TV Review: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Anarchy rules on TV's most absurd comedy

You won't see the cast of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" at the Emmys this Sunday, but that's OK. Let those stuffy folks have their pretentious shows. We'll be laughing ourselves silly with this FX comedy.

The show began in 2005, after FX picked up the cheaply-shot pilot. It premiered after the high-concept "Starved," about compulsive eaters. While that show quickly fell by the wayside, audiences flocked to its polar opposite "Sunny," about four friends who run a bar in Philly. Many comparisons have been drawn to "Seinfeld," which also had the same dynamic (three guys, one girl) and almost no plot or story arc.

But this season takes its lack of plot to new heights. Early episodes dealt mainly with the struggles of the foursome running their small business. Now, each episode deals with one outrageous crisis after another.

In Season Four's premiere episode, "Mac and Dennis: Manhunters," the two buddies take the premise of "The Most Dangerous Game" to new heights as they set out to track down and assault a homeless man. Meanwhile, Frank (Danny DeVito) tries to prevent Dee and Charlie from gorging on his stockpile of meat by telling them he served them human flesh. The plan backfires, however, when the duo start craving the mysterious dish.

In the follow-up episode, "The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis," the boys devise increasingly ridiculous concepts to save on gasoline, but of them end up with them running from police or security. Over on the other side of town, Frank and Dee spy on the new husband of Bonnie (Frank's ex-wife and Dee's mother), but Frank grows suspicious of Dee and tortures her for information.

If this brand of outrageous, tasteless humor doesn't sound like your cup of tea, that's OK. "Sunny" is definitely not a show for everyone. But if you jump on board and expect to be appalled, mortified and hurting from laughter, "Sunny" is a show that will, in its own disturbing way, brighten your day.