Greetings, reader!
This week's post is another ambitious one. The record-breaking sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia aired its 17th season, as well as celebrating its 20-year anniversary, this month. Among its other strengths, I've always considered the show to have the single greatest knack for episode titles of all time - no one names their episodes like Rob Mac and company. So, to celebrate the show's legacy and recent milestones, here's a ranking of every episode in the series - based purely on how good the episode title is!
177. Sweet Dee's Dating a R*****ed Person (Season 3 Episode 9)
Yeah, it makes sense that the only one I had to censor is in last place. I get dark humor, and most of the time I consider the show to be on the okay side of things - but they definitely crossed the line a few times in their early years, and this is the most blatant example.
176. Charlie Gets Crippled (Season 2 Episode 1)
Another very borderline case. The episode itself is pretty good, with the point definitely being to make fun of ableist people instead of punching down at the disabled. But the title doesn't exactly convey that.
175. Psycho Pete Returns (Season 10 Episode 3)
To those wondering - no, Psycho Pete wasn't a beloved character from the show's past. Sometimes the very random episode titles work, but for whatever reason, this one didn't grab my interest at all.
174. Hundred Dollar Baby (Season 2 Episode 5)
Look, I love puns - but when it comes to IASIP episode titles, the ones with lazy puns are almost always worse than the classic "The Gang Something Something" ones. And this one is as lazy as you can get when naming a boxing episode.
173. The Gang Gets Invincible (Season 3 Episode 2)
Maybe if I had seen the movie Invincible, I would've felt more intrigued by this. As it stands, it's my least favorite out of the ones with the traditional "The Gang" format.
172. Frank Retires (Season 10 Episode 9)
This one is just boring. Especially in terms of a series where nearly every title grabs your attention and makes you excited to see the end result.
171. Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad (Season 2 Episode 10)
Again, pretty basic, especially for a season finale.
170. The Great Recession (Season 5 Episode 3)
I often like the more archetypical TV episode titles thrown in to balance out the more IASIP-y ones (for example, The Storm of the Century goes hard). But this is one of the less interesting ones.
169. The ANTI-Social Network (Season 7 Episode 8)
Again, a lazy pun, worthy of a polite chuckle at best.
168. Charlie Work (Season 10 Episode 4)
Funny how one of the show's greatest episodes, scoring a whopping 9.8 on IMDB, has one of the most mundane titles. It ends up being the right title for the episode, but I can't give it much points here, because it doesn't have distinct personality and could be the title for any number of episodes.
167. The Gang Goes Jihad (Season 2 Episode 2)
It's certainly borderline in terms of political correctness, which is why I've ranked it so low. I still rate it higher than some of the other poorly-aged ones, because I see what they were going for with the (surprisingly well-aged) episode and they almost hit the mark with the grey-area title.
166. PTSDee (Season 12 Episode 7)
Not quite the laziest pun title, but no points for creativity either.
165. Charlie Has Cancer (Season 1 Episode 4)
These ones are hard to rank - you could understandably be all "it's not a laughing manner", but then again, we all know what we're tuning in for with the famously dark-comedy series.
164. Charlie Got Molested (Season 1 Episode 7)
Much like the previous entry, this one depends on your own specific sensibilities. In a manner typical for the show's early years, the title is bold and reads almost like a "Can they really make a funny episode about this?" challenge.
163. The Gang Goes on Family Fight (Season 10 Episode 8)
The episode is actually really good, but I don't recall being very excited beforehand based on the title. A game show is a setting among the rest of them, and the name they chose is just Family Feud but a bit different.
162. The Gang Beats Boggs (Season 10 Episode 1)
Unless you're weirdly familiar with the lore behind third baseman Wade Boggs' drinking records, this title won't really tell you anything until you see the episode for yourself. So, as a title, uh, neutral.
161. The Gang Texts (Season 14 Episode 5)
A bit of a mixed bag - with the showrunners being generally savvy with their satire yet very middle-aged, an episode about texting sounds like it could be clever or it could be cringey.
160. Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack (Season 4 Episode 10)
Much like Charlie Work, this is a below-average title that surprisingly makes for one the show's greatest episodes. There's definitely some correlation between the best titles and best overall episodes, but there are plenty of exceptions!
159. The Gang Gives Back (Season 2 Episode 6)
Doesn't really tell you anything, and is thus one of the least interesting ones with the "The Gang..." format.
158. The Gang Sells Out (Season 3 Episode 7)
Mildly amusing, but again, you don't really know anything about what the episode will be like, and it doesn't even do that in a cool/mysterious way.
