(Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia” Season 17, section 1, “The gang fucks up Abbott elementary. “)
Back in January, when ABC premiered by one of TVIs most curious Transitional events -Save together their family -friendly “Abbott Elementary” With FX’s adults “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia” -I could not shake two gnawing problems with the pleasant episode.
The first was that “volunteers” feel much more like a “Abbott” section than a “sunny” section. For starters, Dennis (Glenn Howerton) is nowhere to find. He discovers the cameras, quotes his thorough knowledge of “filming” and “consent” and bends immediately. It is a good joke that is true for Denni’s nature, but it also robs us of an elite comic nature. Meanwhile Mac (Rob Mac, Né MCELHENNEY) is very much out of character while you suck up to AVA (Janelle James) and Frank (Danny Devito) enter it with Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) in a Atypically tame feud.
Obviously, the gang must be on its best behavior in order to fulfill “Abbott’s” broadcast standards, but their outpatients in “volunteers” never really jells with the unclear goons we have come to know and love.
Of course, crossover is not simple. The audience can often feel the company’s chief master who run these previously distinct programs together. Some efforts are smoother than others (as when Dick Wolf’s “Chicago” shows combined into a Cavern’s deep dish) and it goes twice if the section is more a character como than a complete crossover (as when “ers” Ross and Dr. Carter took a shift on “Friends” to Flirt with Monica and Rachel). But in general, Crossovers tend to sacrifice more than they create and work better for the costumes than the fans.
With “Abbott” and “Sunny”, the situation was slightly different. Yes, they are both successful sitcoms owned by Disney, and yes, they are both Rotated in PhiladelphiaSo the economic and practical reasons for a crossover are clear enough. But they are also designed for polar opposite target groups. Do “abbott” really want their innocent fans to catch up with one of the most TV -ma-Sitcoms ever made? Does “Sunny” expect their Sicko fans (free) to fall for the serious intentions and the sweet central romance of “Abbott”?
Who is this crossover for, exactly?
What takes us to my second issue with “Volunteers” – a question that is entirely my own and a question that almost cancel my previous questions: I did not know that “Sunny” made a further section entirely its own.
Told from the gang’s perspective and started “It’s Always Sunny’s” 17th season, “The Gang Fucks Up Abbott Elementary” does not just fill the gaps for “Sunny” fans who felt disappear by the first crossover section; It also solves the common problem with a crossover episode by rejecting its most basic prerequisite. Instead of combining the two show into a single bad story, it honors both “Abbott” and “Sunny’s” distinct perspective by giving them their own version of the same section.
Recognizing so very safely makes “voluntary” easier to digest (although it does not raise the section among “Abbott’s” finest). Everything shown in the half hour is simply what is suitable for a documentary for all ages about teachers at a public elementary school. At the same time, they discover the extra pictures AVA to start “The Gang Fucks Up Abbott Elementary” has all disturbing ideas, racist languages and outlandic acts that are inherent in our favorite Philly Heathens. And that fits the group’s long -lasting mo, it should not surprise that the gang gets more out of “Abbott elementary” than “Abbott” comes out of the gang.
Season 17’s premiere is an exceptional section of “Sunny” and exceptional comedy, straight up. From the basic prerequisite-gang’s court-ordered community service means that they must spend a week volunteer work on a local class school to the individual plot lines (Boy band auditions, my God), “The Gang Fucks Up Abbott Elementary” feels right at home as a section of “Sunny.” It is rough, shocking and extremely satisfying. It zicks when you expect it to zag, it’s smart to lay the foundation for future “sunny” episodes (everyone should circulate back to the premiere when they’ve seen all season), and it’s jokingly packed with jokes.
Take Dennis. Despite himself, he is still hiding from the cameras, but before he can walk in a broom cabinet to stare at his phone for five straight days, sparks a little irritation him into action: the school’s coffee is terrible. Sees Dennis go full Walter White (as he dubs himself) while Technically Providing an act of kindness to every hard-working public employee at Abbott is not what I would have guessed that he would end up in his downtime, but to see him prepare coffee orders while he easily chastised his customers (“Katie, I remember you- super complicated order. “) Is an honest-to-denni’s joy.
Besides, that’s not all he does. As usual, Dennis’ passions are better off by him, and he is sucked into the gang’s upset/conspiratorial track when Charlie (Charlie Day) mentions “the children know nothing about” … 9/11. Now I can’t Connect each dot Between their fateful lunch timing discussion and their possible decision to update Billy Joel’s “We Don’t Start the Fire” for America after 9/11, but to hear Mrs. Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) Rapsodic with Charlie about a metaphorical fire just before Mac and Frank starts a real fire – intended to test the melting point of steel rays – Well, I can’t say I ever thought I would live to see the day. Delicious comedy. No notes.
Speaking of Frank, his polite feud (of Frank’s standards) with Mr. Johnson turns out to be something other than a diversion. “This guy will be a problem,” says Frank, after Johnson breaks them because he spends time in the teacher’s lounge within minutes after coming to school before he escaped: “I take care of him.” It then becomes clear that everything shown in the section “Abbott’s” – where Frank continued to screw with the Community Garden run by Mr. Johnson and Gregory – were just a way to keep the caretaker busy while Frank goes to his actual plan: hunting for copper. To close the section, AVA finds out that he attacked the boys’ bathroom for his targeted treasure (which turns out to be a win-win, as she still had to tear out the wall).
For as magnificent as it is to see the gang back to their old ways (especially after two years between seasons), just as important for the premiere’s success is how well the “Abbott” crew is used. While seeing a domestic version of the gang does a little to raise “volunteers”, and witness Abbott’s teachers off the leash gives a lot of joy to “sunny”. There is Ava who mocks Janine for having rushed into her office all the breath (and mocks a high student who “can’t shoot for shit”); There are Barbara who sing, which in itself is a brilliant skill to write against; It is Jacob who goes into Mac, Charlie and Frank “recruit” the above -mentioned high child.
And then there was Brunson’s first solo scene: in a call to Dee’s evil two-face bow in the section “Abbott”, Janine (Fifth Brunson) calls her a “totally fucking pussy” to try to steal Gregory-indicate a close-on stirring from Mr. Eddie who mimics the audience’s reaction perfectly.
“I thought you would call her a bitch,” he says. “No, I didn’t feel it was strong enough,” Janine replies. “Bitch can be a very nice dog. That’s not what this woman is.” Hell yes, Quinta. Ways to get the most out of your uncensored platform.
With “Sunny” free to be “Sunny” again and “Abbott” who seizes its rare shot on uncensored comedy, “The Gang Fucks Up Abbott Elementary” is a skilled strategy to close an unusual – and unusually successful – crossover event. If you knew it was coming, Sunny’s version makes a remarkable profit to Abbott’s introduction, and if you didn’t – but let’s realize it: Everyone knew about Sunny’s version except me – it’s a Hellva way to start season 17, prove that it once again it TV’s longest live-action sitcom are still full of surprises.
“It’s always sunny in Philadelphia” premiere Wednesday, July 9th FXX. New episodes are released every week and are available to stream on Hulu The day after those premiere.
