"Again, it’s left to be seen whether the show will ever turn the joke of Dee’s irrelevance to the rest of the Gang into Kaitlin Olson’s own tour de force episode."
Sir, how dare you so flagrantly ignore The Gang Broke Dee, which let Kaitlin hit a variety of beats and let us see how Dee would react to suddenly making her dreams happen (terrifying diva + vomit).
Just to preface: This is me timidly dipping back into comments sections, so if I disappear, it's because I have rediscovered the disproportionate harm such places do to my mental health.
That said, I guess I'd disagree about "The Gang Broke Dee." While it was a tour de force for Kaitlin Olson the actor, Dee remained the acted-upon and not the actor in the episode. The guys pranked her (pranked the living hell out of her) which is what sent Dee into the spiral-ascent-plummet cycle, but Dee herself never had any agency, and, Olson's outstanding performance aside, Sweet Dee just got batted around once again.
Dennis had an epiphany when he left. Charlie had an epiphany on that Irish mountain. Mac stole the show with his epiphanic dance performance for his father. Even Frank had his moment alongside Mac, although I maintain that the Frank POV episode was a more game-changing Frank outing.
The joke that Dee is always going to be the disregarded, the abused, and the offhandedly discarded is a potent one on its own. And providing Dee (and Olson) with a truly cathartic character arc like the ones the guys had would upend that element of the series. Yet, the guys' all settled back into their ruts after their epiphanies. Changed? Sort of. So a Sweet Dee episode that offered up similar agency and insight could work—if the guys in charge handle it right.
I shall now scurry back into my comments section mental health bunker.
Entirely reasonable, Dennis. Even when Dee seemed to be taking charge in that episode, everything had been scripted by the gang to lead to that crushing finale, and the episode's/gang's success was in turning her back into the old Dee character they preferred (within the same episode).
Perhaps the closest Dee will ever get to that true arc that changes her character/life was her brief fantasy in Gang Saves the Day.
In any case, I appreciate the thoughtful response and hope you peek out from that bunker regularly during this season. From what I've seen, things stay fairly calm in these episodic medium waters, and I'm optimistic we can keep this a safe mental space for debating the antics of sociopathic alcoholics.
Thanks for sticking with the show, Dennis! I've been reading your Sunny reviews on AV Club for years. I appreciate your familiar voice and thoughtful insights on the show.
I have to say I am thrilled by how much I enjoyed The Gang Inflates. That fact that these guys still have their fastball after all these years is a huge relief. I would hate to see the corpse of this once great show continue to shuffle on for years too long like The Office.
It's no crypto that I'm a sucker for a good visual gag, so I was cracking up at everything to do with the inflatable seats, Mac's fancy nuts, and every "Dee glued to something new" reveal.
Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang was pretty weak. I just wanted to add to the conversation that Charlie having twin sisters was set up originally in season 1 Charlie Got Molested, during the intervention scene. That's a hell of a long time to wait for a payoff on that, and not a particularly worthwhile way of doing it if you ask me. Maybe they will come back again this season.
I'm excited to see what else is in store. Particularly the bowling episode that has been so heavily promoted in the trailers.
Really excited to be re-reading these reviews! I just re-watched the whole run and re-read your AV Club reviews alongside, Dennis. I was wondering if anyone's been listening to the Always Sunny podcast?
They've been re-watching and commenting on old episodes too, and it's interesting to watch how it might be affecting the show itself. For instance, apparently Charlie's sisters were brought up in one of the very first episodes of the series, and they were reminded of it through the podcast re-watch, so I'm not surprised to see them pop up now. Same with the teeth-pulling stunt. Might mean that we see more obscure callbacks/Easter eggs moving forward.
Agreed that the first was a gem of an episode while the second one was weak. Honestly the biggest laugh in the latter might have been the cut to the title of the episode.
Would love to see a Dee-centered episode that's a breakout for Kaitlin Olson.
Just glad to have these idiots back on my TV screen.
