It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Season 3

If you're already watching "IASiP", then congratulations, you are supremely cool. If you have not yet experienced what is probably the funniest show currently on television, then you need to stop what you're doing right now. Seriously, just stop. And since you're probably reading this review right now, I give you full permission to stop right now and go rent/buy/steal/exchange sexual favors for the first two seasons of "IASiP". Got 'em? Good. Now watch them. You may need to take frequent breaks as the awesomeness may overwhelm your mind. It's okay, I'll wait. Well, okay, I'm very impatient so I'll continue, but this review of season 3 will be here when you get back.

I love "Seinfeld" and I still hold it as a monumental fulcrum in television history as well as a great and funny show. And so I end up holding "Seinfeld" as comparison to all sorts of other shows. Sometimes these comparisons are tenuous at best. In the case of "IASiP", I think the comparison is actually quite apt. "IASiP" is the logical evolution of the "Seinfeld" paradigm. A show about nothing more than the hilarious misadventures of a group of young misanthropes. "IASiP" is less Jewish humor and more urban white trash. It's also more violent, outrageous, and filthy, owing to steps forward in allowable television.

The show airs in a strange television limbo land: it's not a major network show, but it's also not part of the wildly successful canon of premium shows from the likes of HBO and Showtime. "IASiP" makes its home on FX, part of the still nascent realm of original non-premium cable offerings. Even as late as ten years ago, these cable giants such as TBS, TNT, FX (how old is FX, anyway?), and USA made their living peddling re-runs of the network shows and crappy movies from the '80s and '90s, usually amusingly edited for TV. "IASiP" airs late night on FX, and so is afforded a little extra breathing room. So far as I can tell, the only thing they can't say on the show is "fuck" and more complex filthiness such as "cocksucker". Other than that, it's all good.

The show centers around fraternal twins Dee and Dennis Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson & Glenn Howerton), their friends Mac (Rob McElhenney) and Charlie (Charlie Day), and the twins' father Frank (Danny DeVito), who may or may not actually be their father and it turns out may or may not actually be Charlie's father as well. Together, the fivesome own and operate Paddy's Irish Pub, a rundown beerjoint that caters to the dregs of south Philly, the perpetual drunkards, and Frank's shady friends, including Korean gamblers and a doo-wop singing motorcycle gang. The bar barely breaks even, so the group usually end up concocting crazy schemes to get rich quick, or just crazy schemes for crazy scheming's sake.

Frank is the money man. He actually has an undisclosed fortune which he is loathe to spend but will dole out to the other four if the crazy schemes seem worthy. Dennis, maniacally egotistical and shallow, assumes the part of ringleader, keeping his emotionally fragile sister Dee and the batshit insane, socially retarded, and functionally illiterate Charlie under his thumb through verbal and emotional abuse and menial tasks. Meanwhile, Mac is the brilliant idea man, playing it tough, but doomed to humiliating failure. They are all bound by mutual hatred, of each other, and of pretty much everyone else. Number one all their lists are the McPoyles, a sort of Philadelphia hillbilly clan, incestuous, creepy, and volatile.

There's really no way to describe the show, other than a joyfully and hilariously profane and debauched brand of dysfunctional misanthropy. If that sounds like your bag, then check it out.

Storyline & plot: 9/10
Cinematography & effects: 6/10
Music & mood: 8/10
Performances: 10/10

The Reverend says: 9/10