It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (TV Series) The Gang Goes Bowling (2023) User Reviews

One of the best episodes of the entire show

[foxxick · 10/10 · 14 July 2023]

This. This is Always Sunny at its best. An absolute joy of an episode from start to finish. Great pacing, and it surprisingly didn't feel overly crowded even with all of the recurring side characters. Dennis is always at his best when he gets to act as an over-exaggerated, low-stakes villain, and it makes it even more fun to root for the other team. Tons of great laughs and absolutely horrifying visual gags that had me grinning through the entire episode.

The one and only complaint I could scrounge up would be that the episode eventually came to an end. But unlike many episodes this season, it didn't feel as if it needed extra time. Top Tier.

This has everything that made Sunny great

[yannis_bal · 10/10 · 14 July 2023]

Another great episode of season 16 (I dare say an all time great!) It had everything:

Almost every recurring character made an appearance. And yes, after all these years, the McPoyles are back! Did not have much involvement though, but it was great seeing them and I hope that we do not wait so much to see them again

Artemis, Snail and Frank were their usual selves, with their right amount of disgusting, each one in their own way. Not a surprise they hit it off at the end!

And yes, the boys were so easy to manipulate, especially Mac, as always. The easiest one to be manipulated and get in his mind...

Charlie was easy too, behaving like an adorable child, as always

And Dennis... The punch scene has everything that made me love his character. Everybody are great actors, but Glenn (and Dennis) has a little more and is my favorite. The psycopathic self control was gold.

And the last scene... Typical Sunny style. Everything the gang was working for the entire episode, suddenly loses its interest and they just drop it! Dennis almost got in Dee's head again, and all the struggle of both parties to win until the last moment, suddenly doesn't matter at all!

Best episode of an already very strong season

[theojclark · 10/10 · 13 July 2023]

I am one of the people who has enjoyed all the recent seasons, but do understand the criticisms that it had dipped a little from the highs of earlier seasons.

That said, this season is really shaping to be one of the best and this episode in particular, is a real standout to me, with the return of some excellent characters (and actors) and a return to more straightforward storyline and characterizations.

I'm also a podcast listener, and it seems clear to me that the gang reminiscing about their early days, and re-watching early seasons, has had a big and positive influence on the writing of season 16.

The Gang Goes Bowling

[bobcobb301 · 8/10 · 14 July 2023]

They took a simple premise like bowling, we all knew exactly how it was going to play out and yet it produced a whole lot of laughs.

Dennis, Charlie and Frank owning up to the cheap insult from Dee of having their hands on their ding dongs was a surprising and amusing detour, but once they got to the bowling alley there were a lot of laughs there.

The ending kind of ruined it for me as I hate the slow motion bit and the idea of the gang leaving during one roll made little sense. But the McPoyles and Artemis were shockingly funny here.

This was definitely one of the best episodes of the season.

A Late Addition to the Classics

[sendphotopls · 10/10 · 19 August 2023]

While this season has been a marginal step up from previous ones in recent years, this episode still shines enough to stand out. The gang tends to fare quite well in bottle episodes ("The Gang Goes to Hell: Part Two," "The Gang Dines Out," "Times Up for the Gang," "CharDee MacDennis," etc.) and this one is just another testament to that fact.

The inclusion of fan favorite side characters in Gail the Snail, Artemis, The Waitress & the McPoyle brothers would make any super fan of the show excited. Yet, as excited as I was, I was worried they would show up for the sake of showing up and end up playing the role of cheap fan service than integral characters in the story. Luckily, my worries were subsided, as they genuinely make sense in context of their characters and add plenty of great moments to the episode's narrative and humor (does Gail the Snail even age??? She looks EXACTLY the same)

Same standout scenes include charlie's effortless first frame, frank's chili-filled bowling bowl, dennis' sore winner reaction in the arcade & the final scene (which genuinely subverted my expectations in spite of all the foreshadowing).

All-in-all, it's a seriously tightly written episode that truly hits the mark on the gang's attempt to return to their roots. Probably lands in my top 3 since Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs, which surprises even myself, but it really does feel like a classic episode from the show's golden age.

The Gang Goes Bowling: A Strike of Comedy Gold

[ergo-58534 · 10/10 · 13 July 2023]

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is back with another hilarious episode that brings together some of the best supporting characters from the show's history. In "The Gang Goes Bowling," the gang splits into two teams for a bowling match that quickly escalates into a war of the sexes, with the guys facing off against the girls and their allies. Along the way, we get to see the return of fan favorites like the Waitress, Gail the Snail, Artemis, and the McPoyles, who all add to the chaos and comedy of the situation.

The episode is full of classic Sunny moments, such as Frank's obsession with bowling shoes, Dee's attempts to sabotage the guys' team, Mac's insecurity about his masculinity, Charlie's confusion about the rules of bowling, and Dennis's manipulation of everyone around him. The episode also features some hilarious callbacks to previous episodes, such as Chase Utley's appearance, Rickety Cricket's involvement, and Uncle Jack's hand fetish.

The highlight of the episode, however, is the interaction between the gang and their wacky sidekicks, who each have their own quirks and motivations. The McPoyles are especially hilarious, as they reveal their secret plan to take over the bowling alley and their incestuous relationship with each other. The Waitress, Gail, and Artemis also have some great moments, as they show their desperation, annoyance, and eccentricity respectively.

The episode is a perfect example of how It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia can balance absurdity and humor, while also showcasing its amazing cast of characters. It's a must-watch for any fan of the show, and one of the best episodes of season 16.

18 YEARS OF GREAT WRITING

[mkayseryan · 9/10 · 1 August 2023]

I find it funny that all the bad reviewers of the show have nothing to say about this episode hmmm I wonder why. Every year I hear "they lost there way" it actually makes me laugh and it makes me think of lebron James I mean how many times have they said Lebron is old and he makes them look like fools every time I seriously suggest people wait a year or 2 before putting in a bad review. If you watch a ep you will need time to digest it and really enjoy it. Dennis is my favorite but I honestly love all of them very much this was an amazing episode, hilarious start to finish THANKS SUNNY CREW FOR NOT LISTENING TO BAD REVIEWS.

The best episode of the season yet

[shylaw-01315 · 10/10 · 16 July 2023]

"I summon the very fact that I am a man!" Nothing made sense in this episode, yet everything did all while being satirically summarized in that hilarious quote so masterfully yelled by Dennis (Glen Howerton) near the end. Each scene and act felt like a satirical throwback to The Karate Kid, Nerds, Revenge Of The Nerds among so many others. A treat to watch and very entertaining in true It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia fashion, like so many other wonderfully funny episodes over the years. Almost 20 years and still going strong, wow! This episode proves there is still a lot more steam left in the tank.

They still have it

[jerseyshope · 10/10 · 18 July 2023]

These people are comedy legends and it's incredible that they can keep coming up with fresh, really funny episodes. Laughed so much during this one. Best episode since season 12. They deserve the accolades they have made for themselves. I remember watching the first season of this show, seeing that it was very similar to a Seinfeld situation in terms of how short it was, but there were little things in there that still presented themselves in this one. And what's so wonderful is that they have embraced the fact that they've been a live-action cartoon show since season 2. This episode shows the wonderful ways to give the characters their mannerisms that fit so well into the show.