Abbott Elementaryhad its big crossover event withIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and although the shows have very different tones, the episode successfully merged the two casts.Abbott Elementaryis a warmer, more optimistic show compared to the darker, irreverent chaosIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiatends to embrace, though both are proudly set in Philadelphia. The episode created unexpected bonds between theIt’s Always Sunnygang andthe cast ofAbbott Elementary, such as Janine Teagues and Dee Reynolds bonding as University of Pennsylvania alumnae.
Fans will have to wait a few months to see the other half oftheAbbott Elementary-It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacrossover episode. While it was fun to seetheIt’s Always Sunnygangtry to be on their best behavior inAbbott Elementary, it will be interesting to see how the school staff reacts to being on the gang’s turf in the future crossover. For fans ofAbbott Elementarywho enjoyed the crossover event and want to startIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,these 10 episodes are perfect for new viewers.
10The Gang Gets Invincible
Season 3, Episode 2
In an episode inspired by the movieInvincible,the Philadelphia Eagles football team holds open tryouts. The teachers atAbbott Elementary- Melissa Schemmenti most vocally - support all of Philly’s teams, and this episode ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiahighlights the gang’s support for Philadelphia sports as well.
Dee has the same reaction Janine would to being told she could not do something just because she is a girl: to obstinately attempt it anyway.
Dee has the same reaction Janine wouldto being told she could not do something just because she is a girl: to obstinately attempt it anyway, only to be humbled when she actually cannot make a professional football team. Some of the episode’s side plots lean more into the absurdist, darker tones ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Frank Reynolds is usually even more chaotic than the rest of the characters, making “The Gang Gets Invincible” one ofFrank and Charlie’s best episodes ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
9Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack
Season 4, Episode 10
A core tenet ofAbbott Elementaryis that the public schools are underfunded and the teachers are underpaid. Similarly, theIt’s Always Sunnygang owns a run-down bar, Paddy’s Pub, keeping it afloat by hook and by crook. InAbbott Elementary, Janine jokes about having a phone so old it’s practically a “flip phone,” underscoring how both shows depict characters living paycheck to paycheck.
When Dee has a heart attack in one ofthe bestIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaepisodes for new watchers,thegang realizes none of them have health insurance and panic about living healthierlifestyles immediately. Everyone focuses on one part of health - cardio, a job with benefits - although they end the episode in the same or slightly worse condition than before.
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This echoes the recurring pattern inAbbott Elementary, where Janine’s well-intentioned efforts to improve the school often lead to unintended setbacks. In a fun homage, Frank, played by Danny DeVito, ends up in a mental hospital reminiscent ofOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, DeVito’s first big film.
8The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell
Season 4, Episode 11
Abbott Elementaryembraces its Philadelphia settings, as seen when Melissa overtakes Jacob’s lesson on the Philadelphia Strikes of 1910. Similarly,It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacan serve as a love letter to the City of Brotherly Love. InIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaseason 4, episode 11, “The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell,”the gang imagines their ancestors playing a pivotal role in one of Philadelphia’s historic events: the cracking of the Liberty Bell.
The episode breaks from the typicalIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaformat to show historical retellings where everyone is recast as their Revolutionary forefathers. Of course, even in colonial times, the show is irreverent and occasionally offensive with little interest in historical accuracy. While the gangs' version of the Liberty Bell should not be taught at Abbott Elementary, it makes for a fun and unique episode ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
7The Gang Hits the Road
Season 5, Episode 2
One of the highlights ofAbbott Elementaryis the camaraderie and friendship between the teachers, but inIt’s Always Sunny, the gang is usually in competition with each other.It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaseason 5, episode 2, “The Gang Hits the Road” is a rare episode where the whole gang is working together for a rather sweet purpose: takinga road trip to the Grand Canyons when they learn Charlie Kelly has never left Philly.
Although it is one ofthe bestIt’s Always Sunnyepisodesset outside Paddy’s Pub, the gang never makes it to the Grand Canyon—they don’t even get outside the Greater Philadelphia Area. Instead, they embark on unexpected heartwarming detours, such as stopping at the Italian Market so Charlie can try common fruits he’s never tasted before. As always, the gang ends up back at Paddy’s Pub, now with Dee’s car stolen, as no episode ofIt’s Always Sunnyis too saccharine.
6Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens
Season 5, Episode 8
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacan escalate any situation to its comedic extreme, but season 5, episode 8, “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens” isan episode that highlights the show’s quirky, competitive spiritwithout becoming too chaotic or violent. When the gang learns there is a local merchandising convention, they split up to invent products to pitch to investors. In one ofIt’s Always Sunny’s more viral clips, Charlie creates an ad for “Kitten Mittens,” designed to quiet the cats in his neighborhood.
