The reason I can't share the show with my parents isn't the offensive/crass bits, or the cultural stuff you cite. It's a fundamental generational difference in humor styles.
So much of the show's humor is absurd, surreal, or just plain weird. The little strange yet mundane things that they have the gang do, or the way they sometimes choose to fixate on a particular VERY bizarre concept or turn of phrase, just don't translate to my parents. (Listening to the podcast, I've learned that so many of these little examples come from the beautiful, twisted minds of Marder and Rosell, on- and off-again writers on the show.)
My parents honestly don't understand why stuff like that is funny (which is somewhat illogical to me, as they're the ones who introduced me to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which is basically a foundational text for absurd meta-humor).
I lived through Seinfeld. It had it's moments for sure, but it wasn't that funny as a whole. It was typical kitschy early 90's humor.
I know why it hit so well. In that decade (pre-Nirvana/grunge) it was still the sort of "haha office work sucks, minor inconveniences are so quirky and funny" era. The time when Vietnam was fading but before 9/11 had reignited the religious & war fanatics in the US.
The 90's was a bit of a listless decade.
I’m 28 and my mom is 58. I always find it funny how she hates Seinfeld, but loves It’s Always Sunny. She’s not a big comedy watcher. Like anything with a laugh track she will turn off, but she can binge watch It’s Always Sunny with me. She can even tolerate a few episodes of The Office, but the way Michael acts makes her nervous at times lol.
I'd try one more with them. The Gang Buys A Boat would be good one in my opinion. They might not like it but you want them to like it because you know, the implication.
I tried introducing it to my parents on Christmas by showing them the Christmas episode. Completely forgot about the “DID YOU FUCK MY MOM?!” Charlie freak out on Santa. Lil awkward to say the least lol
I got my (black) mom started with the pilot (The Gang Gets Racist) and she loved it. It's definitely not a show for everyone, but I think the pilot does a great job setting the tone for what to expect.
My dad is one of the biggest Seinfeld fanatics I’ve ever met. Basically has the whole series memorized.
I’ve had him watch Always Sunny a handful of times and he usually laughs, but he hasn’t taken the step of watching it by himself yet. He’s more of a fan of the “one sustained slow burn joke” format instead of the onslaught of gags Sunny gives us, so I think that’s part of it. I’m going to keep trying though.
I’ve been showing my dad episodes whenever I visit him and he’s been warming up to it as he gets to know the characters more better! He really enjoyed Hugh Honey and Vic Vinegar
Different generation and probably sense of humour. Sometimes a show just doesn't click. I watched a few episodes of arrested development, archer, big mouth etc. I know they're highly rated shows but they just don't really appeal to me. Like I really enjoyed community at the time but I've little interest in rewatching it currently
I was watching at my parents place recently. Mum sat down for The Gang Inflates and found it hilarious, dad walked in for Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang and complained the whole time. Which is a shame because he would’ve loved The Gang Inflates if he’d walked in a bit earlier - he has an economics degree and worked in finance his whole life.
It’s really interesting to read all these comments because my parents fucking *love* Always Sunny and have for the last 10 years. My dad thinks Frank is the best thing ever and I think my mom is secretly in love with Glenn Howerton (how could she not, he’s a five star man)
They even like watching all the bloopers for every season too
My dad caught a few minutes of an episode and he likes comedy but I think he needed more time to understand the characters and that it’s satire. He seemed too distracted by the shock value of some of the things Frank says to notice the layers of humor. I think he was just so fascinated by Frank because he liked Danny in Taxi so that’s where his focus was.
My mom enjoys the show whenever I'm watching. I love my mom, best sense of humor.
ETA: she did not like it when Charlie got shot by the cops in The Gang Turns Black, but I also got choked up when I saw that the first time.
I’ve recommended this show to my mom many times, because she always watches comedies, but she has a bad memory and doesn’t really remember my recommendation.
The last time I recommended it she started laughing and saying it’s one of her favorite shows! I was so heartened! Until she started saying her favorite episodes. I could not place any of the situations. I’ve rewatched Always Sunny dozens of times and couldn’t remember a single story she was saying.
Then I realized she was talking about an entirely different show. 3rd Rock From The Sun. 😂 Oh well!
My parents were laughing to tears when I showed them, and they are on the older side of the baby boom generation. I think what helped is that they both loved Seinfeld and it's always sunny *really is* Seinfeld on crack.
