It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 2

The second season of the American television sitcom series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered on FX on June 29, 2006. The season contains 10 episodes and concluded airing on August 17, 2006.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Season 2
DVD cover
Starring
No. of episodes10
Release
Original networkFX
Original releaseJune 29 (2006-06-29) –
August 17, 2006 (2006-08-17)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 1
Next →
Season 3
List of episodes

Season synopsis

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The series' second season introduces veteran actor[1][2] Danny DeVito portraying Dennis and Dee's father Frank, who moves in with temporary wheelchair user Charlie following a car accident, and blackmails his way into the group. Anne Archer also has a recurring role as Barbara Reynolds, Dee and Dennis's promiscuous, cold-hearted mother. Meanwhile, Mac has sex with Barbara and spins a web of lies and deception in order to throw the rest of the gang off his tracks.

The gang ups their efforts on the scheming front: the gang tries to fight back against a property anomaly that leaves their bar in the path of an Israeli immigrant's new place, Dennis and Dee quit their jobs and hatch a plot to get on welfare so they can live out their dream careers, and Frank—along with Charlie and Mac—exploit the religious when they discover a water stain in the back room that resembles The Virgin Mary. Charlie and Dee fight against cigarette smoking, while Frank, Mac, and Dennis fight back against their freedoms being encroached by making their bar an "anything goes" establishment that first attracts drunk college girls willing to flash their breasts for beads, but things do not go according to plan when heroin addicts, Vietnamese gamblers, and the incestuous McPoyle siblings get in on the action. At the end of the season, Dennis and Dee find a man on MySpace who claims (and turns out) to be their biological father, while Mac reunites with his convict dad, and Charlie is still trying to find the identity of his missing father.

Production

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Before production of the second season began, series creator Rob McElhenney found out that Danny DeVito was a fan of the show and a friend of FX president, John Landgraf. McElhenney asked Landgraf to set up a meeting. McElhenney met DeVito at his home and pitched DeVito's character, Frank Reynolds. DeVito agreed to star in the show, but was only available for twenty days. To have Frank Reynolds in all ten episodes of the second season, all of DeVito's scenes were filmed before filming the season.[3]

