10 Funniest Episodes Of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

9. The Gang Tries Desperately To Win An Award (Season 9 - Episode 3)

Since the airing of this episode, Charlie Day has revealed that it's a (thinly veiled) reference to the show's lack of award nominations, despite several seasons of popular support and considerable critical acclaim. The plot revolves around the gang attempting to finally win an award for Paddy's Pub, largely by ripping off the popular bar down the road - a potential allusion to other, more successful FX shows such as 'Louie'. There's even a risque reference to 'The Wire', as the cast worry about attracting a predominantly black clientele, because "black bars don't win awards". Many believe the crime drama to have been snubbed due to its largely black cast and gang-orientated subject matter. Inevitably, and hilariously, the attempt to make Paddy's a bright, cheerful, hip bar falls spectacularly flat. In desperation, the gang encourage Charlie to perform his newly-written ode to the pub, a jolly Randy Newman-esque piano ballad. He instead reverts to type, singing a characteristically dark number about spiders and darkness. It's a predictable climax, but one made all the more funny because of that.