The best episodes of It's Always Sunny In Philidelphia according to the deep-diving and ever-dissection fans of Reddit is a mix of some of the shows most well-known episodes alongside some hidden gems (that have spawned some infamous memes). With 16 seasons and counting, It's Always Sunny has a slew of awesome episodes that are beloved by its large following of fans. These all-timer episodes are often hilarious and unique in their storytelling, and one place where Sunny fans go to talk about the best the show has to offer is Reddit, which has a wide variety of opinions.
While critics may have their own ideas of the best episodes of the show, the best episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia come right from the fans — and those on Reddit who discuss the show day-in, day-out are among the most dedicated. From the popular episodes everyone seems to count among their favorites to some overlooked ones that get special mention, it is fun to see the various reasons these episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia stand out to fans more than the rest.
15 "Mac And Dennis Move To The Suburbs" (Season 11, Episode 5)
The Paddy's Pub gang barely function within the confine of their small inner circle so it is always fun to see them attempt to become a part of the larger society. "Mac and Dennis Move to the Suburbs" is one such episode and seeing Mac and Dennis fail so miserably at creating a more domestic life makes it easy to see why Redditors like CharlieDayofWallStrt love it so much. CharlieDayofWallStrt even goes so far as insisting that it is not just the best episode of the series but "quite possibly is one of the best comedic tv episodes of all time." Seeing the two gradually torn down by the new lifestyle, leading to some truly dark moments, makes for some big laughs.
14 "The Gang Gets Trapped" (Season 7, Episode 9)
More than just about any other comedy, It's Always Sunny is able to take simple premises and limited locations and find laughs just from these wild characters. "The Gang Gets Trapped" follows the low-life protagonists as they break into a house to retrieve and supposedly stolen vase only to get trapped inside. It is a favorite of Redditor blankdolli. It's Always Sunny has a number of rewatchable episodes and blankdolli admits that "My husband and I know every word from this episode." Indeed, throwing these characters into an intense situation allows them to quickly overreact and turn on each other which is always hilarious to watch no matter how often the fans have seen the episode.
13 "The Gang Dances Their Asses Off" (Season 3, Episode 15)
"The Gang Dances Their Asses Off" is one of the sillier concepts in the series which finds Charlie accidentally putting the bar up as a prize in a dance competition, but it makes one of the best It's Always Sunny episodes according to Reddit. The premise might sound like something out of a cheezy sitcom, but with this show's distinct sense of humor, it is a perfect episode according to Pastel_Mermaid_. The Redditor points out its many highlights, saying "Everything about that episode works, everybody gets their chances to shine, the lines are gold, it’s just always entertaining to me." Indeed, seeing the gang's enemies descend on the competition to win the bar and, of course, each member of the gang making their own play to become sole owner, is a high-stakes episode that has a lot of fun.
12 "Frank's Pretty Woman" (Season 7, Episode 1)
Danny DeVito joined It's Always Sunny in season 2 and changed the show for the better. From hat point on, any episode that focused on Frank Reynolds held a good chance of being something special. One Redditor points to the darkly comedic "Frank's Pretty Woman" as one such example. The episode is a take on the rom-com classic Pretty Woman as only It's Always Sunny could pull off. Along with the hilariously grim conclusion to Frank's story of marrying a sex worker, one of the stand-out scenes involves Charlie attempting to find romance only to puke fake blood all over his date. The fan admits they "watched it countless times but still cry laughing."
11 "Mac Bangs Dennis' Mom" (Season 2, Episode 4)
The It's Always Sunny gang are awful people and are unafraid to do bad things to one another. One of the worst things they do to one another is when Mac sleeps with Dennis' mom, which leads to one of the best episodes of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia according to Redditor pyrexw4rrior. The Redditor is such a fan of the episode — like many — that they were "on my 7th rewatch of the series, and watching this episode again has me crying." It is widely regarded as one of the show's best and pops up time and time again on the best It's Always Sunny episodes ranked lists and is, at the very least, the best of the show's first two seasons.
10 "Hero Or Hate Crime" (Season 12, Episode 6)
Some of the best It's Always Sunny episodes take place in mostly one singular location with the gang in a huge argument and launching various insults at one another. "Hero or Hate Crime" is a great example of that and is a fan-favorite episode loved by certain Redditors. They make the bold claim that they "don't think there is a funnier episode." Between the conversation surrounding Mac's sexuality, the core debate in the episode's title, the lawyers and waste of resources, the bike, and the various outbursts from the gang, it is undoubtedly one of the funniest and most well-written episodes in the show's fifteen-season run.
9 "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar In Philadelphia" (Season 4, Episode 8)
Given the hostile environment and poor service, it should come as no surprise that Paddy's Pub in It's Always Sunny gets dubbed the worst bar in Philly. However, when the bar does get a terrible review from a local critic, it sets off one of the funniest episodes, according to one Redditor. The Redditor claims that "it’s an underrated episode" and one that doesn't often appear in the best-of lists for the series. However, it is one of the best episodes that show these characters are clear-cut villains as their inability to handle even a little criticism spirals into a hostage situation. The Redditor also points out that a clear sign of the episode's effectiveness, the fact that Danny DeVito doesn't appear doesn't hurt it at all.
