TVSquad

(S03E15) "Your illiteracy has screwed us again Charlie!" - Mac

1:15 PM. On a Saturday. Philadelphia, PA. Last call at Paddy's bar for the season... and possibly forever. Why you ask? Because thanks to Charlie's pea-sized brain, a bum now owns Paddy's. Of course, Charlie isn't entirely to blame. Add in Frank's sedative brownies and Rickety Cricket beating in Dee's legs, and it becomes hard to say where the ultimate blame should rest. While this wasn't the best episode, the ending made for a good cliffhanger. In the past year, FX has rewarded Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, and Damages with meaty renewals. Here's to hoping that It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is extended the same courtesy.

(S03E12 / S03E13) "Hold on. Nobody's gonna get whacked off today!" - Dee

Every sitcom does it and it was only a matter of time until It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia hopped on the "hour long episode" bandwagon. Sometimes it's a finale or a premiere, but in this case it was FX taking advantage of the first day of November sweeps. Often it works and sometimes it doesn't. As much as I love this show (and the same goes for The Office and the four hour-longs its season started with), I just can't endorse more double-length installments like this. The uneven balance between the good and the bad is just far too obvious. At times during this episode, I felt like I was watching a bunch of mediocre deleted scenes that I'd normally expect to see as a bonus on a DVD set.

(S03E11) "Yeah, that's right. A maid. A maid I can bang." - Frank

You know, they say that somewhere in the world, everyone has a double. Or at least someone that looks awfully close to them. Dennis definitely got the short end of the stick. Nobody wants to look like a convicted child molester. However, only Dennis would be stupid enough to try and prove that he's not the portly guy depicted in the fliers all over the neighborhood.

For the most part though, Dennis' look-alike issues took a backseat to the rest of the episode which focused on a lot of little plotlines from previous episodes that came together. It was great to see some of that stuff. Then again, it was also great to see Dennis try and prove he's not a child molester by donning a fake moustache and trying to teach kids some exercise techniques with no shirt on. So smart.

(S03E08) "We've been throwing rocks at cats for years Dennis." - Charlie

Well... this was funny, but it didn't quite do it for me after how good last night's earlier episode was. One thing I did like was how it took some hints from Curb Your Enthusiasm by introducing something early on in the show ("Diaper Time" on the public access station) and then brought it back right at the end of the episode for the punchline.

The theme for the majority of the installment was fame and how you achieve it. Obviously, that led to some disastrous results including just what the title says. Frank set Dee on fire. Twice, actually.

(S03E07) "Of course we sing! We're a gang!" - Frank

Wow. Brilliant. I'm honestly not sure where to begin because this episode was fantastic. Joel and myself have both talked about how It's Always Sunny... is trying some new things season and that trend continued in this episode with winning results.

Jumping on a theme that's just ripe for laughter, the episode tackled Corporate America. Throw in some Oldies music theme restaurants, a 1950s Doo-Wop biker group, helipads, and secret tunnels and you've got a bunch of things that don't have appear to have anything in common. Leave it to this show to tie that list together.

(S03E06) "I look like Lorenzo Lamas and woman find it irresistible." - Mac

OK, number one - I'm buying a duster. Number two - I got an answer to my question. Paddy's only ever makes money when there's a bar crawl. Now it all makes sense, why they can be open all the time yet never have more than one or two customers. There I go again again with being logical though. There's no time for that. The North Koreans are moving in on Paddy's turf.

What a great premise. One of the things this show does so well time and again is take the gang's problems and manifest them in such a way that they all think they're some sort of microcosm for the whole world's issues. Fighting off a Korean BBQ down the street is the same as trying to halt nuclear war... right?

(S03E05) "You're making my chair look like it was dipped in gold." - Frank

For a place that just got taken hostage and destroyed not a week ago by a clan of incestuous bathrobe enthusiasts, Paddy's Bar looked pretty good. Of course, for fans of It's Always Sunny... we all know that means nothing. The idea of a time-line, save for a few ongoing stories, doesn't really exist on this show. You can easily watch the episodes in any order you like and not find yourself even remotely confused.

