‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ Season 12 tackles racism in a controversial way.
“It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” Season 12 premiered on Wednesday night, and delivered the usual laughs. The show, which always seems to have some culturally relevant theme behind the madness and ridiculous situations Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Dee, and Frank find themselves in, tackled racism in the first episode, and did it through song.
The “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” Season 12 premiere episode was titled “The Gang Turns Black,” and they did just that. After curling up to watch “The Wiz” together, the gang are electrocuted by electric blankets and wake up to find that they’ve swapped bodies, and are now African American. Dee a black woman, Frank, Dennis, and Mac black men, and Charlie an African American child.
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA — “The Gang Turns Black” – Season 12, Episode 1 (Airs January 4, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: (l-r) Glenn Howerton as Dennis, Charlie Day as Charlie, Rob McElhenney as Mac, Kaitlin Olson as Dee, Danny DeVito as Frank. CR: Patrick McElhenney/FXX‘It’s Always Sunny’ Kicks Off Season 12
The group scratch their heads trying to figure out why they’ve turned black, and realize that they must have to learn some significant lesson before they can be transported back to their own bodies. Of course, like “The Wiz,” a lot of their dialogue was performed through song. Frank and Dee go off together to look for the man they call “Old Black Man,” and eventually find him, reuniting him with his wife. Mac, Dennis, and Charlie don’t get very far as they’re stopped by police for trying to break into Dennis’ car and taken to the station.
Meanwhile, the gang learns that there are many new feelings and thoughts that come with their new bodies, and in the end they’re targeted by police yet again and Charlie is shot, but thankfully can still perform the closing song number. Eventually it’s revealed that the entire episode was just “Old Black Man’s” dream, and that the group really didn’t learn a thing about being an African American. Funny, poignant, and a bit shocking. It looks like “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” is starting off Season 12 with a bang.
What did you think of the “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” Season 12 premiere, “The Gang Turns Black?” Share this article and leave a comment below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-SCndcXm18
Emma Taylor 
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