the idea for Breaking Bad (which he revealed at the Paley Center for Media), but anyone would agree that this show is much funnier.

(Image credit: A24)

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Save a few notably fanciful moments (especially at the end), Beau is Afraid is regarded as a relatively authentic representation of what it is like to live with anxiety. Writer and director Ari Aster – known for his more earnest A24 horror movies, Hereditary and Midsommar – achieves this feeling by exaggerating every inconvenience our eponymous hero (played by Joaquin Phoenix) faces to the most absurd degree.

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Bad Monkey (2024-Present)

How do you make a complex murder mystery funny? Well, for one, Carl Hiaasen's 2013 novel that inspired the Apple TV+ original series, Bad Monkey, already boasted a satirical tone. However, Vince Vaughn's performance as the hero, sarcastic former detective Andrew Yancy, especially brings the humor to the surface.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Don't Look Up (2021)

Former SNL writer and Anchorman director Adam McKay started to gain newfound respect with his humorous approach to more earnest topics in Oscar-winning movies The Big Short and Vice. He would follow those with an even darker satire, Don't Look Up, in which two astronomers (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) struggle to warn humanity about Earth's impending doom.

(Image credit: Netflix)

After Life (2019-2022)

Creator Ricky Gervais stars in the Netflix comedy series After Life as a man grieving his wife's death, but does nothing to make the process any easier for him. Tony goes as far as adopting an off-putting, devil-may-care attitude to push away anyone who offers solace or assistance.

(Image credit: Gaumont)

The Death Of Stalin (2017)

Some of the best movies about politics offer a farcical take on even the darkest days in history. Case in point, Armando Iannucci's star-studded satire, The Death of Stalin, which is a hilarious and surprisingly accurate depiction of the aftermath of the notorious Soviet dictator's demise. Though some liberties are taken with the actual history.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)

Not every TV show about zombies needs to be as stone-cold serious as The Walking Dead, especially if you change the rules of reanimation, like in Santa Clarita Diet. The unfairly cancelled Netflix original series stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as married real estate agents forced to turn to murder when Barrymore's role mysteriously becomes a walking corpse who thrives on raw human flesh.

(Image credit: Magnolia Pictures)

World's Greatest Dad (2009)

Robin Williams stars in writer and director Bobcat Goldthwait's pitch black comedy, World's Greatest Dad, as dissatisfied teacher Lance, who begins to attract overwhelming attention following the news that his teenage son, Kyle (Daryl Sabara), has taken his own life. However, in truth, the insufferably rude Kyle's death was an accident of embarrassing proportions, which Lance has covered up with a phony suicide note in order to take advantage of the subsequent fame.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Dead To Me (2019–2022)

The phrase "misery loves company" serves as the essential hook for creator Liz Feldman's darkly comic Netflix original TV show, Dead To Me. Christina Applegate stars as the recently widowed Jen Harding, who crosses paths with the also grieving Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini). What starts off as the friendly bond that each of them desperately needs son evolves into a complicated grouping that sparks trouble for both.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Burn After Reading (2008)

One of the Coen Brothers' most overlooked dark comedies is Burn After Reading, which imagines what happens when investigative intelligence crosses paths with a severe lack of intelligence. It follows a pair of gym employees (played by Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt) who find a disc holding classified information left by a retired CIA agent and attempt to profit from the discovery.

(Image credit: HBO Max)

Search Party (2016-2022)

Search Party stars Alia Shawkat as a young woman who decides to take it upon herself to find her missing past acquaintance. Of course, bizarre hijinks ensue, causing it to evolve into a far crazier situation for her and her friends over time.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Better Off Dead (1985)

One of John Cusack's earliest romantic comedies boasts a premise that would be a challenge to get made in modern times. He stars in the coming-of-age film as a young man who repeatedly tries and fails to take his own life.

(Image credit: Starz)

Sweetpea (2024)

Ella Purnell earns laughs and screams leading the Starz original series, Sweetpea, as a lonely young woman who adopts a penchant for murder.

Apparently The 238th Time You Ride A Disneyland Ride Is The Charm As One Theme Park Frequenter Got On A Ride With Kaitlin Olson And Rob McElhenney

Dirk Libbey — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:26:17 +0000

I love Disneyland Resort as much as anybody, and more than most. It’s the theme park I visit most often. I’ve been on every one of its attractions so many times that I’ve lost count. Having said that, I’m pretty sure I haven’t been on any of them over 200 times. Apparently, if I want to hang out with celebrities, that's how to do it.

Frequent theme park visitor Matt Desmond, who has ridden Disneyland's Tiana’s Bayou Adventure more times than probably anybody else, had a remarkable experience on one of his more recent rides as he found himself on board a log with It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia stars Rob Mcelhenney and Kaitlin Olson. He posted the ride photo as proof, showing a vehicle with himself, the two stars, and their VIP tour guide.

I rode Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland today with Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenny from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia! I was so confused when I saw who I was getting into a log with and was sure it was a mistake. I was shocked. It was such a cool experience though! pic.twitter.com/FZ1tKwMAReApril 15, 2025

Seeing celebrities at Disneyland isn’t the most unusual thing in the world. Famous people love Disneyland as much as the rest of us. Kat Dennings was just wandering through Avengers Campus the other day as well. Everybody from Neil Patrick Harris to Rebel Wilson are self-professed Disney Adults. Sometimes they’ll just go on their own, but as Olson and McElhenney did here, celebrities often go with a VIP tour guide so as to avoid getting crowded by fans in the park.

