Brigette Re-watches It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Seasons 1-5

Recently, I decided I was going to  re-watch every episode of Sunny and start a list of data for absolutely no reason. Then I remembered I had this blog.

One reason I wanted to re-watch was because this past season, 10, really made me reflect on how the show has evolved and taken risks over the years. Critics often say that Sunny "pushes the envelope," but they're always referring to story lines that could be offensive. While this may have been true in the beginning, I realized that the real risks Sunny takes now are when they do anything that is #1) experimental or #2) even slightly emotional. But more on that when we hit seasons 6-10.

For now, I'm focusing on the first five seasons. The show definitely took a minute to find itself. In the beginning, the characters were much more normal-- especially Dee-- which is also why the show was way darker. I know increasingly demented stuff happens as the show goes on, but the characters also become more dimensional. We know their vulnerabilities and their pasts, and even though they probably all fall on the sociopath spectrum, we feel affection for them, making the world of Sunny cartoony-dark instead of reality-based-dark.

I would say mid-season 2 or maybe even season 3 is when the show becomes what we know it for. Season 3 is also when they stop telling consecutive story lines (although they cannot escape that entirely-- more on that later too.) Sunny has been called "Seinfeld on crack," which I would agree with in these first five seasons. What I think it ends up becoming, though, is something a little more dynamic than that.

 While collecting my data, I realized pretty quickly that my list of favorite episodes could get out of control if I was marking every episode with a scene I loved. ("Hello, fellow American. You should vote me." Or Pepe Silvia, anyone?) So as painful as it was to leave so many good ones out, I based my list on how much I enjoyed the entire episode. Now, without further ado, here are my selects:

Season 1 winner: episode 3, "Underage Drinking"

This is a favorite for most people, and for me, it was the episode that made me decide I liked the show. I was one of the few who actually started watching when it first aired back in 2005, and I couldn't tell how I felt at first. I mean, everyone was so loud. But this episode was just  consistently fun. It played on everyone's "redo high school" fantasy while showcasing who these characters really are: if they didn't look so much older, they would have fit right in with those teens. Add Dee's back brace reveal and that ending where Charlie is dancing by himself to "Forever Young," and I was in.

Runner up: episode 6, "The Gang Finds a Dead Guy."

Season 2 winner: episode 7, "Hundred Dollar Baby"

I don't think I've watched any episode of Sunny more frequently than this one. Not only does it have so many funny moments (Mac & Dennis massaging Charlie) and great one-liners ("You look like a Holocaust victim in pageant make-up") but we see both Dee and Charlie go through a transformation, thanks to illegal female steroids. ("Can I meet you later? Can I meet you later?") This episode is the first time we see Dee go completely nuts, which may be another reason why it works so well. Let's be honest-- Kaitlin Olson is the funniest person on this show, Charlie Day a close second, and the two of them at the center of the merging story lines is pure magic. Also, the "You're the Best Around" montage is probably one of my favorite montages ever (next to the "Most Popular Girl" montage from Teen Witch). Can you believe they added it last minute? Just, come on.

Runner up: episode 4, "Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare"

Season 3 winner: episode 9, "Sweet Dee is Dating a Retarded Person"

This episode is an example of how the writers introduce "offensive" material without actually offending anyone. Dennis tells Dee her boyfriend, Lil' Kev, is actually retarded, and she honestly can't tell if he is. The show makes fun of them, not him, and in the end, it's Dee with the egg on her face when Lil' Kev slams her in his rap in front of everyone. (When she walks by, people think she's Godzilla/ Straight outta Compton? Naw, straight outta Thriller!) This episode also gave us the creation of Day Man. Let us not forget that this all led to season 4's "The Night Man Cometh," which led the cast getting in a tour bus and performing the whole episode, plus extended songs, live, to sold out crowds, city to city. What other sitcom cast has done that, ever?! (Don't say Glee.)

Are you guys aware of how famous "Day Man" is? Asian school children sing it for like, no reason.

Runner up: episode 4, "The Gang Gets Held Hostage"
2nd Runner up: episode 15, "The Gang Dances Their Asses Off"

Season 4 winner: episode 7, "Who Pooped the Bed?"

This is one of those episodes of Sunny where every single line is funny. It also has a great balance of male/female energy; with the Waitress and Artemis (who both always make the show better), this episode was almost demented-Friends-esue. There's too much good in here: the "got turd" guy, the reveal that both Frank and Charlie eat credit cards, Dee running head first into the car, when the art gallery turns into a poop gallery, Artemis's dramatic reenactment of events which lead to the "turd merger." And speaking of which, just every single thing Artemis says. I know the "I've got a bleached asshole" line is classic, but for some reason what makes me laugh the hardest is, "I got it at Burlington Coat Factory. It's irregular." I've seen this episode many times, so I was surprised when for the last ten minutes, I couldn't see the screen because I was laughing so hard that I was crying. It's just THE BEST.

Runner up: episode 13, "The Night Man Cometh"

Season 5 winner: "The Gang Hits the Road"

Something about this episode feels "classic," but it took me a while to figure out why. Everyone is together, with the same goal-- to get to the Grand Canyon -- and they' re in a cramped space. We learn that Charlie eats stickers all the time and that he's never eaten a pear. Dee opted for the tape deck in her new used car to save $50. Mac explains his "ocular pat-down" for the first time. Dennis "expertly" puts a grill in the back of the U-Haul and tapes the door open. Dee sings "Runaway Train" to a runaway teen while she pees in a jar. All this is why the episode feels iconic-- there's so many great character moments. And the best part is that they're actually just driving around town for hours and end up right back at the bar after they fall asleep in the attached U-Haul (the runaway driving off with Dee's car)-- symbolic of their entire lives.

Runner up: episode 10, "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System" (aka, the episode featuring everyone's wife.)

Other Data:

First hint at CharDee: Season 3's "The Aluminum Monster Vs. Fatty McGoo."

After Charlie unknowingly tells Dee about his fantasy of the lady in Dennis's drawing, he looks her up and down and says, "So what have you been doing lately? 'Cus you look pretty..."

Fist hint Mac is gay: Aside from him dating the tranny, in season 4's "Mac's Banging the Waitress," Charlie asks Dennis, "You still get the feeling he wants to bang us?" To which Dennis replies, "Oh yeah, definitely."

First time Dennis goes full psychopath: Season 5's "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry." Dennis destroys the house of the frat who rejected him and then screams about them to the gang, his voice sounding like an old witch.

Thing I noticed that comes into play later: In season 5's "The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis," Dee decides to make money being a surrogate and the guys ruin it for her, which completely explains why she never tells them she was a surrogate for the tranny, which we learn in season 6.

Random thing that I feel compelled to share:

I have two very distinct memories where I was shocked at how hard I laughed watching this show: the first is when Dee threw up at the nursing home in "The Gang Finds a Dead Guy," and the second was when that guy on the bus threw up on Dee in "Mac and Charlie Die, Part 2." Vomit, you guys.

Best season so far: Definitely 3. I had to stop myself from writing down every episode as a favorite.
Worst season so far: Definitely 5. None of the "favorites per season" are all-time favorite contenders.

Favorite episode so far: "Who Pooped the Bed?"

Stay tuned for Part Two of this very important project where I analyze seasons 6-10, AND THERE'S SO MUCH TO SAY. Until then, how would your rankings of the first five seasons look? Agree or disagree with my selects? Any interesting observations on seasons 1-5 that you're just itching to share?

Stay classy!