Is It Really Always Sunny In Philadelphia?

There are two types of comedy show that I enjoy watching, and they are on the complete opposite sides of the comedy spectrum. On one side, there are heart-filled shows like Community or Modern Family. These types of show offer up a lot of character development, and can be quite emotional. Mixed with some hilarity, and this is a winning combination. On the other side of the spectrum there are shows where the characters learn nothing, don't talk about their feelings, and are hilariously shallow. Seinfeld was the pioneer of this kind of show, and many have tried to emulate it, but I haven't found anything that could live up to its excellence. However, that was until I saw the first season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

I liked this show from the very first episode. The first thing I noticed was that they seem to be using real locations. Everything looks real and gritty, and the camerawork reflects this. The set up for the show is that these three guys own an Irish bar in Philadelphia, and basically try to screw each other over at every opportunity. They never learn from their mistakes, and can be quite ignorant and idiotic. These three characters are played by Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenney. They are joined on the main cast by Kaitlin Olson, who plays the barmaid. Danny DeVito joins them in the second season, but I haven't seen that yet.

Rob McElhenney is one of the stars of the show, but he is also its creator. He also writes the show along with Day and Howerton. This level of involvement from the main cast is evident when you watch the show. They clearly enjoy what they are doing. In any comedy show, the most important thing is the humour, and this show definitely delivers on this front. The comedy is quite dark at times, and in the first season they tackle issues such as racism, abortion, cancer, underage drinking, and child abuse. The fact that they were able to pull this off is a testament to the quality of the writing of the show, and this was all in the first seven episodes.

"I made da show!"

It is clear that McElhenney and the rest of the staff on the show have absolutely no fear when it comes to this show, and that they are willing to make light of any issue. The gritty setting, and camerawork just add to this atmosphere that has been created in this show and I find it to be very unique and refreshing. These guys are not pandering to the lowest common denominator. They know what they are doing, and there is a clear vision. If the other seven seasons are as good as this one, then I'm in for a real treat. This is my favourite heartless comed since Seinfeld, and that's a good thing, a very good thing indeed.

The first season of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is absolutely splendiferous. It is The Shit.