Part of the VIP experience is getting to skip the lines, and it usually also means the celebrities don’t have to share their ride vehicles with anybody, so the fact that somebody else even ended up in the log with them is something of an unusual move. One wonders if the fact that he had been on Tiuana’s Bayou Adventure, by his count, 238 times, might have had something to do with it. Prior to the picture he posted…

I just got put in a log on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure with two celebrities. I’m gonna post the photo later but what a crazy 238th ride.

238 is an impressive number, to say the least. The ride has only been open for five months at Disneyland. Even if he'd been in the park every single day since it opened, that's still an average of more than one ride per day. I guess getting splashed that often saves you money on washing your clothes.

I mean, honestly, if I went on a Disneyland ride 238 times and didn’t end up sharing it with a celebrity at least once, I’d feel ripped off. The law of averages should really catch up with you by that point. While I have certainly met celebrities at Disneyland, it’s usually part of this weird job that I have. I did once ride Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run with one of the lead Imagineers behind Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It was a big celebrity moment for me, but I’m a theme park nerd.

This Supercut Of It's Always Sunny's Kaitlin Olson Literally Putting Her Body On The Line For Comedy Always Makes Me Appreciate Her So Much

Nick Venable — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:23:57 +0000

Thankfully for TV fans who can’t get enough of seeing society at its fictional worst, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Season 17 return is imminent, and it’ll arrive a little later in the 2025 TV schedule. It was easier to deal with waiting for its return when its brilliant co-star Kaitlin Olson was elsewhere on the small screen for ABC’s delightful crime dramedy High Potential, but we’re also waiting on the already renewed next season of that show.

The television gods provide to those who are patient, though, or at least those who complain the least about waiting around with nothing to laugh at. FX’s Instagram shared one of It’s Always Sunny’s all-time best sequences, which is itself a supercut showcasing some of Olson’s best physical comedy moments from the first dozen seasons. And it truly is a testament to how goddamned funny and talented the Hacks co-star is, even when it doesn’t involve any dialogue.

Relive the scene below from Season 13’s format-upending highlight “The Gang Does a Clip Show.”

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So many glorious moments on display here. It starts off with one of Olson’s most selfless shots, as taken from Season 4’s “Who Pooped the Bed?” in which Dee stumbles and flies head-first into a car door, with her noggin leaving a huge dent in the vehicle. Then there’s Season 10’s “The Gang Spies Like U.S.,” where Dee (or at least Olson’s stunt double) takes a huge tumble off of a ladder inside the Chinese fish factory.

And it’s not like it gets any less funny from there. We have Dee leaping out of a well while in flames (from Season 3’s “Frank Sets Sweet Dee on Fire”), Mac elbow-mashing Dee’s nose on the basketball court (from Season 2’s “The Gang Gives Back”), and a malnourished Dee passing out in front of Keegan-Michael Key’s Steve Harvey lookalike in Season 10’s “The Gang Goes On Family Fight.”

Check Out More Fun Stories About It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

With so many excellent moments to pick from, it’s a wonder that the whole “Clip Show” episode wasn’t just a tribute to how excellent Kaitlin Olson is. Sure, someone who’s been in the business for decades longer, such as Danny DeVito, might deserve his own clip show episode first, but that’s semantics. We just wanna see Dee gag seven or eight times before throwing up all over herself and then slipping and falling down in her own sick. Give the people what they want!

(Image credit: Disney+)

Fans will get to see more of Kaitlin Olson's verbally funny performances when Hacks Season 4 arrives on Max on Thursday, April 10, but she'll be back in Sweet Dee mode at some point closer to the Fall TV premieres, where fans will finally get to see the second part of the comedy's crossover event with ABC's Abbott Elementary.

While Filming It’s Always Sunny And Abbott Elementary’s Crossover, The Child Actors Wanted To Take Photos With Danny DeVito For A Humorously Adorable Reason

Eric Eisenberg — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 23:59:30 +0000

There's no two ways about it: Danny DeVito is a legend. He first became a household name in the late 1970s thanks to his hilarious turn as the irascible Louie De Palma on Taxi, and one needs to use their toes while counting up all of his memorable performances. He has an amazing legacy – but all of that history was completely foreign to the kids on the set of Abbott Elementary during the crossover episodes with It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. They only knew him as the spokesperson for the sandwich chain Jersey Mike's Subs.

Rob McElhenney spoke about the experience shooting the special episodes a few weeks ago as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and while he wasn't surprised that the Abbott Elementary child actors didn't know who he was, there was an impression made by the specific work for which they knew Danny DeVito. Said the actor,

Most of the kids were all taking pictures with Danny. And we said, ‘Of course…’ … Well, no, they know Jersey Mike. That’s how they know him. So everywhere you heard, ‘Jersey Mike, Jersey Mike. That’s Jersey Mike. I think that’s Jersey Mike.’

Danny DeVito has done a number of family friendly films in his career, from the great adaptation of Roald Dahl's Matilda (which he also directed) to Tim Burton's remake of Dumbo. Apparently those performances meant nothing to the kids, however, compared to the commercials he has shot for Jersey Mike's (and they seem to even think that his name is Jersey Mike).

