It’s Always Sunny Gets the Last Word on the Abbott Elementary Crossover

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Warning! Major spoilers for “The Gang Makes a Mess at Abbott Elementary” – the first episode of season 17 on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The sole purpose of the crossover between Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia would be to capture Janine Teagues, a meticulous and almost prim school teacher, uttering an offensive remark about Dee Reynolds, expressing her dislike using strong language. This unexpected comment from a dedicated educator adds depth to her character. It also presents Quinta Brunson with the chance to deliver the line confidently, while Tyler James Williams has the opportunity to portray Gregory’s stunned reaction. Furthermore, this crossover allows It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a long-standing live-action TV comedy, to allow the rising star Abbott Elementary to push its humor into a more vulgar and entertaining direction.

The tone of both episodes connected to Abbott Elementary appears to lean towards Abbott, at least initially. For instance, “Volunteers” from January and “The Gang Fs Up Abbot Elementary” from July 9th, share a similar style with the ABC sitcom by frequently breaking the fourth wall. They also create tension between the two groups through the Abbott crew’s disdain for The Gang. Notably, most of the events in these episodes have repercussions for the school instead of Paddy’s Pub. In the world of Abbott, Jacob can expect to relish telling the tale of his encounter with Frank, Charlie, and Mac, who were admiring a high-school boy’s physique in a school bathroom, for quite some time. Meanwhile, it’s unlikely that Frank, Charlie, and Mac gave much thought to Jacob after their departure from West Philly. The Gang’s memory of insignificant individuals is notoriously poor; they might even confuse Jacob with The Lawyer.

In the fictional universe of these shows, this crossover occurs. Meanwhile, in reality, since 2021, “It’s Always Sunny” has been television’s longest-running live-action comedy. This crossover serves as a step up from earlier references to other TV narratives (like season ten’s “The Gang Goes on Family Fight,” season 12’s “Making Dennis Reynolds a Murderer”) and a clever move in managing their brand. The characters, so uniquely crafted by Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Danny DeVito, and Kaitlin Olson, can seamlessly enter another TV landscape without losing any of their essence; the characters are so entrenched in their particular brand of foolishness that other shows adjust themselves to accommodate it.

Placing the Gang in an elementary school setting, causing havoc among kids and teachers, is a clever twist, reminiscent of their usual encounters with ordinary folks that end in chaos. Nonetheless, the primary objective of these two episodes isn’t about the storyline. It’s unclear if Charlie learns to read or not! For fans of “It’s Always Sunny,” the excitement lies in observing the actors skillfully portray their characters. For instance, the gentle simplicity that Day imbues into Charlie’s puzzled smile, and the way Howerton flexes his neck as Dennis slips into sociopathic behavior, showcase their impressive control over these roles. The Gang may be ridiculed as “jabronis” by Melissa Schemmenti, but they certainly know how to use their unique talents in a captivating manner with actors who possess distinct charms.

In the fourth season of “Abbott”, an episode titled “Volunteers” was introduced amidst ongoing storylines such as Janine and Gregory’s romance and the school’s dealings with the Girard Creek Golf Club. This episode, serving as a standalone feel-good piece, preceded larger arcs about the citywide bus drivers’ strike and Ava Coleman stepping down as principal. The main cast’s antics in this episode generally led to personal growth or satisfaction for the Abbott team: For instance, when Gregory rejected Dee’s advances, Janine felt more assured about their relationship; when Barbara tutored Charlie in reading, her teaching abilities were validated. Though “Abbott” is known for its quirky humor, “Volunteers” was particularly whimsical, even including a suggestive joke about eating ass. Moving forward to “The Gang Fs Up Abbott Elementary”, the only lingering question from “Volunteers” concerned Dennis’ whereabouts during the documentary shoot. The answer is soon revealed: In a classic display of his obsessive nature, Dennis constructed a coffee-making setup using lab equipment and attempted to win favor with the teachers by catering to their complex coffee orders. Contrasting “Volunteers”, which explored the teachers’ reactions to intruders in their school, “The Gang Fs Up Abbott Elementary” showcases the unique absurdities of the main cast’s behavior.

In this episode titled “The Gang Fs Up Abbott Elementary,” the volunteers’ reactions to Dee being referred to as a bird and Charlie’s affection for milk steak are playful Easter eggs. However, as the series delves deeper into the flaws of these characters – their grudges, groupthink tendencies, and disturbing behaviors – it transitions from being endearing to becoming unsettling in the distinctive manner of It’s Always Sunny.

For instance, Dee exhibits casual racism towards Abbott’s predominantly Black students and staff, similar to her caricatures in season four’s “America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest.” Frank displays ignorance around children, a pattern that echoes his actions in the season seven episode, “Frank Reynolds’ Little Beauties.” Charlie shows a nationalist streak, which was also prevalent in seasons two’s “Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody’s Ass” and five’s “The Gang Wrestles for the Troops.”

Moreover, the gang becomes fixated on trading 9/11 conspiracy theories, recalling their shock at discovering that the U.S. was involved in two wars in the Middle East during season six’s “Mac’s Big Break.” These actions serve as a reminder of the gang’s long-standing habits and their ongoing presence within the show. In essence, everything the gang does in this premiere is a continuation of their past behaviors, subtly hinting at their enduring nature to viewers.

In simpler terms, “The Gang Fs Up Abbott Elementary” as the season opener can be seen as a way for “It’s Always Sunny” to tackle more offensive content in the following episodes, and it does live up to its reputation by causing chaos and disruption at Abbott Elementary. However, this crossover also demonstrates the consistency of “It’s Always Sunny” and highlights just how disruptive the Gang can be, even inspiring a character like Janine to curse or having Frank destroy a bathroom. Later in the season, “It’s Always Sunny” will also have a crossover with “The Golden Bachelor,” further pushing the boundaries of its storytelling. Essentially, the Gang continues to cause trouble, but with their established place in the industry, they now have more freedom to do so.

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2025-07-10 04:54