I searched the forum for a topic for this one, and came up empty. As it premieres tonight (8/4) at 10:30, it's probably time to open one.

I had heard absolutely zero buzz for this, but I'm not a regular FX viewer. I was really surprised today when my Dallas Morning News ran a review from the LA Times about It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

A brief excerpt from the review:
"Four twentysomethings, all of them friends from high school, run a dive bar in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a small-scale gem debuting tonight on FX."

After the nice review, I checked out the FX web site and really enjoyed the promo video. I'm tuning in tonight.

Me too. I've seen mixed reviews for this, but I guess it depends on your tolerance for twisted comedy. I'm in. I actually laughed out loud during the promos, which is a lot more than I can say for 90% of other sitcoms.

I've seen about four of the episodes and I agree - they're consistently funny. It's Friends - if the friends were all slackers who were more than willing to compromise their morals and each other for their own personal gain and satisfaction, and everyone knows it.

Plus they deal with issues that are so offcolor that it's startling but hilarous: abortion, underage drinking, etc...

I've read reviews that call it a 20-something Seinfeld. I don't know if I think that is good or bad. Supposedly, the first episode is okay, but the next few are pretty funny. I will be checking out Starved which airs at 10pm anyway, so I'll stick around for this.

Here's the FX link.

I totally don't agree at all. In fact, just watch the promos, all the funny is in those.



The first is definitly "ok". The 2nd one about "Abortion" (even though it really isn't necessarily about getting an abortion since the kid is like 10years old) is pretty funny, but like I said, the promos have all the funny...

I like the guy who looks like an aged version of Haley Joel Osment. I laughed a lot.

I just finished watching the premiere episode and I thought it was really funny. It kept more entertained then Starved which I didn't really like too much. I actually laughed out loud at a few parts, so I definitely think I'll be checking out next weeks show. Oh and being from Philly...the location shots are an added bonus.

I laughed out loud four or five times. It almost seemed like a cross between Friends and Curb. I never saw the twist at the end coming, which was refreshing.

The previews and the program guide descriptions totally gave away the gay bar plot before the episode. That'll get old really fast, if it keeps up.

Come on - that guy was telegraphing "turn this into a gay bar", almost from the jump-off. That whole "tore his ass up" bit? Followed by the awkwardly long glance at the one guy? If you didn't think gay at that point - well, I don't know what to say.

This is an interesting enough show. It is another one that is trying to be so sick that it's funny - but, unlike "Starved", this one was actually pretty good.

I saw the description in the channel lineup and since it was set in Philadelphia, I watched it. I enjoyed it and even dragged my husband into seeing it (the description called it "edgy" and so we were joking about how edgy we were for watching it, which is something that in truth we are, er, not). Anyway, I was having such fun spotting favorite landmarks that I'm going to keep watching. Claudio's fresh mozzarella store, yum (glimpsed right next to Pronto's in the Italian Market cafe scene).

Although I have been to Phila. Java company more than once and, though it made for a funny scene, they do not have table service!

That's exactly what I meant. If the stupid previews hadn't had said "gay bar", that would have been a much funnier scene, as it was just that obvious. There were plenty of other funny moments but that one had been pretty much outed (so to speak...).

Yeah, but I didn't even see these previews, and I knew before the big "reveal" that this was going to happen.

I liked Starved, but I liked this show even more. That's something considering I didn't really have high hopes.

The tequila scene was great. I also love anything where white people are desperately struggling to prove that they're not racist.

Can't wait for the rest of the episodes.

Oh man, the end was hilarious. "Then why was he so freaked out?"



I totally saw it coming, but even though it was given away, it was funny because it took so long for everyone to figure out what was going on. Talk about dim.

Well, I gotta agree with the critics on this one. It was just okay. I thought the opening scene was funny, as well as the scene where Charlie and Mac are fighting over the waitress' picture, but that was about it. It's no Seinfeld, but I did get an annoying Friends vibe off of it though. However, I do think it has potential, so I'll watch it again next week.

It seemed like they were trying too hard to be edgy. Seinfeld just was. It's better than Friends, now that Friends isn't on the air. I'll check it out again because Starved is on before it. Hopefully it gets better.

I had forgotten about the gay bar bit until the bar had tons of men in it. The scene when one of them wakes up with what he thinks is a woman but turns out to be a man and then the other man comes out of the bathroom scene was funny. Not laugh out loud funny, but chuckle funny.

This one was funnier than I thought it would be and lots funnier than Starved. It has potential and I'll give it a few more weeks. Hope it gets better and doesn't do a fast downhill slide.

::grumble:: My Tivo cut off the last bit of this -- as soon as they wake up in bed together -- what happened after that?

I thought this was pretty funny -- I'll definitely be watching again.

ETA - mistiec - thank you so much! Great recap and I'm so bummed I missed that.

a huge black guy came up and slapped him on the ass and asked, "How's that ass feeling?"

-- cut to Dennis running into the bar: I don't want to have a gay bar anymore!

