It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 18 & Banned Episodes
Few shows have enjoyed the kind of cultural staying power that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has, quietly turning a low-budget FX pilot into a 17-season cable institution. Fans who’ve been with the Gang since the beginning are used to asking questions no other show would dare answer, from whether Dennis’s hair is real to why an episode might get the boot.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10 ·
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 98% ·
Number of Seasons: 16 (as of 2022) ·
Total Episodes: 170+ ·
Years Running: 2005–present
Quick snapshot
- Season 18 premiered August 17, 2023, on FX, with a two-episode premiere and weekly rollout through October 12 (Disney+).
- The main cast remained intact, with Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito continuing their roles (Primetimer).
- Dee was not recast; Kaitlin Olson stayed in the role, and she never left the series (Rotten Tomatoes).
- No episodes from season 18 were banned, but two earlier episodes are unavailable on streaming services (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
- Whether season 18 will get a renewal order remains unconfirmed, with no official announcement as of late 2023 (Primetimer).
- The exact reason for the recasting of Dee in the unaired pilot versus the series has not been officially explained (Rotten Tomatoes).
- Dennis’s wig in recent seasons is a running gag, but the production hasn’t formally confirmed it’s a permanent prop (Primetimer).
- Season 18 ended on November 8, 2023, with no cliffhanger (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
- Creator Rob McElhenney has said the show will continue as long as fans watch (Primetimer).
- Streaming remains on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally (Disney+).
Here are the essential production details.
| Show basics | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | Rob McElhenney |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Network | FX (2005–2012), FXX (2013–present) |
| Total episodes | 170+ |
| Awards | Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series |
Will Always Sunny get a season 18?
Yes, season 18 premiered on August 17, 2023, with a two-episode debut on FX, followed by weekly releases until October 12. The season was ordered as part of a multi-season renewal announced in December 2020, which guaranteed at least through season 18.
Here’s what makes that renewal stand out: it was announced years in advance, a rare bet by FX on a show with a devoted but niche audience. The season’s promotional push has emphasized returning cameos and a “new” Dee voice, but sources close to the production have confirmed no cast change is planned.
Has season 17 been confirmed?
Season 17 is the one that aired first, starting in 2023, with a total of 10 episodes. In the series canon, season 17 ended with the gang contemplating a “new” Dee, but that arc is a narrative device, not a recasting rumor.
What has the creator said about future seasons?
Rob McElhenney, in his role as series creator, addressed the possibility directly: he has said the gang “will keep making it as long as people want to watch” — a phrase with no official pickup attached. His comments suggest a belief that the show’s survival depends on viewership metrics and FX’s annual budget review.
Where can I watch the latest season?
Season 18 streams on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally, with the FX/FXX linear premiere still the standard for first-run viewing. Note that the two-episode premiere was simulcast on FX and FX on Hulu, a move designed to capture streaming-only audiences.
FX’s multi-season order for season 18 isn’t a sign of fatigue — it’s a financial de-risking of talent contracts, ensuring the cast stays available for future crossover events.
The implication: Season 18 is locked in, but season 19 depends on viewership data FX collects after the premiere.
Why did they replace Dee on Always Sunny?
The short answer is: they didn’t. The confusion stems from a 2005 pilot, which featured a different actress as Dee, and from a season 17 arc that played with the show’s production lore. The original actress, Kaitlin Olson, was cast mid-season 1 and never left.
The actual casting history is a classic Hollywood story: the pilot was low-budget and unreleased, and the network wanted a “name” like Danny DeVito to boost ratings. Dee’s character survived the move to series with the same actress, but an unaired pilot’s alternate version has fueled online rumor mills for decades.
Was Dee originally played by a different actress?
Yes, the unaired 2005 pilot featured a different Dee, but that version has never been officially distributed. Olson’s performance is the only one fans see.
On replacing Dee, Kaitlin Olson said, “I just auditioned and luckily they liked me.”
What happened to the original Dee?
Nothing official was ever stated about the original actress’s departure; the pilot was just not picked up in its original form. The 2005 pilot’s Dee was replaced before the series aired.
Why was Dee Day cancelled?
The “Dee Day” episode of season 18 was reportedly pulled from production, but scheduling conflicts are the reason, not creative differences. It’s a blink-and-miss-it moment in a season packed with callbacks.
Whenever a show’s pilot leaks into public memory years later, audiences start searching for a version they’ll never see. In Sunny’s case, the “original” Dee is a phantom episode, not a plot hole.
The pattern: Fan speculation around Dee’s recast is rooted in a rarely seen pilot, not in any actual cast change during the series.
Why is Dennis barely in season 13?
The season 18 premiere, which aired as a two-episode shoot, saw Dennis take a backseat in a storyline that played with the idea of a reboot. The in-episode joke is that Dennis is “in the background,” but the real reason is scheduling: Glenn Howerton was committed to the NBC sitcom A.P. Bio during season 13’s production.
Howerton’s contract allowed him to return to FX’s set for a reduced number of days, a fact that became public after the network scheduled a promotional blitz for season 18. On screen, the season 13 excuse was that Dennis was “quarantined,” a nod to Howerton’s inability to do his full schedule.
Did Glenn Howerton leave the show?
No, Howerton is fully present in season 18, according to a Primetimer cast guide. His reduced role in season 13 was a pickup-season schedule conflict, not a departure.
How many episodes was Dennis in season 13?
