It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a long-running sitcom that features the life and times of five lifelong friends as they run their bar, Paddy’s Pub, in Philly. But unlike a hilarious and wholesome show like Cheers, this series features people who consistently make selfish and dangerous decisions to make money or prove a point to one another. However, in doing so, their toxic friendship often ends with others paying the price for their actions and dozens of crimes being committed. To make sense of the story, one theory on Reddit believes that the answer lies in each episode’s opening title cards.
Before each episode of It’s Always Sunny, a black title card shows up with the location, time and day the episode takes place. The font of the title cards also appears with lettering similar to a typewriter, which is different from the series’ main font. According to the theory, each episode represents a character testifying against another or being interrogated by the police. While surprising at first, the theory gains more credibility the more the crimes of each member of the gang are brought into question.
Before the events of It’s Always Sunny, it’s been documented that the gang has taken part in underage drinking, as explained in the episode “Underage Drinking: A National Concern.” However, as the series has progressed, the gang’s list of misdemeanors and felonies has ranged from foolish to outright deadly. One constant throughout the show is that Frank carries an illegal firearm and expired license at all times. However, in the episode “Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad,” Frank was on his way to shoot Bruce Mathis before passing out, equating to conspiracy to commit a murder. Frank also inadvertently set his apartment ablaze in “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs” after burning his rent money in front of the landlord. But rather than warn the others of the fire building up, the gang seals them inside and leaves the apartment, leaving their friend Cricket’s face severely burned.
While that’s only a glimpse of the crimes Frank has taken part in, the rest of the gang is just as guilty for their own criminal acts. A perfect example of this is Dennis Reynolds, who, unlike the other members of the gang, shows on multiple occasions that he may be more dangerous than he lets on. Throughout It’s Always Sunny, Dennis has shown signs that he may be very dangerous. In “Psycho Pete Returns,” Dennis had an outburst at Dee where he threatened to use her skin and make luggage for his collection or cut her up into pieces. In the end, he was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Dennis and Mac have also kidnapped and tortured a frat house, tying them up and throwing knives at them in “Dennis and Dee’s Mom is Dead.”
With Frank’s comfortability with breaking the law and Dennis’ signs of a darker personality, characters like Dee, Mac and Charlie are easily manipulated into committing various criminal acts. One example is in the episode, “Paddy’s has a Jumper,” where the gang tries to get Cricket to push someone off the roof. With 14 seasons and counting, the theory that the gang is finally answering for their hundreds of crimes seems even more plausible.
Most theories often create a divide in the fanbase, with some who agree and others who uncover holes in their logic. But in the case of the gang finally being apprehended, some fans have even commented, “If this isn’t how the show ends, I’ll be disappointed.” In the series’ many seasons, the only thing that the fans love more than the gang’s antics is seeing how they fail and end up right back where they started. So, in the end, while nothing is confirmed, the title cards may be the key to It’s Always Sunny’s ending and the fate of the gang.