Anyone watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia?

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Didn't want to believe it'd gone downhill because parts of S13 and S14 have been brilliant, but I'm three episodes in and it has been two kind of weak episodes followed by an absolute dogshit one. Hoping it improves drastically from there.

I know people have said they enjoyed it further into the Ireland stuff and thought the last episode was great, but sadly I can't really go along with that. There seems to be something missing.

. . . And bringing the waitress along might have been some absurdist meta wink to its shark jumping trip, but I didn't like it. Maybe if it was clear that she had been found at the same audition or something, but to keep on popping up?

There might have been filming restrictions, and some very quick rewrites and whole new episodes so who knows. I would have preferred more box episode stuff like the monkey.

 

[hitmouse]

Still only three episodes in so can't comment any further, and tbf the last few seasons all had their weak moments in among the gold (were there any actual funny bits in that super bowl one?), but that flashback one really was actually insultingly bad.

 

[T & P]

It is only natural that a comedy series that relies in original, un-clichéd content (as opposed to the easy and lazy formula of traditional sitcoms) will find it harder and harder to remain fresh after going on for a mind boggling fifteen seasons.

Having said that, I genuinely thought the second half, namely the Ireland episodes, were among the best of the last two or three seasons. And the fact that they have now gone on for longer than all other comedy series in history whilst producing risqué and original material on every single episode only makes their longevity the more remarkable.

 

[souljacker]

Still only three episodes in so can't comment any further, and tbf the last few seasons all had their weak moments in among the gold (were there any actual funny bits in that super bowl one?), but that flashback one really was actually insultingly bad.

I really enjoyed the super bowl especially the way it worked into the Charlie Home Alone one.

But yeah, I thought the latest series was poor. I didn't really care much for the Ireland stuff. It was a bit lame and not very funny.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

But yeah, I thought the latest series was poor. I didn't really care much for the Ireland stuff. It was a bit lame and not very funny.

My thoughts exactly. Lame and not very funny at all.

 

[hitmouse]

Finally finished watching it now, the Ireland stuff got better as it went along and the final two episodes were pretty decent. No all-time favourites in there, but a big improvement on the first half of the series.

 

[T & P]

Finally finished watching it now, the Ireland stuff got better as it went along and the final two episodes were pretty decent. No all-time favourites in there, but a big improvement on the first half of the series.

Agreed, the Ireland episodes were the best of this season, and overall I don’t think it is significantly worse than the previous two.

For me S12 was the last one of the truly vintage seasons. A couple of brilliant episodes in S13, but a noticeable degree of diminishing returns started right there.

I think it’s time to end the series, and I’d be surprised if the gang would keep it going for the sake of extra work/ revenue. They would surely never allow it to become a formulaic sitcom show, and they must simply be running out out new stories that are fresh and original enough to grace the series.

 

[hitmouse]

Agreed, the Ireland episodes were the best of this season, and overall I don’t think it is significantly worse than the previous two.

For me S12 was the last one of the truly vintage seasons. A couple of brilliant episodes in S13, but a noticeable degree of diminishing returns started right there.

I think it’s time to end the series, and I’d be surprised if the gang would keep it going for the sake of extra work/ revenue. They would surely never allow it to become a formulaic sitcom show, and they must simply be running out out new stories that are fresh and original enough to grace the series.

Hard disagree there, I think S13 and S14 had their fair share of genius episodes that rank up there with anything they've ever done, and at their worst I think they were just OK, but not sure the best of the Ireland stuff goes much past "just OK". Agreed that it'd be better for them to go out on a high, and Waiting for Big Mo would've been a good final episode, but then they're booked in for another three seasons after this so who knows.

 

[T & P]

S16 is now on Netflix!

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

S16 is now on Netflix!

I have been re-watching it now and again recently. I used to think it was incredible. Very funny indeed. I even bought a fight milk T-Shirt.
I thought the last series in ireland was pretty dreadful, but now on re-watching that it's all a bit tedious. Relentlessly horrible and depressing. Maybe I just got bored with it? Maybe I originally watched it in the right frame of mind at the right time who knows.

Of course I will watch the new series. Maybe I am just being a shit head.

 

[hitmouse]

Been doing a rewatch of the whole thing and up to season 11 now, still think that the vast majority of it's great, but after that last season not sure how enthusiastic I'll feel about the new one.

 

[T & P]

No matter how gifted the writers might be, the law of diminishing returns is as inevitable as death and taxes for any and all TV shows if the makers don’t know when to quit. As it happens this is now the longest running comedy series in history, which is no small feat.

FWIW there are episodes in every single season I didn’t think anything of. I guess the difference is that in the early seasons there would be just one or two forgettable ones per season, and the rest were very good and often vintage stuff. Anything past the 12th season starts to grow thin on the future classics and heavy on the forgettable ones.

I myself didn’t have any issues with the Ireland ones. Not saying they were amazing but imo not particularly bad either, and it’s good to see a break in the show’s established structure.

We’ve watched the first four episodes of the new season today, and they are pretty okay so far with no stinkers, if no vintage ones either. If you are already a fan of the series you shouldn’t think they are terrible- certainly not worse than 30% of the episodes found in even the golden era seasons. In fact a couple of them were pretty good.

ETA: I look forward to the last one, which ATM has a 9.2 rating on IMDB and it’s all about Dennis.

 

[krtek a houby]

S16 is now on Netflix!

Bloody hell, we're still on 7 or 8.

When's the Ireland stuff come up, can't wait to see that (can't be any worse than the EastEnders and Sons of Anarchy visits)?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Ireland felt like some of the worst sitcom cheesey road trips. A renegade anit establishment hit like ASIP could surely have subverted this shite trope. Maybe they thought they were embracing the stupidity of such shark jumping, (where for some reason the entire extended cast find themselves at the beach). . . I would have loved to see them do set up such an obvious eye rolling trope, but then just throw it in the bin.

