{"id":1136,"date":"2017-08-02T09:31:31","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T16:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zigzorg.com\/?p=1136"},"modified":"2017-08-02T14:39:45","modified_gmt":"2017-08-02T21:39:45","slug":"why-i-love-its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zigzorg.com\/?p=1136","title":{"rendered":"Why I Love “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”"},"content":{"rendered":"

August 2017<\/em><\/p>\n

Why I LOVE \u201c\u2026Sunny In Philadelphia\u201d<\/h1>\n

\u2026 Even though I hate the name.<\/p>\n

I sometimes call the show just \u201cSunny\u201d, but when I say \u201cI was watching Sunny last night,\u201d it feels wrong.\u00a0 Why is the name so darn long?\u00a0 I\u2019d always wondered, but never cared to find out.\u00a0 Perhaps my love of the title music distracted or blinded me.\u00a0 But I had seen every season of the show four times over before I was told where its name came from.\u00a0 Apparently, back when Rob McElhenny (and co.) shot the pilot for the FX pilot contest, the show was titled \u201cIt\u2019s Always Sunny in Hollywood,\u201d and the main characters were aspiring actors.\u00a0 Who else would have all the time in the world to screw up their lives?\u00a0 The idea was that Hollywood is fake.\u00a0 We\u2019re given this illusion that there\u2019s always sun in Hollywood, when really, it can be a really ugly place to live.\u00a0 The characters believed it too, despite their situation.\u00a0 The pilot (shot on home video, later re-shot for the show as \u201cCharlie Has Cancer\u201d) was a smash hit and FX picked it up.\u00a0 When they did, FX talked it over with Rob, and Rob changed the characters from aspiring actors to bar owners and moved the setting to Philadelphia.\u00a0 Hence, \u201cIt\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia\u201d.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t for another dozen episodes that I caught myself thinking about the title and I realized the title sequence for \u201cIt\u2019s Always SUNNY in Philadelphia\u201d is set entirely\u2026 at night.\u00a0 I had always been distracted by winter-Christmas feel and the sights of Philly I recognized from frequent (coincidentally) winter flights into the airport.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m not here to explain the title or the origin of the show.\u00a0 I want to tell you how it became my favorite TV show (next to Malcolm in the Middle), and why I still love it.<\/p>\n

The primary reason I watch the show over and over again…<\/h2>\n

…is that the show is LOUD<\/strong>.\u00a0 It\u2019s the only show I can listen to on my phone over the noise of my morning shower.\u00a0 Much of the show is dialogue driven<\/span>, like an improv show, so the jokes continue to land despite not having the visuals<\/span>.\u00a0 Although I\u2019ve seen it enough to know what I would<\/em> see.\u00a0 Friends have said, \u201cI can\u2019t watch the show.\u00a0 It\u2019s just a bunch of people yelling over each other.\u201d\u00a0 If that\u2019s not your cup of tea, maybe it\u2019s not for you.\u00a0 But I like the fact that I don\u2019t have to strain to hear the dialogue, and somehow, even with all the actors talking over each other, I can still hear everyone\u2019s dialogue.\u00a0 That\u2019s a testament to both the sound engineer, and the actors who are able to time their outrage on the fly.<\/p>\n

But what\u2019s the REAL key to Sunny\u2019s success?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s passionate<\/strong>.\u00a0 The characters are passionate about their misadventures.\u00a0 They are completely committed<\/span> to their bad ideas.<\/p>\n

The characters<\/strong> are \u201cyes\u201d men<\/strong>.\u00a0 You can really see theater improv influences in the show: every character follows the \u201cyes-and\u201d rule \u2013 to their detriment (and our enjoyment).\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s sell gasoline door to door.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea!\u00a0 We\u2019ll rent a van.\u201d\u00a0 \/\u00a0 \u201cWe need to scare this Israeli landlord away.\u201d \u201cLet\u2019s make a terrorist demands tape.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cOkay!\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s brilliant<\/strong>.\u00a0 In its own way.\u00a0 From episode 1, they nailed the sitcom formula.\u00a0 They\u2019ll take a concept or theme<\/em> like abortion, or racism, or saving the planet, and half<\/strong> of the characters will be passionately against it<\/strong> and the other half<\/strong> will be passionately for it<\/strong>.\u00a0 This allows them to explore both sides<\/span> of the argument.\u00a0 Then they\u2019ll both see the errors in their approach and in many episodes, the characters\u2019 opinions will reverse<\/strong>.\u00a0 Just when you think one character settles into the other\u2019s point of view, the other one switches sides\u2026 so they\u2019ve settled nothing.\u00a0 It\u2019s how they keep the characters in conflict<\/span>, in a hilarious way.<\/p>\n

