It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Episode 4 Review: A Virtual Insanity
Perfect seasons rarely exist. Despite this, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 has had a solid run so far. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Episode 4, “A Virtual Insanity,” may be the season’s first misstep.
We can appreciate episodes where the gang try new locations. However, often those can be wildcards because they’re not always a guaranteed good time. “A Virtual Insanity” attempts to make commentary on the unhoused crisis and technology taking over.
It doesn’t really say much, besides that both are issues. It knows these things are bad, but doesn’t offer much commentary beyond the basic presenting of facts and sympathy. Now, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an outlandish show, so it doesn’t always need to mix some profound message with all the wacky antics.
However, the best episodes manage to add something more than just goofy behavior and adventures. For example, last week’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Episode 3, “The Gang Gets Tested,” took a stance on diagnosing people.
It’s fine if someone wants to find out what’s going on with them to act accordingly, but it’s also okay if that’s just who someone is and to live their life without feeling the need to label themselves.
Not sure where I stand on their position, but I appreciate that the show clearly had a message. The message in “A Virtual Insanity” seems to be that the unhoused crisis is sad and dystopian, and we depend too much on technology, but what more?
Of course, Charlie, Dennis, Dee, and Frank aren’t going to find any solutions. It’s just a bunch of commentary on things, such as the rich taking advantage of the situation by trying to profit off it, the addiction problems that lead to these issues, and how the government leaves these people without any real solutions, while they continue to fund the latest thing that will increase the unhoused problem.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia sees the problem. It addresses it in the show’s usual way, with humor, but it’s missing some sharper commentary. It’s also not the funniest episode of the series.
How could the show have made this topic work better? I have no idea. Do I appreciate the effort to commentate on a major issue? Absolutely. However, this one just doesn’t feel as strong as it could have been in any aspect: comedy, commentary, or Cricket.
We love a Cricket cameo, but this one again feels like he’s there without adding anything interesting to the Cricket lore. However, I will admit that I laughed when the gang once again didn’t remember how he got this way.
That’s a running gag that I can always appreciate.
Overall, “A Virtual Insanity” wasn’t a bad episode, but Season 18 has already set a high standard, so it fell a little short. However, we respect and appreciate the show’s attempts to tackle such a complex issue in a semi-insane way – the Sunny way.
It just doesn’t fully work this time.
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 Mondays 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.