Obviously the child actors on Abbott Elementary aren't the main demographic for DeVito's work on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, which features adult content in every episode... but Rob McElhenney did say that there was one boy who knew the show, and his mother didn't love how that reflected on her as a parent:

There was one kid, who was there, asking for photos with all of us, and you could tell that his mom was humiliated by the fact that she allows her child to watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Coming together like a flash last year, the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover episode of Abbott Elementary, titled "Volunteers," aired in January as the ninth episode of the ABC sitcom's fourth season... but we've only seen half of the television event thus far. The Season 17 premiere of It's Always Sunny is going to provide audiences with the second half, and it will give us a new angle on the story we already experienced. A firm premiere date has not yet been announced, but the episode is expected to air in June.

While we wait for for the rest of the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Abbott Elementary crossover, you can rewatch "Volunteers" with a Hulu subscription (as well as every other episode of both shows).

Why Did High Potential End Early After Only 13 Episodes? How Star Kaitlin Olson Very Much Factored In

Heidi Venable — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:39:38 +0000

Kaitlin Olson’s High Potential was largely considered to be one of the best new shows hitting the fall TV schedule. However, when it returned to the 2025 TV schedule following its winter hiatus, it seemed we were met with its season finale, albeit a wild, cliffhanger-filled season finale, all too soon. So why did the ABC crime drama end after only 13 episodes? Better question: Does it surprise anyone that Morgan herself is to blame?

High Potential drew lots of praise for its first season on ABC (and streaming with a Hulu subscription), as it gave us a super-smart (almost too smart) and fun-to-watch cleaning woman-turned-police consultant in Morgan Gillory. It even avoided a quirky procedural pitfall by surrounding our genius hero with detectives who are good at their jobs. So while a baker’s dozen of these mysteries — plus one overarching one regarding Morgan’s husband — didn’t seem like nearly enough for the fanbase, the latest report (via TV Insider) indicates 13 was all Kaitlin Olson’s schedule was able to accommodate.

While a series that gets a reception as positive as this one did would typically earn an expanded first season, Matt Roush says, Kaitlin Olson had to jump back into Sweet Dee mode and return to shoot It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17, which is set to premiere in June. The good news is that High Potential has already been renewed for a second season, and it’s expected to carry an episode order larger than 13.

We don’t know exactly when Kaitlin Olson will be able to leave the gang behind in Philadelphia and return to the LAPD for High Potential Season 2, so we have plenty of time to process the crazy Season 1 finale and all of its cliffhangers.

Morgan and Karadec: To Ship Or Not To Ship?

(Image credit: ABC)

● Yes, I need this workplace romance!
● Yeah, but make it a slow burn.
● No! Team Tom all the way.
● Are we just going to ignore Ludo?

For one thing, Morgan was revealed to be the target of a Saw-like game master, played by A Million Little Things vet David Giuntoli, and we’ve got some theories (ridiculous and otherwise) about this master villain. It was also confirmed that Morgan’s missing husband is alive, and that’s almost certain to lead to more emotional moments between Kaitlin Olson and Amirah J, who plays her teenage daughter Ava.

There’s also the matter of Morgan’s love life, and boy has she had a lot of options. While lots of people seem to be shipping a workplace romance between Morgan and Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), it was Tom (JD Pardo) who made a surprise return and won her affection — at least momentarily before she abandoned him to save Oz (Deniz Akdeniz) from their killer’s latest game.

That’s quite a lot of story to work with whenever High Potential Season 2 does return, which is expected to be later this year on the primetime TV schedule. In the meantime, head over to Hulu to do a quick rewatch of the 13-episode first season to keep your skills sharp for more mysteries to come.

32 Great TV And Movie Bartenders

Hugh Scott — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:36:10 +0000

There are a lot of great bartenders in film and TV history. Guys like Same Malone in Cheers and Moe in The Simpsons. The kind of guys that quick with a joke and ready to hear you lament about your job. Pouring stiff drinks and beers while their patrons celebrate and mourn, congratulate and commiserate, and everything else that happens at your local water hole. This list celebrates all those great bartenders in movies and TV shows.

(Image credit: Paramount Television)

Sam Malone - Cheers

Of course Sam Malone has to be on this list. The owner (at least some of the time) and operator of Cheers bar in Boston's Back Bay. Played by Ted Danson for all eleven seasons of the smash hit Cheers, Sam is always ready to poor Norm, Cliff, and the rest of the gang great drinks and cold beers.

(Image credit: ABC)

Isaac Washington - The Love Boat

For many people, the most important person on a cruise ship is the bartender. These days modern cruise ships have dozens of bartenders, but back in the day, the Pacific Princess, better known and The Love Boat only needed one, Isaac Washington (Ted Lange). At least, Isaac we pretty much the only bartender anyone ever ordered a drink from, and he always served it with a smile.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Marion Ravenwood - Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) tried to run away from her problems (and her former lover) by heading to Nepal and opening a rundown shack of a bar that at least had a warm fire and some stiff drinks to help her customers get through the long, cold nights - at least until that ex-boyfriend showed up looking for her father in Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Lloyd - The Shining

There aren't a lot of people for Jack (Jack Nicholson) to talk to at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Unfortunately, Jack either invents Lloyd or supernatural forces create him, but either way, audiences quickly learn he's not the friendly bartender we've all come to expect in hotel bars. He does know how to mix up a whole bunch of martinis in a hurry though.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Guinan - Star Trek: The Next Generation

Even the crew of the USS Enterprise need a place to unwind and have a few drinks after a long day below decks. On Star Trek: The Next Generation, that means heading to the Ten-Forward lounge and sipping on the concoctions created by Guinan, played by the legendary Whoopi Goldberg.