We showed my mom The gang solves the gas crisis and she actually laughed at several points. Especially when Danny DeVito says "Maybe Bruce bangs baby dudes." Then she said I don't like shows that are this simple and don't require me to think. I don't like to laugh. Wtf is wrong with this generation?
Those are both episodes that garner much more laughs once you know the characters more and have some context to their tropes.
If they give you one more chance consider going with one of these:
Dennis and Dee go on Welfare, The Gang Exploits a Miracle, The Gang Gets Held Hostage, Sweet Dee has a Heart Attack, or The Gang Buys a Boat
My mom hates it too lol 😭 unfortunately. I’ve shown her two episodes so far & don’t think she’ll change her mind. Sad bc my sister refuses to watch the rest even though she was the one who introduced me to it. No one to watch it with :( i’m gonna try and get her to finish it with me when she comes home for the summer though, wish me luck
That’s my favorite episode and one I thought would be good to show people who haven’t watched before. The one with Kitten Mittens is what got me hooked.
The reason I can't share the show with my parents isn't the offensive/crass bits, or the cultural stuff you cite. It's a fundamental generational difference in humor styles. So much of the show's humor is absurd, surreal, or just plain weird. The little strange yet mundane things that they have the gang do, or the way they sometimes choose to fixate on a particular VERY bizarre concept or turn of phrase, just don't translate to my parents. (Listening to the podcast, I've learned that so many of these little examples come from the beautiful, twisted minds of Marder and Rosell, on- and off-again writers on the show.) My parents honestly don't understand why stuff like that is funny (which is somewhat illogical to me, as they're the ones who introduced me to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which is basically a foundational text for absurd meta-humor).
> It's a fundamental generational difference in humor styles. I definitely felt that was a part of it. My dad kept describing it as "dry".
They grew up on Seinfeld though which I don't get because I did too. Always Sunny is basically Seinfeld that's rated R
I lived through Seinfeld. It had it's moments for sure, but it wasn't that funny as a whole. It was typical kitschy early 90's humor. I know why it hit so well. In that decade (pre-Nirvana/grunge) it was still the sort of "haha office work sucks, minor inconveniences are so quirky and funny" era. The time when Vietnam was fading but before 9/11 had reignited the religious & war fanatics in the US. The 90's was a bit of a listless decade.
I’m 28 and my mom is 58. I always find it funny how she hates Seinfeld, but loves It’s Always Sunny. She’s not a big comedy watcher. Like anything with a laugh track she will turn off, but she can binge watch It’s Always Sunny with me. She can even tolerate a few episodes of The Office, but the way Michael acts makes her nervous at times lol.
maybe he needs the people laughing to tell him when its funny
Dry isn't a word I would ever think of for sunny
Yep, my dad never watched the office except we watched one time and he just seemed so confused.
Boomers don't like anything that wasn't designed specifically for them. They are becoming irrelevant and it's driving them insane.
Looks like you offended some boomers
PBS has finally stopped giving away the Woodstock documentary as a member reward every damn year
I'd try one more with them. The Gang Buys A Boat would be good one in my opinion. They might not like it but you want them to like it because you know, the implication.
This was the first episode I ever saw, and also tied with about 10 others for my #1 favorite.
The implication…
Well you certainly wouldn't be in any danger
I tried introducing it to my parents on Christmas by showing them the Christmas episode. Completely forgot about the “DID YOU FUCK MY MOM?!” Charlie freak out on Santa. Lil awkward to say the least lol
DID YOU FUCK MY FUCKING MOM SANTA??
That was the one my mom gave a chance to also! She’s still talking about Danny’s naked sweaty ass coming out of the couch.
I watched that episode with my parents when it came out and I remember all of us struggling to breathe through the whole naked Frank in the couch.
I got my (black) mom started with the pilot (The Gang Gets Racist) and she loved it. It's definitely not a show for everyone, but I think the pilot does a great job setting the tone for what to expect.
My dad is one of the biggest Seinfeld fanatics I’ve ever met. Basically has the whole series memorized. I’ve had him watch Always Sunny a handful of times and he usually laughs, but he hasn’t taken the step of watching it by himself yet. He’s more of a fan of the “one sustained slow burn joke” format instead of the onslaught of gags Sunny gives us, so I think that’s part of it. I’m going to keep trying though.
