There are some comedies that truly stand the test of time, but there’s one show that I need to talk about, and one that I actually think might end up going on forever – and that’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
The dark comedy TV show, which has run for fifteen seasons now and is the longest running sitcom in American television history, has become a mega-hit. Season 16 for the show is already on the way, but with the fifteen seasons we have so far, we thought we’d rank them, from least impressive to best, and tell you just what we think about each. Let’s get into our ranking of all the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia seasons.
15. Season 1
I know, it might be controversial to some, but the first season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is actually its least best, for a few reasons.
It’s not really bad, per se. None of these seasons are really bad, but the thing that makes the first season not as enjoyable as the others is that it feels like it doesn’t flow as well. They tackled some really big issues – like racism, sexism, gun control and much more – looking back, however, it feels as if it wasn’t the same gang that we know and love, but rather the writers just trying to see how dark they could go. It’s still funny, but not as well-written.
That, and the fact that Frank (played by Danny DeVito) isn’t even in this season, lends itself to this being the lowest.
14. Season 13
I actually do enjoy Season 13 for many reasons, but I also feel that it could have been better. The main issue is again surrounding the gang in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, because we can feel the absence of Glenn Howerton, who was missing for most of it while he was doing his own NBC show, called A.P. Bio, and it just didn’t feel the same without him.
While I do commend the writers for diving more into Mac’s story and giving him his own coming out episode in the finale – “Mac Finds His Pride” – I do think that this season could have been a whole lot better. At least we got to see Buff Mac – I’m going to need that workout routine, Rob McElhenney.
13. Season 6
God, Season 6 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia introduced us to some of the funniest bits of the show – including the introduction of Mac and Charlie’s mothers living together, who are hands down some of my favorite side-characters of this show. We even got Frank emerging from that couch in the first-ever Christmas episode, completely naked.
Yeah, it still grosses me out, but it was funny. I think the flow felt a little off in this season, and everything felt a little more bizarre than usual, but it was still fun and enjoyable.
12. Season 14
Season 14 felt like a return to form, because Glenn Howerton was really back as Dennis here and it was great to have him there. We also had a lot of returns to older gags from previous seasons (which will get into it a bit) such as Thunder Gun and more.
I genuinely think it’s one of the funniest of the newer seasons, and it’s one that I think many more fans need to appreciate.
11. Season 15
Okay, I’m going to be honest – I actually enjoyed the fact that the gang stepped out of Philadelphia for Season 15. It was refreshing and a nice change of pace. While I do look forward to them going back to being a show that takes place in Philadelphia, as we have seen in the trailer, them traveling to Ireland for answers about their ancestry, of all things, was great.
I don’t think it should become a regular thing for them to travel, but it was a nice change of pace and I really liked the storylines that were included – especially the ending with Charlie and taking his biological father up that hill with his friends. I was crying and laughing.
Maybe I’m just crazy and I really enjoy the scenery of Ireland, but I liked this season a lot.
10. Season 11
There’s so much to love about this one, from the return of plenty of running gags that I’m sure all of you know about, to the introduction of newer storylines. And honestly, this is the first season we see the gang really get out of Philadelphia several times – including in one of my personal favorites of the series, “Mac and Dennis Move to the Suburbs.”
That episode, hands down, makes me snort laughter every single time I watch it. I’ve never seen someone throw macaroni and cheese so angrily. Everything is acted to perfection. Love it. But, the fact that it’s at number 10 just goes to show how much more awesome the other seasons are.
9. Season 10
The first of the double-digits, Season 10 proved to be a banger as well, giving me moments that have lived on in my brain for years. I’m pretty sure I use the term “Charlie Work” for any household chore I don’t want to do even now.
Really, Charlie Day overall is one of the best parts of this season, and he truly shows it in many ways. It made me want more Charlie-central plotlines and they really did try and give him more as the show progressed. I hope they continue to, because he rocked this season.