157. The Gang Goes to a Dog Track (Season 17 Episode 5)
Like many others, but for whatever reason, I don't find 'dog track' to be as intriguing of a setting as many similar ones.
156. The Gang Gets New Wheels (Season 13 Episode 5)
Slightly curiousity-sparking, but in a quite tame manner by IASIP standards.
155. Dennis and Dee's Mom Is Dead (Season 3 Episode 3)
Feels like it should be better, but for whatever reason, this fairly big event doesn't raise as much eyebrows as many of the more mundane premises.
154. Mac's Banging the Waitress (Season 4 Episode 4)
You know it'll make for some amusing character drama, but still, there are plenty of better ones out there.
153. The Gang Gets Trapped (Season 7 Episode 9)
An entertaining title, but vague enough to not give any concrete expectations.
152. The Gang Hits the Road (Season 5 Episode 2)
As a promise of the episode to come, this one feels like it could be a classic (as it turned out to be), but could just as easily be a bit of a dud.
151. The Gang Recycles Their Trash (Season 8 Episode 2)
Definitely not bad, but a bit basic.
150. How Mac Got Fat (Season 7 Episode 10)
Much like the whole 'fat Mac' storyline in season 7, this episode and its title are quite borderline. At least it promises some narrative intrigue!
149. Dennis' Double Life (Season 12 Episode 10)
Not bad, but a tad tame especially for a season finale.
148. Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs (Season 11 Episode 5)
The episode turned out to be a modern classic, but you couldn't have known that from the title (this premise could've made for a boring, subpar episode just as easily).
147. Dee Gives Birth (Season 6 Episode 12)
Makes sense as the (sort of) conclusion to the season where Dee is pregnant. Predictable, but a nice bow on things, I suppose.
146. The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention (Season 5 Episode 4)
The funniest part about this otherwise-basic title is that due to the character's nature, first-time viewers have no idea what the intervention will be about, as there are countless options.
145. The Waitress Is Getting Married (Season 5 Episode 5)
Again, the episode is obviously an all-timer, but the title is weirdly average, promising little more than some sad-Charlie shenanigans.
144. Mac and Dennis: Manhunters (Season 4 Episode 1)
We're slowly starting to get to the decent ones. No masterstroke, but definitely seems to promise an alright time at the least.
143. Gun Fever (Season 1 Episode 5)
In the first few seasons (and season 1 in particular), every episode dealt with some social issue via satire. The gun episode isn't as creatively/chaotically titled as some of the better ones, but that doesn't even matter - based on the four episodes that came before this, you'll be dying to see how the series tackles guns, so the simple title works.
142. The Gang Gets Romantic (Season 14 Episode 1)
The wholesome-sounding titles are often funny for viewers accustomed to the show's nature, because you just know there's gonna be more to the story and some cynical twist. "The gang gets romantic"? I don't think they will, but I sure wanna see what this title is referring to!
141. The High School Reunion (Season 7 Episode 12)
A neat premise with potential for big entertainment, but slight minus points for being less characteristic for this show in particular (most of the titles have a distinctive IASIP personality to them, whereas this title could be from any given series).
140. The High School Reunion Part 2: The Gang's Revenge (Season 7 Episode 13)
The same, but gains a slight edge because a two-parter always adds a touch of intrigue.
139. The Gang Gets Cursed (Season 16 Episode 3)
Honestly, it doesn't hit my curiosity as much as one might expect from such a mystic title. It sounds like it'll be a amusing yet ultimately basic episode.
138. The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition (Season 4 Episode 12)
I like the idea of an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition -spoof, but what's up with the clunky wording? Is it on purpose or not?
137. Mac and Dennis Become EMTs (Season 17 Episode 3)
Promises a good time, but not an all-timer in terms of the title.
136. The Gang Hits the Slopes (Season 11 Episode 3)
Has a distinctive personality to it, but 'a skiing episode' isn't the most riveting pitch for this particular series.
135. Paddy's Has a Jumper (Season 14 Episode 8)
A promise of brutal gallows humor - almost a bit borderline as an overall theme, but then again, viewers know what show they're tuning in for.
134. Frank's Pretty Woman (Season 7 Episode 1)
Sometimes the movie reference titles are a bit lazy, but this one hits different by simply feeling like it'll be a funny misadventure.
133. The Aluminum Monster vs. Fatty Magoo (Season 3 Episode 5)
Certainly different, and enough to raise one's eyebrows (if not in the highest tier of the chaotic and norm-breaking titles).
132. Mac and Dennis Break Up (Season 5 Episode 9)
Knowing the character dynamic, this makes for a funny premise, although it can make cynical viewers worried if it'll just be "haha, let's talk about a male friendship as if it's a romantic relationship, no homo" jokes for 22 minutes.
