Warning: the following article contains spoilers for season 16, episode 4 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s sixteenth season is in full swing, as the show’s writers pull out all the stops to expand its lore. While it’s riveting to discover and see the gang react to newly introduced relatives and apartment rooms, there is one key aspect that has always sparked fan curiosity, and luckily, we may have taken a huge step in unveiling it.
Dennis’ sexuality has long since been the subject of fan theories, which have only intensified in the years following Mac’s own coming out. Some dedicated viewers firmly believe that the youngest Reynolds twin is either bisexual or gay and that the series has been dropping hints that point to that exact conclusion for several seasons now. Fortunately for them, the latest episode of season 16 may have just provided the confirmation we all needed.
In “Frank vs. Russia,” the show makes a callback to one of its most iconic scenes, in which Dennis reveals the six-step system he uses to attract women. The twist, however, is that this time, the co-owner of Paddy’s Pub openly admitted to having a similar system to attract men: the S.I.N.N.E.D. system. When asked by Mac and Dee why he has it, Dennis promptly ignores this line of questioning by shushing them and moving on with his presentation.
Okay, so maybe this isn’t an explicit confirmation of Dennis’ sexuality, who has previously labeled himself as straight, but truth be told, it’s difficult to find a heterosexual explanation for everything that went on in this episode. From catfishing Mac and having a bit too much fun playing with an anal beads controller to claiming that “anybody can get a guy to bang them once,” Dennis sure seems to have a fair amount of experience luring in the same sex.
The fact that this is all happening during Pride Month is not lost on viewers, who predicted season 16 would be taking this route from the moment its premiere date was announced. Granted, we didn’t get the Ryan Reynolds cameo everyone has been hoping for (yet), but it’s impossible to have it all. There are still four episodes left of this season, so who knows what kind of wild things can happen before the finale.
Season 16 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is available for streaming on Hulu.