It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s recent seasons have seen an underappreciated trend, and I hope it continues in the upcoming episodes. With two releases to go, It’s Always Sunny season 17 is already nearly finished, and the most recent episode established the plot for the season finale.
When one thinks of the best episodes of It’s Always Sunny, or more roughly, when the show was in its golden age, it’s typically referring to the period between seasons 4-6. However, as society and the cultural landscape have evolved, so has It’s Always Sunny. Recent seasons have seen them lean toward more experimental concepts.
It’s Always Sunny Just Set Up Frank’s Golden Bachelor Episode
First, let’s break down where It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 is heading. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll likely know that the Golden Bachelor episode is coming. Episode 6, “Overage Drinking: A National Concern,” even set up the episode with a tease as to Frank’s motivations.
Not only will the finale feature the Gang on The Golden Bachelor​​​​, but the season’s penultimate episode will see them preparing for the opportunity to appear on national TV. It’s Always Sunny isn’t usually serialized, but they’ve made a habit of ending seasons with longer-form arcs, and this seems like a two-parter to cap things off.
It’s Always Sunny Has Closed Three Seasons With Emotional Send-Offs Since Season 12
It’s Always Sunny has really dived into more experimental ideas as it’s gone on, with many of the weirdest (which I say with respect) episodes happening in the past decade or so. They’ve also frequently included emotional moments, which offer rare insights into the minds of the Paddy’s Gang.
For example, Dennis’s outburst at the end of season 12 was a shocking display of humility. Mac’s dance performance for Frank at the end of 13 is one of the show’s most stunning and unexpected moments. Most recently, the Ireland narrative from season 15 is packed with narrative and emotion, particularly for Charlie.
Frank Is It’s Always Sunny’s Least Likely Candidate For An Emotional Episode
Danny DeVito’s Frank Reynolds is a crucial character in It’s Always Sunny, and that’s almost all due to his comedic prowess. He fits perfectly into the paradigm, but despite having a familial connection to two of the characters, he has never really had an emotional storyline.
It would be really shocking in a potentially powerful way to show some serious sides of Frank in season 17’s finale. After It’s Always Sunny’s Frank’s death fakeout in “Frank is in a Coma,” I’d be both surprised and thoroughly impressed if the season ended with a genuine romantic side of Frank.