Some argument from Charlie, while Mac obviously enjoying Dennis and his freak out and alluding to Dennis having an 'experience' - the promoter comes in, and Dee comes in with the girl who hit charlie.

Charlie: This is the bitch who hit me!
Promoter: Charlie! That's my sister!
Mac: your sister? or your 'sister'?
Promoter: I mean my sister.
Mac: This is great! Because before you were alluding to me being racist because you thought I was implying you were all related, and it turns out you two actually are!

Later, Mac wants to know what dee told her friends to do. She replies that she couldn't get a hold of them.

Mac: Then why was Dennis so freaked out?

Cut to the buttslap: How's that ass feeling?

I was disipointed that they didn't use Atom and His Package's "Philadelphia" for the theme song. If they would had done that, I would had watched the show ever week regardless of qualtiy.

Agreed, this show is a lot less creative or ambitious than Straved, but at the same time Straved's ambition blew up on it's face while this show's mediocrocy worth siting thorugh at least once.

That was a good line. This show kind of has the whole "characters so repulsive, it's funny" thing down. It also has some good casting with Kaitlin Olson as the guys' mom. By which I mean their "mom" (the female figure who looks out for them) not their actual mom.

Most FX shows are trying too hard to be edgy. I think this one tried just the right amount. I laughed out loud several times at this show (first time, the title card: "The Gang Gets Racist"). There really is sort of a beguiling sunniness to this dark-edged subject matter.

Did any ER fans (past or present) recognize the actor who played Dennis, Glen(n?) Howerton? He was the is-he-there-was-he-ever-there-did-I-imagine-him? quickly vanished Dr. Coop.

I actually kind of liked this show. It wasn't hilarious, but there were a few laugh out loud moments. The show seems to have potential, so I will definitely tune in for the next episode.

This happened to me too. Starved ran a few minutes late and then they had commercials, so I think the show ended up starting at 4-6 minutes after the half hour. Luckily I caught the replay an hour later.

I actually think the line was "Because before you were alluding to me being racist because you thought I was implying you were all related, and it turns out you people actually are!" Much more cluelessly offensive.

My Tivo cut of too so thanks for the mini recap. I also thought it was decent -- some funny moments, some potential, and I enjoyed the Philly location shots.

The only part that annoyed me was the tequila scene. If these guys have known each other for so long (and own a bar) there's no way the guy can feign ignorance about how to do a tequila shot. And there's no way the bartender would just do shot after shot to explain it. There were other ways to get to Bartender being hammered without being so contrived and sitcom-y.

Don't know character names yet, but I liked the narcissistic bartender lapping up all the attention, even though it was from gay men.

What is so special about that coffee house worker? I couldn't see why he was obsessed with her.

The acting was sub-par - at times I felt as if I was watching someone's scene class, but I may tune in again. Not bad for a summer timewaster.

I just caught a promo for this show while surfing the Forums here. I went to the FX website and watched a clip of the show there and it piqued my interest so I sauntered over to these forums. Most of the forum feedback seems pretty positive and I am definitely going to check the show out tonight. It looks like the type of comedy I would like.

I finally got around to watching the pilot. I loved it. It was fun, demented, and I laughed out loud. That's more than I can say for 95% of other sitcoms. The characters are repulsive at times, but I find them wierdly endearing. I loved Dee the bartender. Kaitlin Olsen was surprisingly funny for someone who's biggest previous credit was Coyote Ugly.

Wow, another great episode. This is starting to become one of my favorite sitcoms along with Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm. I love every single character, especially Mack (?).

The performance that the kid gave was great.

"What if Jesus was aborted?"

So much to love tonight. I loved the drunk kid (Yes, I'm going to Hell...), and I loved the sitting on the fence at the abortion rally. The whole hitting on the pro-life and pro-choice girls by Mac and Dennis was just so wrong, and so funny.

The whole opening scene with the gang talking about Catholic tenets on abortion, birth control, and pre-marital sex (not necessarily in that order) was pretty damn funny. It brought back many discussions of sermons from my youth.

What happened to Dee's name? Wasn't she only called "Sweet Dee" in the first episode? I just really liked hearing her only called "Sweet Dee". Tonight she was just getting called "Dee".

I've finally found a replacement for ER on Thursday nights. Yea!

I seriously love this show. It just cracks me up.



Was Mack(or Mac?) the guy who went to the Pro-Life rally? His 'list' was HILARIOUS. "There's 2 already crossed out." Hee.

Also, I loved when Charlie found out that the kid wasn't his, but still wanted to take him out on Saturday. Cracked me up.

Next week looks entertaining too.

Yes I watched tonight, and yes this show has gotten better with time.

Loved how the boy's father was exactly like his scion. "Why?"

As a Catholic who had not exactly followed some important tenets (well one of them I am ineligible for, so that takes care of the don't-have-an-abortion-or-you'll-get-excommunicated), the entire first discussion kept me laughing.

