32 Times The Gang Ruined Someone’s Life In It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia

In all fairness to these unfortunate souls, it seems as though they’ve stumbled upon a band of misfits who possess an uncanny knack for turning lives upside down. From Pete, whose youthful mistakes led him on a path towards mental health centers and cross-country relocations, to Mike, who was just trying to find his footing in life only to be derailed by Dee’s twisted antics, these characters have had their fair share of misery courtesy of The Gang.

Over numerous seasons of the sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, characters such as Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie, and Frank consistently demonstrate unacceptable behavior towards each other and others. Their misadventures, which can be accessed via a Hulu subscription, have left countless lives in shambles.

Which individuals are these victims? Some of them are mourning and still living, while others have passed away. Regardless, we’ve assembled this unique segment to showcase each one as we eagerly anticipate the arrival of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17.

The Waitress

Initially portrayed as a character who suffered at Charlie’s hands, it’s been revealed that the waitress (whose true identity remains unknown) experienced significant hardship following Season 1’s “Charlie Has Cancer.” Over the course of 16 seasons, the group subjected her to emotional distress in numerous ways and hindered her chances for employment on more than one occasion.

Matthew “Rickety Cricket” Mara

For many years, the group has been causing Matthew Mara endless misery, dating back to when they gave him the moniker Rickety Cricket during their high school days. Their friendship was already strained during their youth, but it’s deteriorated significantly for Cricket in his adult life. When we encounter him in Season 2’s “The Gang Exploits A Miracle,” he is a priest; however, by the time we see him later, he has become a broken, drug-dependent homeless man.

Chris Murray

When someone falsely accuses you of a heinous crime, especially one involving children, such a stigma can be virtually unremovable, even if your innocence is later proven beyond doubt. Given this fact, it’s highly skeptical to assume that Chris Murray (portrayed by Dennis Haskins from “Saved By The Bell”) experienced a smooth resolution following the Season 1 finale.

Ari Frenkel

It has been demonstrated that having Paddy’s Pub as a neighbor is not advantageous. The nearby fish factory has faced challenges from the group, causing them to struggle, and the Korean bar featured in “The Gang Solves The North Korea Situation” had to close on a busy night. However, no one endured more hardship than Ari Frenkel – who acquired the building adjacent to Paddy’s Pub only to see it destroyed by a combination of a flaming bag of waste and a gas leak.

Brianna Thunderson

In the movie “Million Dollar Baby,” Brianna Thunderson didn’t come off as particularly friendly, and her father was undeniably unpleasant, yet it’s hard to justify Frank’s violent action of hitting her with a surprise punch, which resulted in severe injury.

Dumpster Baby a.k.a. D.B.

It’s important to note that we can’t definitively say Dumpster Baby’s life is ruined after his encounter with The Gang, but honestly, their actions didn’t provide him with much of a promising start. You see, they attempted to capitalize on him by casting him in performances, and things took a turn for the worse when it seemed like the crew from the Sunny were endangering him with a sword.

Liam McPoyle

It’s hard to muster much sympathy for Liam McPoyle, who is a repulsive, sick human being, but all things being equal, I think it’s fair to say that The Gang has done a good job ruining his life – the primary evidence being his missing eye (there’s a lot of blame thrown around, but events in “The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre,” “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs” and “McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century” put a lot of the mess on Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie and Frank.

Random Guy

Four obscure characters from “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” stand out, yet none have proper names. Among them, the moniker for Random Guy seems to be the most ambiguous. Portrayed by Zachary Knighton, he first appears in Season 4 during “The Gang Solves The Gas Crisis,” where they spy on him and wreck his vehicle. However, his already tragic existence takes a turn for the worse when he reappears in “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs” and becomes trapped in a burning apartment.

Phil And Jonathan

In the thrilling world of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” my buddy and I, just a couple of college lads, thought we were stepping into a wild party at a swanky mansion during Season 3’s “Dennis and Dee’s Mom Is Dead.” Little did we know, the night ahead was anything but fun. Instead, we lived through an ordeal that will undoubtedly leave indelible marks on our minds, forever.

Luther McDonald

Luther McDonald is a character who doesn’t typically evoke much empathy because of his past criminal actions, poor parenting, and generally unsettling demeanor. However, it’s important to note that his life is significantly complicated by the presence of The Gang, particularly Mac and Charlie. They have managed to get him re-imprisoned and put a target on his back, making him an appropriate subject for this feature.