(Image credit: HBO)

Al Swearengen - Deadwood

Al Swearengen is the foul-mouthed, mean, criminally-minded propriator of the Gem Saloon on Deadwood. Played brilliantly by the great Ian McShane, Swearengen is so much more than a drink-slinger, as he is the most powerful person in town and the most likely to get violent, or have his crew get violent, in a town full of mayhem.

(Image credit: Fox)

Horace - The Family Guy

For 11 seasons (and decades in show-time), Horace was the owner and bartender at The Drunken Clam, Peter and company's preferred watering hole in The Family Guy. It's hard to say how long Horace was serving up drinks, as he's there in almost every flashback to the bar going back...well... again, who knows. Sadly we lost Horace in Season 11 when he died and the guys have to go all out to save "The Clam."

(Image credit: Miramax)

Razor Charlie - From Dusk Till Dawn

Audiences don't get a ton of Razor Charlie in From Dusk Till Dawn, played by the menacing (and awesome) Danny Trejo. While he tries to run the bar with iron fist at the beginning of the movie, it comes up against a crew that he shouldn't have messed with.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)

Brian Flanagan - Cocktail

Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) is a terrible bartender at the beginning of Cocktail, one of those '80s movies that just has not stood the test of time. He soon meets Doug (Bryan Brown), a veteran bartender who literally knows every trick in the book and soon Brian and Doug are a superstar team of bottle-flipping bartenders who are much performers as they are servers. At least the movie has a great soundtrack.

(Image credit: NBC)

Coach - Cheers

One of the bartenders we miss the most is "Coach" Ernie Pantusso. he was Sam's original partner behind the bar on Cheers, who was, let's just say, a few bottles short of a case. Sadly, when actor Nicholas Colasanto died after Season 3, Coach followed him to that great bar in the sky and we've been mourning the loss ever since.

(Image credit: HBO)

Butchie - The Wire

If we're honest, as awesome as Butchie in The Wire is, we're not sure it's the kind of bar we'd want to hang out. Butchie, played by S. Robert Morgan, is more of a banker to the criminals of Baltimore than he is strictly a bartender and while he's always loyal, he keeps some awfully shady company.

(Image credit: Fox)

Moe Szyslak - The Simpsons

What would Homer Simpson do with his free time if it wasn't for Moe's Tavern? That goes for Lenny, Carl, and especially Barney too. Moe is the surliest bartender on TV, but that's part of his charm. He's gruff, ugly, and quick to lose his temper, especially to those annoying kids who keep prank-calling him, but he's also always sincere and genuine.

(Image credit: HWB)

Rick Blaine - Casablanca

While not strictly a bartender, more of an owner and keeper of secrets, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) surely knows how to mix a mean martini after all those years running Rick's in Casablanca. He's probably served drinks all over the world and for that, he deserves to be on this list.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Spider - GoodFellas

Spider in GoodFellas, bless his heart, is clearly trying his best. The hapless drink server, played by future Sopranos star Michael Imperioli, just can't keep Tommy (Joe Pesci) happy. At first, his punishment is getting shot in the foot by the psychopath, but it gets worse from there. You're not alright, Spider.

(Image credit: LucasFilms)

Wuher - Star Wars

Every small town in the world - nay, the universe -has a gruff, somewhat racist bartender like Wuher in the first Star Wars movie. Sure, it probably takes an iron fist to run a bar in wretched hive of scum and villainy like Mos Eisley, but he's not the friendliest bartender on this list, for sure.

(Image credit: NBC)

Woody Boyd - Cheers

After Cheers lost Coach, it wasn't long before they hired Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) to replace him. Sure Woody was a lot younger than Coach, but he was just as... innocent and, well, dumb, as Coach. Luckily he was just as charming and the bar (and the show) didn't miss a beat with the new addition.

(Image credit: Touchstone Pictures)

Doug Coughlin - Cocktail

Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown) from Cocktail is easily the flashiest bartender on this list. He can flip a bottle and charm a customer like nobody's business. He's also good for business as the show he puts on draws people from all over the Tri-State area.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)

All Of The Bartenders In Coyote Ugly

Lil (Maria Bello) may own the bar in Coyote Ugly, but she's just one of the amazing bartenders who serves up drinks, and takes no guff, to the wild, drunken patrons every night of the week. It's impossible to have a favorite so it's only fair to include all of them on this list of great movie bartenders.

(Image credit: Gramercy Pictures)

Gary - The Big Lebowski

Audiences never actually see Gary in The Big Lebowski, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be on this list. You can just tell by the way he interacts with The Dude (Jeff Bridges) and the rest of the guys at the bowling alley that he's a good guy and mixes a great White Russian.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Short Bartender - Desperado

Listed in the credits as "Short Bartender) and played by Cheech Marin, the barkeep in Desperado is clearly unimpressed by Buscemi (Steve Buscemi) from the moments he walks in the door. He even gives off as many hints as he can to warn Buscemi about acting correct in the tough saloon. That isn't enough, but you can't blame him for what happens next.

(Image credit: HBO)

Georgie - The Sopranos

Georgie Santorelli on The Sopranos, played by Frank Santorelli, is pretty much a total idiot. While he seems to be decent at his job, serving up drinks to Tony and crew at the Bada Bing, he's pretty much a moron in every other way, but he's great comic relief on the show.

(Image credit: FXX)

The Gang In Always Sunny In Philadelphia

This list is called "great bartenders" but let's be honest, the gang on Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible at everything, including bartending most of the time. There isn't much to say nice here, so let's move on.

