It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 12: Ranking Every Episode From Worst To Best

Apart from the finale, this is easily the best episode of the season when it comes to character development, in addition to being incredibly hilarious.

In this episode, the gang hire an arbitrator to determine who is the rightful owner of a lottery scratch ticket they are fighting over. In the midst of the initial debacle involving the ticket, Mac is nearly crushed by a falling piano, only to have Frank help save him by yelling a homophobic slur to get everyone's attention.

What follows is a ridiculously funny half hour of arguing, with one of the major talking points being if Frank is a hero for helping save Mac, or a bigot who doesn't deserve the accolade. The session culminates with Mac finally coming out of the closet after years of refusing to come to terms with his repressed homosexuality. He initially does so just to spite Frank for his insensitive remarks, being awarded the ticket in the process. However, he then quickly realizes that maybe it is finally time to accept who he is.

For an episode as foul-mouthed and potentially offensive as this one is, a genuinely touching conclusion was a much-welcomed surprise. The writing was also superb, with each member of the gang getting their own time to shine, resulting in some of the season's funniest moments. It is for these reasons that Hero or Hate Crime? earns itself a solid spot in the top three.