The Juarez Family

In “The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition,” it’s hard to fathom the fear felt by the Juarez family as intruders storm their residence. Earlier, a vision board experiment resulted in the abduction of the father, mother, and daughter, followed by the burning of their house. Although they eventually acquire the Reynolds’ mansion from Dee’s inheritance, it’s important to recall that they ultimately lose this estate due to property taxes, as shown in “Charlie’s Mom Has Cancer.

Brad Fisher

Brad Fisher’s history with The Gang dates back to high school when Dee dated him and then callously broke up with him due to his acne. However, it is Charlie who bears the responsibility for negatively impacting Fisher’s life as an adult. In Season 5’s “The Waitress Is Getting Married,” Paddy’s Pub janitor Charlie gives him a box of hornets, which leads to severe facial scarring, a condition that is evident in Season 7’s “The High School Reunion.

The Attorney

Throughout his experience as a target of The Gang, Brian Unger’s character as an attorney has persisted with his professional practice. However, the absurd behavior of Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie, and Frank has led him into a relentless obsession, fueling an intense hatred that propels him to seek every legal chance for retribution against them. Despite some victories, he’s encountered more defeats in his pursuit of justice. In simpler terms, the antics of The Gang have caused Brian Unger’s character to become fixated on taking legal action against them, despite their poor treatment and unpaid services, leading to a mix of successes and failures in his quest for retribution.

Ben The Soldier

In the world of “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia,” there’s a strong possibility that Ben The Soldier is one of the kindest characters around. However, his perceived kindness often gets misunderstood as naivety, making him an easy target for The Gang’s antics. This misconstrued kindness was first exploited by Dee in “The Gang Wrestles For The Troops,” and since then, he has become a regular mark for their various schemes, consistently finding himself on the receiving end of their bullying tactics.

Art Sloan

In Season 5’s “The Gang Reignites the Rivalry,” we encounter Art Sloan. Not only does his past reveal a history of being tormented by The Gang, but this torment continues. The group, consisting of Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie, and Frank, invade his restaurant to create havoc. Moreover, Dennis and Frank take it a step further by breaking into Art’s house and causing widespread destruction.

Principal MacIntyre

Based on our observations, Principal MacIntyre appears to be a committed educator. However, his life has been significantly affected by Dee, Charlie, and Mac. Unfortunately, due to the blackface incident in “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth,” he was forced to switch schools (the fact that he hasn’t been fired is due to tenure). Later on, Charlie and Mac cross paths with him again, this time while they were armed and working on addressing youth violence in “Gun Fever Too: Still Hot.

Brian LeFevre

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but reflect on the profound impact that “The Gang” from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has had, even extending beyond the television screen. Take the unfortunate case of Canadian businessman Brian LeFevre, who unfortunately crossed paths with the gang during his business trip to Philadelphia. In an attempt to meet Frank Reynolds, as portrayed in “Frank’s Back in Business,” he unwittingly found himself in a predicament. Charlie was mopping the bathroom at Paddy’s Pub, forcing Brian to relieve himself in an alley. However, due to forgetting his wallet inside, he couldn’t prove his identity to Mac at the door when trying to re-enter.

Jojo

Although it might seem miraculous that Jojo managed to reach adulthood given his seemingly limited intellect, the stark reality is that The Gang played a significant role in his tragic demise. In the Season 10 finale, portrayed by Dax Shepard, Jojo joins the cult initiated by Dennis, and as the chaos unfolds, he’s manipulated into a heartbreaking end – self-immolation.

Bonnie Kelly

Bonnie Kelly clearly caused significant emotional harm to Charlie during his childhood years. As an adult, however, Charlie hasn’t taken many positive steps to improve his mother’s life. In fact, he often avoids her whenever he can. It’s also important to note that Charlie has had a negative impact on his mom’s life, as demonstrated in Season 8’s episode “Charlie’s Mom Has Cancer,” which is a recurrence of the theme from Season 1’s “Charlie Has Cancer.

Eugene Hamilton

In the movie “The Big Lebowski,” David Huddleston portrayed Eugene Hamilton, who was previously in business with the character Frank. However, Frank betrayed him and took all his money. Later in “A Very Sunny Christmas,” Eugene takes matters into his own hands by pointing a gun at Frank and stealing a Lamborghini. Yet, this act of revenge doesn’t undo the years of suffering that Frank had caused him as a friend.

