Before It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia became the cultural phenomenon it is today, the show’s creators weren’t sure they would even make it to a second season. Producers warned them that if they didn’t put on an A-lister, they’d be out of a job. Reluctantly, show creators and stars Rob Mac, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton added industry legend Danny DeVito to the main cast (arguably, the smartest decision this rag-tag group could have made).
Seventeen seasons later, Sunny is the longest-running live-action sitcom in television history, and season 18 arrives August 17 on FXX, FX, and Hulu with an expanded 10-episode run. It’s worth wondering where the series would be had DeVito not brought mainstream appeal to this otherwise niche show. His bizarre development from a corrupt business executive to the deranged lunatic he has become in recent years is incomparable. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the moments that established Frank Reynolds as a mainstay for the gang at Paddy’s Pub.
10
“Of course we sing! We’re a gang!”
The Gang Sells Out (S03, E07)
From the outside, the gang seems to be living the dream. They maintained a lifelong friendship and took it to the next level by going into business together (with a fair amount of financial assistance from Frank). That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t give it all up for a sizable paycheck, as becomes evident when a growing restaurant chain offers to buy Paddy’s Pub. Frank questions the viability of the deal and presents a list of ridiculous demands that are swiftly rejected. Once he catches wind that the restaurant’s owner has already given up on Paddy’s and set his sights on a local bookstore, he calls in The Yellowjacket Boys to scare away any potential buyers.
Frank is known to embellish his life experiences when it comes to impressing the group, most notably his references to a brief stint in Vietnam that turns out to have taken place in the early ’90s. The Yellowjacket Boys get the same treatment, sold to Mac as a dangerous gang who will serve as an imposing force outside the bookstore. In reality, the so-called “gang” is a group of older gentlemen in leather jackets who sing classic doo-wop tunes upon request. Watching Mac realize how gravely Frank exaggerated is priceless on its own, but Frank’s justification takes the scene one step further.
9
“Do yourself a favor and flush it out.”
The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis (S05, E01)
When Dee bursts into Paddy’s Pub with a new demented money-making scheme, Frank interjects with one of his own. He has just invested in a foreclosed home and needs help from Mac, Dennis, and Charlie to flip it amid the mortgage crisis. Ignoring Dee altogether, the guys embark on their real estate journey until she chimes in and announces she’s pregnant to win back the group’s attention. The result is stunned silence, followed by this admittedly crass (but equally hilarious) response from Frank, before Dee explains that she plans to be a surrogate.
Any fan of Sunny knows these guys don’t pull any punches. With five episodes removed from Hulu, it’s evident that the creators aren’t afraid to offend as long as the result is a good laugh. This quote is no exception, and it’s recited verbatim the following season when Dee reveals that she actually is pregnant. It’s certainly not a joke that has aged well, but it’s difficult not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation and DeVito’s stern delivery.
8
“Well, I don’t know how many years on this earth I got left. I’m gonna get real weird with it.”
The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention (S05, E04)
As Frank has grown more acclimated to the destructive behavior of the gang at Paddy’s Pub, his character has grown more and more unhinged. This season 5 episode finds him at rock bottom, binge-drinking his way into the funeral of his sister-in-law’s husband under the belief that he has a chance with her. The decision is not without opposition, as Dennis and Dee voice their concerns about Frank making a pass at their aunt. He ignores them entirely and explains that the move is simply his next step toward total depravity before his inevitable demise.
In many ways, the line perfectly encapsulates what makes DeVito’s portrayal of Frank Reynolds so iconic. Ever since his first appearance in the second season, Frank has steadily devolved from the snob he once was. DeVito, likewise, has proven beyond doubt that he has no concerns about looking foolish, agreeing to do just about anything he finds funny for the sake of the show. Moments such as these are exactly why he became indispensable to the series.
7
“I dropped my monster condom that I use for my magnum dong.”
The D.E.N.N.I.S. System (S05, E10)
After Dennis reveals his foolproof method of seduction to the gang, Mac and Frank devise their own systems. Mac’s strategy is to play the shy bookworm when Dennis introduces one of his prospects, swooping in afterward to console them. Frank takes a more straightforward approach. With a fresh box of Magnum condoms in one hand and a roll of hundred dollar bills in the other, the wheels are in motion for him to get back in the game.
Arguably the best episode of Sunny‘s fifth season, “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System” has no shortage of moments that made it a fan favorite. Even alongside Dennis’ juvenile demonstration of his carefully thought-out formula, this snippet remains the most quotable. The scene has been shared and remixed endlessly on YouTube and social media, pulling in a whole new group of fans who never would have sought the show out on their own. Simple jokes like this one are what allowed Sunny to amass the fan base it has today.
6
“I’m not going in there. I don’t sink.”
The Gang Buys a Boat (S06, E03)
When the guys thoughtlessly purchase a rundown houseboat with the remaining profits from their disbanded website, Frank and Charlie are left to scrape the barnacles off the hull before Dennis and Mac return from the store. They refuse, opting instead to head out on the ocean in search of oysters and “shrimpies.” Before they can begin the voyage, Frank accidentally throws the keys into the water while trying to hand them over. Charlie, infuriated that he would throw them overhand rather than casually toss them, orders him to go retrieve them. Frank refuses, explaining with this hilarious line why diving in wouldn’t help anyone.
Each member of the gang went into this venture with different intentions. While most of the group envisions a “P. Diddy style” party boat, Frank and Charlie have more practical uses in mind. Their goals are sound despite a total lack of experience, but the untimely demise of The Drowning Sailor in an accidental electrical fire throws a wrench into the plan. Frank blatantly missing Charlie’s hands is hysterical on its own, and his ridiculous rationalization for staying dry is what makes the scene so memorable.