131. The Gang Group Dates (Season 10 Episode 2)
Basic in just the right way - 10 seasons into the show, I definitely anticipated seeing how the series would tackle group dating.
130. Mac Bangs Dennis' Mom (Season 2 Episode 4)
Entertaining, but missing that specific touch that makes the very best titles really pop.
129. Charlie's Mom Has Cancer (Season 8 Episode 6)
It's hard to rank these ones - it's a hell of a bummer, but for a show priding itself in dark humor, you know there's a chance they'll make it work so you become morbidly curious.
128. Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare (Season 2 Episode 3)
If I were ranking these based on the transition-from-cold-open-to-episode-title-reveal jokes, this would be in the top ten. Purely as a title, it's good but a bit average.
127. The D.E.N.N.I.S. System (Season 5 Episode 10)
Compelling, but you wouldn't guess it to be such an all-time classic from its name.
126. Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life (Season 4 Episode 9)
There's a very specific subgenre of IASIP episode titles where they sound artistic and classy but still with a twist. This isn't one of the finest examples, but they're all pretty neat.
125. The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore (Season 7 Episode 2)
Better than many of the "The Gang" ones, but not nearly among the best.
124. Hero or Hate Crime? (Season 12 Episode 6)
Doesn't really give you anything but a head-scratching "What the hell kind of scenario needs to happen in order to have this question as the title?". And honestly, sometimes that's more than enough.
123. The Gang Broke Dee (Season 9 Episode 1)
For whatever reason, this is much funnier than "The Gang Breaks Dee" would've been. It's the little things.
122. The Gang Goes Bowling (Season 16 Episode 7)
Basic, but still ranked relatively well because for whatever reason, the image of the gang at a bowling alley is instantly entertaining.
121. The Gang Escapes (Season 13 Episode 2)
The ambiguity of titles like this one are their biggest weakness and strength. On one hand, you don't know what sort of episode you're diving into, but on the other, you're lowkey dying to find out.
120. Mac's Big Break (Season 6 Episode 4)
Another decent example of the "sounds wholesome, but with the undertone that there's going to be some twist because it's IASIP" subgenre.
119. Mac and Charlie: White Trash (Season 6 Episode 5)
Honestly, this could be the the title for any number of episodes. But so what? It works.
118. The Gang Wrestles for the Troops (Season 5 Episode 7)
Again, you just know there'll be more to the story, some buffoonish selfish angle or something. These titles really hit different once you've understood what kind of show you're watching.
117. The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby (Season 3 Episode 1)
Oh no. Poor baby. Beautifully morbid, especially for a season premiere.
116. The Gang Finds a Dead Guy (Season 1 Episode 6)
With the chaotic nature of the series being evident already in the first season, you don't know if you're in for a Weekend at Bernie's situation or a Stand By Me. Either way, you're tuning in.
115. Charlie and Dee Find Love (Season 8 Episode 4)
Haha, quite clever, as they do find love (sort of ) but not with each other as the title would have us thinking.
114. Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City (Season 3 Episode 14)
Every now and then, they'll throw in a title that reads like a an old-timey news headline to balance out the "The Gang..." ones, and it works like a charm.
113. Frank's Back in Business (Season 8 Episode 7)
Doesn't give you much to go on, but Frank is such an entertaining character with all his endeavors that it's pretty safe to reckon this episode won't be boring.
112. The Gang Buys a Roller Rink (Season 15 Episode 3)
Of course they do! But wait, why and how and what? Watch the episode to find out!
111. A Woman's Right to Chop (Season 14 Episode 9)
This episode is exactly what you'd expect from the title - satire on the abortion debate via a metaphor that is a bit clunky/lazy but still makes for decent laughs.
110. Making Dennis Reynolds a Murderer (Season 12 Episode 5)
Continuing on the play-on-words titles that aren't as lazy as the worst of them but still in the grey area between eye-rolling and an appreciative chuckle.
109. The Gang Spies Like U.S. (Season 10 Episode 5)
An otherwise fantastic title, but the grammatical error hurts my soul. Add a "the" and this would be in the top fifty.
108. Mac Day (Season 9 Episode 5)
When this episode aired, the concept of character theme days hadn't been introduced, so this title was just minding its own business in glorious ambiguity. Color me interested.
107. Thunder Gun Express (Season 7 Episode 11)
Same goes for this one, which first introduced the fictional Thunder Gun movie franchise. As a title with no pre-built context, it sure sounds like the episode will be fast and exciting.