(Image credit: CBS)

Carl - How I Met Your Mother

Carl on How I Met Your Mother is hard to read. At times, the bartender at the show's popular pub MacLaren's, played by Joe Nieves, is sometimes the nicest guy in the room, but other times he's brutal and unforgiving. When you think about it, that's probably how all great bartenders need to be.

(Image credit: Hulu)

Mark Donnelly - Paradise

Mark Donnelly (Michael Hogan) on Paradise isn't a main character, like most of the bartenders on this list, but it doesn't take much to understand that he's an empathetic guy who not only serves a stiff drink, but he's ready and willing to let you talk about your problems. He's also pretty helpful in a pinch, as he proves when he tries to help Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) keep his children safe.

(Image credit: Fox)

iZac - Futurama

One of the signature things about Futurama is putting a futuristic spin on cultural references and it doesn't get any better than a robot bartender with a sweet mustache name "iZac" as a callback to Isaac on The Love Boat. He's not always the most empathetic bartender, but he gets the job done.

(Image credit: Disney)

The Octopus - Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

The only thing better than a two-armed bartender is an eight-armed one like the Octopus in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Anyone who has ever bartended knows that there would be nothing better than having a few extra appendages when the crowd fills up and the bar gets crazy at peak hours. This guy will make any server jealous with his skills.

(Image credit: ABC)

Jim - Three's Company

Jim the bartender at the Regal Beagle on Three's Company, played by Paul Ainsley, is the most notable of all the bartenders and servers at the legendary TV watering hole. He doesn't have much to do as a character, but serving up drinks quickly and efficiently is enough for us.

(Image credit: Fox)

Nick Miller - New Girl

Nick Miller in New Girl, played by Jake Johnson, is one of just a few bartenders on this list who also happens to be one of the main characters on a show. Nick is perfectly suited to be a bartender too, as his quick wit and empathetic nature make him a natural.

(Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox)

Margo - Gone Girl

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) in Gone Girl is, if we're honest, a pretty terrible person. He may not be as psycho as his wife, but he's not a good guy. His sister, on the other hand, Margo (Carrie Coon) is actually a pretty good person who is loyal - maybe too loyal - to her brother and helps out however she can at his bar.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Arthur - Passengers

Arthur in the sci-fi romance Passengers is a character clearly inspired by Lloyd in The Shining, with the twist that instead of a figment of a character's imagination or worse, he's an android. He is the only person on the ship Jim (Chris Pratt) can call on to talk about his depression, but he can't keep a secret, which is something all bartenders should be able to do.

(Image credit: Amazon MGM)

Frankie - Road House

Frankie (Jessica Williams) in Road House, the bonkers 2024 remake of the 1980s classic, really wants to save her bar in any way she can. She's a good owner, loyal to her staff, and fearless. She isn't just a bartender, of course, but she certainly knows how to pour a whiskey and open a cold beer, right?

(Image credit: RKO Radio Pictures)

Nick - It's A Wonderful Life

Nick the bartender in It's A Wonderful Life, played by Sheldon Leonard isn't the kind of guy who suffers fools and he's really got little time for dealing with any of his patrons' nonsense. That's exactly what some people need in a great bartender. Just keep 'em coming.

32 Shows That Are Perfect For Background Noise While Folding Laundry

Philip Sledge — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:33:00 +0000

It’s not too much of a stretch to say that we’ve all been in a position where we put off folding laundry for so long we’re left with a giant mound of clothes, sheets, towels, and orphaned socks. What do you do in that situation? Put on a show that is perfect for background noise, of course!

With some of the best cartoons of all time, one or two of the greatest sitcoms ever made, or random docuseries and educational programs, here’s a list of 32 shows that are perfect for background noise while folding laundry.

(Image credit: NBC)

Law & Order (1990 - 2010; 2022 - Present)

Law & Order, with its 500-plus episodes, has made the laundry-folding process a little better for decades now thanks to its grisly murders, captivating courtroom sequences, and too many “Jack McCoy” moments to count. This isn’t a knock on the show, but you don’t even really have to pay attention all that much to know what’s going on.

(Image credit: Science Channel)

How It's Made (2001 - 2019)

Okay, you might get distracted by the manufacturing processes for things like Crayons, crackers, pillows, bowling balls, and thousands of other items featured on this long-running educational program, but How It’s Made makes for some great background noise. The soothing narration, that catchy music, and endless shots of everyday items being made make this a perfect option.

(Image credit: Hulu/ABC)

Home Improvement (1991 - 1999)

Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen) probably never folded a shirt in his life (at least not properly), but that doesn’t mean Home Improvement is a great option for the laundry-folding machine in all of us. If you’re folding one basket, or two baskets, or trying to save your room from the pile that never goes away, this beloved ‘90s TV show will help you pass the time.

(Image credit: FOX)

The Simpsons (1989 - Present)

With countless characters we love to hate, all kinds of zany situations, and more than 700 episodes to choose from, The Simpsons is one of those shows you can have on in the background in any situation. So, it’s not all surprising that this is a great option for laundry day.

(Image credit: NBC)

The West Wing (1999 - 2006)

Considered one of the “peak TV era” shows, The West Wing was a staple of network television in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. That said, it’s not hard to imagine that at least a few people have gone through much of the Bartlet Administration while folding and pressing their laundry.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television )

Friends (1994 - 2004)

When you have an episode with a title like“ The One with the East German Laundry Detergent,” you know Friends is going to be a great show to have on while folding your clothes. The landmark sitcom is pretty much the TV equivalent of a warm blanket, so it makes total sense.

