When we were first introduced to the gang that runs the incredibly shady Paddy’s Pub way back in season one of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” they were just a group of unethical strangers who meant nothing to us. But as the years have gone by and the ninth season has come to a close, it’s clear we’ve all grown to love their absolute disregard for the people around them and their downward spiral into complete insanity.
If you look at the series as a whole, it can be difficult to decide which character has gone the most insane since they’re all completely nuts. So, we took a closer look and settled on the rankings below. From least to most, here are the “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” characters who have fallen the deepest into insanity.
5. Charlie
Before you balk at the fact that I have Charlie as the least insane, give me a moment to explain. This is an analysis of who has fallen the deepest into insanity over the course of the series. Charlie has been pretty “out there” from the very beginning. Let’s not forget he was labeled the “Wild Card”. There is really only so far a wild card can fall. It’s not hard to hit rock bottom when you’re pretty much already there.
When he hit his peak: Season 4, Episode 13 “The Nightman Cometh”
Charlie, who has probably never worked hard on anything in his life, writes an entire musical in an attempt to impress the love of his life: the waitress. As he watches his hard work fall apart in front of a live audience due to the rest of the gang’s shenanigans right before his very eyes, he utters “I’m going to smack everyone into tiny little pieces” to himself. You can tell by the look in his eyes that he might actually go through with doing just that.
4. Frank
Frank is the most disgustingly vile of the bunch, but does that make him insane? Not at all. Frank decided to join the gang just so he could purposely let himself go. He made the choice to live like Charlie lives: in complete squalor and with cleanliness the furthest thing from his mind. Something about him actually wanting to be this crazy makes him seem pretty sane in this crew.
When he hit his peak: Season 4, Episode 6 “Mac and Charlie Die: Part 2”
Like the rest of the gang, Frank doesn’t seem to actually care about anything around him ever. His decline in proper hygiene over the years supports that fact. However, we get a brief glimpse into some kind of humanity, along with a whole bunch of insanity, when Charlie and Mac fake their death. To cope with the loneliness, Frank builds a Charlie dummy and proceeds to interact with it as if Charlie is still alive. Yikes.
3. Mac
We all know that Mac’s got some serious daddy issues. And it’s led him to constantly yearn for acceptance from those around him. Primarily, most of that yearning falls onto Dennis’ shoulders causing their friendship to be humorously homoerotic, but sometimes he channels it towards others as well.
When he hit his peak: Season 5, Episode 6 “The World Series Defense”
The moment I felt that we all got to witness just how far gone Mac had become was when Dee read the love letter Mac had written for Phillie’s 2nd baseman, Chase Utley. Highlights include: I love your hair. You run fast. Did you have a good relationship with your father? Me neither.
2. Dee
Poor, poor Sweet Dee. She’s got it rough. In this band of misfits,
she’s still an outcast. It’s no wonder she’s number two on this list, what with the constant berating by the rest of the gang. She has every right to snap and should in fact be the most insane of the bunch at this point. She is constantly ignored by the guys, even when her thoughts and ideas are the best of the bunch, only to have someone else take credit for the same exact idea.
When she hit her peak: Season 9, Episode 1 “The Gang Broke Dee”
The title says it all. Dee hung in there and she didn’t seem to truly snap until later in the series, but when she did, it was major. Dee simply gives up on everything. All of the insults and abuse catch up with her and she doesn’t seem to care anymore. This is the only time the gang is actually ever concerned about her and they devise an incredibly elaborate ruse to bring her back to the way she was.
1. Dennis
The key to Dennis leading this race is that he has absolutely no clue just how much he’s lost it. Dennis is in a perpetual state of denial about his status in society. He believes he is a winner and always has been, prompting any encounter with his past and the truth to cause him to flip out.
When he hit his peak: Season 5, Episode 12 “The Gang Reignites The Rivalry”
There are many examples that can support Dennis’ #1 ranking, but I think when Dennis truly loses it, it’s, as I said, when his past meets his present. When he returns to his old fraternity and is treated like a pathetic pledge rather than the legend he thinks he is, he loses it. His rant to Charlie and Mac about the incident – where he calls the frat boys idiots and savages – is easily one of the most insanely hilarious moments of the show.