106. The Gang Chokes (Season 14 Episode 4)
It's giving "Oh get the f**k outta here, HOW are they going to make an entire episode out of this?" - mind you, for a viewer like myself, that's a good thing.
105. Dee Made a Smut Film (Season 11 Episode 4)
It's not just the premise, but the specific wording. If it was "Dee made a porno", it wouldn't be nearly as high. IASIP just has a way with its raw, decadent dirtbag vibe.
104. Celebrity Booze: The Ultimate Cash Grab (Season 16 Episode 5)
The episode ended up being one of the show's lesser offerings, which is a shame - the title felt like there was potential for memorability, perhaps even greatness.
103. The Gang Buys a Boat (Season 6 Episode 3)
Mundane in just the right way. You immediately start to imagine all the different ways in which this could go wrong.
102. Waiting for Big Mo (Season 14 Episode 10)
Mysterious - especially for a season finale. Who or what is Big Mo, and why are we waiting for that?
101. The Gang Gets Held Hostage (Season 3 Episode 4)
The more panicked and claustrophobic the situation, the more hilariously entertaining the gang's behavior. So, a title like this will make you go "Bring it on".
100. Frank Is in a Coma (Season 17 Episode 2)
Again, the specific wording makes this one funnier. For those wondering, Frank was not in a coma before this episode started, and this timeless and factual vibe (as opposed to "Frank falls into a coma" et cetera) makes it much better.
99. The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell (Season 4 Episode 11)
For a show as unhinged as this one, taking place in Philadelphia...it was only a matter of time, really.
98. The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award (Season 9 Episode 3)
The meta element that ended up making this episode one of the all-timers is brilliantly hinted at already in the title. Nice work.
97. The Gang Gets Whacked: Part 1 (Season 3 Episode 12)
Implies a clash between the gang and the mob - and that's an entertainment guarantee if I ever heard one.
96. The Gang Gets Whacked: Part 2 (Season 3 Episode 13)
The same, but even better because the existence of a part two (and the fact that sitcoms don't tend to kill off all their major characters) implies that they don't actually get whacked, which raises the delightful question of what exactly is the title referring to.
95. Charlie Rules the World (Season 8 Episode 8)
He sure does, man.
94. The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time (Season 17 Episode 7)
Could mean so many different things, but one thing is for sure - an episode with this title can't possibly be bad.
93. The Gang Makes Paddy's Great Again (Season 13 Episode 1)
Yeah, the wording is as lazy of a joke as they come, but I'm still ranking it high because of what the title means - season 13 came out in early 2017, and the title of the season premiere promising that they'll tackle the Trump presidency head-on created some serious hype.
92. The Gang Dances Their Asses Off (Season 3 Episode 15)
Something so unserious is a fun move for a season finale, and again, the specific wording gives this one a classic IASIP vibe.
91. The Golden Bachelor Live (Season 17 Episode 8)
What? Live in what way? What's going to be going on here? A season finale, no less? I just knew I had to see it immediately.
90. Frank's Brother (Season 7 Episode 5)
The episode didn't end up being very good, which is a shame, because the title does some heavy eyebrow-raising. Frank is such a bizarre f**king character, that the idea of him having a brother we haven't met sounds like it has the potential for greatness.
89. The Gang Squashes Their Beefs (Season 9 Episode 10)
By the season 9 finale, the gang had beef with a lot of different recurring characters. This one promises some sweet follow-up to that, and once again, a viewer accustomed to the series can't wait to see just how it all goes to hell.
88. The World Series Defense (Season 5 Episode 6)
While the courtroom-style episodes were a relatively new thing when this episode rolled out, the show had dabbled with the genre enough for this title to give the expectation that the gang will be spinning some far-fetched bullshit.
87. The Gang Gets a New Member (Season 6 Episode 8)
Different enough to work. With this show, the question isn't even "ooh, I wonder what the new member will be like!", but more "oh no, I wonder how this poor soul will react to the gang".
86. Mac's Mom Burns Her House Down (Season 6 Episode 6)
Always up for a Mrs. Mac episode - such a brilliant recurring character.
85. Frank vs. Russia (Season 16 Episode 4)
Without any knowledge about why and on what front will Frank be facing off against Russia, this is still a hilarious mental image, what with Frank's old-school cold-war attitudes and all.
84. The Gang Reignites the Rivalry (Season 5 Episode 12)
What rivarly? No idea, but it's a season finale, so I'm guessing it'll be good. Nothing quite like the gang when they're petty and vengeful.
83. Mac Fights Gay Marriage (Season 6 Episode 1)
This one gains extra points due to the retrospective of Mac's character arch - knowing that he eventually realizes his identity and comes out as gay himself, it's extra funny that there's an episode with this title in the show's early years.