What makes the show so funny?\u00a0 John Cleese said [Comedy isn\u2019t watching someone\u00a0doing\u00a0something funny.\u00a0 Comedy is watching someone <\/em>watch <\/span>someone doing something stupid<\/em>] (see our article on comedy<\/a>).\u00a0 This is true.\u00a0 Sometimes it\u2019s watching straight characters cope with the crazies. \u00a0But after many viewings, I realized the core of Sunny\u2019s humor is not just watching the characters do<\/em> extremely foolish things, but watching these guys justify<\/em> <\/strong>their actions.\u00a0 It\u2019s as if they\u2019re somewhat aware that their ideas may not make sense, but because they need to be sure of themselves, they convince the others of the merits of their bad idea \u2013 or at least they convince themselves.\u00a0 We get to watch these people perform mental gymnastics<\/span> out loud.\u00a0 The actors and writers have a knack for pulling that sort of thing out in almost every scene.\u00a0 Perhaps the moment it became obvious to me was the house-party flyer scene (which turned out to look like a dick). \u00a0Mac is reading the flyer out loud.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026Just a group of guys looking for other cool guys who want to have some fun at our party mansion.\u00a0 Again, nothing sexual<\/em>.\u00a0 Underline<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 Then Dennis says \u201cI have NO problem with that.\u201d\u00a0 As if to emphasize exactly what we\u2019re all screaming in our heads: \u201cHow in the world do they NOT see how gay that sounds?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Why do I find it way funnier than Seinfeld<\/strong>?\u00a0 I mean the formula is the same: a group of really terrible people harping on the dumbest faux pas, finding humor in the little things.\u00a0 But where Seinfeld finds himself apathetic<\/em> about most things, Sunny characters are passionate about everything<\/strong>.\u00a0 Sure George can get passionate (he\u2019s actually the funniest character in the show), but Seinfeld (as George\u2019s foil) neutralizes his passion by shrugging him off or by speaking in his boring, obnoxious voice, whining about or dismissing it.\u00a0 They just do things, which happen to be<\/em> a little off or clearly the wrong approach.\u00a0 We laugh at the situational dissonance that they don\u2019t notice their little social errors.\u00a0 But in Sunny, they do the wrong things\u2026 passionately<\/em>.\u00a0 They don\u2019t notice it either.\u00a0 But in Sunny, the artists call attention to it, and the characters justify it, and they push it beyond a comic happenstance<\/strong> (Seinfeld) to a hyperbolized cinematic event<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 At times, a spectacle.\u00a0 At best, Seinfeld is \u201chaha funny\u201d. \u00a0Sunny is hilarious.\u00a0 It\u2019s bursts of laughter back to back.\u00a0 The characters in Sunny aren\u2019t foils to each other, but enablers.\u00a0 It\u2019s \u201cyes-and\u201d, which lets things spiral out of control.\u00a0 If there were rational people in the group, if there were any \u201cdon\u2019t\u201ders, things wouldn\u2019t get as funny as they do.<\/p>\n

Back to passion<\/strong>.\u00a0 I think this is key.\u00a0 It\u2019s the same key to the success as Malcolm in the Middle.\u00a0 (And why Tom Cruise movies always have a draw).\u00a0 People want to watch a character who cares passionately about something.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter what it is.\u00a0 If the character cares passionately about something, we find ourselves doing the same.\u00a0 It\u2019s why evangelist and charlatans get so many followers \u2013 they care passionately about the bullshit they\u2019re selling, and even though they can\u2019t substantiate any of it, they try to, or speak as if it\u2019s fact, and most people can\u2019t help but assume there\u2019s something there.\u00a0 Most people aren\u2019t sure about everything (or anything, or some things) that they do in life, so they are attracted to those who are sure<\/em> about what they\u2019re doing.\u00a0 We follow the people who know<\/em> where they\u2019re going\u2026 even if it\u2019s the wrong direction! It sucks, but it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n

