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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S16E04 Was Set to Full Blast: Review

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S16E04 "Frank vs. Russia" was easily one of the funniest AND most jaw-dropping episodes of the show's run.


Three episodes into the 16th season of FXX's Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson & Danny DeVito-starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and it looks like the long-running comedy series is ready to create a major international incident. In S16E04: "Frank vs. Russia," Charlie (Day) finds himself cheering on Frank (DeVito) as he takes on a Russian chess champ while Dennis (Howerton) plays cupid for Dee (Olson) and Mac (McElhenney). "Dennis Reynolds: Matchmaker"… let that one sink in. So with two very different storylines in play, let's take a look at how it all came together in some very twisted ways that left us with a different appreciation for the phrase "full blast."

always sunny
Image: FX Networks

Always Sunny S16E04 "Frank vs. Russia" Thoughts/Takeaways

Yes, this plays a major role in the opener… Survivor with "Burning Heart" from Rocky IV:

Right off the bat, we have an episode that opens with some of the best lines we've heard in a while – as Mac allowing someone else to "hack" his butthole has left Frank confused yet again about the "gay thing." So Frank, Charlie & Uncle Jack (Andrew Friedman) make their to the chess tournament to take on the Russian chess master, and the show continues to pile on the pedophile innuendos when it comes to Uncle Jack (the ice cream truck as a "side business"?). Hmmm…

Meanwhile, Dennis unveils a customized new "D.E.N.N.I.S." plan for picking up men: S (Suppress Your Instincts); I (Inflate His Ego); N (Need His Power); N (Negate His Power); E (Engage Physically); D (Do You Want a Tissue) – with the punchline being that Mac & Dee need to be their "mommies." Now known as the … S.I.N.N.E.D. System! In fact, it's a system that not only fool-proof… it's apparently Mac & Dee-proof, too.

Okay, this one had me laughing, from the Survivor music to the freeze-frame of Frank suffering from some serious anal damage. We got to see just how stubborn & fixed in their fucked-up ways that Mac & Dee are – especially romantically. As for Dennis? Well, if you needed a reminder of just how much of an obsessive control freak he is, look no further than this one. Going from feeling like no one was listening to him to actually controlling a human being, Dennis looked like a kid on Christmas morning working that app. But the important takeaway from this episode was how it continued expanding the show's universe while also offering meaningful callbacks to the show's canon. As a fan since the first episode, it feels like there's been a concerted effort this season to reward us with some "deep cut" callbacks and returns that don't feel forced or like fan-servicing.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 16 Episode 4 "Frank vs. Russia"

always sunny
Review by Ray Flook

9/10
Okay, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S16E04 "Frank vs. Russia" had me laughing throughout - from the Survivor music to the freeze-frame of Frank suffering from some serious anal damage. We got to see just how stubborn & fixed in their f***ed-up ways that Mac & Dee are - especially romantically. As for Dennis? Well, if you needed a reminder of just how much of an obsessive control freak he is, look no further than this one. But the important takeaway from this episode was how it continued expanding the show's universe while also offering meaningful callbacks to the show's canon. As a fan since the first episode, it feels like there's been a concerted effort this season to reward us with some "deep cut" callbacks and returns that don't feel forced or like fan-servicing. 

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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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