82. The Gang Dines Out (Season 8 Episode 9)
Simple yet effective. Sometimes all you need is the gang in a fancy enough setting that their inherent behavior reaches peak levels of inappropriate chaos.
81. Dennis Looks Like a Registered Sex Offender (Season 3 Episode 11)
An immediately amusing premise, that'll make you yearn to see what sort of dark-humor shenanigans such a scenario leads to.
80. The Gang Turns Black (Season 12 Episode 1)
This one had me stressed beforehand - "What are they gonna do? What lines will they cross? How mixed will my feelings be? Will the show be cancelled (in both senses of the word)?". In retrospect, the episode was surprisingly unproblematic, and the title quite a clever scare.
79. Mac and Dennis Buy a Timeshare (Season 9 Episode 4)
By this point in the series, you know that the episodes about the financial world are always a hoot, as the gang's ability to do the dumbest f**king things while fully convinced that they're ingeniously beating the system just never gets old.
78. Sweet Dee Gets Audited (Season 7 Episode 4)
Yet another promise of financial fun, with additional bonus points for the contrast in the faux-innocent "Sweet Dee" nickname and the bleak reality of being audited out of all things.
77. The Gang Saves the Day (Season 9 Episode 6)
Especially when taking into account that it's the show's 100th episode, this one creates brilliant anticipation. You know they won't actually be saving anyone's day, so what's really going on?!
76. The Gang Gets Quarantined (Season 9 Episode 7)
I remember my morbid chuckle, in the spring of 2020, when I remembered that an episode with this title exists, and it made for a hysterical re-watch. Aged like wine.
75. America's Next Top Paddy's Billboard Model Contest (Season 4 Episode 3)
This one is ranked well ahead many of the clunky pop culture reference -ones, because it's so chaotic and messy that it's gotta be purposeful and it honestly really works.
74. Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens (Season 5 Episode 8)
Home of the WHAT? Yeah, this has got to be good.
73. Flowers for Charlie (Season 9 Episode 8)
Full disclosure - I did not know about the book Flowers for Algernon (or its film adaptation) that is being referenced here. But honestly, the title works wonders without it, which is likely something the showrunners counted on, since the book and film aren't quite in the household name category.
72. Who Got Dee Pregnant? (Season 6 Episode 7)
Hell yeah - always up for an It's Always Sunny whodunit.
71. Mac Finds His Pride (Season 13 Episode 10)
No one could've predicted exactly how this season finale would turn out, but expectations were high regardless - the 'gay Mac' storyline had been expertly built little by little, and to culminate the thirteenth season with this title was a bold, fun move.
70. Frank Falls Out the Window (Season 11 Episode 2)
This is funny on both the "haha, sounds like quite the physical comedy incident, this I gotta see" level, and on the "HOW will the crazy bastards drag an entire episode out of this?!" one.
69. The Gang Inflates (Season 16 Episode 1)
Like I mentioned earlier, the financial episodes are always a riot - and so are the ones that take a jab at current events! Released in 2023 as the first IASIP episode after Russia's attack on Ukraine and the subsequent worldwide inflation, this was a real "yeah, they're coming out swinging right out of the gate".
68. The Storm of the Century (Season 7 Episode 6)
It's simple and not IASIP-specific, but it still somehow works really well. For whatever reason, this title thrown into the middle of a season with "The Gang this and that" and "Sweet Dee this and that" titles all around it, really sticks out with a vibe of its own.
67. Charlie Catches a Leprechaun (Season 11 Episode 8)
Of course he f**king does. To quote Troy Barnes from Community, "Can I sign up twice?".
66. The Gang Gets Analyzed (Season 8 Episode 5)
About goddamn time! You just know this can't be anything but a gold mine.
65. Underage Drinking: A National Concern (Season 1 Episode 3)
It's not the subject matter that makes this great - not to belittle the seriousness of underage drinking, but in a debut season that tackles guns, cancer and child molestation, it can't help but feel tame. Rather, it's the specific wording: this absolute classic walked so that Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City, Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia and Wolf Cola: A Public Relations Nightmare could run.
64. Dee Day (Season 14 Episode 3)
This one was released after Mac Day, so we were familiar with the theme-day premise and knew what to expect (in this case, Kaitlin Olson being the comedy goddess she is in her role of a lifetime).
63. Gun Fever Too: Still Hot (Season 9 Episode 2)
Yeah, I love a sequel. Season 1's Gun Fever was a classic, so this felt like a treat.
62. Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool (Season 14 Episode 2)
Like I said, I love a sequel. Couldn't wait to learn more of the fictional Thunder Gun franchise introduced in season 7's Thunder Gun Express.
