It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 7 Review: The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time

Season 17 of  this FXX hit proves that the Gang can still reinvent hilarious antics. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 7, “The Gang Gets Ready For Prime Time,” may be one of the funniest of the 20-year season. It has a high laugh per scene count.

This episode combines references and tools from some of the best episodes to create this funny premise that uses so many funnier gags and jokes. You find yourself playing ‘Guess Which Episode This References?” I can spot many.

It’s the creation of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 4 Episode 13, “The Nightman Cometh,” It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia  Season 7 Episode 11, “Thunder Gun Express,” It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 9 Episode 3, “The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award,” It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 10 Episode 8, “The Gang Goes on Family Fight,” and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia  Season 14 Episode 2 “Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool.”

Mixing elements or parts of all these episodes, plus more,  really makes this such a special episode for long-time fans. Even without all the influence from some of these episodes, it’s just an extremely funny one.

Once again, Glenn Howerton does not get enough applause for how effortlessly he has perfected unhinged Dennis. The final speech turns into a dark one-man play that almost feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone. It is a perfect moment, no notes.

Dennis’s quest to make the Gang appear to be normal always backfires. However, it works especially well in “The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time,” because we see Dennis become more psychotic with every passing moment. This familiar pattern always works.

The cherry on top of the unhinged Dennis sundae isn’t his quest to look young, but the fact that all of this happens because of his crash out on Family Fight. It’s one of the show’s cringest but hilarious moments.

Somehow this speech is cringer and even more embarrassing. Yes, “The Gang Gets Ready For Prime Time” is just a delightful mix of outrageous antics and clever writing. It feels simple yet complex in a way Sunny can only achieve. 

The episode also has an unpredictable ending. We don’t expect Frank to replace his real family with a racially diverse version. It’s a very surprising and funny twist. Additionally, like the Gang, we go “oh yeah, wait, the hometown visits should have happened already.”

It all starts to make sense and hits us after being distracted by the Gang’s focus group performance.

“The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time” is simply a hilarious episode that takes elements from previous ones and elevates them into a unique premise. It just works.

Stray Thoughts

• I did not expect this to turn into a three-part episode, but excited to finally see The Golden Bachelor aspects next week.
• Freddie Mercury Mac, kind of hot.
• Artemis was a bit hard to recognize in the Frank costume.
• I love how this focus group became a must-see play event.

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 Wednesdays at 9/8 C on FXX.

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