5
“Wait a minute! Where’s the rum ham?!”
The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore (S07, E02)
On a typical day at Paddy’s Pub, Frank, Charlie, and Mac are burning old family photos out in the alley. Alerted to the commotion, Dennis and Dee intervene and remind Frank of the family vacations those photographs depict. A wave of nostalgia ensues, inspiring the Reynolds family to take a spontaneous trip to the Jersey Shore. As everyone settles into their respective activities, Frank and Mac start working their way through a ham drenched in rum until stray dogs swarm them. Frank suggests taking the party to the water, and the two continue their feast on an inflatable raft before falling asleep. Mac frantically tries to figure out how to get back to shore while Frank remains completely unfazed, at least until he notices the rum ham drifting off with the current.
This is yet another instance where the idiocy of Sunny is unmatched. That may sound like a criticism, but this level of absurdity is exactly what makes the show so charming next to other sitcoms on the air. The visual of Mac and Frank lounging on an inflatable raft devouring an entire rum-soaked ham could stand on its own, though DeVito’s horrified reaction to watching it float away is what established this as one of Frank Reynolds’ most hysterical episodes in the series.
4
“Doctor Toboggan. Mantis Toboggan!”
The ANTI-Social Network (S07, E08)
After Dee discovers a trendy new bar through a link sent to her on Facebook, the gang reluctantly joins her, only to find out the place serves nothing but gin. As they each express their disdain and demand a beer, the guys begin to wonder how an establishment with one drink on the menu has gained so much traffic. Frank believes they simply have a better business model, while Mac chalks it up to their web presence. Armed with that theory, Frank sets out to make a viral video that will put Paddy’s Pub on the map. His one flaw is not understanding what a viral video is.
Frank’s “viral” video opens with a series of lies, including promises of strippers, cockfights, and regular celebrity appearances. The gang is immediately on board, praising him for his efforts. As it progresses, however, Frank appears in a full doctor’s getup to announce that any patron of Paddy’s Pub is bound to catch a virus. He makes things worse by adding that anyone who doesn’t spread the video will get a computer virus. In a callback to one of Dennis’ finer episodes (“The D.E.N.N.I.S. System”), he adopts the role of Dr. Mantis Toboggan once again, spreading the “virus video” of a lifetime.
3
“Anyway, I started blasting.”
Gun Fever Too: Still Hot (S09, E02)
When Frank is invited to speak on a morning news segment after being mugged, the gang watches in disbelief as he explains how he narrowly escaped death. He begins his recollection while eating a sandwich he brought from home, then obliges when instructed to put it away. He goes on to explain that he wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for his “pieces.” Asked to clarify, Frank pulls out the two weapons he was carrying during the incident and nonchalantly describes what happened, prompting this quintessential quote.
Ask the average person about Danny DeVito, and they will likely point straight back to this scene. Even those who haven’t spent much time watching Sunny remember the moment fondly. This morsel of dialogue has spawned countless memes in recent years, and rightfully so. The entire news segment remains one of the most memorable moments of the season (and the series as a whole), still being referenced over a decade later.
2
“What’s up, b*tches?! I’m a man-cheetah!”
The Gang Misses the Boat (S10, E06)
Immediately after the humiliation of missing their chance to board a party boat, Dennis and the gang begin considering how drastically the group has changed since Frank’s arrival. Dennis expands on this with the hypothetical scenario of dressing as a man-cheetah, to which Frank replies, “I’ll go get the spots!” Reminiscing about the more outlandish schemes Frank’s money has funded, the three of them set out to rediscover their true selves. Frank’s plans skew when he meets a group of young upstarts celebrating the grand opening of their bar. Once his infallible (and illegal) money-making scheme backfires and the new crowd cuts contact entirely, out comes the man-cheetah costume.
If there’s one thing Frank Reynolds loves more than his money, it’s dressing up in strange costumes for the amusement of others. This is perhaps the funniest example in the series, even if the persona was short-lived. In the end, it becomes clear that this group of degenerates wouldn’t be complete without one another, and the original Paddy’s Pub gang decides to make amends against their better judgment, celebrating their return to form with a rum ham. Frank wears the spots with confidence, but his visible excitement at getting to wear them at all is what’s priceless.
1
“Allow me to destroy your gallery.”
Dee Made a Smut Film (S11, E04)
In yet another instance of the gang trying to establish themselves as functioning members of society, Dee reveals that she recently appeared in an art film starring ’80s television actor Richard Grieco. The others remain skeptical and demand evidence to back up such outlandish claims. Once the screening commences, they discover it’s a pornographic film, albeit one that does in fact star Richard Grieco. That revelation leads Mac, Frank, and Charlie to question the impact of modern art, convinced they can weasel any unsuspecting connoisseur into investing in them. To pull it off, Frank debuts a new persona: art critic Ango Gablogian.
Ango Gablogian is a prime example of Frank’s tendency to not only adopt a persona but take it to outrageous places in service of whatever absurd venture the gang is chasing. This is a major part of what established DeVito’s pivotal role within the cast. Beyond Frank’s confidence that he can convince even the most pretentious museum proprietor that he is a reputable investor, the fact that he walks in and starts insulting every piece on display is too funny for words.
Frank Reynolds started out as a network note, a last-ditch hire meant to buy the show another year, and somehow became the greasy, screaming heart of the whole operation. Sixteen seasons of Frank later, Danny DeVito is still finding new depths to sink to. With so many great moments from the fan-favorite character, we want to know what your favorite Frank quote is in the comments.
- Release Date
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August 4, 2005
- Network
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FX, FXX