8. Season 12
Another double-digit winner was Season 12, where honestly, the story was on point in every single episode of the series. There were obvious storylines that made me smile, such as Mac in “Hero or Hate Crime?” and how he officially came out of the closet, but it’s the random episodes that truly make me snicker.
“A Cricket’s Tale” was honestly a fun little adventure with one of my favorite side-characters. “The Gang Turns Black” is hysterical. The whole Making a Murderer parody is spot-on and fits the theme for Dennis – really, this is one of the best double-digit seasons. I hope Season 16 can hit this caliber of good.
7. Season 2
Oh, Season 2. When Dennis and Dee were crackheads, I could not take this show seriously.
Season 2 is certainly better than Season 1, by miles, as it not only learns how to properly dive into deeper issues, such as steroids, celibacy and more, but it really takes it to bizarre and crazy levels.
Dennis and Dee literally just wanted to scam the system and then getting on crack of all things was something I was not expecting. Nor did I think Dee was going to become Million Dollar Baby. But, it was so well told and hilarious. Plus, it’s when we got to meet Cricket for the first time.
6. Season 3
I sort of see Season 3 as another version of Season 2, but just slightly better in writing and its original characters. It’s the first time we see the McPoyle family, as well as what we would later learn is “The Nightman” from Charlie.
If anything, this season really takes the bizarre level up a few steps, and made me laugh my absolute butt off. I would watch again; ten out of ten.
5. Season 9
I think I love Season 9 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia because it’s just so random, and it really shows literally how horrible all of these people are. I think one of my favorite episodes ever was in Season 9, called, “The Gang Broke Dee.”
It’s such a testament as to how far these people are willing to go – and really, Season 9 perfectly captures that, because we really do see just how terrible they can turn out to be. It’s hilarious in all the right ways.
4. Season 5
Season 5 is one of the seasons that I re-watch if I really need a good laugh, because there’s nothing stopping these characters from going absolutely bonkers in the way they approach things. Take Dennis, for example. Up until this point, he seemed like a fairly creepy guy who was just really into sexual relations, but nope – we find out he has a whole system – the D.E.N.N.I.S. system.
It still astounds me to this day that stuff like this was okay to run on television, as it really shows Dennis being a borderline psychopath, because let’s be honest – he kind of is. But it’s still so funny.
Everyone else is just insane – another one of my favorite parts was when Dee got to work on the set of an M. Night Shyamalan movie and it all goes downhill the moment she steps on the set. Hilarious.
3. Season 4
“The Nightman Cometh.”
That’s why it’s in the top three seasons. End of story.
On a real note, this season is just ludicrous, with so much fun for both longtime fans of the show and newcomers, like I was when I saw it back in college, to enjoy. There’s truly so much to love about it. That musical episode is just utter nostalgia to me at this point, and I find myself smiling every time I get to watch it because it’s so hilariously done.
2. Season 8
Around this time in the series, it was pretty much known that the show was hilarious, and every episode really flowed into the next and provided some genuine laughs, but I think what made Season 8 so good was that it felt more character-driven than most.
In this season, we really get to learn more about the characters and who they are as people, and what they would do in high stakes situations that have their lives threatened. The big episodes are also absolute riots, though. “The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre” is one of the funniest episodes of the series, and I laugh every time.
1. Season 7
There’s a lot to love about Season 7, but I think there are two things that make it stand out the most to me besides its well-written stories, as well as its crazy and ridiculous jokes – Fat Mac and Chardee Macdennis.
I have to give so much respect to Rob McElhenney for sticking to that characterization and not even using any makeup or prosthetics, because he nailed the bit so well and truly made Season 7 a standout for Mac. And Chardee Macdennis – do I even have to go on? That game sums up this show in a nutshell – it’s chaotic, sporadic, and bizarre, just like our lovely gang. What other season could be number one except this one, with episodes that truly made me spit out my drink? It just has to be the best.
Which season is your favorite of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? I wonder where Season 16 is going to place. Only time will tell.