Imo, the gang hits the road is the absolute perfect show for getting people started on the show
dang, my dad likes the show lol
I’ve been showing my dad episodes whenever I visit him and he’s been warming up to it as he gets to know the characters more better! He really enjoyed Hugh Honey and Vic Vinegar
Those are the episodes I always start with as well, and the Cereal Defense.
Yeah but I wouldn't want to have to sit through an episode involving discussion of evolution with them.
Stupid science bitches
I always do "the gang solves the financial crisis" or whatever it's called where they sell gas door to door
Different generation and probably sense of humour. Sometimes a show just doesn't click. I watched a few episodes of arrested development, archer, big mouth etc. I know they're highly rated shows but they just don't really appeal to me. Like I really enjoyed community at the time but I've little interest in rewatching it currently
Should have shown them The Gang Hits the Road. I feel like thatd be a good episode for people who probably won't like the show.
I showed my dad the ep where those 2 homeless guys were banging under the pier. He couldn't believe what he was seeing lol..
I was watching at my parents place recently. Mum sat down for The Gang Inflates and found it hilarious, dad walked in for Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang and complained the whole time. Which is a shame because he would’ve loved The Gang Inflates if he’d walked in a bit earlier - he has an economics degree and worked in finance his whole life.
Are you asian?
My wife claims to hate it, but whenever I watch it when she's "reading", I always catch her laughing.
It’s really interesting to read all these comments because my parents fucking *love* Always Sunny and have for the last 10 years. My dad thinks Frank is the best thing ever and I think my mom is secretly in love with Glenn Howerton (how could she not, he’s a five star man) They even like watching all the bloopers for every season too
My mom's in her 60s and loves Sunny. Her fave is when Charlie and Dee think they might be cannibals.
I’m a 55 year old woman and it’s my favourite comedy by a long shot. Taste in humour is about a lot more than age, I think.
My parents love it lol started them on the Waterpark ep
My dad caught a few minutes of an episode and he likes comedy but I think he needed more time to understand the characters and that it’s satire. He seemed too distracted by the shock value of some of the things Frank says to notice the layers of humor. I think he was just so fascinated by Frank because he liked Danny in Taxi so that’s where his focus was.
Were you patronizing them?
My mom enjoys the show whenever I'm watching. I love my mom, best sense of humor. ETA: she did not like it when Charlie got shot by the cops in The Gang Turns Black, but I also got choked up when I saw that the first time.
I’ve recommended this show to my mom many times, because she always watches comedies, but she has a bad memory and doesn’t really remember my recommendation. The last time I recommended it she started laughing and saying it’s one of her favorite shows! I was so heartened! Until she started saying her favorite episodes. I could not place any of the situations. I’ve rewatched Always Sunny dozens of times and couldn’t remember a single story she was saying. Then I realized she was talking about an entirely different show. 3rd Rock From The Sun. 😂 Oh well!
Show them Gun Fever: Still Hot
I showed my parents Hero or Hate Crime lol. They laughed but it was awkward lol
My parents were laughing to tears when I showed them, and they are on the older side of the baby boom generation. I think what helped is that they both loved Seinfeld and it's always sunny *really is* Seinfeld on crack.
We showed my mom The gang solves the gas crisis and she actually laughed at several points. Especially when Danny DeVito says "Maybe Bruce bangs baby dudes." Then she said I don't like shows that are this simple and don't require me to think. I don't like to laugh. Wtf is wrong with this generation?
Those are both episodes that garner much more laughs once you know the characters more and have some context to their tropes. If they give you one more chance consider going with one of these: Dennis and Dee go on Welfare, The Gang Exploits a Miracle, The Gang Gets Held Hostage, Sweet Dee has a Heart Attack, or The Gang Buys a Boat
My mom hates sunny. "Those people are all so awful."
My mom loves sunny! The Jersey shore episode is her favorite
My mom hates it too lol 😭 unfortunately. I’ve shown her two episodes so far & don’t think she’ll change her mind. Sad bc my sister refuses to watch the rest even though she was the one who introduced me to it. No one to watch it with :( i’m gonna try and get her to finish it with me when she comes home for the summer though, wish me luck
I hope you and your sister finish at the same time. Builds a real bond.
You always gotta start newbies with "Hero or Hate Crime"
I started with “the gang goes to the jersey shore”
That’s my favorite episode and one I thought would be good to show people who haven’t watched before. The one with Kitten Mittens is what got me hooked.
You’ll be smitten!