61. CharDee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo (Season 11 Episode 1)
Did I mention that I love a sequel? It makes sense that several of these are lumped together here. This one is slightly higher than its counterparts because the original CharDee MacDennis is a top 15 episode of the series for me, so the idea of more was extra-exciting.
60. The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6 (Season 9 Episode 9)
Okay, this follow-up is even better, because it's not just following up on an individual episode but rather a larger-than-life running gag. We knew how hilarious the gang's fan-made Lethal Weapon 5 had been (bar the poorly aged stuff), so this made for some serious hype.
59. The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 7 (Season 15 Episode 2)
The more the better, if you ask me! This one also gets extra points because it had been such a long break, during which the showrunners seemed to have grown a lot in terms of their borderline humor - so the reveal of this episode title immediately begged a bunch of "HOW WILL THEY ADDRESS THE CONTROVERSY" speculation.
58. The Gang Runs for Office (Season 2 Episode 8)
After nearly two full seasons of satirizing individual political issues, the series decides to make fun of politics itself - you know that's gonna be fantastic TV.
57. Thought Leadership: A Corporate Conversation (Season 17 Episode 4)
What? That sounds like a whole bunch of filler-word jargon. OH, WAIT, I'M GUESSING THAT'S THE POINT, ISN'T IT! Man, this guys are good.
56. A Cricket's Tale (Season 12 Episode 9)
Twelve seasons into the show, it was due time for the beloved, tragic recurring character Rickety Cricket to get an episode focused on him. Once again, hype was in the air.
55. The Janitor Always Mops Twice (Season 14 Episode 6)
Otherwise I wouldn't rank this nearly as high, as it's once again a semi-clumsy and only kinda-funny play on several title archetypes. But it's still sort of a vibe, and the 'Janitor' implies that it's gonna be a Charlie-focused episode, and as someone who views him as the show's best character, that alone goes a long way.
54. The Gang Goes to a Water Park (Season 12 Episode 2)
In terms of everyday settings that are fun to imagine getting utterly ruined by the gang's presence, a water park is definitely even funnier than going bowling or dining out. There's so much potential chaos to have fun with.
53. The Gang Gets Racist (Season 1 Episode 1)
For the PILOT EPISODE?! Bold move, man. They really told us what kind of show this is going to be from the get-go, gotta respect that.
52. Overage Drinking: A National Concern (Season 17 Episode 6)
Ranked well above most of the other sequel episodes, because the wording is such a fun play on the original.
51. Risk E. Rat's Pizza & Amusement Center (Season 16 Episode 6)
It's not even the "Ah, I see they're doing a parody of the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant chain for some reason" for me, but again, the specific wording. "Risk E. Rat" is just so fucking dumb and hilarious.
50. The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis (Season 5 Episode 1)
While I enjoy the faux-wholesome episode titles, there's also something to be said for the ones that straight-up remind you of the main characters being pieces of shit. An episode about the mortgage crisis alone is a promise of entertainment, but straight-up admitting the gang will exploit it is pretty hysterical.
49. The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis (Season 4 Episode 2)
Here we have the other side of the same coin, and you know what - this works just as well, or arguably even slightly better. You know they won't solve the gas crisis, but of course that's what they're telling themselves.
48. Mac and Charlie Write a Movie (Season 5 Episode 11)
Yeah, this is my most subjective ranking - it's not an objectively great or standout title, but I love the world of movies so much, that an episode about these two characters taking a jab at screenwriting is something I personally knew I'd love.
47. Dennis Takes a Mental Health Day (Season 16 Episode 8)
Something so mundane for a season finale means that there's gonna be an other shoe dropping beyond the initial premise - and that works. Also, for this particular character, the idea of trying a mental health day is inherently funny.
46. The Gang Exploits a Miracle (Season 2 Episode 7)
Ah, the original "The Gang exploits..." title. Hilarious in a very straight-forward way for an anti-sitcom.
45. Frank Reynolds' Little Beauties (Season 7 Episode 3)
While it's more vague than most IASIP titles, you can sort of guess that it might tackle the phenomenon of child beauty pageants - in which case, OH GOD. You know it will be horrible in just the funniest way.
Sidenote: whenever a washed-up loser comedian complains that "You can't do anything anymore because you'd get cancelled", I think of It's Always Sunny. These motherf**kers proved that you can make fun of anything, no matter how taboo, and still be going strong 20 years later. It's just a skill issue to not be a dick about it (for example, if Jerry Seinfeld made this episode, the jokes would just be about being attracted to underage girls in a creepy manner, without the vital extra step where the pedophiles are the butt of the joke instead of the goddamn target audience).