It does make you wonder though. The bar was trashed. Broken bottles. Sledgehammers taken to the walls. How would they have paid for the renovations? When do you ever see more than one or two people drinking at that bar? Doesn't matter. When you consider the simple brilliance of this show, intelligent questions are a waste of breath.

(S01E13) It's unfortunate that after the NBC/Apple flare-up this week that people won't be able to easily download Last Comic Standing onto their IPods, because this week's show had it all:

A kinda, sorta standing O! A very apparent screw-up by one of the three remaining finalists! A set of produced pieces so poorly made that simply by airing them NBC set TV back 50 years (seriously, they turned my TV black and white).

What I'm saying is, who wouldn't want to take this show with them on the bus? The review starts after the jump...

(S05E12) I can't help myself, I just need to blurt out tonight's winner: Doug Benson!

You almost thought I posted a pre-jump spoiler, didn't you? Admit it, you were sharpening your commenter fingers just ready to eviscerate me for ruining the show!

Well, I did no such thing. The only person who is ruining this show for you people is Bill Bellamy, and that's the way it's gonna stay!

Let's get on with the review...

(S05E11) There's a famous story about Jerry Seinfeld. Early in his career, when he was starting to feel the first warmth of "industry heat", he was offered a spot on the Tonight Show. This was the early eighties, remember, when a killer four minutes and a wave from Johnny pretty much guaranteed that you were headed for future glory.

He turned them down. His reasoning was simple. He had a great four minutes and would probably have killed; what he was worried about was that he didn't have the next four minutes for the second show. He wanted to kill every time he was called back. It was an audacious thing to do, turning down Johnny the Kingmaker, but we all know how it worked out for Jerry.

Tonight we got to see the final five's next four minutes. Some of them should have turned LCS down...

Well it's about frickin' time. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is finally coming to DVD and the two-disc set will have every single minute of inappropriate humor from the first two seasons.

It'll be released on September 4th, right before the third season premieres. While hardcore fans like myself have taken advantage of the show being offered on iTunes, this still comes as great news. I think the one thing that bugs me is that it took this long.

(S02E10) Since Jonathan's pesky day job is keeping him busy, I've gladly volunteered to review the season finale of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a show that's perfect for summer. Why? Because, while it's not perfect, and it's not exactly highbrow, it's always good for a few good belly laughs per episode. The finale followed suit for the most part: There were uncomfortable moments, lots of arguing, behaviors that would make the Seinfeld four cringe, and a surprise ending. Oh, and there's a good demonstration how to smuggle heroin in your colon. But that's just there for laughs.

(S02E09) Another instant classic. This is the only show on right now that I frequently pause while watching. Why? Because I'm laughing so hard. Tonight's episode focused on Charlie vs. Mac and Dennis. Charlie wanted a smoking ban in the bar and Dennis thought it was un-American. Charlie didn't buy it though. So he recruited Dee, put on a jean jacket, and decided to be a patriot who "goes America all over everybody's ass."

(S02E08) Once again, another impressive episode. I'm pretty convinced this show can do no wrong. Well... everything about it is wrong, but you know what I mean. Now that they're done exploiting religion, politics seemed like the next best target. Mac started complaining that liquor taxes were killing Paddy's profits and Dee suggested that the guys vote for lower taxes next time the polls are open. Vote?!? What a terrible idea. And politics? "One big ass-blast" according to Mac. But Frank points out that any lowlife can run for office, solicit bribes, and then take the money and run. Genius.

(S02E07) "So if you like the Virgin Mary and you like beer, c'mon down to Paddy's Pub. We got 'em both."

There is nothing this show won't go after. The latest victim? Organized religion and the fanatics who take advantage of those with strong beliefs. I can only imagine what it must be like to sit in on a pitch meeting for episode ideas and topics. Offensive ideas, racist notions, biased thoughts. And everyone can't stop laughing. Seems wrong doesn't it?