It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 16 Episode 6 Review: Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Despite It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 16 Episode 6, “Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center” being all about the changing times, the gang embraces familiarities.

Thus, you can easily predict the upcoming storylines for almost every member of the gang in the first two minutes of the episode. For example, you know Dennis will develop a fixation on the animatronic breasts. Mac’s reverting to his child self seems inevitable, and Dee and Frank will behave in socially awkward and weird ways.

It’s a familiar pattern that viewers know so well.

Additionally, you can also predict that the gang will try to force things to go back to what they consider the norm, and the results will be disastrous for everyone. The singing scene at the beginning of “Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center” pretty much tells us the episode’s direction.

The characters embracing their usual degeneracy offer an extra layer of cleverness on the episode. As much as the times change, the gang refuses to grow and accept it. They are doomed to repeat mistakes and toxic patterns, and nearly kill (or kill) children.

Therefore, they must have their names on some type of watch list or the most-wanted list at this point. In nearly two decades, they have caused harm to a record number of children.

The strength of “Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center” is the clear thesis of it. It’s all about toxic nostalgia.

The gang seems to have some understanding that things of their past were not so great, like the robotic monster being Black but voiced by a white man, but they still fight for these things to have a place in the changing landscape because it represents their youth.

It feels warm and fuzzy, but that’s easy for them as people not harmed by it, and as a group who likes to ignore their own trauma.

“Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center” feels like a direct call to some fandoms who hold on too tightly to the past and fight change.

It shows the ridiculousness of their behavior but also how they can find ways to justify and work around the problematic nature of it. As they say, nostalgia is a hell of a drug. This makes it something that logically shouldn’t have such a chokehold on people, but you can understand the inability to let go of the past.

Once the gang convinces themselves that the old ways were the best ways, it can only end in danger.

“Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center” represents what the team of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia does so well: sharp witty commentary on society, especially the more ridiculous, dark, or dangerous parts of it.

The perspective and message are clear and concise, which makes this a good episode. However, it’s not one of their funniest episodes.

Dennis and Charlie have some funny moments, especially while trying to make a hole in the wall. Additionally, Mac feuding with a “sassy” child has some funny lines, but the overall tone just lacks a bit of laugh-out-loud moments.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is usually really great at balancing commentary with hilarious moments. This is one of the episodes where the commentary is very strong, but the comedy aspects could have been stronger.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is at its best when its humor matches its level of intelligent commentary. “Risk E. Rat’s Pizza and Amusement Center” seems to sacrifice some comedy in honor of the punchy commentary.

Stray Thoughts

• The Risk E. Rat theme song is one of the best parts of the episode.
• Charlie calling the Risk E. Rat bar one of the best bars in town is a hilarious line considering their bar, which I know is the point, but I still need to point it out. 
• The outrage over the robotic figure losing her boobs is such a brilliant comedic moment.

What did you think of this episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FXX.

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