Maureen Ponderosa

In the initial encounter through “Mac Fights Gay Marriage,” Maureen Ponderosa came across as an ordinary individual, just like you or me. However, delving deeper into her updated biography paints a starkly different picture – it appears she underwent numerous cosmetic surgeries in a desperate bid to transform herself into a feline creature. The union with Dennis seemed to have taken a toll on her mental state, and to this day, there remains no concrete evidence absolving him of responsibility for her untimely demise.

Bill Ponderosa

“I don’t think there’s a more problematic sponsor-client relationship in pop culture than the one between Frank Reynolds and Bill Ponderosa. Bill has a questionable character, but The Gang often manages to bring out his worst traits – whether it’s by getting him addicted to drugs that Frank supplies or encouraging him to break his marital vows with Dee.

The Waiter

It’s not just that The Gang was rude to Michael Naughton’s character, The Waiter, while dining at Guigino’s Italian Restaurant; their mistreatment of him extends well beyond those incidents. In Season 13, he suffered at the Super Bowl and on an airplane, and more recently in Season 14’s “The Gang Chokes,” Frank attempted to control his life, while also placing his ailing mother in an abusive nursing home.

Ruby Taft

In the eighth season episode titled “Charlie and Dee Find Love,” Ruby Taft (portrayed by Alexandra Daddario) appears to develop genuine feelings for Charlie, yet it’s later revealed that her affection was feigned. Charlie had manipulated her emotions as a ploy to provoke The Waitress. It’s likely she moved on from the relationship but will bear an enduring emotional wound.

Dr. Larry Meyers

As a teenager, Dee may have admired Dr. Larry Meyers, her drama teacher, but their relationship takes a turn for the worse in “The Gang Gets A New Member.” During their reunion, Dee causes chaos in his classroom and manages to persuade him to stage a production of Frankenstein. Unfortunately, this results in Dr. Meyers suffering a broken hip. The unfortunate incident occurred because Charlie, who had recently been employed as the school janitor, waxed the stage without proper precautions.

Roxy

In “Frank’s Pretty Woman,” Roxy wasn’t thriving before she met The Gang, yet it’s worth noting that her interaction with Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie, and Frank ultimately led to her demise. It seems her life was nearing its end, but the surprising marriage proposal was like the final blow, hastening her death.

“Psycho” Pete

Pete might have been an ordinary individual, but he chose to associate with questionable peers during high school. Struggling with emotional turmoil and chemical imbalances, Mac and Charlie unfortunately reinforced his negative behavior, encouraging him to act in a reprehensible, deranged manner (such as shouting at infants). Consequentially, a significant portion of Pete’s adulthood was spent in a mental health facility. In “Psycho Pete Returns,” The Gang opted to send him to Los Angeles rather than confronting him directly when they felt uncomfortable dealing with him.

Mike

In “PTSDee,” Mike is remorseful about his job as a dancer and distant from his child, yearning to change his life drastically. However, Dee discourages this transformation. Rather than accepting him at his lowest point, she devises a plan for revenge that pushes him into an uncomfortable situation – performing an erotic dance for his own daughter, causing them both distress.

Aunt Donna

In “The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention,” Nora Dunn’s character, Aunt Donna, had already suffered the loss of two significant individuals in her life before we are introduced to her. However, her interactions with The Gang unfortunately lead to a further deterioration in her life. She finds herself fending off the advances of both Frank and Mac, which only worsens the situation. This encounter also triggers unfavorable behavior from her daughter, Gail The Snail, adding to Aunt Donna’s struggles.

Chase Utley

It’s truly unfortunate when someone becomes the target of a stalker, and this seems to be the case with Mac and ex-MLB player Chase Utley. Mac, who appears to be fixated on having a bodyguard and bouncer, constantly seeks contact with him. Moreover, he manipulates Chase by pretending to be a young boy, reaching its peak in Season 16’s “The Gang Gets Cursed,” creating an awkward encounter between the two.

Shelley Kelly

If Shelley Kelly hadn’t crossed paths with The Gang in “The Gang’s Still In Ireland” during Season 15, he might have lived longer. Regrettably, they did meet, and although he shared a heartfelt father-son moment with Charlie, his life was cut short when he contracted COVID-19 from an unvaccinated Dennis, ultimately leading to his demise.

Donald McDonald

This situation could lead to significant harm for Donald McDonald, as Mac seems oblivious to the opportunity to positively impact him (they have many shared traits, and in “Frank Shoots Every Member Of The Gang,” it’s evident that he yearns for companionship). However, Mac appears almost deliberately unaware of Donald’s subtle pleas for recognition.

2024-09-30 00:38