Tampa Film Fan

new season of it’s always sunny in philadelphia starts tomorrow night

I had seen the previews for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but had never watched the show until I received a sneak peek DVD in the mail that contained the first four episodes of Season Three. The show is an acquired taste….it’s not for everyone, but I can see how it would appeal to some people. Sunny is a meaner, more-caustic version of Seinfeld. (The TV critic for the Chicago Sun-Times wrote today that “Sunny raises the bar on offensive fun.”)

The show is about four friends — Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) — who co-own a Irish bar in Philly. Danny DeVito plays the father of twins Dennis and Deandra. Everyone is selfish, narcissistic, greedy and petty, and no one seems to have anything to do except hang out at the bar and get caught up in wacky adventures. Here’s my take on the first four episodes of Season Three:

Episode 1:The Gang Finds A Dumpster Baby — This wasn’t the best introduction to this series, because it’s about Dee and Mac finding a baby in a dumpster and trying to use him to make themselves rich and famous. They call the baby “DB” (for “dumpster baby,” ha ha). They take him to a children’s acting agency (”because who has better lives than child stars?”) and then to a tanning salon so DB can play a Hispanic baby. Meanwhile, Frank and Charlie see An Inconvenient Truth and decide to become as green as possible. So-so. Slightly appalling to me, given the subject matter, but that’s just because I hadn’t been exposed to the “sunny” black humor before.

Episode 2:The Gang Gets Invincible — This was a very funny episode about Mac and Dennis trying out for the Philadelphia Eagles. Dee decides to try out — disguised as a guy — to prove that she’s in better shape than the guys. (They reference the Mark Wahlberg football movie Invincible, hence the name of the episode.) Frank and Charlie tailgate the try-outs, drop a little acid and face off against their arch-enemies the McPoyles. Hilarious.

Episode 3:Dennis and Dee’s Mom is Dead — When their mom dies, Dennis inherits the mansion and Dee and her dad Charlie get bumpkus. Dee and her dad cook up crazy schemes to get some of the inheritance, while Dennis, Mac and Frank get things started at their “party mansion.” Realizing that they have few friends, the guys begin advertising for “good looking guys to party with” and get into all sorts of situations. Very funny. The gay double entrendres were a little tiresome and predictable, but still entertaining.

Episode 4:The Gang Gets Held Hostage — Three of the McPoyle siblings take the gang hostage at Paddy’s. Charlie just happens to be crawling around in the ventilation system, so he accidentally becomes a part of the kidnapping fun. Amusing, but not laugh-out-loud funny.

Season Three of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia kicks off on FX at 10 p.m. on Thursday, September 13.

p.s. I’ve got one item to give away: a green T-shirt, medium size, with “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” in small text on the front and “Paddy’s Irish Pub” in big letters across the back. First person to email me at tampafilmfan(at)aol.com with his/her mailing address gets it.