During this, Mac, Charlie, and Dennis have decided that they’re sick of trash, and now they want to go back to the gas plan, since that was a much better one. They admit that although they love making the money, that isn’t the way they wanted to do it, referencing all the way back to the pilot:Â The Gang Gets Racist.
They decide to just dump the trash in some poor neighborhood, since poor people don’t mind living in their own trash. As they’re driving the trash to the slum of their choice, Frank is trying to incite further complaints out of the trash collectors, since the strike is about to end.
When Frank begins to stall, Dee gets on stage as Martina Martinez, a character she used in America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest. This was probably the reference that I was least excited to see, as all of Dee’s characters are just more annoying than funny, but it was actually far better in this episode than it was in the original. The way she did such a shoddy makeup job, yet still was able to rile up the workers was quite funny.
When she begins to lose her audience, she spots three men dumping their trash out of their limo. She sends the trash collectors after the limo owners, which of course is our oblivious trio, who are then trapped inside as the angry mob pounds on the outside.
The writers then take one last stab at the concept of shows being out of ideas by season 8, as the Gang heads back to the bar, and sits for about thirty seconds sipping on beer without saying a word. Finally the silence is broken as making rugs for the bar is proposed. As the Gang begins to get carried away with this idea, Charlie dons his best serious Dee manner, and scolds the others for jumping from plan to plan with no dedication.
The Gang then decides to go collect trash again, this time in a van, with the Ghostbusters theme scoring their drive. Of course, as happened in season 4, wildcard Charlie cut the brakes and jumps out the back of the van, but this time Mac actually did learn from the earlier mistakes, and got the brakes fixed before starting their drive.
Tonight paid homage to some of the best moments from the past of Sunny, while also mocking the writing system of sitcoms, and it worked wonderfully for the episode. With the fast start to this season, fans can only hope that Day, Howerton, and McElhenney continue to do all the writing themselves.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia‘s version of a flashback episode was the best of its kind that I’ve seen. A truly brilliant bit of writing and comedy, this episode should live on as one of the best in show history, and it certainly has a place in my top 5.
Other Random Notes
- “Why do you have a knife?” “To make sure the plan works.”
- Danny DeVito’s awkward topless dancing may have been the most hilarious part of the episode.
- Frank trying to get the trash men riled up was great. “Issues? Certain? Trying to confuse us with his fancy language and expensive podiums.”
- I’d buy an It’s Always Sunny barbershop trio Christmas album.
- How were there no Big Bird jokes with Dee in the yellow suit?
- Mac trying to kiss Dennis was so subtle I nearly missed it, but so awesome all the same.