As mentioned, I have been re watching old eps. Though the wrestling ep is a bit crap . . . I just want to say that Rowdy Roddy Piper was absolutely incredible in it. Insanely well written. A great build up to . . . Nothing. Did he ever appear again? (Obviously he won't make a return now) I can't remember. I hope so.

 

[BigTom]

Ireland felt like some of the worst sitcom cheesey road trips. A renegade anit establishment hit like ASIP could surely have subverted this shite trope. Maybe they thought they were embracing the stupidity of such shark jumping, (where for some reason the entire extended cast find themselves at the beach). . . I would have loved to see them do set up such an obvious eye rolling trope, but then just throw it in the bin.

As mentioned, I have been re watching old eps. Though the wrestling ep is a bit crap . . . I just want to say that Rowdy Roddy Piper was absolutely incredible in it. Insanely well written. A great build up to . . . Nothing. Did he ever appear again? (Obviously he won't make a return now) I can't remember. I hope so.

The Maniac is also in the pyramid scheme episode.

I thought s16 was good, better than the last couple, not as good as the best seasons but still well worth the time.

 

[hitmouse]

No accounting for taste innit, I thought 13 and 14 both had great moments but the roller rink flashback episode in 15 is by far the worst thing they've done, the sort of thing where I still get irrationally annoyed thinking about it.

 

[T & P]

I was checking IMDB earlier and even the last few seasons had had at least one or two great ones. Arguably the greatest of them all, Charlie Work, it’s on S10. S11 has Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs, another all-time great, as well as the two-episode one on the Christian cruise.

And the water park episode and the one devoted to Cricket on S12 are also memorable. As is the risqué-as-fuck Bathroom Problem one on S13.

I know that at least one episode from the last few seasons, possibly two, has been withdrawn permanently due to controversial themes. Frankly, now that almost nobody bothers with DVDs and relies on streaming rentals/ purchases, I wonder how many episodes will remain uncancelled and available to viewers in three or four decades’ time.

 

[souljacker]

Latest season is quite good. The last one, with Dennis raging against apps, is good but the story was covered already in the podcast.

Much better than season 15 though, which was shit.

 

[girasol]

Watched first episode of latest season (S16). It had potential with the inflation theme, but somehow it just fell flat.

 

[T & P]

Latest season is quite good. The last one, with Dennis raging against apps, is good but the story was covered already in the podcast.

Much better than season 15 though, which was shit.

Fully agree. Just finished the season and undoubtedly better than the last two or three imo.

The episode you refer to is brilliant. Not that any of them are are bad actors, but Glenn Howerton is on another level (excluding DeVito at least), and I would love to see him on a serious drama role playing a proper wrong’un.

The bowling episode is fucking brilliant too

 

[krtek a houby]

Fully agree. Just finished the season and undoubtedly better than the last two or three imo.

The episode you refer to is brilliant. Not that any of them are are bad actors, but Glenn Howerton is on another level (excluding DeVito at least), and I would love to see him on a serious drama role playing a proper wrong’un.

The bowling episode is fucking brilliant too

Iirc, he was in Fargo but not necessarily a wrong 'un?

 

[T & P]

Iirc, he was in Fargo but not necessarily a wrong 'un?

Yes, in fact he played a bit of a doofus.

I remember reading somewhere that the reason he’s the only male lead of the three who didn’t lend his real first name to his character is because he found it a bit too disturbing and didn’t want to be too associated with it. He’s certainly the one who can convincingly play a psychotic killer. As the real crime documentary parody episode a few seasons ago showed.

 

[souljacker]

Yes, in fact he played a bit of a doofus.

I remember reading somewhere that the reason he’s the only male lead of the three who didn’t lend his real first name to his character is because he found it a bit too disturbing and didn’t want to be too associated with it. He’s certainly the one who can convincingly play a psychotic killer. As the real crime documentary parody episode a few seasons ago showed.

He also went to Jouliard so is properly classically trained.

 

[souljacker]

One thing I do like about S16 is the fan service and callbacks to previous seasons. Like the extra rooms in Charlies apartment and Charlies sisters finally making an appearance (their only other mention is in S01). All our favourite characters were there too. Although there is never enough Artemis.

 

[T & P]

One of the best recurring characters. The episode when she turns sleuth to solve the mystery of who’d taken a shit on the floor (or was it a bed?) was brilliant.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

He also went to Jouliard so is properly classically trained.

Wasn't he in "that 80s show" or some other failed teen friends style sitcom?

 

[krtek a houby]

One of the best recurring characters. The episode when she turns sleuth to solve the mystery of who’d taken a shit on the floor (or was it a bed?) was brilliant.

Bed

 

[hitmouse]

Finished watching the new series, and still think it's fallen off a fair bit. Maybe it's just that I've lost some of the goodwill I had for it but even though the new series wasn't terrible, I still struggle to think of any moments that produced a single actual laugh out loud. Feels like the manic energy that used to be there is pretty much gone.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Finished watching the new series, and still think it's fallen off a fair bit. Maybe it's just that I've lost some of the goodwill I had for it but even though the new series wasn't terrible, I still struggle to think of any moments that produced a single actual laugh out loud. Feels like the manic energy that used to be there is pretty much gone.

For me it was the COVID era Ireland episodes of season 15. Surely season 16 can't be any worse than that?

 

[hitmouse]

For me it was the COVID era Ireland episodes of season 15. Surely season 16 can't be any worse than that?

Not worse but not a great deal better, I'd say. A few decent moments but it feels like it's definitely no longer the show it once was. I think it might be best to just quietly think of the Big Mo episode as being the end of the series.