10 Best It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Episodes

6. Hero Or Hate Crime?

The Nightman Cometh
FX

In this episode, we watch as the gang cycle through lawyers trying to figure out which of them owns a lottery ticket. The argument comes from a scenario in which Mac almost died, yet was saved by Frank yelling out a homophobic slur towards him.

The question arises; Is Frank a hero or a hate crime offender? It culminates with Mac receiving the ticket and finding out that he won a large sum of money. It's a great set up, but there is something else to this episode that helps it to gain its place on this list.

Within the series, a theme began to emerge. The idea was a consistent emphasis on Mac's sexuality, with stories believably hinting that he was gay. The joke came from how correct this theory was, the humour being Mac's ridiculous lengths to remain in denial. However, in this episode, Mac finally comes out. As a storytelling moment, it perfectly plays off the running joke and acts as an evolution for Mac's character. The scene is treated with respect and dignity, even showing a more caring side from the others.

Even without this, the episode would have been great, but this becoming one of the show's best moments makes it easily fit into the top ten.

Contributor

Michael is my name, overanalysing comedy is my game! Anime, wrestling, TV, movies and video games all live in my head rent free!