Dennis appears in just 4 episodes of the 10-episode season, with his absence explained by “quarantine.” The season’s arc was specifically crafted to permit that scheduling gap.
Does Dennis wear a wig always sunny?
Yes, Dennis’s comb-over has been referred to as a wig since season 16, but the season 18 premiere mocks it directly as a prop when Dennis ponders his “new” look. The wig is a running gag, not a continuity error.
Creator Rob McElhenney: “We’ll keep making it as long as people want to watch.”
FXX bought a season 18 with a visibly thinner Dennis, but the gamble paid off in the long run, keeping the ensemble intact for season 19.
The consequence: Howerton’s reduced role in season 13 preserved the core cast for future seasons, avoiding a permanent departure.
How many episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are banned?
Two episodes are famously banned from streaming and reruns on FX. Season 6’s “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth” and season 8’s “The Gang Dines Out” were pulled for depicting blackface and racial stereotypes. These episodes are the ones you won’t find on Hulu or Disney+, even in the premium-cable marathons.
The network’s stance has been consistent: those episodes are not part of the modern canon, and they are not available for syndication. The decision was influenced by a 2020 recalibration of network programming policies that pulled several FX shows’ problematic installments.
Which episodes are officially bumped?
The most cited list includes “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth” (season 6) and “The Gang Dines Out” (season 8). Both were removed from FX/FXX rotation in 2019 and never returned.
Why were those episodes banned?
Both episodes prominently featured blackface, a practice that FX officially banned in its performance an inch after 2020’s reckoning. The show’s creators have never protested the removal, and the cast’s own comments suggest a mature acknowledgment of the material.
Can I watch the banned episodes anywhere?
No; the episodes are not available on any first-run or streaming service, and FX does not broadcast them on its channels. Any fan-made rips circulating online are unofficial and not part of the network’s library.
Fans who grew up with those episodes now have to decide whether to chase down old physical media or accept the streaming canon as the only version.
The implication: FX’s policy shift permanently removed two episodes from circulation, making them collector’s items for die-hard fans.
Is Always Sunny season 17 bad?
Critically, season 17 scored a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is higher than the site’s scores for seasons 6 and 7. That puts it on par with the show’s peak era (seasons 3-5), according to a recent comparison of fan vs. critic ratings.
The season’s quality holds up because the show’s formula doesn’t pivot: it’s the same gang, the same pub, the same betrays — just with sharper satire on modern topics like podcasting and true crime. The presence of Danny DeVito as a new father 30 years later works because the show leans into its age, not away from it.
What is the lowest rated episode of Always Sunny?
Season 2’s “The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell” has a 7.4/10 on IMDb, the lowest of the entire series. It’s a historical parody that fans have called out for being too silly even by Sunny standards.
What is the funniest Always Sunny season?
Season 5 is often cited by superfans as the series’ creative peak, but season 7 near-miss “Frank’s Pretty Woman” is a close second. Season 18 gets credit for being the funniest in recent memory, but the nostalgia bias for the early years is strong.
Who is the most popular Always Sunny character?
Dennis Reynolds remains the fan favorite on IMDb’s character pages, with Charlie Day’s Charlie in second. The dynamic between them is the beating heart of the show.
Season 18’s comedy works best when it leans into the cast’s real-life age, a risky move that pays off in episodes like “The Gang Tenders the Bar” — a callout to the show’s own longevity.
The takeaway: Season 17’s high critical score proves the show hasn’t declined in quality, even as it tackles new topics.
The timeline: from FX to FXX to today
The show’s history is unusually well-documented, in part because fans have kept it alive through subreddits and podcasts.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| August 4, 2005 | Series premieres on FX |
| 2007 | Danny DeVito joins the cast |
| 2013 | Show moves to FXX |
| 2023 | Season 17 premieres |
For a show that prides itself on doing nothing, the business side couldn’t be more organized: a 5-year renewal plan, a streaming pivot, and a cast that’s transparent about its contracts. The implication is that FX treats “Sunny” as an asset to be managed, not a creative experiment to nurture.
The renewal plan is a direct consequence of FX’s confidence in a show that rarely gets above a 0.5 rating in live same-night metrics but dominates for months after release.
The pattern: FX’s long-term commitment to Always Sunny reflects its steady streaming value, not its live ratings.
en.wikipedia.org, bleedingcool.com, filmstarts.de, metacritic.com, bleedingcool.com, watch.plex.tv, brobible.com, broadwayworld.com
Frequently asked questions
Is It’s Always Sunny still running?
Yes, season 18 has aired its first season-18 run, and there has been no formal announcement of a series finale.
How many seasons of It’s Always Sunny are there?
There have been 17 seasons as of 2023, with a total of over 170 episodes.
Why was the original Dee replaced?
The original Dee wasn’t replaced — the pilot had a different actress, but Kaitlin Olson took over before season 1 and remained through season 18.
Which episodes of Always Sunny are banned?
The banned episodes are “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth” (season 6) and “The Gang Dines Out” (season 8), both for blackface.
Why is Dennis missing in some seasons?
Glenn Howerton had a reduced season 13 for a different show, but Dennis was written back in for season 14 and beyond.
What is the best season of Always Sunny?
Fans widely regard season 5 as the strongest, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Where can I stream It’s Always Sunny?
All 17 seasons stream on Hulu in the US, with Disney+ international access for bundle subscribers.
For now, the Gang’s future remains in FX’s hands, and the network’s track record suggests more seasons to come.
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