44. Ass Kickers United: Mac and Charlie Join a Cult (Season 10 Episode 10)
While the episode ended up being tragically underwhelming, the title absolutely feels like a promise of greatness.
43. The Gang Beats Boggs: Ladies Reboot (Season 13 Episode 3)
Again, I love a sequel - and bonus points for teasing an It's Always Sunny take on the discourse around the all-female reboot trend in Hollywood. (Also, just the idea of IASIP's major recurring female characters being up to hijinks in an airplane - you know it'll be amazing).
42. Who Pooped the Bed? (Season 4 Episode 7)
Ah - a whodunit, but make it silly and gross. Don't know how they come up with this shit (pun intended), but love 'em for it.
41. The Gang Misses the Boat (Season 10 Episode 6)
In all simplicity, this one works wonders somehow. With just a whiff of melancholia, you know it won't just be about the gang missing a boat, but about something broader.
But what?
And that's how they lure you in with these brilliant titles.
40. Old Lady House: A Situation Comedy (Season 12 Episode 3)
The WHAT now? Never mind, I'm in.
39. Being Frank (Season 11 Episode 6)
You couldn't guess the exact gimmick from the title (at least with complete sureness), but it tells enough to make you know it'll likely be bizarre and amazing.
38. Dee Reynolds: Shaping America's Youth (Season 6 Episode 9)
As a freshly graduated teacher - OH GOD. RUN, CHILDREN, RUN!
37. Mac Kills His Dad (Season 10 Episode 7)
Mm, this one hits at the very core of gallows humor. And it hits extra hard when you know the characters and their already-loaded relationship.
36. Dennis Gets Divorced (Season 6 Episode 2)
This one is infinitely funnier when you're starting season 6, and notice that this is the second episode's title (Dennis was not married or even engaged or even dating anyone as of season five).
35. The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre (Season 8 Episode 3)
Every f**king word is better than the last. That's how you do it!
34. The Gang Solves Global Warming (Season 14 Episode 7)
Now, to be fair - in all hilarity of this obviously ironic title, I believe that the five members of The Gang - even though they are A) evil and B) stupid and C) fictional - are still somehow more likely to solve global warming the real-world people running both of my home countries. Turns out present-day politics are the real anti-sitcom.
33. Time's Up for the Gang (Season 13 Episode 4)
Again, it's all about the timing - released in 2018, with #metoo and #timesup still breaking news, a fan of this particular series will be filled with mordbid hype to see how each and every one of the show's main characters meets the moment.
32. The Gang Solves the Bathroom Problem (Season 13 Episode 6)
Another season 13 episode, another promise to tackle a relevant debate we're having as a society. With this one in particular, you know the gang's takes will be hilariously dumb (and thus absolutely genius satire).
31. The Nightman Cometh (Season 4 Episode 13)
I've seen this absolute masterpiece so many times that it's exceptionally challenging to separate the title from the end result. But, thinking back, I do vaguely remember a time when I had started watching the series and hadn't yet arrived here. I remember opening IMDB and seeing that the fourth season ends in an episode with a 9.7 rating, titled The Nightman Cometh. I didn't know quite what to expect, but I seem to recall that the title gave me even bigger goosebumps than the rating.
30. Mac Is a Serial Killer (Season 3 Episode 10)
Raises some magnificent questions.
29. The Gang Does a Clip Show (Season 13 Episode 7)
Knowing how good a clip show parody can be from Community, my anticipation was sky-high for this one.
28. Charlie Wants an Abortion (Season 1 Episode 2)
They really managed to critique the inherent hypocrisy of the abortion "debate" with this genius title.
27. The Gang Tends Bar (Season 12 Episode 8)
For a show about people running a bar to suddenly have this title in the twelfth season is peculiarly hilarious. Like, are they finally going to do the thing they were supposed to be doing all along?
26. The Gang Goes to Ireland (Season 15 Episode 5)
To the motherland! Fifteen season into the series about running an Irish pub, it was about damn time.
25. Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia (Season 4 Episode 8)
I don't know why this one is so funny, but there's something simple yet effective here for my taste.
24. CharDee MacDennis: The Game of Games (Season 7 Episode 7)
It sounds like they're going to be playing a weird, made-up game, and with this particular cast, what could be funnier?
23. The Gang Wins the Big Game (Season 13 Episode 9)
Gets tons of extra points when you realize that this is the season released in the year when the Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl. Of course they were going to do an episode about that.
22. The Gang Gets Stranded in the Woods (Season 6 Episode 11)
Is sure to join Atlanta's Woods and The Sopranos' Pine Barrens in the hall-of-fame of stranded-in-the-woods TV episodes.
