It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 8, Review

In Season 8 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the Gang showed that they still have plenty of life left. The show will come back for a ninth season in 2013, an improbable run for a series that got its start when creators Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney used a digital camcorder to film what became the pilot. 

All these years later the game has once again changed. The show is now shot in full HD and appears to be slowly losing its audience, with three out of the last five episodes failing to reach one million viewers. While It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia might be just as strong as seasons past, only time will tell if FX keeps the Gang around to continue making mischief in the city of Brotherly Love. 

For now, Den of Geek looks back at Season 8 with the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Superlatives…   

Favorite Charlie Moments for Season 8 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia:

It was a big year for Paddy’s most loveable owner. Who would have thought that Charlie had the street smarts to turn an online role-playing game into tangible value? Not only does he control Dee, Frank and Mac, Charlie also owns the rest of the game, nearly scoring a gamer chick in the process. Frank gives Charlie the chance to be a lawyer, something he’s coveted for more seasons than I can count on one hand and finally, he lands a babe in Ruby even though he ultimately dumps her in favor of stalking the waitress. Still we give Charlie credit.

The Underrated Award for Season 8 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Frank Reynolds

There’s no denying that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s creditability and popularity got a huge boost when comedy legend Danny DeVito joined the ensemble cast in Season 2. DeVito’s presence added plenty of storylines, from his Daddy issues with Dee and Dennis, to his fondness for his roommate Charlie. But in Season 8 we see the use of Frank dialed back and that hurt It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in a few episodes. Frank is at his best when he’s the authority figure; such as his main role in Episode 7, “Frank’s Back in Business.” In the Season of Dennis, we saw a Frank focused on himself, too lazy or disinterested to challenge the more proactive leader of Paddy’s Pub. It’s not until the final episode of the season that we see Frank push back, as he challenges Dennis in “The Cereal Defense,” a sign that there’s still life in a character that has brought so much to Sunny. 

Best Episode in Season 8 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Charlie and Dee Find Love.

This episode more or less had a little of everything, making it the most complete episode of Season 8. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s most stepped on characters, Dee and Charlie initially find love, something that puzzles the rest of the Gang and the audience because it really is too good to be true. Dennis, seeing through the ruse, blackmails Dee’s lover Trevor and reveals his motives after he wrestles an oiled up Mac. Frank provides one of the episode’s funniest moments when he is caught poisoning the waitress’s shampoo and chases her out of the house. The episode goes from complete to classic when Charlie, in a twisted scheme of his own, confesses that his brief, yet hot romance with the beautiful Ruby was a lie. He made the waitress jealous for a minute and that to Charlie was worth throwing away a rich, sexy lover who, believe it or not, was actually falling for him. In the words of Dennis: “I guess Charlie had the cruelest intentions of all.”

Most Perverted Quote: 

Take your pick between Frank and Dennis… 

“She was an angel. Always smiling… that’s because she had no lips. But her mouth was still very much in play.” – Frank 

“If you’re in my room you’re always being filmed.” – Dennis

Character of Season 8 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia:

He took control in Season 8. He pulled the plug on his Grandma in Episode 1 and didn’t look back. He graciously accepted Phillies tickets, golf clubs and oriental massages from two businessmen before nearly sodomized a small Asian boy while pretending to be someone else. “No” isn’t in this man’s vocabulary. He told his best friend and his sister that he wanted to “get off” with them. He’s a character who gave zero fucks and it showed, as he takes home Sunny Gold with our Den of Geek Character of the Season Award. Ladies, mostly ladies, and Gentlemen, we give you Dennis Reynolds. 

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