I’ve seen several episodes, and now I’ve watched the Christmas special, and I might as well face facts: I have no idea what to make of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. I don’t especially care for any of the characters (indeed, except for the obvious eccentrics, they all seem to be nearly interchangeable with one another), the writing and direction strikes me as somewhat obvious and sloppy, and character progress from episode to episode is virtually nonexistent. On the other hand, it is consistently funny, and not just in a they-timed-that-well kind of way, but an honestly, remembering-it-days-later kind of way. I can’t say that it’s for everybody, but if you haven’t given it a shot yet, you might want to.
The show is set primarily in Paddy’s Pub, a working class bar in Philadelphia, which is co-owned by Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), and Charlie (Charlie Day). Dennis’s sister Dee (Kaitlin Olson) acts as the main bartender, while their dad Frank (Danny Devito) just sort of wanders in whenever things are too tame. For the most part, every single character on the show is dumb, anti-social, and lacking in anything resembling a moral compass (imagine if every character on Futurama was Bender), and are distinguished from each other only by varying degrees of crazy (the end of which is Charlie) and evil (the end of which is Frank). This Christmas, however, the ‘gang’ (as they are referred to) is determined to bring a little Christmas magic into their lives. For Dennis and Dee, this means bringing comeuppance to Frank, who has made a habit every Christmas of purchasing the gifts that they want and then keeping them for himself. Their plan involves an elaborate recreation of the plot of A Christmas Carol with the help of Frank’s old business partner Eugene (David Huddleston, the big Lebowski himself). For Charlie and Mac, this means correcting the abuses of their own childhoods, who find out years after the fact that supposed holiday traditions were, in fact, fronts for burglary and prostitution. Comedy ensues.
If there’s any good way to describe the format of Sunny to anyone who’s never seen it (there may not be), it would be a sketch show disguised as a sitcom. Sure, each scene was set up by a couple of lines at the end of the last one, and they all involve the same recurring characters, but even those general guidelines can’t completely mask the fact that the writers appear to have come up with a few amusing jokes and scenarios and then devised plots in an attempt to justify them. In this case, this whole special seems to have been largely written as a set-up for a animated dream sequence that features several characters from the classic Rankin-Bass Christmas specials (as well as the characters from the show). On no level can I really call this a well-made show, because it is not always especially inspired (or even competent) in the way that it is shot, directed, or written. But I can easily say that I would watch more, and that I would encourage others to do the same. Why?
My only guess is that it has something to do with the synergy of the performers. According to a much-publicized story, the show originates from a pilot shot on a digital camcorder produced by McElhenney, Howerton, and Day, who were able to make it for only about $85. On the strength of that, FX ordered an entire season, and the rest sort of spiraled from there. Since the show (and more significantly the performers) originates from a unique group instead of from a producer who just sort of hashed people together, it’s likely that their inherent knowledge of the material and ability to work with it compensates for some of the show’s other shortcomings. And that carries over into this program. Since the ‘gang’ has heretofore displayed little but contempt for anything resembling traditional values, it should follow that Christmas would be no different. Even as they clearly strain to justify outrageous behavior (there is a brutal mauling of a mall Santa by Charlie), they manage to play it in such a way that feels ramshackle and exciting, rather than cynically forced on you by a corporate exec (like, say, Family Guy).
DVD Bonus Features
Young Charlie and Young Mac Deleted Scenes - Some decent scenes of the younger versions of Charlie and Mac throwing rocks and trying to burn things.
Behind The Scenes Making Of - A typical documentary, featuring plenty of verite on-set footage and an emphasis on the construction of the animated dream sequence and the finale (involving a snow machine).
A Sunny Sing-Along - The cast singing, along with some weird cutaways and video effects (the kind you might have seen on a wedding video in the early 90s).
Producer’s Blu-ray Introduction - McElhenney and sometimes cast member David Hornsby explaining that since the show was not shot in HD, it’s not true Blu-ray.
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas" is on sale November 17, 2009 and is rated NR. Comedy. Directed by Fred Savage, Daniel Attias, Matt Shakman. Written by Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton. Starring Danny DeVito, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney.