Cast

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Main cast

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Recurring cast

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Guest stars

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Episodes

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
US viewers
(millions)
81"Charlie Gets Crippled"Rob McElhenneyStory by : Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney
Teleplay by : Rob McElhenney
June 29, 2006 (2006-06-29)IP020011.64[4]
Dennis and Dee's father Frank (Danny DeVito) abruptly appears, scaring Dennis, who accidentally runs over Charlie with his car. When Charlie gets attention from strippers by being in a wheelchair, the Gang decides to fake disabilities to get attention.
92"The Gang Goes Jihad"Dan AttiasStory by : Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney
Teleplay by : Rob McElhenney
June 29, 2006 (2006-06-29)IP020021.50[4]
An Israeli businessman buys a neighboring property of the bar, the floor-layout of which actually includes half of Paddy's Pub, prompting the Gang to go to extremes to get the man to leave; Frank fights with his ex-wife over the possessions she got in their divorce. This episode is a satire of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
103"Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare"Dan AttiasStory by : Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney
Teleplay by : Rob McElhenney
July 6, 2006 (2006-07-06)IP02004N/A
Dennis and Dee quit their jobs to pursue their dreams, but when Mac reminds them that unemployment eventually runs out, Dennis and Dee get hooked on crack cocaine so they can apply for welfare. Meanwhile, Frank hires two new workers under the "Work for Welfare" program, and Charlie and Mac go on a spending spree with the money in Frank's secret bank account.
114"Mac Bangs Dennis' Mom"Dan AttiasCharlie Day & Glenn HowertonJuly 6, 2006 (2006-07-06)IP02005N/A
When Mac is asked to fetch Frank's toupee from his ex-wife, he has sex with her; Charlie uses this information to hatch a plan to get with his crush, a coffee-shop waitress, by getting Dee to create a web of lies and backstabbing.
125"Hundred Dollar Baby"Dan AttiasCharlie Day & Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenneyJuly 13, 2006 (2006-07-13)IP02007N/A
Frank trains Dee for a boxing match against his old boxing foe's daughter; Dennis and Mac train Charlie for an underground fighting ring to make money off him.
136"The Gang Gives Back"Dan AttiasCharlie DayJuly 20, 2006 (2006-07-20)IP02003N/A
The Gang must atone for the events of "The Gang Goes Jihad": Mac, Dennis, and Dee are sentenced to coach inner-city children's basketball, and Charlie is sentenced to attend AA meetings. The Waitress, an alcoholic, is at the meetings and offers to be Charlie's sponsor just to get to Dennis.
147"The Gang Exploits a Miracle"Dan AttiasCharlie Day & Eric Falconer & Chris RomanoJuly 27, 2006 (2006-07-27)IP02009N/A
When the Gang finds a water stain in the office that resembles the Virgin Mary, Frank charges patrons to see the miracle. Meanwhile, Dennis goes anorexic when Dee tells him that his face is fat, Mac and Charlie become dueling preachers, and a former admirer of Dee's get another chance with her.
158"The Gang Runs for Office"Dan AttiasDavid HornsbyAugust 3, 2006 (2006-08-03)IP02006N/A
After realizing political corruption's money-making potential, the Gang helps Dennis run for the position of a local comptroller.
169"Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody's Ass"Dan AttiasCharlie Day & Rob McElhenneyAugust 10, 2006 (2006-08-10)IP02008N/A
Outraged when Dennis smokes in the bar, Charlie teams with Dee to start an anti-smoking rally. Meanwhile, Mac, Dennis, and Frank turn Paddy's Pub into an "anything goes" bar, which goes horribly wrong thanks to the new clientele: heroin addicts, Vietnamese gamblers, and incestuous McPoyle siblings.
1710"Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad"Dan AttiasStory by : Charlie Day & Rob McElhenney
Teleplay by : Rob McElhenney
August 17, 2006 (2006-08-17)IP020100.96[5]
Dennis and Dee discover the MySpace page of a man who claims to be their real father. Meanwhile, Mac and Charlie visit Mac's convict father in jail, and Charlie thinks Frank might be his real father.

Reception

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The second season received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 95% with an average score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 21 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Gang becomes complete with the addition of Danny DeVito, whose wily performance gives Always Sunny a new shine."[6]

Home media

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The season two episodes are presented in production order, rather than their original broadcast order.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Seasons 1 & 2
Set details Special features
  • 17 episodes
  • 3-disc DVD set (Region 1 & 4)

Technical specifications

  • Full Frame (1.33:1)
  • English Dolby Surround
  • English, French, and Spanish subtitles
  • Scenes from the Original Pilot
  • Two audio commentaries:
"Mac Bangs Dennis' Mom"
"Hundred Dollar Baby"
  • Two featurettes:
Sunny Side Up Making-of
Fox Movie Channel Presents Making A Scene: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Release dates
Region 1 Region 4
September 4, 2007[7] June 2, 2009[8]

References

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  1. ^ Davis, William Scott (March 11, 2015). "Here's how Danny DeVito saved 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' from getting canceled". Business Insider. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  2. ^ "Looking At The 'Sunny' Side Of Life". NPR. September 17, 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  3. ^ It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Seasons One & Two — "Sunny Side Up" featurette. 20th Century Fox. September 4, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending July 2, 2006". Ratings Ryan. January 9, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  5. ^ "Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending August 20, 2006". Ratings Ryan. January 24, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  6. ^ "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 2 (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  7. ^ "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Seasons 1 & 2 (2005)". Amazon. September 4, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  8. ^ "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Seasons 1 & 2 (3 Disc Set) (DVD)". EzyDVD.com.au. Archived from the original on April 12, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
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