8 "Reynolds Vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense" (Season 8, Episode 10)
Unquestionably one of the most iconic It's Always Sunny episodes is the "Reynolds Vs. Reynolds" episode, which is deemed the peak of the show by the likes of Redditor CaptnCrunch, as well as others. They call it their favorite episodes and follow that up with "Anyone who doesn't agree is A SAVAGE AND A IDIOT!" referencing one of the episode's many hilarious moments, of course. From the lunacy of the trial to the act of Dennis eating cereal in the car to the whole science is wrong sometimes debate, the episode has so much for audiences to love and will leave most fans with a sore abdomen, especially the first time around.
7 "The Gang Go To A Water Park" (Season 12, Episode 2)
The gang being out in civilized society always makes for chaos, and one of the best times this occurs is in "The Gang Go To A Water Park," which many believe to be one of the funniest and best-made episodes, including Redditor samiam9817. They say that it "is the absolute funniest episode to date [January 2022]," and it is hard to argue with that. In following Charlie and Frank's AIDs scam, Mac and Dee stuck in a slide, or Dennis' mischief with a random child, the episode does not fail to provide laughs with all of its storylines. Scenes like Mac underwater at the end or Frank tearing his back to shreds on an unwatered slide will not be forgotten by fans.
6 "The Gang Solves The Gas Crisis" (Season 4, Episode 2)
One of the funniest schemes the gang attempts in the show comes in "The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis," an episode that just gets funnier as the idiocy increases. Many see it as the pinnacle of the show's hilarity and one of the most crucial episodes, such as appledippers. In a thread talking about the importance of another episode, they simply state that "The gang solves the gas crisis is easily the most important episode of the series." Many other Redditors rank it as their best, funniest, or in their top 5/10 episodes in the show's run, giving it such consistency of adoration.
5 "Mac & Charlie Die" (Season 4, Episode 5)
There are many great relationships within the gang, and perhaps the best episode - or pair of episodes - that put a lot of focus on a single duo is "Mac And Charlie Die," which is given so much praise on Reddit by people like dumpsterhumpin. Talking about their favorite aspects of the episodes, they say, "I mean, it has everything," a sentiment shared with many others who believe it to be one of the best things the show has done. Most episodes involving Mac's parents hating him or the characters being so brutally dumb are hilarious, and this may be the best of both.
4 "Chardee MacDennis: The Game Of Games" (Season 7, Episode 7)
One of the most rewatchable episodes of It's Always Sunny is undoubtedly "Chardee MacDennis," an episode full of classic moments and one that pretty much sums up the gang as a group. Many, many fans believe it to be the best episode, not least of all Oman2324. They rank it as their number one episode, saying that "This episode just encapsulates the spirit of Always Sunny" and that it is a classic. A tonne of fans agrees with this. The game itself is, overall, a pointless exercise that cures boredom, but makes for such a brilliantly crafted, laugh-out-loud episode in which every character gets their time to shine.
3 "Charlie Work" (Season 10, Episode 4)
"Charlie Work" is an imaginative episode and a wholly unique experience for Sunny fans, following Charlie in long, long takes as he tries to pass a health inspection while the others cause chaos. I_am_not_here_got_it, like others, think it is the show's best offering. They state pretty plainly just as much, saying, "it's far by the best episode in all seasons." Along with the impressive filmmaking style which makes it all appear as one continuous and intense take, it is a cleverly written episode that comes together in such a satisfying way. It is so meticulously and expertly crafted and performed, and maybe Charlie's most iconic episode of the show.
2 "The D.E.N.N.I.S System" (Season 5, Episode 10)
When Dennis showcases his more unhinged side it makes for It's Always Sunny gold, and perhaps the episode that captures that best is "The D.E.N.N.I.S System," in which he reveals his process of seducing women. Redditor Deejo has a lot to say about its brilliance. They title a long thread detailing the quality of the episode "Why The D.E.N.N.I.S System is the greatest episode of It's Always Sunny Ever." They talk about the iconic lines to come out of it, the brilliance of Dennis, and how the other characters get to shine too, such as Mac and Frank in their post-conquest conquest. People would be hard-pressed to find a Sunny fan who does highly rate this episode.
1 "The Nightman Cometh" (Season 4, Episode 13)
There are a few iconic pieces of pop culture to come out of It's Always Sunny, but the battle between Dayman and Nightman may just be the peak of such, and the peak episode, according to hero0fwar, backed by a load of others. In a March Madness-style bracket, this episode came first, with the Redditor noting "Best Episode of All Time: The Nightman Cometh." It is hard to argue with a bracket-style tournament that ranked every episode according to a bunch of Redditors, and even those who do not think it is number one cannot be mad at its spot there. Not surprisingly, many fans are still calling for a "Nightman Cometh" sequel on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.