21. Charlie's Home Alone (Season 13 Episode 8)
Charlie is my favorite character in the series, and Home Alone was my favorite kids' movie growing up. So, this is a match made in heaven right here.
20. The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary (Season 17 Episode 1)
The very concept of this particular crossover had such comedic potential that it couldn't have gone wrong. Extra points for the extra-funny way of conveying just what makes this clash between worlds so funny in the title.
19. The Gang Goes to Hell (Season 11 Episode 9)
I'm sorry, they WHAT?! Sign me the f**k up.
18. The Gang Goes to Hell: Part Two (Season 11 Episode 10)
And of course there's a part two, and of course it's the end of the season. Chills.
17. Wolf Cola: A Public Relations Nightmare (Season 12 Episode 4)
Wolf Cola was such a hysterically funny obscure running joke already before this, so getting a full episode all about Frank's money-laundering scheme was a welcome treat.
16. A Very Sunny Christmas (Season 6 Episode 13)
I love it how they fused the adjective in the show's title into the "A very X Christmas" trope, not to mention the inherent irony in how a Christmas episode in this show is bound to be anything but sunny.
15. The Gang Carries a Corpse Up a Mountain (Season 15 Episode 8)
I'm sorry, they WHAT???!!! Yeah, this I gotta see.
14. The Gang Solves the North Korea Situation (Season 3 Episode 6)
A typical formula, but works extra well here, due to the combination of details like the promise to address North Korea, the hilarious idea of the IASIP gang "solving" it, and the wording of the geopolitical mess as a "situation". Five stars.
13. Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody's Ass (Season 2 Episode 9)
This is one of those titles where you don't know exactly what's going to happen or what it's gonna look like, but you just know it'll be funny as shit.
12. Mac & Charlie Die: Part 1 (Season 4 Episode 5)
I just can't with this one. THEY DIE?
11. Mac & Charlie Die: Part 2 (Season 4 Episode 6)
Out of all possible episode titles, this is perhaps the one where the inclusion of a "Part 2" is the funniest.
10. Dee Sinks in a Bog (Season 15 Episode 7)
I feel like this one shouldn't be this high, but I can't help it. The visual alone is funny, and for whatever reason, "bog" as a word is a million times funnier (in general, as well as in the IASIP context specifically) as "swamp" or another synonym.
9. Pop-Pop: The Final Solution (Season 8 Episode 1)
The Hitler reference is subtle enough to make this more clever than if it was just "Dennis and Dee's grandpa was a nazi" or something, but un-subtle enough to make you sure that it's gonna be a goddamn nazi episode.
8. The Gang's Still in Ireland (Season 15 Episode 6)
Out of all mathematically possible options, I can't think of a single funnier follow-up to The Gang Goes to Ireland than this one.
7. Frank Sets Sweet Dee on Fire (Season 3 Episode 8)
This promise of chaotic father-and-daughter fun is a true classic from the olden days.
6. 2020: A Year In Review (Season 15 Episode 1)
Otherwise this would be basic, BUT - do yourself a favor and remember just what a goddamn trainwreck of a year 2020 was. Now, think about It's Always Sunny and its way of satirizing current events. For the premiere of the season airing in 2021, was there anything greater that they could have promised than the mere addressing of the year from hell we had all experienced?
5. Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang (Season 16 Episode 2)
Absolute brilliance. No notes.
4. McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century (Season 11 Episode 7)
By this point in the show's run, three things were clear: 1) the McPoyle clan was a collection of amazing recurring characters who make for fantastic episodes, 2) the Ponderosa siblings were a collection of amazing recurring characters who make for fantastic episodes, and 3) courtroom episodes in IASIP are always a riot. So, this one can't really be anything but the Avengers: Infinity War for fictional Philadelphia dirtbags.
3. Charlie Kelly: King of the Rats (Season 6 Episode 10)
It's hard to analyze just why I love this title so much - I just feel like it reached something deep in the very essence of Charlie's character. Perfection.
2. The Gang Replaces Dee With a Monkey (Season 15 Episode 4)
Sometimes they just strike pure gold.
1. Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense (Season 8 Episode 10)
Many details come together to make this into just the perfect IASIP title. The Shakespearean dynamic of family members on opposing sides, the season finale being a courtroom episode in the vein of The World Series Defense, and something as mundane as cereal being implied to be the big plot device it all revolves around. Yeah, this is the shit right here.
Thank you for reading! Well, next week's post is a truly special one - my brother Ville is getting married next week, so my post will celebrate that as I rank the top 15 iconic TV weddings.
