“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has returned for its fifth season. Oh, Paddy’s Irish Pub, how I’ve missed you. Let me count the ways.One: There’s Dennis Reynolds, a man’s man, lady’s man and narcissist extraordinaire. Whether he’s reprising the role of lead singer for Electric Dream Machine, running for city comptroller, taking an 18-year-old to the prom or just listening to some “early-eighties, glam-rock femme,” we know the words “no”, “don’t” and “stop” will not be in his vocabulary.
Two: There’s Mac, better known for his nickname because of his “cat-like” reflexes. Will he bring back the famed “duster” that we all love so much, continue to secretly “put in his time” with Carmen, the pre-op transsexual, or just further seek the approval of his incarcerated father? Hopefully we will find out this season.
Three: There’s Deandra “Sweet Dee” Reynolds, an amateur comedian, actress, pugilist, fashion designer and “Aluminum Monster.” We can only wonder if she will decide to try out again for the Philadelphia Eagles. Considering her body is “90 percent scoliosis,” it’s unlikely, but we can hope.
Four: There’s Frank Reynolds: leader, teacher, gambler, entrepreneur and possible Vietnam hero. Frank is known for running a sweatshop, managing a no-rules utopian bar and pimping out his son. Whether you think it’s fair or not, he’ll bet you on it. Yes, he will bet you on whether you think it’s fair or not.
Five: There’s Charlie Kelly, a self-taught lawyer, underground street fighter, mailroom clerk, Serpico impersonator, patriot, scrubber of toilets and “Green Man.” Ah, it’s been too long. Mr. Kelly, you have given joy to many. We know that after writing the play “The Nightman Cometh,” your courting of the fair coffee shop waitress is far from over.
Since it premiered, “Sunny” has been known for its social awareness and activism. The gang is always willing to do whatever it takes to make a difference. From providing a haven for high school kids to drink, going to abortion rallies to pick up women, giving extreme home-makeovers and teaching inner-city youths the finer points of basketball, such as where to hide the safety pin you intend to stick the other players with, the staff of Paddy’s Irish Pub has had the community’s best interests in mind.
Last Thursday’s season premiere, “The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis,” showed the old “can do” spirit of America when Frank bought a still-inhabited home at foreclosure hoping he could flip it and clear a profit. This gave Mac and Dennis the idea to join the real estate market.
They took on the personas of the sweet and overly affectionate “Hue Honey” and the bitter, almost violent “Vic Vinegar” and opened “Honey and Vinegar Realty” in an attempt to bully people into buying houses. Sweet Dee decided that she would be a surrogate mother for a couple, offering discounts for the more children they have. Charlie challenged the lawyer of the family still living in Frank’s house to a duel after having his legal expertise and vocabulary questioned. In the middle of all this, the gang found time to take a relaxing swim in someone else’s pool.
After each episode, I like to ponder on its moral lesson. A little “Philly and Philosophy,” as I like to call it. This episode, like so many others, gave me many gems of wisdom. Life lesson one: If your parents aren’t home, they’re not at work. They’re probably at the dog track getting wasted, which is why they’ve lost their house. Lesson two: Motivation. If you want to sell a house, just keep yelling at the perspective buyers until they surrender. Lesson three: This might be the most important; never challenge a lawyer to a duel. They keep loaded guns in their desk and are quick to accept.
Make sure to tune to FX on Thursdays at 9 p.m. central for more wisdom from “Philly.
