It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 1 Review: The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary
This is one of the long-awaited events of the 2025 TV season. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 1, “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary,” shows the second half of this two-episode crossover. We saw things from the Abbott Elementary crew’s side in Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 9, “ Volunteers,” now we get the gang’s perspective.
Things became a lot wilder, unhinged, and aggressive than we initially imagined. The writers of Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia excel at blending both shows. The Abbott Elementary version of the crossover feels wholesome with a bit of danger due to the gang’s presence.
The Sunny version is chaotic.
These series are so different, so it’s hard to picture a world where they coexist. The writers of these series prove that it’s not only possible to blend tonally different shows, but also to do it well.
“Volunteers” and “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” are two of the funniest episodes of both shows. They are maybe not in the top five funniest episodes, but probably at least in the top 20. “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” has a plethora of schemes from Frank, Charlie, Dee, Dennis, and Mac.
Even storylines we didn’t know were schemes become apparent in this episode. For example, Dee didn’t fall for Gregory; she just wants to take Janine’s place as the star of the documentary.
The best way to do that? Take over Janine’s place in the show’s best romance.
This reveal adds so much more humor and context to “Volunteers.” Janine’s temporary insanity is without merit. Additionally, Janine is one of the standouts in this It’s Always Sunny episode because she’s the Janine we adore, but with a slightly more chaotic and aggressive energy.
When she uses profanity, you expect a Janine level of tame profanity, but no, she goes all out with the insult.
Janine needs to do more cameos on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, just to give fans an even more unhinged version of this character. We don’t want Janine to become a full degenerate. However, we do want to see some signs of it.
The gang seems to bring out the worst in everyone. Janine’s slight corruption because of them immediately makes me think of Cricket. They always turn the kindest souls into darker versions.
Some viewers may not enjoy that “The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary” has so many subplots, but it feels true to this crew. They’re never going to half-ass their schemes. They’re going to get the most out of each situation.
However, the true star plot is the random 9/11 rant. It’s so funny and just continues to escalate into even more unhinged parts.
Abbott Elementary takes the gang and makes them slightly more tolerable and wholesome. Then, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia takes these teachers and makes them rougher. It’s the perfect way to stay true to each show’s roots but naturally blend them.
Stray Thoughts
- Dennis’s successful coffee business shows, once again, that the gang could be profitable business owners if they cared.
- The copper removal isn’t shocking, but an expected outcome. Thankfully, it helps Abbott unintentionally.
- Seeing the gang around children makes you uncomfortable in a way you aren’t in the Abbott Elementary version of this storyline.. We appreciate the unfiltered uncomfortable Sunny embraces.
- Somehow, Dennis comes off as the most normal in this episode.
- We wish Charlie had a bit more going on in “The Gang F***s up Abbott Elementary,” because his storyline is one of the best in “Volunteers,” but that makes sense since he was likely most busy with the teachers, so less busy with the gang.
- We need a full version of that song and the 9/11 rant.
- Fall Out Boys are now part of the It’s Always Sunny lore, so if we don’t end Season 17 with a cameo from them, we’re severely missing an opportunity.
- I like that the episode also keeps Abbott Elementary’s documentary style and lets Ava narrate.
What did you think of this episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs Wednesday at 9/8 C on FXX.
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Jerrica Tisdale
Jerrica Tisdale is your favorite neighborhood pop culture junkie. She will annoy you with random TV and film facts, while complaining about whatever is the hottest new book. She has been a TV fan all her life but writing about it for over a decade. You may find her work all over the internet especially reality TV rants. She is a senior writer at Tell-Tale TV.