(Image credit: NBC)

Unsolved Mysteries (1987 - Present)

One of the greatest true crime shows to ever hit the small screen, Unsolved Mysteries has been there for many of us for years. First, the classic episodes hosted by Robert Stack helped us pass the time and eat snacks after school. Now, those very same episodes (as well as the Netflix revival) are there for… laundry. Where all these clothes come from is the real unsolved mystery in households around the country.

(Image credit: NBC)

Scrubs (2001 - 2010)

Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs is one of the best comedies set in a hospital and one of the best medical shows of all time. That said, it’s also a perfect show to watch while folding laundry. Well, unless you experience one of J.D.’s elaborate daydreams while sorting socks. Maybe that explains where those missing socks have gone.

(Image credit: NBC)

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

No judging here, but some of us have a certain stack of clothes that are pretty much like Norm from Cheers at this point. You know that the laundry will be there tomorrow like it was there today and yesterday (and the day before that).

(Image credit: BBC)

Planet Earth (2006)

Planet Earth is one of those shows that’s perfect for just about any task around the house, especially with David Attenborough’s comforting narration perfectly explaining everything on the screen. And who knows, maybe you’ll go through the entire docuseries and its various sequels and spinoffs by the time you finish.

(Image credit: USA)

Burn Notice (2007 - 2013)

Aziz Ansari’s cousin Harris loves Burn Notice, but does he love watching the USA Network original show while folding his clothes? We’re kind of afraid to ask. Regardless, this spy series starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and Bruce Campbell is one of those shows that feels tailor-made for the mindless task of laundry sorting.

(Image credit: Showcase)

Trailer Park Boys (2001 - 2007; 2014 - 2018)

Trailer Park Boys probably isn’t the first show that comes to mind when you’re trying to be productive, but this Canadian comedy series about the residents of Sunnyvale Trailer Park is the very definition of mindless, crude entertainment. Sure, you won’t want the kids around with the show’s profanity, but this would be great for a late-night laundry session.

(Image credit: NBC)

30 Rock (2006 - 2013)

With seven seasons and nearly 140 episodes to watch, 30 Rock has more than enough laughs and crazy moments to get you through even the biggest of laundry piles. With its cast of characters working on the fictional TGS sketch comedy series, this beloved NBC comedy will do the trick.

(Image credit: ABC)

Full House (1987 - 1995)

What would Danny Tanner do? Well, he probably wouldn’t let his laundry situation get out of hand, despite having an ever-growing group of roommates. All jokes aside about the Full House patriarch’s obsession with cleanliness and order, this long-running sitcom has gotten millions of people through laundry baskets over the years. Join in on the fun.

(Image credit: FXX)

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005 - Present)

Now, there’s a chance you get distracted by all those absurd It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia side characters (or even the main cast), but this FX comedy series is peak-laundry folding material. Just make sure you don’t come up with some ridiculous scheme to hide the clothes or pass the task on to someone else.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Office (2005 - 2013)

Though the series did “jump the shark” near the end, The Office is still one of the best American sitcoms ever made. With a total of 201 episodes and thousands of hilarious and iconic jokes, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained while you work your way through that basket of socks that’s been taunting you for years.

(Image credit: History Channel)

Pawn Stars (2009 - Present)

With more than 650 episodes, all kinds of remarkable and odd pieces of memorabilia and historical artifacts, Pawn Stars has been one of the most popular shows on the History Channel for years now. And while we would love to be able to say “I know a guy” who can handle all these clothes, Rick Harrison and company at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop will help make the folding process a little more entertaining.

(Image credit: History)

American Pickers (2010 - Present)

Like a lot of other great History Channel shows, American Pickers is one of those series perfect for background noise. You don’t really have to follow along to the finer points of the reality program, which is perfect when you’re about halfway through a load of clothes that you really need to finish.

(Image credit: NBC)

Seinfeld (1989 - 1998)

Who would have thought that a show about nothing would be perfect for laundry? Well, that’s the case for Seinfeld. Sure, you’re probably going to get distracted, put mismatched socks together, or accidentally merge the “keep” and “give away” stacks on the foot of the bed, but it’s worth it.

(Image credit: NBC)

Parks And Recreation (2009 - 2015)

Though it’s unlikely that Ron Swanson would be too fond of spending hours folding clothes, Parks and Recreation is a show that is perfect for the task. Sure, you may be stuck in a pit of clothes that were washed weeks ago before you finally pull yourself out, but it’s all about the journey.

(Image credit: Fox)

Family Guy (1999 - Present)

Family Guy, one of the best-animated series of the 21st century, is also a great show to have on in the background while doing just about anything. This includes doing laundry. Sure, there are things we’d rather be doing than folding clothes, but this long-running Fox show certainly makes the task less mind-numbing.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Gilmore Girls (2000 - 2007)

Lorelai and Rory Gilmore guiding us through the ups and downs of small-town life is a great way to make doing laundry a lot more fun, or at least more melodramatic. With seven seasons, 153 episodes, and so many romances to explore, this is definitely a great option for folks who’ve put on laundry for like two months.

(Image credit: History)

The UnXplained (2019 - Present)

How did this stack of clothes get so big? Is this clean, cleanish, or dirty? Does William Shatner fold his own clothes? These are questions with no answers, but The UnXplained will distract you from those mysteries while you search for that missing sock or No Country for Old Man bootleg t-shirt that disappeared in the wash.

