"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" review

After 12 seasons of pure comedic gold, season 13 of the FX series “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” has been somewhat underwhelming. “The Gang” --Dennis, Charlie, Mac, Frank and Dee-- have yet to show us that they can keep the momentum that they built up in the first 12 seasons going.  With audiences unsure if Dennis (Glenn Howerton) would even return to the show due to the filming of his new TV series AP Bio, the new season started off slow with guest star Mindy Kaling trying to manipulate people to come to the bar. Dennis’ absence posed the question for the viewers: could the show continue its consistent greatness without one of its main characters? Despite Dennis’s return at the end of episode one, it was too late to recover from the fall. The first episodes, despite the absence of the main characters, give a wonderful message: you can't have a truly great episode of “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” without all five members of The Gang firing on all cylinders. What makes this series so successful is the fact that not one character can be funny without the other. It is the balance of The Gang and each character's unique personalities that make this show one of the most enjoyable comedies on television.   The third episode of the season really highlights this: Dennis, Mac and Charlie are all absent, leaving Frank (Danny Devito) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) to pick up the slack. Episode three attempts to retread an old Sunny Concept, with the absence of more than half the main characters. It seemed as if the producers were trying too hard to make this edition as good as the first one, and it fell apart quickly as nostalgia from the old episode was replaced with a bitter taste for the new one.  Season 13 of “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” has gotten off to a rocky start, and as a major fan of the show I have been unimpressed by the first four episodes after such high anticipation for the new season. In years past I have spent all season laughing, but this season is not the case. I really hope that The Gang can pick up the slack they have created for the rest of season 13. If they can’t, then the already-renewed 14th season might be worth skipping.