It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: "The Gang Gets Trapped" Review

Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.

Man, this episode was so fun. I loved how they just jumped in with the gang in the middle of another ridiculous situation, rather than show the build up to it. And though much of it was so simple – Mac and Charlie sitting in a van, Dennis and Dee trapped inside a closet – the dialogue was particularly great this week, with one funny line after another.

Having Dennis get a bit meta here was a very clever idea, as breaking into someone's home to steal a vase they just learned about made him finally observe, "We immediately escalate everything to ten," and, "We should not be committing crimes based on beliefs that are two hours old!" I'm guessing none of Dennis' observations will remain in place next week, but that's okay – the idea of, just once, someone in the gang noting how completely insane they all act was so well used here.

In fact, Dennis absolutely dominated this episode, with a ton of killer lines. From chastising Dee that she was just "going to spray DNA everywhere" by urinating in the toilet of a home they were breaking into, to deadpanning, "Charlie doesn't know what a diversion is, apparently. He just ran directly into the house," this was a standout week for Dennis Reynolds.

- FX

Not that he was the only one delivering. Everyone had notable moments, including Charlie and Mac arguing over both Indiana Jones and whether Charlie could have a potato chip (Mac didn't want to share, you see) and Dee making the on the nose observation, "I'm beginning to think this family has zero awareness of their surroundings." Danny DeVito in the meantime pulled off some terrific physical comedy, as Frank tore a poor little girl's teddy bear to shreds, and wandered around the house with a whip at the ready. Sure, it might not have been exactly shocking when he ended up destroying the vase with that whip, but it didn't stop me from laughing when it happened.

Along with being so funny, the episode also had a nice little mystery element, as the gang tried to figure out just what the hell was going on with the family (who were both Southern and Asian, because why not?) who lived there, who kept speaking in secretive ways. When it turned out to be a big domestic drama, with the wife intending to run off with her boyfriend and the daughter, the laughs continued. Yes, Sunny can make a little girl crying over being separated from her daddy funny, simply by having these characters be the ones overhearing it and have Charlie, of all people, remark, "It's not good when the kids gets involved."

I better stop now, as I realize this review has quickly turned into one of those, "It was funny when he said this… and when he did that" ones. But it was that kind of episode.

Oh, okay, I do have a few final observations:

How perfect was it that Mac and Charlie have an idea for an imported leathers store they've "always talked about"?

Dee realizing she could cause Mac and Charlie to turn on each other with a simple observation to Charlie about him never getting to use the walkie-talkie button was awesome.

Loved having Glenn Howerton get a bit meta with another project he'd been in, when Dennis evoked The Strangers, exclaiming, "They can't wait to get their hand on home invaders, so they can blast them with shotguns!"

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