It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: “Frank’s Pretty Woman” (Episode 7.01)

At the end of season six of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it seemed like there would be a change in the gang. With Sweet Dee giving birth and the entire gang accepting their responsibilities as surrogate fathers, it looked like we would see their softer sides. However, in typical It’s Always Sunny fashion, a transsexual adopted the baby and the gang went back to normal. Now as we enter the seventh season premiere, they’re ready for their “second act,” which means that The Gang is back with a vengeance.

“Frank’s Pretty Woman” starts with Dee and Charlie attempting to get a junkyard dog, Mac having gained fifty pounds and Frank planning on marrying a hooker named Roxy, which leads Dennis to state that they are becoming “The Gross Crew”. Roxy is even too crass for the gang, leading them to try and find Frank a new love interest and leaving Roxy in the hands of Dee to class her up.

Meanwhile, the newly fattened-up Mac, with a sack of chimichangas in hand, goes to the doctor with Dennis to prove that he is healthy in a subplot that is lacked enough time to make it worthwhile. Yet with this rapid weight gain, you can expect that they will find a way over the course of the season to make it interesting.

As usual, the Charlie and Frank subplot is by far the most entertaining. While boiling pairs of denim that they found under a bridge, Charlie admits to Frank that he has found him a date. The only problem is he has told the unfortunate lady that he is a millionaire. To get around this, Charlie decides he will play a millionaire, while Frank is the limo driver. When Charlie gets sick in the middle of the date, she can continue on the date with chauffeur Frank. Charlie’s Southern millionaire character is a great addition to Charlie’s over-the-top characters that we will hopefully see more of. The Charlie-Frank plot ends in the most satisfying way, with a surprise that is the highlight of the episode (and shouldn’t be spoiled).

The Roxy-Dee storyline is reminiscent of earlier plots, especially when Dee was still friends with her dramatic friend Artemis. But Roxy definitely has more rough edges. From the consistent crack-smoking to pouring Schnapps on leather coats and calling people “dick skin”, Roxy is like an extreme version of the gang rolled into one insane person. Dee starts to admire Roxy, with her wad of cash and calls from “Tiger Woods,” seeing the greatness of Roxy, instead of the needle-marked exterior. All three stories culminate with one of the most depressing marriage proposals ever and an ending almost too dark, even for It’s Always Sunny.

Last season, It’s Always Sunny became more lighthearted, making pairings and storylines that were less dark than seasons prior. But with season seven’s start, the show returns to its dark roots while also changing just enough to keep the new season fresh. If this is where It’s Always Sunny’s second act is headed, it’s going to be an exciting new season.