Last month, Rob McElhenney shared a set picture from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s 15th season, announcing that filming had just wrapped. Those who are eager to see more of Mac and his new Philly dirtbag look won’t have to wait much longer: season 15 officially premieres this December. As an extra treat for keeping us waiting over a year for the show’s return, FXX is airing two episodes on its premiere date.
It’s Always Sunny was ahead of the curve in showing how the gang would handle being in isolation while sick, airing the episode “The Gang Gets Quarantined” in 2013 during its ninth season. Now, there’s confirmation that the upcoming season will actually be set during the COVID pandemic.
The press release teases that the gang will “try to exploit pandemic aid, sidestep cancel culture, evade criminal justice, reflect on their origins, and reconcile their identities and homeland roots.” Oh and yeah, the gang somehow ends up in Ireland despite the global pandemic.
While it can be a bit depressing to be reminded of the pandemic on TV, It’s Always Sunny is the perfect show to be set during these COVID times, bringing humor into the horrors we experienced in the past year and a half.
“The Gang Gets Quarantined” already showed that Mac and Charlie can get very creative when it comes to using protective gear (they opted for helmets that allow you to safely drink, instead of wearing masks), and Frank became weirdly obsessed with slathering himself in hand sanitizer, so it’s expected that he’d be hoarding it during pandemic times.
Now we’ll see how they actually handle a deadly virus. Will Dennis still try to get laid when it’s unsafe to do so? Is Mac an antivaxxer? Will Dee go back to her YouTube days when she’s starved for attention? And how does Paddy’s Pub stay afloat in the pandemic? Thankfully, those questions will be answered this year.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia will return on December 1.