(Image credit: USA Network)

Suits (2011 - 2019)

From 2011 to 2019, few shows reached the heights experienced by Suits. This USA Network drama about the high-stakes world of corporate law introduced viewers to all kinds of characters and intense situations along the way. And while few, if any, of those managing partners and ladder-climbing associates did their own laundry, they can help you do yours.

(Image credit: Fox)

The X Files (1993 - 2002; 2016 - 2018)

A show that made it more than 10 seasons, The X Files was one of the most well-known and watched series of the ‘90s. If you want to mix things up with the laundry and imagine a world in which aliens and other paranormal creatures appear (and possibly help fold those fitted sheets), this landmark sci-fi show will do the trick.

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Great British Baking Show (2014 - Present)

The Great British Baking Show, or The Great British Bake Off as it’s known in its native United Kingdom, is one of the most delicious, hilarious, and watchable cooking shows to ever grace the small screen. While we typically prefer seeing these delectable creations (or disasters) in all their glory, maybe folding clothes will distract and prevent you from mindlessly eating as you watch.

(Image credit: ABC)

Modern Family (2009 - 2020)

There’s nothing dysfunctional about the Dunphy and Pritchett families from Modern Family, right? Well, maybe a little. This long-running sitcom is one the best options when you’re trying to fold clothes, or really do anything around the house. You’ll be so fixated by Phil coming up with some scheme, Cameron and Mitchell having a meltdown, or Jay being over it all that you’ll forget you’re doing laundry.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Somebody Feed Phil (2018 - Present)

Somebody Feed Phil, a show that follows Everybody Loves Raymond co-creator Phil Rosenthal as he travels the globe to eat anything and everything in his field of view. With so many seasons, so many culinary explorations, and some hilarious moments involving a man loving food way too much, there’s a lot to enjoy.

(Image credit: Fox)

House (2004 - 2012)

House is one of those shows you can start watching halfway through an episode and still get a lot of enjoyment out of it. One of the best medical dramas of the 21st century, this show starring Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House will allow you to solve all sorts of medical problems and mysteries as you fold your kids' clothes that never really seem to get clean.

(Image credit: ABC)

Grey's Anatomy (2005 - Present)

Since its debut in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has combined elements of the medical drama genre with romance and sometimes action to create an experience like no other. If you’re looking for hundreds of hours of TV to help make the laundry go from a mound of madness to a stack of clothes you’ll soon forget to put away, this is the stuff.

(Image credit: MTV)

MTV True Life (1998 - 2017)

MTV True Life was a long-running documentary series that chronicled pretty much every aspect of life for teenagers, adults, and everyone else. With dozens of episodes about everything from wrestling to odd obsessions, you’ll have a lot of variety when you’re folding the sheets.

(Image credit: CBS)

How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)

How I Met Your Mother has nine seasons of romance, bromance, chaos, and more twists and turns than anyone can count. That’s why it’s such a darn good show for the weekly (or monthly) laundry experience. Watch Ted Mosby fall in and out of love and back in it again as you contemplate your own life, or at least laundry decisions.

Apparently, Kaitlin Olson Didn’t Originally Want To Join High Potential, And I Can’t Even Imagine What This Show Would Be Like Without Her

Jessica Rawden — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:37:48 +0000

Network television might get a bad rap for being a wasteland of similar hour-long dramas, but every year there’s at least one show that comes out that’s a delightful little gem. Last season, CBS launched Elsbeth, and this season we got Kaitlin Olson on the primetime TV schedule over at ABC, where she kicked off a little procedural called High Potential. Turns out the title was apt, but if Olson herself had gotten her way, she probably would not have taken the gig.

Before nabbing the role on the freshman drama, Olson said Drew Goddard –of Buffy and Lost fame – wrote the first episode and they approached her agent for the role. Her agent basically had to push her into even meeting with the network, which is wild to think about given how successful the freshman run of High Potential has been. But she had her reasons, as she shared with Conan O’Brien on ‘Needs A Friend.’

I was not interested when they came to me and wanted to have lunch. I was like, ‘ABC, hour-long drama? No thank you.’ My agent was like, ‘No, you’re gonna go have lunch with them.’ And I was like, ‘What did you just say to me?’ He was like, ‘It’s good. You’re gonna read it, and you’re gonna have lunch. I’m gonna make you, because I think you’re gonna really want to do it.’ I just had no interest in – first of all, working for a network. I’m very spoiled on FX. They let us do whatever we want and say whatever we want.

The reasons she kept trying to tell her agent no continued, as she said there’s a lot of network involvement on network shows, versus some of her other recent roles, which include projects like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) or Hacks (HBO). I'd have to assume this is based on her previous network experience, which includes both guest stints on shows like New Girl and her own former series The Mick, which was unceremoniously canceled after two seasons. But finally, she picked up the script.

I have a hard time with executives, who aren’t creatives, telling me what I can and can’t do… It’s all fine, and it works and a lot of people are fine with that. I’m so blessed that I’m in a position where I want to show up and have fun with my life that’s at home and at work. I was very gun shy, and then I read [Drew Goddard’s] script and was like, ‘Oh, I think I’m in.’

Basically, Kaitlin Olson had all the reasons in the world to say no to the new TV series, but (thankfully) through a confluence of events the script got into her hands. She also is a person who firmly feels that if projects aren’t up to par, she can “walk away,” which I assume gave her some peace of mind, despite reservations about working on network TV again.

