While I think we can all agree it was a tragedy to miss out on Rob McElhenney’s planned cameo in the superhero romp Deadpool & Wolverine, the silver (surfer) lining is that we can still look forward to his return as Ronald “Mac” McDonald in the next season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s still not clear when that return is coming, mind you, but co-star Charlie Day shared an update that gives fans something to look forward to, while also making longtime viewers like me feel kinda ancient.
The FXX mainstay’s main cast members — also including Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito — have become exceedingly popular and busy over the past decade, with each of them taking on other TV shows and movies between seasons. (We’re currently pumped about Olson’s High Potential hitting ABC’s fall schedule.) But we no longer have to wait in angst to get a Season 17 update, as Day shared the following on Instagram:
19 years ago today these three jokers got their show on the air. Despite low ratings and plenty of terrible reviews John Landgraf and our partners @fxnetworks stuck with us. Thanks to them and to the fans. Looking forward to getting in the writers room next week for season 17! @alwayssunnyfxx @hulu
To focus first on the great news there, we’re only a week away from It’s Always Sunny’s hallowed writers room welcoming Charlie Day into planning out Season 17. To be sure, that doesn’t mean that other writers haven’t already been working the daily grind by way of storylines and other ideas, and only pinpoints that the Charlie Kelly actor will be present and accounted for at the time.
Either way, though, his involvement means that things are definitely moving full steam ahead, and I’m hoping he shares more posts once he arrives, cluing fans in on some of the wild ideas that are and aren’t coming to Season 17’s episodes. All we need to see is a “Lethal Weapon 7” post and it’s on.
And with all of that anticipation comes the face-smacking reality that just about everyone who started watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia during its inaugural season on FX is now approaching some form of middle-age-ness. I can easily remember the first time I watched, which was somewhere in the middle of Season 1, and laughing hysterically while sitting in bed.
A fun memory, to be sure, but one point that really nails down the timeline is that I’ve lived in four different houses since that initial viewing, and have laughed my ass off in each one of those houses due to The Gang’s scandalous behavior. And it’s probably another sign of aging that the thought of moving again before It’s Always Sunny ends its run is enough to send my blood pressure leaping.
Thankfully, that’s not a reality I’m locked into at this point. So I’m currently free to, for instance, sit back and enjoy some of the actors’ Four Walls whiskey while binge-watching old It’s Always Sunny episodes with a Hulu subscription. Oh, speaking of, here’s the brand’s latest video spot.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is one of the very best TV sitcoms of all time, and will hopefully be returning to FXX primetime as early as possible in 2025. In the meantime, check out everything that’ll be hitting the 2024 TV schedule before the new year arrives.
