TV Review: It’s Always Sunny 4.9 – Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life
Posted by Josh Radde (josh@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 24, 2008
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Airs Thursdays at 10/9c on FX
Episode: “Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life” (Season 4, Episode 9)
Synopsis: In order to make sure Dennis’ new memoir doesn’t succumb to the same fate as the author of “Million Little Pieces,” Mac and Frank decide to re-enact some of the outlandish things in Dennis’ book, including being a sex guru to Jon Bon Jovi and having phantom Jesus scars on his hands and ankles. Meanwhile, Charlie and Dee see what its like to walk a mile in the others’ shoes.
Review: This was certainly one of the more stranger episodes in Sunny lore. As always, it’s fun and disturbing to see the type of squalor that Charlie and Frank live in, and when Dee has to spend the night we see a whole other side of the apartment building, that includes the two little twin girls from The Shining. One of the best moments of the episode, as with most episodes, happens when Dee and Charlie have to interact. Mac and Dennis are the guys that usually team up, Frank kind of wanders in and out of his own little world, and Dee and Charlie are always the comic opposites of each other. The dynamic this show has set up (and nine episodes in it looks like it’s the one they may stick with for awhile) is fascinating. You’ve got to give credit to Charlie Day and Kaitlin Olson who can turn little conversations into the most important thing ever. The same can be said for any person in the cast (or for anyone in a really well-written comedy, like 30 Rock and South Park). But Olson and Day know that if you play the stakes high, the comedy is much more real.
This episode promises Jon Bon Jovi, and sadly, it doesn’t deliver. In his place we have prominent ’90s comedian Sinbad and his sidekick in the rehab center where Dennis gets knocked out in front of, Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas. Both are odd choices for cameos and yet, they’re both perfect. Thomas looks especially crazy and even though he has only 2-3 lines in the episode, he’s fun to watch, particularly for those of us who owned several copies of “Yourself or Someone Like You” growing up. You just don’t expect the guy that wrote “3 AM” to have that much of a sense of humor.
By the way, just for fun I looked up the “Plot Keywords” for It’s Always Sunny on IMDb and this is what it gave me:
- Arrogance
- Family Relationships
- Irish American
- Brother Sister Relationship
- Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Place Name In Title
- Bar
- Vanity
- Topical Issues
- Childhood Friend
- Politically Incorrect
- Working Class
- Friendship Between Men
- Slacker
- Claim In Title
- Drunkenness
- Father Child Relationship
- Actor Shares First Name With Character
Yeah, sounds about right.
For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the Control Freaks Archive.
Did you catch this week’s episode of It’s Always Sunny? If so, feel free to discuss below.
Read more articles by Josh Radde