There’s quite a freedom in knowing that I really would walk away if it was not up to the quality that I wanted to put out there. That’s not like a threat, it’s just really like, ‘No thanks. I mean, thanks so much for thinking of me, but I don’t…’ yeah.

Her main concern with the new series was that she “wanted people to want to come back” for every episode and not just watch one and immediately forget about it. Between her oddball detective personality, her quirky outfits, her great supporting cast, and several Season 1 finale cliffhangers, including the mystery of what happened to her first husband all lingering, it’s hard to pick out exactly which reason I’m tuning in each week. It’s really a grab bag of goodness.

While the first season has wrapped now (too soon I might add), High Potential has already been renewed by ABC for Season 2, so we thankfully didn’t need to add it to the list of shows canceled in 2025 so far.

Kaitlin Olson's Super Bowl Post Is One That It's Always Sunny Fans Like Me Can Definitely Appreciate

Nick Venable — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:40:46 +0000

Considering Rob McElhenney scoffed at pole-greasing precautions made by NOLA officials to thwart Philadelphia Eagles’ fans rowdy celebrations, it should be no surprise to learn that the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star and co-creator was with wife and fellow comedy mastermind Kaitlin Olson watching Super Bowl LIX inside the Superdome. Also not so shocking? The couple was pleased as rum punch (or Riot Juice) that the Eagles once again took home the Lombardi trophy.

Olson, whose excellent ABC dramedy High Potential is wrapping up its first season on the way to an already renewed Season 2, took to Instagram to share her celebratory message after the Super Bowl was over. And while the post offered a relatively brief display of mirth that remained completely on-point with the team being celebrated, it’s still a fun one for It’s Always Sunny fans to read in particular, and the reason why should be obvious.

A post shared by Kaitlin Olson (@kaitlinolson)
A photo posted by on

Birds! That’s right, nothing that even remotely represents maturity in any form is happening here, as I’m only making correlations between Olson’s go-to cheer for the Eagles and her Always Sunny character Dee Reynolds’ most oft-cited nickname. Well, not a “nickname” so much as an “insult.” And not “cited” so much as "belligerently hollered.”

Read More On It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

(Image credit: ABC)

Ahead Of Abbott Elementary And Always Sunny’s Second Crossover, Kaitlin Olson Offered Advice On Starting The NSFW FX Series

After 16 seasons across FX and FXX, Kaitlin Olson has no doubt heard a confounding assortment of characters’ quotes from fans, but says that “Shut up, Bird” is definitely the one she gets the most. While in the midst of filming It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17, which will be hitting the 2025 TV schedule at an undisclosed time, Olson appeared on Conan O’Brien’s podcast and talked about how much she enjoys having such vocal fans.

I can only assume that being at an Eagles game in person is a wild time for her with so many other people yelling “Birds!” so loudly. It’s like she’d get whiplash looking from one direction to the next.

A Real-Life Crossover For Abbott Elementary And It's Always Sunny Stars

Ahead of Super Bowl Sunday, both Olson and Rob McElhenney were walking the streets of New Orleans when they ran into another pair of TV stars who they'd shared the screen with just a month prior: Quinta Brunson and Tyler James Williams!

A post shared by Rob McElhenney (@robmcelhenney)
A photo posted by on

It was pretty much Volume 2 of the Always Sunny and Abbott Elementary crossover, which follows the ABC comedy's winter premiere welcoming The Gang to the grade school as mandated volunteers. The Philly crossover event, which was sparked by Sunny's cast congratulating Brunson for her first Emmy win, will continue even beyond the real-world meet-up, as Abbott's stars will make the jump to cable for an upcoming Sunny ep.

I can't wait to see if It's Always Sunny Season 17 will incorporate Super Bowl LIX footage into one or more of the episodes, calling back to Season 13's classic pair of installments, "The Gang Wins the Big Game" and "Charlie's Home Alone."

It's Always Sunny's Rob McElhenney Shares Mac-Approved Response To Precautions Meant To Stop Rowdy Eagles Fans At Super Bowl

mick.joest@CinemaBlend.com (Mick Joest) — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 22:20:04 +0000

There's plenty of excitement for everyone live streaming the Super Bowl from home, but nothing quite compares to attending the game in New Orleans. The Big Easy is jam-packed with football fans cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The party city's officials have taken measures to prevent one particularly destructive tradition Eagles fans have popularized over the years, and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney couldn't help but react.

The actor, likely still riding high off the praise for IASIP's crossover with Abbott Elementary, is in New Orleans and ready for all the Super Bowl LIX fun and excitement. After catching wind that NOLA officials have been pre-greasing light poles on streets around the Superdome and in the French Quarter to curb Philly sports fans' tradition of climbing the poles when their sports teams win big. In a perfect Mac-approved comment, the celebrity hinted he may try to do it anyway:

Not nearly enough grease to stop me https://t.co/qYUkIIHa4tFebruary 9, 2025

If we were still in the "Fat Mac" days where he was eating gross stuff to gain weight, I maybe wouldn't believe it. That said, Rob McElhenney is probably one of the fittest celebrities on television, and I believe that he could overcome any amount of grease to shimmy up a pole and scream "Go Birds" at the top of his lungs.

If he does have plans on doing that later, maybe he should delete this post to dispose of any incriminating evidence, as if his grease-covered hands and clothing wouldn't also work.

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