REVIEW: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Season 16, Episodes 1-3

Television Reviews

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is finally back after a shortened season 15 and a nearly two-year hiatus with the first three episodes of season 16. Was the wait worth it? Is the magic that has kept this show going for so long still there? Are “The Gang Inflates,” “Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang,” and “The Gang Gets Cursed” worth watching?

Kinda.

These first three episodes are fine. Nothing extraordinary or offensive. The magic and flair of the show have faded slightly over the years, which is to be expected after running for so many seasons, with the actors’ progressing age becoming a gradual factor. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has never succumbed to cancel culture or progressive politics, but in recent years, it feels as if the show has been neutered slightly, as if the writers fear to offend every one of any side of the argument. While this is a far better outcome than giving in to the left, it leaves the product changed and muted compared to what it once was. These episodes are still fun and better than the majority of comedy allowed on television.

The gang has many times tried to brilliantly explore complex social issues while rarely taking a firm stand on them, the characters flip-flopping from one extreme position to another, the writers merely asking the questions. If they ever have taken a strong stance on something, they fall back to the “ole reliable” that the characters are all terrible people and shouldn’t be taken seriously. For example, last season, the gang tackled the complex emotions surrounding the 2020 election but backed out at the last moment, confessing that the gang was voting for Kanye the entire time, refraining from taking a stance on the bigger conflict. “The Gang Inflates” attempted to do this again, diving into the complex causes of and potential solutions to inflation in a comedic environment. The difference here is that the gang does not take any extreme stance, attempting to offend and then console all sides. Instead, they just putter around the issue, trying to sell inflatable furniture, not inflaming, exciting, or being humorous. “The Gang Inflates” does contain a few laughable jokes, but they are few and far between. “The Gang Inflates” is far from the greatness of “The Gang Gets Racist.”

“Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang” improves slightly over its dull predecessor, focusing on Frank’s deteriorating mind and the warped legacy of Mac and Charlie. From a jar of teeth used for OnlyFans ASMR to crap-stained WWII letters, the exploration of legacy gets crazier and crazier and more corrupted. Everything deteriorates, Frank’s mind and a family’s legacy.

“The Gang Gets Cursed” is a return to form, seeing the story just throw insane thing after insane against the wall to see what sticks. More and more shenanigans ensue as the gang fears that they have been cursed, each gang member suffering horrific accidents and frightening encounters as their doom seems to ever near. Of the three new episodes, “The Gang Gets Cursed” is the one that fits best with its predecessors and feels like the most classic It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia offered thus far.

Perhaps the season will continue to progress in quality as the first three episodes have, but thus far, season 16 has had a middling start.