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Posted in: FX, Hulu, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: always sunny, iasip, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, matt shakman, preview
Always Sunny: What Matt Shakman Learned From Directing The Gang
Having directed 43 episodes of FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia from Seasons 3-12, Matt Shakman shared what he learned from The Gang.
Article Summary
- Matt Shakman directed 43 episodes of It's Always Sunny across ten seasons.
- Shakman credits The Gang for teaching him the value of playful creativity.
- This experience was pivotal in his transition to directing high-profile projects.
- We're also taking a look back at our favorite Shakman-directed "Always Sunny" episodes.
Before Fantastic Four. Before WandaVision. Before Game of Thrones. It was The Gang from FXX's Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson & Danny DeVito– starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Over the course of ten of the record-setting sitcom's 16 seasons-and-counting (Seasons 3-12), Matt Shakman would direct an eyebrow-arching 43 episodes. "It feels like my entire adult life has been working on 'It's Always Sunny,'" Shakman revealed during an interview with Inverse. Previously, Shakman shared how Season 12: "The Gang Goes to a Water Park" led to an on-set conversation with GoT co-showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (starring as "Lifeguard #1" and "Lifeguard #2") that led to Shakman directing the popular HBO series. But for this go-around, Shakman is talking "bigger picture" as he shares an important lesson that he learned from his time working with McElhenney, Day, and Howerton.
"I learned a lot about 'play' with them," Shakman revealed. "Being playful is the most important part of making anything, whether it's a comedy or an epic sci-fi adventure. There's always improvisation happening in how a scene gets staged or how a moment comes to life, especially when you're trying to imagine a giant creature that isn't there. I learned a lot about that working on 'Game of Thrones' – seeing how a brilliant actor like Peter Dinklage can make a tennis ball into the most ferocious dragon using just his imagination." In honor of Shakman's skill as a director and the waves of praise he's receiving for his MCU series, we're offering a quick, down-n-dirty list of our favorite ten Always Sunny episodes helmed by Shakman. Please note that Season 4 episode "The Nightman Cometh" isn't on this list because it has a permanent place at the top spot in BCTV's Always Sunny Hall of Fame- so think of it as having had its number retired. As for the rest? Here's our prime ten:
"The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell" S04E11: By the time you're done watching, I dare you not to try speaking as if you have wooden teeth, too.
"The Gang Gets Stuck in the Woods" S06E11: Dennis' "Chet Utley" knife twist to Mac might be one of the cruelest things he's ever done, and we don't want to know what Tom Sizemore did to get into character.
"Dee Gives Birth" S06E12: Along with being a trip down Dee's sexual memory lane (wow), we also have a rare instance of the boys going beta to Dee's alpha at the end of the episodes- little boys looking for "momma's" approval.
"Frank's Pretty Woman" S07E01: Consider this a PSA in why you shouldn't swallow one, let alone dozens of fake blood capsules, as The Gang proves that it won't hesitate to abandon a dead body if it needs to. True friendship is defined as those willing to help you bury a body, so dumping in an apartment building hallway must count.
"The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore" S07E02: Rum ham, bum sex, crystal meth, armed robbery, psychedelic drug use, and the best night of Charlie's life make for a sweet cocktail of comedy.
"Sweet Dee Gets Audited" S07E04: Oh, you think staging the funeral for a fake dead baby is low? Well, The Gang will see your "low" and not only match it but go for broke by having a decaying animal in the coffin to add a little weight.
"CharDee MacDennis: The Game of Games" S07E07: Dennis' inability to feel pain, Mac's scheduled freakouts, excessive drinking, some shady gameplay, and more make for what seemed like a natural for The Gang: their own "board game" (that should be illegal in at least 24 states).
"How Mac Got Fat" S07E10: Don't be fooled. As great as the flashback scenes are, the highlights are the confessional exchanges between Mac and Father Cullen (W. Morgan Sheppard) as Mac proves he can test the patience of even a somewhat-saint.
"Thunder Gun Express" S07E11: Ahhh, the sweet, sweet irony of watching The Gang abandon each other so they can see a movie about a hero who never leaves anyone behind. And yet each time it happens, I laugh my ass off even more. Extra points go to Mac's attempt to steal a motorcycle and how it goes oh so wrong.
"Charlie Work" S10E04: As much as we learned to appreciate Charlie's powers during the 13th season when he helped save the Super Bowl for the Philadelphia Eagles (along with Dee's pink eye), this was the episode where we got to see Charlie in "Jason Bourne" mode. Pass a health inspection and help the rest of The Gang out with a scam that (of course) went south? That's what Charlie calls a Monday.
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