It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the darker, more offensive, and more political version of Seinfeld. Instead of Jerry's house, the show takes place at the bar. Otherwise both shows are full of hilarious selfish bad people. Always Sunny ventures outside the basic sitcom format and is constantly pushing the limits. Later seasons are more hit and miss, but it's still my favorite TV show all time. I look forward to and watch every episode.

Why the List?

My friend Mo was a big part of me getting into It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. After recently recording for the pilot "The Gang Gets Racist," I was shocked to hear that Mo, and Drew, have lost touch with Always Sunny since returning from the Peace Corps.

This list is for Mo, Drew, and any one new or returning to Always Sunny.

Newbies, below is a nice starting point to guide you into Always Sunny. There is no right or wrong way to watch Always Sunny (really the order doesn't matter) as long as you're watching. Starting at season one is fine, and the pilot is strong, but like many shows, the writing and characters evolve and developed a lot over the seasons. Also Frank, Danny DeVito's character, joins the gang in season 2.

My suggested gateway episodes.

1. "The Gang Goes Jihad" s02e02- this is the first season with Frank. You really could just start with season 2.
2. "Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare" s02e03- like many of the episodes the title explains it all.
3. "Sweet Dee's Dating a Retarded Person" s03e09- this is a prequel for "The Nightman Cometh." See where the musical, dayman, and nightman were born.
4. "The Nightman Cometh" s04e13- this was my intro to the show. We watched it over and over one weekend, and I fell in love with these scumbag characters. Charlie writes and directs a musical.
5. "Mac and Charlie Write a Movie" s05e11- this could very much be titled "Mac Gets Racists again." The Gang makes a Lethal Weapon movie which is actually pretty good.

Welcome back Mo! 

This is the best of what Mo and Drew missed the last few years. These are the episodes that keep me full of that special feeling I got watching Always Sunny in the Peace Corps.

• Stack these two bad boys together, both episodes are The Gang playing Chardee MacDennis: "Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games" s07e07 and "Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo" s11e01.
• "Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense" s08e10- classic gang nonsense and dynamics!
• "Flowers for Charlie" s09e08- very cool parody of Flowers for Algernon, and this episode was written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones.
• "The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6" s09e09- this is a sequel to the above mentioned "Mac and Charlie Write a Movie" s05e11.
• "Dee Made a Smut Film" s11e04- this episode is such an awesome critique of art. Dennis' conclusion on art is the best.
• "The Gang Turns Black" s12e01- a parody of Quantum Leap turned racist musical, it's The Gang at their best once again.
• "The Gang Goes to a Water Park" s12e02- horrible people doing horrible things at a water park with a fun Usual Suspects reference.
• "Hero or Hate Crime?" s12e06- Mac officially comes out of the closet!
• "A Cricket's Tale" s12e09- this is a Cricket solo story (just for Drew). It actually takes place within the other episodes of the season every time Cricket meets up with The Gang.
• "The Gang Escapes" s13e02- The Gang does an escape room challenge.

Suggestions are welcomed!