2 /10

OK, I'm glad that people like the show. I truly am. Any show that people can find some joy in watching is okay by me; even if I'm baffled as to why. With a mind-boggling user-rating of 9.2, this might not seem like the best place to offer a dissenting view; but what the heck, I'm a rebel.



There's a quote on the home page that says, "Seinfeld on crack." Surely, they jest. The only thing these two shows have in common is that they were filmed.



Now, the main problem for me is that I suppose I've never particularly found crude, uncouth, blatantly moronic characters to be particularly funny (Hence why My Name is Earl never really tickled my funny bone). But the biggest problem I had with It's Always Sunny, was that after watching 1 episode from each season, and 2 from the latest season, was that I found it's so painfully unfunny. But what kept nagging me was WHY did I find it so incredibly unfunny. I mean, I know why I find a lame comedy like 2 1/2 Men so painfully unfunny (a laugh track turned up to 10 for every incredibly predictable, lame joke offered would be my starting point. But I digress).



I believe great comedy is made up of certain elements. Among the most brilliant comedies in recent TV history that displayed these elements would be shows like Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, and 30 Rock, to name a few. Below is what I think those elements are:



1) Top-notch, highly skilled comedians or comic actors in the lead roles.



2) Comedic actors who are not only highly-skilled and have perfect timing, but are incredibly interesting to watch (e.g., Jason Alexander, Alec Baldwin, Larry David, Steve Carrell, Michael Richards). It's Always Sunny at least has the great Danny DeVito, but the poor writing wastes his talent. Which leads me to...



3) Writing that is so damn clever, with plots lines that tie together so perfectly, and jokes that are so unpredictable that you literally laugh out loud. It's not hard to see why all these shows have been nominated repeatedly for Emmys (along with the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Another perfectly-crafted comedy led by a highly-skilled comedian).



4) Characters and subject matter that is instantly relatable. We've all had moments where we felt like George Costanza or Larry David or Liz Lemon or Jerry Seinfeld, or dealt with a Jack Donaghy.



As hard as I searched, I couldn't find ANY of these elements in "It's Always Sunny..." The writing is insipid and reminds you of those two drunk guys at the end of the bar who are convinced they are hilarious after about 12 beers, with punchlines that fall flat. "DUDE! Oh my god, remember that time I farted so loud at that frat party that I set off the house alarm? That was SO FUNNY!"



The acting is uneven, with Danny DeVito and Kaitlen Olson doing most of the heavy lifting. Olsen is quite good. As for Rob McElhenney, I give the guy a ton of respect for creating and getting someone to believe in the show enough to buy it, but let's be honest here, the man does not belong in front of a camera. Acting is not his strong suit. Or maybe it's just the poorly written role, but something's gotta give.



A show can get away with having characters who are not very bright, provided we care about them. Kramer on Seinfeld may have been an idiot, but he was a lovable idiot, with his heart always in the right place; same goes with the Joey on Friends, or Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. But the two moronic characters played by McElhenney are Day are so absurdly dumb (as when they throw a box spring, serving as a ladder, out of an empty pool, leaving them stranded; a joke we see a mile away), are so incredibly unlikable that you can't muster the strength to root for them. And yet, they're too boorish and crude to even be fascinated by them.



But hey, people seem to dig the show, and that's all that counts. But if you're not a fan of lowbrow comedy, completely lacking in cleverness (as opposed to Family Guy and the Farrelly Brothers movies which are lowbrow, but incredibly clever), this show might not be for you. I'm still trying to square in my head how the same people who recognize the brilliance in shows like Seinfeld and The Daily Show, could also find anything remotely funny here.