"Again, it’s left to be seen whether the show will ever turn the joke of Dee’s irrelevance to the rest of the Gang into Kaitlin Olson’s own tour de force episode."
Sir, how dare you so flagrantly ignore The Gang Broke Dee, which let Kaitlin hit a variety of beats and let us see how Dee would react to suddenly making her dreams happen (terrifying diva + vomit).
Hi Chilk.
Just to preface: This is me timidly dipping back into comments sections, so if I disappear, it's because I have rediscovered the disproportionate harm such places do to my mental health.
That said, I guess I'd disagree about "The Gang Broke Dee." While it was a tour de force for Kaitlin Olson the actor, Dee remained the acted-upon and not the actor in the episode. The guys pranked her (pranked the living hell out of her) which is what sent Dee into the spiral-ascent-plummet cycle, but Dee herself never had any agency, and, Olson's outstanding performance aside, Sweet Dee just got batted around once again.
Dennis had an epiphany when he left. Charlie had an epiphany on that Irish mountain. Mac stole the show with his epiphanic dance performance for his father. Even Frank had his moment alongside Mac, although I maintain that the Frank POV episode was a more game-changing Frank outing.
The joke that Dee is always going to be the disregarded, the abused, and the offhandedly discarded is a potent one on its own. And providing Dee (and Olson) with a truly cathartic character arc like the ones the guys had would upend that element of the series. Yet, the guys' all settled back into their ruts after their epiphanies. Changed? Sort of. So a Sweet Dee episode that offered up similar agency and insight could work—if the guys in charge handle it right.
I shall now scurry back into my comments section mental health bunker.
Thanks for reading.
D
Entirely reasonable, Dennis. Even when Dee seemed to be taking charge in that episode, everything had been scripted by the gang to lead to that crushing finale, and the episode's/gang's success was in turning her back into the old Dee character they preferred (within the same episode).
Perhaps the closest Dee will ever get to that true arc that changes her character/life was her brief fantasy in Gang Saves the Day.
In any case, I appreciate the thoughtful response and hope you peek out from that bunker regularly during this season. From what I've seen, things stay fairly calm in these episodic medium waters, and I'm optimistic we can keep this a safe mental space for debating the antics of sociopathic alcoholics.
Came her to write this!
Thanks for sticking with the show, Dennis! I've been reading your Sunny reviews on AV Club for years. I appreciate your familiar voice and thoughtful insights on the show.
I have to say I am thrilled by how much I enjoyed The Gang Inflates. That fact that these guys still have their fastball after all these years is a huge relief. I would hate to see the corpse of this once great show continue to shuffle on for years too long like The Office.
It's no crypto that I'm a sucker for a good visual gag, so I was cracking up at everything to do with the inflatable seats, Mac's fancy nuts, and every "Dee glued to something new" reveal.
Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang was pretty weak. I just wanted to add to the conversation that Charlie having twin sisters was set up originally in season 1 Charlie Got Molested, during the intervention scene. That's a hell of a long time to wait for a payoff on that, and not a particularly worthwhile way of doing it if you ask me. Maybe they will come back again this season.
I'm excited to see what else is in store. Particularly the bowling episode that has been so heavily promoted in the trailers.
Really excited to be re-reading these reviews! I just re-watched the whole run and re-read your AV Club reviews alongside, Dennis. I was wondering if anyone's been listening to the Always Sunny podcast?
They've been re-watching and commenting on old episodes too, and it's interesting to watch how it might be affecting the show itself. For instance, apparently Charlie's sisters were brought up in one of the very first episodes of the series, and they were reminded of it through the podcast re-watch, so I'm not surprised to see them pop up now. Same with the teeth-pulling stunt. Might mean that we see more obscure callbacks/Easter eggs moving forward.
Agreed that the first was a gem of an episode while the second one was weak. Honestly the biggest laugh in the latter might have been the cut to the title of the episode.
Would love to see a Dee-centered episode that's a breakout for Kaitlin Olson.
Just glad to have these idiots back on my TV screen.