The characters<\/strong> are generally sure of themselves<\/strong>.\u00a0 Even though all the guys dig on Dee and shoot her down, she proceeds without them.\u00a0 Instead of being a Debbie downer, Dee usually goes ahead with her plans despite<\/em> the guys, which actually makes her more admirable.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the other key to the show\u2019s charm.\u00a0 Each character persists DESPITE their situation.\u00a0 And they rarely give up (during the episode).\u00a0 It turns out they always give up or fail at the end of the episode, but only after all the comedic routes have been exhausted.\u00a0 And sometimes one character giving up happens at the worst possible moment for another character.\u00a0 (Like when Dennis gives up on being a politician just after Charlie sold his Cabbage Patch kids collection to keep him in the race!)<\/p>\n

The characters <\/strong>are doers<\/strong>.\u00a0 Every episode pretty much begins with \u201cHeyo!!\u00a0 Look what I\u2019ve got\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s usually an answer to the standing question \u201cWhat are we going to DO today.\u201d\u00a0 The characters are always looking for something to DO.\u00a0 And that drive<\/em> is actually admirable.\u00a0 Say what you will about the quality of their character, but these guys are doers. If they have a problem (usually with somebody) they DO something about it.\u00a0 Although usually, it\u2019s the wrong thing!\u00a0 They\u2019re fighters.\u00a0 The same is true with the kids in Malcolm in the Middle.\u00a0 But it can\u2019t be said about the characters in Seinfeld; only, possibly, George.<\/p>\n

The reveals<\/strong>.\u00a0 For a show with a low budget and single-cam, they have some well-timed visual gags.\u00a0 Like the hospital scene when Dennis and Dee have a long argument with their dad after he suddenly shows up in their lives after so many years apart.\u00a0 They expose some deep-rooted family issues, and Dennis and Dee storm off wishing never to see their dad again.\u00a0 Then\u2026 the camera pans over to Mac and Charlie who we now realize were watching the whole ordeal.\u00a0 Mac breaks the silence with \u201cThat<\/em> was awkward.\u201d\u00a0 They do it again in front the lawyer in one episode, and again when Mac, Dennis, and Charlie are arguing about whether the building they\u2019re in has helicopter pad on the roof, and the conversation ends with \u201cLet\u2019s table the talk about the chopper on the roof, and hear the man out\u201d, at which point the camera reveals a salesman was in the room the whole time, unable to stop them from rambling on and on in their own conversation.\u00a0 They really know how to set up a joke with a simple visual punchline (often times cued in by a character).<\/p>\n

A light approach to social issues<\/strong>.\u00a0 There are some topics that they really go over the edge, but something about the characters is disarming, letting the audience cringe (and laugh) without being offended.\u00a0 It\u2019s exemplary in the first season particularly as they explored some touchy subjects like racism, abortion, cancer, and religion.\u00a0 How do they get away with it?<\/p>\n

Each character has a redeeming trait<\/strong> that actually makes us root for them, despite the absurdity.\u00a0 Some of it is that we acknowledge that at least Mac and Charlie are too dim-witted to understand their faults (or actions), but they are trying their hardest, so (like children) we don\u2019t (or can\u2019t) judge them.\u00a0 Dee is always the odd-(wo)man out; she is generally shot down, ignored, or bullied by the boys, making us pity her, but she persists despite her situation<\/em> (a comic hero), which actually makes us respect her.\u00a0 And Dennis is a douche.\u00a0 We\u2019re supposed to really hate him, but we root for him regardless.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because he\u2019s so sure of himself. \u00a0Which we respect (as I mentioned above, about passion), and lends itself to a certain set of comedic situations.\u00a0 And because he\u2019s a douche, we\u2019re actually satisfied when he gets his comeuppance.<\/p>\n

Why do they never give up<\/strong>?\u00a0 Because they also live in denial, which allows them to persist for so long without admitting defeat or failure, and it keeps them from getting down on themselves, and keeps us from judgment.\u00a0 Malcolm in the Middle walks that fine line too.\u00a0 Hal made it obvious in a Christmas episode: \u201cDad you\u2019re living in denial.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cThe only<\/em> way I survive<\/em> is by living in denial.\u00a0 Come on!\u00a0 If I were to let reality<\/em> affect me, I would have quit after the third child!\u201d\u00a0 Our heroes never mope about their circumstance.\u00a0 They do<\/em> something about it, or deny it.\u00a0 Denial can be really funny\u2026 when you\u2019re not the one living in it!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s ironic.\u00a0 They\u2019re all faulty people<\/span> making bad decisions<\/span>, but because they\u2019re passionate<\/strong> about their actions, and they justify <\/strong>their actions, and because they each persist<\/span> despite their circumstances (a quality of a comic hero), we can enjoy their shenanigans without feeling overwhelmed<\/span> with disgust or pity or judgment.<\/p>\n

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