In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Episode Recap: "Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City"
So, did this episode set the record for fewest words spoken in the opening scene? Unless there’s one I’m forgetting, I think it did. And really, the sight of a bum mastering his domain (the site has a block on the more straightforward term for this) says enough.
And so it’s the sight of this bum enjoying his hobby in the alley of their bar that causes the gang to come to the conclusion that something has to be done about the state of the city. As Frank says, (in my favorite line of the episode) "[Blocked word]ing bums are bad for business." Of course, they have conflicting views on the best way to fix things, leading to the usual dual storyline for the week: Mac and Dee decide the answer is to take matters into their own hands and go the vigilante route, while Frank, Charlie and Dennis believe they need protection in the form of a vicious junkyard dog. And as always, things don’t turn out the way they planned: Mac and Dee realize the neighborhood watch is a little too wimpy for their liking (No uniforms! No guns!), and Frank, Charlie and Dennis are unsuccessful in finding a junkyard dog, instead settling on a junkyard cat and an old police cruiser they can park in front of the bar to chase vagrants away.
Each group winds up taking their plans a little too far. Mac and Dee dress up like Guardian Angels and decide they’re going to get rid of that bum in the alley themselves. At first Dee is resistant (especially to the beret and suspenders: "We look like Rerun."), but once she beats the bum to a pulp (armed with a souvenir minibat), the taste of violence is enough to get her hooked. Frank and Dennis buy cop uniforms so they'd look less conspicuous driving the police car and manage to convince Charlie that he didn’t get a uniform because he can play an undercover cop.
Mac and Dee’s enthusiasm for crime fighting ends the moment they get a taste of real trouble in a bad Philly neighborhood. The enthusiasm for Frank and Dennis doesn’t end when they realize all the perks that come with being a cop. It starts with free hot dogs and leads to taking people’s wallets. Charlie, outraged and in full Serpico mode, leading to several great Charlie Freak-out scenes as he does a solid Al Pacino impersonation (even throwing in an "Hoo-wah” at one point).
I think my favorite moment of the episode was Charlie recording the supposed police corruption using a tape labeled "Spin Doctors Mix." Second favorite was his complete confusion when confronted with the state flag of Pennsylvania.
In the end, Charlie decides to bring it all to an end by destroying the source of the corruption on the fake police squad Frank and Dennis have formed: He blows up the police car. Unfortunately Charlie does not realize this will end things and decides his "Spin Doctors Mix" tape needs to get to the mayor (or "mare"). This leads to a great final shot of Charlie giving the statue of Frank Rizzo a nice ass slap and leaping into the air in victory.
Any time an episode features Charlie impersonating Al Pacino, and a cat named Special Agent Jack Bauer, the writers have done a fine job.
For more Sunny clips, visit our Online Video Guide.
|
|
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 8:37 AM
|
Special Agent Jack Bauer is one of the best cat names I've ever heard. I'm half tempted to steal it.
And nice job avoiding the "blocked word" it actually makes for an even more entertaining blog read!
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 11:16 AM
|
One of the best lines was Charlie shouting 'ATTICA..ATTICA...ATTICA' ala "Dog Day Afternoon"
I do not agree with the previous poster. The last time I looked, this was America. I thought that we have freedom of speech. I can see not allowing the 'f' word, but not allowing a word that is in the dictionary?? I'm sure that TV Guide has used the 'm' word one time or another.
While we are on the subject of TV Guide. Why did do they ALWAYS review, show pictures and talk up that putrid show that no one watches '30 Rock'? Almost every week we are bombarded with stories and photos from '30 Rock' and nary a mention of a much funnier 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'!
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 12:28 PM
|
This show is so vastly superior to the comedies on NBC on Thursday night. Kaitlin Olsen, episode after episode, shows that she is truly one of the boys on this show and deserves an Emmy. There is no one as funny as her on television at present. Danny DeVito is always perfect as Frank.
Best line of the episode.
Dennis: "Gotta get Jack Bauer back to CTU." (That cat was the coolest cat on TV and deserves a best guest actor nod as well - how freaky looking was that cat?!)
Next week is the last episode of the year and that kind of just sucks.
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 12:41 PM
|
|
I hope FX gives us another season of this.
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 1:10 PM
|
I don't know if I would say that "Sunny" is funnier than "30 Rock", nor would I say that "30 Rock" is putrid. I find it to be insanely hilarious and in my opinion, "Sunny" hasn't been as funny as the flawless Season 1 because of the addition of Danny Devito. I always prefer the show when it's Danny and Kaitlin off in one subplot and the three guys (who are the main reasons for watching, esp. Charlie and Dennis) doing something together because I can just ff through the Danny/Kaitlin parts.
I love how the show slowly turned into a 70s cop drama, with Mac and Dee in their Rerun outfits and Charlie as Serpico and then the awesome music at the end when Charlie blew up the cop car (and Special Agent Jack Bauer). Great episode but the cat stole the show. That was in fact, the greatest cat ever on any television show. This will be another "Sunny" episode that I'll have to download off iTunes and watch again and again.
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 1:34 PM
|
joenamherst - I don't think BeccaElizabeth was in favor of the blocked word, just how I managed to dance around it, which was not easy first thing in the morning.
I think it's a new security feature we installed in response to a writer who once used the "m" word 72 times in a Mama's Family blog. It's unfortunate he had to ruin it for everyone, but we have to think of the children.
I made that up, actually.
Fingers crossed on a Jack bauer spinoff. Something along the lines of Toonces, but with more action and indestructible cat moments.
|
|
Nov 9, 2007 2:34 PM
|
|
|
