17. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Members: of all the sitcom friend groups featured on this list, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Paddy’s Pub gang just might be the wildest bunch (though The Golden Girls and their cheesecake sure give them a run for their money). For 13 seasons and counting, the gang has included Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito).
Memorable moments: When it comes to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the memorable moments are usually right there in the title of the episode. They bought a boat, went to a water park, visited the Jersey Shore, solved a number of problems, and created as many problems as they’ve “solved.” And of course, there are the moments that fans have never forgotten, like “The Nightman Cometh,” the gang’s homemade twisted board game, and 140+ episodes of uniquely hilarious antics that have driven the series for over a decade.
Running gags: It’s without question that when a series runs as long as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, there will be a number of gags and jokes that return to the narrative in callbacks. They become part of the brand of the show and the vocabulary for fans. Some of It’s Always Sunny’s best recurring elements include The Lawyer, the waitress’ name, Charlie’s bird law (and his illiteracy), Dee’s gagging (and the joke that she’s a bird), Dennis being a psychopath, Mac’s knowledge of karate, and so many other gags that make fans love the gang.
Key episodes: “The Gang Gets Racist,” “Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare,” “The Gang Gets Whacked,” “The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis,” “Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack,” “The Nightman Cometh,” “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System,” “The Gang Buys a Boat,” “Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games,” “The Gang Dines Out,” “Mac Day,” “Charlie Work,” “Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs,” “Hero or Hate Crime?,” “The Gang Makes Paddy’s Great Again.”