It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Season 1

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an enjoyable show with funny dialogue that often feels somewhat improvised, although I'm not sure how true that actually is. Sometimes comedies foolishly get credit for "realistic" dialogue which is actually much cleverer than any human really is, but this show nails down the balance between humor and stuff that people might actually say. Funny people, sure, but real people.

The show's about four friends who run a bar in Philly and often deal with complex social issues such as racism and abortion in very crass ways. Where the show really succeeds is making a bunch of dirtbags completely likable. I mean, it can't be easy to make you root for guys going to a "right to life" rally to pick up chicks, right? It seems a bit like they're just grabbing for any edgy topic they can and making an episode about it, but as long as they keep it funny I'll probably be watching. The different characters all have their own personalities but share a sense of humor and real camaraderie that make it entertaining regardless of the topic, and very few moments fall flat. The first season's only seven episodes long, which probably speaks to how cheaply and efficiently it was made. I definitely want more.