Posted in: FX, Hulu, TV | Tagged: always sunny, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S18E02 Honored Lynne Marie Stewart

Here's how FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia honored the late Lynne Marie Stewart during S18E02: "Dennis and Dee Don't Get Rich."

FXX's Rob Mac, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito-starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia family suffered a heartbreaking loss early last year, with the passing of Lynne Marie Stewart, Charlie Kelly's (Day) mother, Bonnie, at the age of 78. Though the team behind the long-running series paid a special tribute to Stewart during the 17th season (more on that below), the overview for the second of tonight's two Season 18 episodes noted that "Charlie [Day] and Frank [DeVito] plan a proper memorial for Bonnie during the annual Mummers Parade." So, how did S18E02: "Dennis and Dee Don't Get Rich" end up honoring Stewart?

The story actually kicks off during the season opener, S18E01: "Frank Marries a Corpse," with Charlie trying to make the case to Dennis (Howerton) and Mac (Mac) that Bonnie's ashes should be at the wedding between Frank and Sam (Carol Kane) – but Dennis isn't a fan of the idea. Later in the episode, Charlie plays some of his "dead woman in the rook" song in honor of his mother, which he wants to play during the wedding ceremony – but Dennis isn't having it. But Charlie gets a chance to perform the song by mistake, with Bonnie's ashes on his keyboard, at possibly the worst time (no spoilers) – and let's just say that Charlie isn't taking it well.

That brings us to the second episode, with Charlie having Bonnie's house remodeled to sell it so they can pay for funerals for Bonnie and Sam (again, no spoilers), which involves the Mummers (apparently, Bonnie was a "Mummer hummer"). Though most of the episode was focused on Dennis and Dee looking to get their hands on Sam's money, and Mac learning of Luther's (Gregory Scott Cummins) plan to set up Mac's uncle, Donald (Cummins), to serve the rest of his prison time. Charlie dressed as a Mummer, carrying pictures of Bonnie and Sam, was kinda sweet – but then Frank arrives with a cannon to send Bonnie and Sam off with a bang – by firing Bonnie's ashes and Sam's body into the river. As twisted as that might sound, it felt kinda right – as did that moment between Charlie and Frank, when Charlie tells him that his mother would've loved it.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Remembers Lynne Marie Stewart

"This is how I'll remember her," McElhenney began the caption to his post honoring Stewart, which also included an image gallery from "Always Sunny" and more. "Laughing hysterically and making everyone around her light up with joy. She was a true professional but much more, a buzzing beacon of all that is good and right in the world. Lynn was a constant reminder that we can laugh and love our way through life and that sharing it with others in the whole point of what we do. Thank you Mrs Kelly. Thank you Miss Yvonne. Thank you Lynn. We'll miss you forever. 💔 😔"

"My heart💔 Lynn Marie Stewart was pure joy. She was as sweet and kind as she was wildly talented and immeasurably funny. I loved her and I will miss her. There's a hole in our Sunny family, but how lucky we were to have her. May you have the softest landing, Lynne," Olson wrote in her post honoring Stewart – here's a look:

"Gonna miss Lynne. Lynne Marie Stewart…So wonderful a spirit to work with on Sunny! All love to her family," DeVito shared shortly after the heartbreaking news hit:

"My idea of funny women was undoubtedly shaped as a child watching Lynne Marie Stewart playing unhinged as Miss Yvonne on #peeweesplayhouse and more recently as Mrs Kelly on Sunny! That I got to work with her for so long on #AlwaysSunny is such a gift. Such a light, so funny, so kind. Sending you peace and love on your journey. You will be missed. ✨💖✨," Ellis wrote in a follow-up post:

"The brilliant and talented Lynne Marie Stewart. Rest in peace. Thank you for all the years of laughter," read Day's Instagram post, which also included a look at the actress in full-on Bonnie Kelly mode:

It was in February 2025 when the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia family learned that Stewart had passed away. Stewart first appeared in 2005's S01E07: "Charlie Got Molested," with 2025's S17E08: "The Golden Bachelor Live" serving as her final appearance (and what a memorable one it was). While every appearance was a highlight, Bonnie reading what Charlie wrote for her in 2012's S08E06: "Charlie's Mom Has Cancer" and her work with Sandy Martin's Mrs. Mac in 2017's S12E03 "Old Lady House: A Situation Comedy" will always top our list of personal highlights.

Making her onscreen debut in the 1971 film Drive, She Said, Stewart's television career spanned generations – including Laverne & Shirley, M*A*S*H, Life with Louie, Arrested Development, Night Court, The Golden Girls, Raising Hope, and many others. But in terms of our own personal pop culture lives, one of the first roles that earned Stewart a place in our hearts was as Miss Yvonne, The Most Beautiful Woman in Puppetland, on the late star and creator Paul Reubens' Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986 to 1990), 1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure, 1988's Big Top Pee-wee, and other projects.

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