Some television series are canceled before their time while others overstay their welcome and almost grow into parodies of themselves, but against all odds, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has survived for over 14 seasons of irreverent comedy. There’s no end in sight when it comes to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and it’s incredible how the inappropriate, unrepentant comedy has become one of the most consistent and celebrated sitcoms of the decade.
Part of the reason that It’s Always Sunny has been able to survive for so long is because of the endless chemistry and understanding between the series’ characters. There are certainly many inflated egos present in It’s Always Sunny, which has resulted in some very skewed perceptions of the cast of characters’ intelligence.
10 Charlie Kelly Is Borderline Illiterate And It’s A Wonder That He’s Still Alive
Right from the start of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Charlie has always been positioned in the dominant position of power as he’s left to negotiate the bar’s unglamorous “Charlie work.” Charlie frequently exhibits a tenuous grasp on reality to the point where it’s truly surprising that he hasn’t met his end. Charlie’s crippling intelligence is so severe that it’s the even subject of an episode where he undergoes a procedure to boost his intelligence. Granted, Charlie does hold an idiot savant quality where he fails upwards, but it’s important to understand that he is, in fact, still an idiot.
9 Rickety Cricket Hits Further Levels Of Rock Bottom And Is Now Barely Human
It’s heartbreaking that Matthew “Rickety Cricket” Mara begins as a genuine voice of reason in It’s Always Sunny, only for the character to lose his priesthood, become homeless, and experience a wealth of wounds and addictions. One of the character’s most recent appearances has him in love with a dog, unaware that this alleged soulmate is not of the human persuasion. There’s still hope that Rickety Cricket can somehow pull himself out of this darkness and return to normalcy, but he seems genuinely more comfortable with this scrappy lifestyle, which should say enough about his intelligence.
8 Liam McPoyle Is The Ringleader Of A Truly Twisted Family
The Always Sunny gang have met their fair share of lunatics throughout their many years tending bar and welcoming in danger, but the McPoyle clan represent some of Philly’s most unstable. The whole McPoyle family is frightening and operates with an insular mentality that’s more representative of cult victims than a healthy family.
The McPoyles exhibit bizarre obsessions with things like milk and disregard conventional grooming and health habits. Liam McPoyle is often the instigator at the center of this chaos and his unpredictable mind leaves him as someone that shouldn’t be crossed.
7 Mac’s Inability To Accept Himself Pushes Him Down Foolish Paths
Ronald "Mac" McDonald is a surprisingly deep character in It’s Always Sunny, even if he himself doesn’t realize it. So many of the characters are such surface level examples of id, but Mac gains complexity through his heavy religious beliefs and closeted nature through the bulk of the series. Mac is so repressed in certain ways that he’s able to turn into an utter buffoon in the process. He’s often the more logical one when in contrast to Charlie, but his rigid beliefs or his unhealthy obsession with Dennis highlight just how foolish he really is.
6 The Waitress Loses Her Confidence And Becomes A Shell Of Herself
It’s understandable for any series that goes on for over a decade to slowly push its characters to an exaggerated place. It’s Always Sunny is actually quite careful in this regard, but one individual who has seriously regressed is Charlie’s unreciprocated paramour, The Waitress. The Waitress isn’t a genius, but still has a basic level of education and is only guilty of being overly romantic. Over the course of the series she truly plummets and becomes more pathetic than Charlie. She loses all of her prospects and leans into her broken lifestyle rather than try to salvage what’s left.
5 Gail The Snail Leads A Gross, Albeit Functional, Life
Gail the Snail is Dennis and Dee's awkward cousin and she certainly embodies the frantic energy of a Reynolds. Gail's appearances are brief and even though she has serious issues, she still exhibits enough common sense to have a stable life living with her mother and not unnecessarily immerse herself in Dee and Dennis' lives.
Gail is likely in the state that she is because Dennis and Dee mercilessly picked on her during their childhood. However, Gail's tendency to slurp her saliva rather than conventionally swallow it, indicates some real cognitive issues.
4 Dee Reynolds Is So Lost In Delusion That She Can’t Rise Above Her Surroundings
Sweet Dee is arguably the most stable and normal member of the group when It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia begins, but the weight of life progressively weighs down on Dee Reynolds until she’s effectively the universe’s punching bag. Dee is exceedingly deluded and the fact that she so thoroughly views herself above the rest of the Paddy’s gang allows her to enter an even more pathetic level of foolishness. Dee often chastises the gang’s most ludicrous plans, but she engages in just as misguided schemes. She’s hit some serious lows over the years.
3 Artemis Dubois Exhibits Shrewd Business Sense And Can Get The Job Done
It takes a weird type of individual to be able to become one of the gang’s best friends in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, yet Artemis Dubois is a frequent presence, usually alongside Dee. Artemis isn’t exactly glamorous and she can often come on quite strong, but she deserves credit for not being afraid to go after what she wants and to be herself. She may consider herself to be fancier than she actually is, but she’s been able to parlay this confidence to get results. She’s often able to avoid the worst situations that the gang find themselves in.
2 Dennis Has Peaked And Is A Golden God Who Has Turned To Bronze
Dennis Reynolds is another individual who exhibits bizarre tendencies at the start of the series, but isn’t someone who necessarily comes across as an idiot. That being said, It’s Always Sunny establishes just how fragile Dennis’ ego and way of life are and that he’s more likely to fly off the rails from anyone else. Dennis pretends that he’s a mastermind puppet master, but his schemes often get the better of him and only cause greater problems. Dennis has become even more humbled over time and his failure to recognize his faults continually leads to disasters.
1 Frank Reynolds Has Built A Wealthy Life For Himself Despite His Lunacy
Frank Reynolds spent the formative years of his life amassing a fortune and he’s the reason that the Reynolds family is so insulated. He’s the one who always bankrolls the gang’s schemes and this level of success demonstrates at least some level of intelligence. Granted, It’s Always Sunny frequently positions Frank at Charlie’s level as an oddity who struggles to make sense of the world. It’s also greatly implied that Frank has “donkey brains,” which would be a reflection of his intelligence, yet also a detail that should make his accomplishments stand out even more.