I liked the opening titles. "8:45 AM, On a Tuesday, Philadelphia PA"

The "What if Jesus was Aborted?" sign cracked me up.

I also liked the scene where Charlie was showing the waitress his "little brother" in the toy store and he was pointing the gun at the other kid.

This show is hilarious.

"I will smash your face into a jelly!"

Oh man, tonight's ep was hilarious. Everything about this show is so inappropriate...and I love it.

I guess I am in the minority, but I really didn't like this episode. I wanted to because I thought the first ep showed some potential, but every character just irritated me to no end. Although I did think some of the abortion rally stuff was funny, (especially Mac lying about killing two doctors), the stuff regarding Charlie's "son" was so annoying. I just really hate obnoxious kids on TV (and in RL, for that matter), and I just wanted to smack him. Not that I advocate hitting a kid, but if Charlie or Dennis had back-handed him, I would have cheered.

Anyway, I will probably keep watching until the fall line-up starts because there is nothing else on right now. Also, I finally figured out where I've seen Charlie (Charlie Day) before. He played Bosco's junkie brother, Michael on Third Watch.

I really liked this episode even though I didn't like the evil kid parts. The stuff Mac came up with so he'd have sex with that girl was hilarious. I'll stick to this show and ditch Starved which basically had no moments where I at least chuckled.

It's not that the show is bad, it just feels limited to me. You can tell that the three actors wrote it because they haven't really bothered to differentiate their characters and they have no idea how to write for Dee, or any of the other women in the show for that matter. Women are just accorded the "You appall me" or "You attract me!" lines. And the humor consists almost entirely of poking fun at what is PC from the perspective of a straight white male. Oooh, you dissed another race. Edgy.

That's the vibe I've gotten as well, but I just don't care. I've laughed more at this limited material than I have at any sitcom (except The Comeback) for a long time. I don't need big-time written-by-committee network-sitcom to make me laugh, and usually those are the shows that don't. I've had more laugh-out-loud moments in the first two episodes of this than in a whole season of a generic broadcast sitcom.

Ok, so I really kind of like this show. Loved the abortion episode more than the racist one. My favorite part was the list of doctors to kill. . . with names scratched off. I'm not completely sold but I will stick around for at least a little while longer.

Once again this show started before it's time slot and ended after it. F/X, knock it off with all the ads and show programs in their time slots. Can someone tell me what happened at the very end?

She's also done a couple of sketch comedy shows and guested on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Drew Carey Show" several times each, according to imdb.com. She's been doing improv/sketch comedy for several years now.

iMissEthan, the very end was a tag scene where Charlie went to the kid's father (who was sitting on the sidewalk in front of his building, or a bar, or something). I didn't really catch what Charlie was trying to accomplish (my roommate was telling a story that began during the commercial break and finished sometime during The Daily Show), but I think he was trying to talk the guy into better raising his kid. It didn't take long to see that the apple didn't fall far from the tree, as the dad kept asking "Why?" to everything Charlie said, just like the little brat.

It was a bar. He was with two other loser-looking-sort-of-guys. Charlie was trying to figure out what the deal was with loser-dad. The "Why"s were pretty much spot-on, just like the loser-kid.

She was also in the episode of "Punk'd" where they punked Amber Tamblyn. She played the dog owner that asked Amber to watch her dog. She was hilarious in it and she made Amber cry. Hee. Hopefully she'll have a bigger role in coming episodes because she has comedy chops.

I officially love this show. I saw Starved with it, which was good too, but this is just amazing. I still don't know names, but I loved the list thing at the abortion rally, and also the "test." My Thursday nights are officially accounted for.

I just saw this show for the first time and the abortion episode was hysterical! I live in Philly and appreciated seeing the locations in the opener. Only wish the characters had philly accents. It would have been great to see locals or actors with decent accents.

Wish this show was on the regular fox channel as I don't have cable. I'm hoping my family is nice and tapes this show for me because so far, it looks great.

Does anyone know where this title came from?

I could swear I saw a one-act play in college & the set up was different characters getting stuck in different 'cities', but not the actual cities. A character would get stuck in a mood/karmic place that was represented as a city. I know that Philadelphia was one of the cities & there was something about a Philly cheese steak.
Is that where this title came from? Did I just imagine this show?

From the It’s Always Sunny... page on FX’s site, the three male leads wrote the show together -- "McElhenney [Mac] created a pilot called It’s Always Sunny on TV with Charlie Day [Charlie] and Glenn Howerton [ Dennis]. The three actor/writers shot that pilot themselves for under $200 and then sold the darkly comedic half-hour show to FX."

McElhenney was born in Philly, and the other two are New Yorkers.

heads up

Scheduling has changed - all new episodes of 'Sunny' and 'Starved' will now air immediately after 'Rescue Me', meaning, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia will be all new tonight at 11:00PM.

http://www.fxnetwork.com/

ETA: EVEN MORE SWITCHING - 11:00PM, NOT 11:30. Sunny's going first.