It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacould come to a close in plenty of wild ways, which could pay off the show’s low-key emotional throughlines. The world ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiais one of comically scummy trickery and dark comedy, with the long-running show’s approach to an absurd group of friends pushing the line of decency at every possible avenue. Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie, and Frank have caused chaos all across Philadelphia (and beyond) across seventeen seasons, and look to expand their chaos with an upcomingseason 17 ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
The longest-running American live-action sitcom ever,It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiawill inevitably have to come to a close some day, whether due to the success of their stars or the natural end of the show. Despite the series being greenlit for season 18,Crackedreported how the creators behind the scenes have been thinking of the ending since season 9. Theend could come toIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and here are some of the wildest ways it could close out.
Why It’s Always Sunny Is Missing 5 Episodes On Streaming
There are 5 episodes of It’s Always Sunny In Philadephia that were pulled from Netflix and Hulu, all for the same reason - their use of blackface.
8The Gang Gets Arrested
The Gang Could Finally Face Consequences For All Their Terrible Actions
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s inevitable finale could build to a wild turn for the Gang, such as getting arrested. Dennis, Mac, Charlie, Dee, and Frank have comitted a litany of crimes over the years, presumably with Frank’s limitless cash flow helping deal with any problems. However, there could come a time when the charges are so large or the bill so high that Frank can’t make it go away. This could set up the Gang to recreate another sitcom classic and recreate the controversial finale toSeinfeld. This idea has even been suggested by a fan theory onReddit.
Danny DeVito
Frank Reynolds
The theory suggests all the episodes of the series area series of testimonies of the Gang’s crimes. This could be an ideal way to bring back several ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s best guest starsto help close out the show. The show has even played with this format before, with season 5’s “The World Series Defense” shifting between the Gang in court to the events they’re describing. This could be a fun way for the series to make the Gang face consequences for their actions and bring up all the highlights of the previous seasons.
7The Gang Dies
Season 11’s “The Gang Goes To Hell” Could Be Teasing The Show’s Final Turn
Another popular fan theory aboutIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiais that the series is taking place in the afterlife, with the Gang trying to explain their actions on Earth to some unseen deity.This is also a format that the show has teased with in the past. The season 11 two-parter “The Gang Goes To Hell” initially appears to be showing the Gang appealing to God after their apparent deaths on a sinking cruise ship. However, the punchline revealed they were just speaking with an insurance agent for the cruise line and were perfectly fine.
While this means that ending might not be the conclusion of the show,it’s possibleIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiadoes explore the final fates of the Gang. That could be in the form of a flash-forward to their eventual fates or a sudden darkly comic conclusion to the show. Ending the show in the vein ofSix Feet UnderorThe Sopranoswould be a wild way to close out the show and brutally say goodbye to characters that fans have loved for almost two decades.
6Dennis Kills The Gang
It’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaCould Become A Horror Story In The Finale
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacould kill off most of the cast in a realization of their longest-running dark subplot. Introduced as a vain and selfish man, Dennis has steadily been developed intoIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s most unsettling character. Episodes like season 6’s “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System” and season 12’s “Making Dennis Reynolds a Murderer” highlight Dennis' darker elements and imply he’s a dangerous predator with a body count.Dennis has even attacked other members of the Gang before, and a wild ending for the show could see him do it again.
The show could close out by shifting gears back into horror, somethingIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiahas dabbled with in the past.Turning the final episode into a slasher movie with Dennis behind the killingswould be a wild way to pay off the character’s darkest instincts and actions. Dennis reaching a breaking point and slaughtering the entire gang might be the darkest way to end the show, but it could give the show’s grim teases about Dennis' potential a killer payoff.
5The Gang Faces The End Of The World
The Fall Of Society Might Be The Gang’s Time To Shine
An inherently wild way for the show to end would be for the series to buck it’s typically grounded approach to the world andgo big with an apocalyptic shift.It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiahas mined the absurd qualities of modern society plenty of times, with surprisingly quick fatal consequences awaiting characters like Country Mac and Maureen Ponderosa. Shifting gears and throwing those kind of stakes into a zombie apocalypse, nuclear war, or other end of the world scenario could be a fun way to highlight how surprisingly durable and adaptable the Gang has proven to be.