Some of the gang focus more on developing their products, while others pour their energy into flashy marketing materials. The episode exudes a similar competitive energy to the book club meeting inAbbott Elementaryseason 3, episode 11, “Double Date” when the teachers break up the book discussion intoSurvivor-esque smaller groups. “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens” is a classic, if relatively restrained episode ofIt’s Always Sunny.
5Sweet Dee Gets Audited
Season 7, Episode 4
The gang rarely tries to change anything overIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s16 seasons, and even when they do, the efforts usually end in futility. InIt’s Always Sunnyseason 7, episode 4, “Sweet Dee Gets Audited,”the gang reevaluates the way decisions are made at the barand decides on a civil, logical, democratic method. While everyone is arguing, nothing is ever decided. This is reminiscent of Janine’s overenthusiastic tendencies in Abbott Elementary to try to fix things around the school, often resulting in unintended consequences.
Dee’s plot is a perfect example of how It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiawill keep escalating the cringe comedy and take lies to increasingly absurd heights. WhileAbbott Elementary’s Principal Ava Coleman would not go as far as Dee goes, she would probably respect Dee’s audacious attempts to scam the IRS.
4Mac Day
Season 9, Episode 5
TheIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiagang is not historically the most supportive group of friends, but “Mac Day” is a relatively sweet episode wherethe gang agrees to celebrate a full day of Ronald “Mac” McDonaldby following his carefully planned itinerary. While the gang has some questions about Mac’s plan, they do go along with his day, having everyone cooperate together for a change.
“Mac Day” highlightsIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s humor and character work in a way fans ofAbbott Elementarywill appreciate.
Fans ofAbbott Elementarywill get a crash course in Mac’s personality inIt’s Always Sunnyseason 9, episode 5, “Mac Day,” especially comparing Mac with his counterpart, Country Mac, his cousin from the rural part of Pennsylvania. “Mac Day” highlightsIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s humor and character work in a way fans ofAbbott Elementarywill appreciate, even if the episode has some of the show’s characteristic darker tones.
3The Gang Saves the Day
Season 9, Episode 6
There have been many experimental episodes overIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s 16 seasons that shake up the show’s usual format, and season 9, episode 6, “The Gang Saves the Day” has every member of the gang fantasize aboutwhat could happen when they are at a convenience store being robbed at gunpoint.
Each character imagines what their happy ending would be, giving a window into their delusional self-perception and selfish natures.Abbott Elementaryadheres to its mockumentary format, but It’s Always Sunnyhas explored a wide range of creative approaches, including historical settings and one-shot episodes.
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“The Gang Saves the Day” is a prime example of genre play, with each character’s fantasy being in a different movie tone, like Mac’s Steven Seagull-inspired martial arts action story or Charlie’s Pixar-coded animated sequence. This isa good example ofIt’s Always Sunny’s format-breaking episodeswhere the outrageousness is tempered by the fact that it takes place within imagined futures.
2The Gang Goes on Family Fight
Season 10, Episode 8
TheIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiagang is usually completely uninhibited, so seeing them try to tamp down their tempers and personalities is a fun twist. In one oftheIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaepisodes actress Kaitlin Olson recommends, “The Gang Goes on Family Fight,”the gang participates in aFamily Feud-style game, and Dennis Reynolds is convinced that to win the money, they all need to be normalized versions of themselves.
“The Gang Goes on Family Fight” has anIMDBrating of 9.1.
Trying to tame the gang’s innate weirdness only makes it come out in expected ways, and Dennis so overtly stating what eachIt’s Always Sunny’s character’s worst tendencies is a meta but correct assessment. Keegan-Michael Key, who plays a recurring character Superintendent Reynolds inAbbott Elementary, guests in “The Gang Goes on Family Fight" as the game show host who understandably cannot stand theIt’s Always Sunnyteam.
1Mac Finds His Pride
Season 13, Episode 10
The show paid off a joke that had been building for over a decade in the most visually stunning way in “Mac Finds His Pride.” Mac had always admired other men’s bodies, but his religious homophobia kept him from coming out untilIt’s Always Sunnyseason 12.
While everything is usually satirized and mocked onIt’s Always Sunny, “Mac Finds His Pride” gives space forMac to express real feelings about his identity as a gay manin a profoundly moving way that still manages to be one ofIt’s Always Sunny’s funniest episodes.
Mac comes out to his father in the season 13 finale in a stunning five-minute-long interpretive dance. In a show that is all about irony, such a powerfully raw scene stands out. The entire audience leaps to their feet for a standing ovation. While not at all a typicalIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaepisode, fans ofAbbott Elementarywill appreciate “Mac Finds His Pride” for its sensitivity to Mac’s coming out journey and the cinematic dance sequence.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Cast
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a television series that premiered in 2005, chronicling the chaotic lives of four self-involved friends running an Irish pub in Philadelphia. Their misguided decisions and skewed perspectives often result in amusing and uncomfortable situations, complicating their professional and personal relationships.
