January 12, 2021
Not long after the United States entered its coronavirus lockdown last spring, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" creator Rob McElhenney said he was busy writing episodes for Season 15 while in quarantine.
In the months since then, the state of affairs in the country devolved even further, from Rudy Giuliani's absurd press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping to last week's violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.
There's no shortage of real-world material for McElhenney and company to work with next season – and in the years to come. The show has been renewed for four more seasons, setting it up to become the longest-running live-action sitcom in American television history.
McElhenney hasn't been too revealing about the direction of Season 15, but every indication he's given suggests the show will be politically charged when it returns.
Yes. We’re doing one and it will most likely be all about this bullshit. Also dick jokes. https://t.co/jgJLewqR0R
— Rob McElhenney (@RMcElhenney) January 10, 2021
Would anybody on Earth be better suited to inhabit the world of COVID-19 and frothing political dysfunction than The Gang? The fanfic possibilities alone are enough to entertain. What if The Gang tried to re-establish Philadelphia as the capital of the United States? Or if Frank got into the ventilator business? Or Dee got caught in a Karen-like outburst?
One of the joys of watching the show is that it could go in almost any direction, and it would still manage to reveal our deepest flaws by showing the complete lack of self-awareness that drives them.
In recent seasons, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has managed to strike a more topical tone without wrecking its core function as revolting satire.
A timeline for Season 15 is still unclear, but the return of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" will be one of the most anticipated TV moments of the year ahead for fans.
For now, we can enjoy Charlie Day wishing us all a Happy New Year.