The skills they possess have made them detestable around most of society in Philadelphia, but their underhanded tactics and brutal methodsmight actually serve them well in a post-apocalyptic setting. It would be an incredibly wild ending given much of the show’s grounded counter to the Gang’s antics, but it could be exciting to see them reach their full potential as the monstrous kings and queen at the end of humanity.
Brilliant It’s Always Sunny Theory Reveals Everyone Has Been Wrong About Charlie For The Last 19 Years
A fan theory about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia highlights how Charlie Kelly might be quietly the smartest character in the show.
4Paddy’s Pub Closes
It’s Amazing The Bar Is Still Open At All
One of the most realistic endings ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiawould bethe closure of Paddy’s Pub, with the often filthy looking bar finally being called out for the unsanitary condition that the Gang often leaves it in. Season 10’s “Charlie Work” highlighted the challenges the bar faces in passing every health inspection, and Charlie’s failure to recreate the success of that episode could doom the bar to an inglorious fate.
This would be the ultimate sign that the show has come to a close, shutting the doors of the bar once last time and ending things with the same kind of realistic bluntness that’s often defined the show’s approach to dry humor. This might also actually force the Gang apart on some level, with the group forced to get separate jobs and take different paths. This sort of ending could be the perfect set up for the Gang going through a transitional phase, which could set up for different kinds of emotional climaxes.
3The Gang Goes Their Separate Ways
There Is NoIt’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaWithout The Gang
Maybe the saddest possible way to close outIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the show could conclude with the Gang going their separate ways. While Dennis and Dee have a blood connection,there’s nothing strictly keeping the Gang together as it is. This is something the show has played with previously when Dennis briefly moved out of the city to be with his child in season 12’s “Dennis' Double Life.” The Gang could ultimately be pulled in different directions, either with new relationships or different jobs if Paddy’s Pub closes.
This could even be a surprisingly realistic way forIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacould end, with the Gang ultimately just drifting apart, as some friends do over time. It would give the show a bittersweet touch to close out on. Breaking up the Gang in the finale ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacould be the ultimate way for the creatives behind the show to close the book on the Gang once and for all. It would be a wild and unexpected way to end the series, especially if it leans heavily into the tragedy of the situation.
2Frank Dies
Frank’s Send-Off Could Be A Wake ForIt’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaAs A Whole
As the most chaotic member of the Gang, Frank has already had some close calls with death — butFrank passing awaymight be the most unexpectedly emotional way forIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiato end. Frank Reynolds was introduced in season 2 and quickly escalated the true comic potential of the cast as a collective. This has also underscored his sheer dangerous potentialThe show has played up how frustrated the other characters can become with Frank’s cruelty, but highlighted how they still need him in the Gang.
Frank is the most likely of the Gang to die soonerthan the others, and it could leave the Gang shattered on a fundamental level and without the financial security Frank has always provided them. Paying tribute to Frank and his impact on their lives could be a fitting final act for the Gang to take, and could serve as the perfect external reason to also give an send-off to the series as a whole. Frank dying could be comically hilarious, sending the character off in a blaze of glory that closes out the show.
1The Gang Cements Their Bonds
Even Without Paddy’s Pub, The Gang Could Live On
Perhaps the most likely element ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s inevitable ending is the reflection ofthe show’s central themes about friendship. While they may turn on one another in a heartbeat, the group has acknowledged that they’re only truly happy when they’re together. It’s been an element of the show since the early seasons, and has been reinforced in several recent episodes, including season 13’s “The Gang Solves the Bathroom Problem,” season 14’s “Waiting for Big Mo,” and season 15’s “The Gang Carries a Corpse Up a Mountain.”
It would leave the characters alive and capable of returning down the line, ending on a more open-ended note that confirms their dynamics while leaving the future open. Even if Paddy’s closes, one of their number dies, or the world ends,it’s possible thatIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiawill end with the Gang openly acknowledging their love for one another. Given the constantly sardonic and casually cruel touches of the Gang as a whole, seeing such a sweet ending would be surprising. However, it would be an effective and surprisingly sweet send-off toIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Cast
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a television series that premiered in 2005, chronicling the chaotic lives of four self-involved friends running an Irish pub in Philadelphia. Their misguided decisions and skewed perspectives often result in amusing and uncomfortable situations, complicating their professional and personal relationships.
