JOSÉ ROMERO
editor-in-chief
collegian.editor@tccd.edu

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has been on the air since 2005, making it the longest-running live-action sitcom in U.S. TV history. Having such a long, rich history means there are a plethora of stories to tell about the production of the show, and “The Always Sunny Podcast” delivers on telling them. 

The podcast features three of the main five actors of the show: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney. It’s, unfortunately, missing Danny DeVito and Kaitlin Olson, but it is fairly new so hopefully, they’ll guest star soon. 

Each podcast episode has the gang going through the show, beginning with season one, episode one. At least that was the intention. 

In the first episode of the podcast, they shared the struggles of getting the show up and running with almost no money. Because of how long they’ve been around, these stories about the show’s production have been told countless times, so, what ends up happening instead, is the magic of the podcast. 

For the first few minutes, they’ll discuss an episode a bit and give some behind-the-scenes tidbits. It’s pretty interesting to hear about what went on during a fan-favorite scene, but once they go on a tangent, that’s where it gets good. 

Day, Howerton and McElhenney are actors, so they know how to pretend to be friends, but from hearing them banter and share each other’s stories, the listener can tell this group of three care for one another. They throw jabs, playfully insult one another’s work outside of Sunny and have long, heated debates about parking. It’s such a fun experience. Hearing how they differ, and don’t, from their on-screen personalities adds to it. 

On a side note, it’s a little creepy how much alike Howerton and his character Dennis Reynolds are. 

Arguments are the lifeblood of Sunny. It has made for some of the most iconic moments of the show. Some real-world arguments and situations have even gone to inspire episodes of it. Go watch “Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense” in season 8 to get a sample of it. In the podcast, arguments are just as prevalent. They’ll go on and on about a minuscule thing, but it never feels awkward like some arguments do. Instead, it feels like a group of friends talking over a beer, or in this case, coffee. 

This is a talented group of individuals that have managed to maintain a surprisingly consistent show. This podcast is a fantastic supplemental resource and gives fans a deeper look into what it means to make a show like Sunny. Listening to some of the things they had to do in the earlier seasons gives a deeper appreciation of the tribulations endured to make the show possible.
The podcast may lack structure and the other main cast members, but that doesn’t make it less enjoyable. If anything, it makes it stronger. It’s a great way to spend 30 to 40 minutes every Monday. Having Day’s voice blast out of headphones while taking a walk is paradise. Fingers crossed for an eventual DeVito cameo.