3 Shows from the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" Gang - and Why You Should Watch Them

Personal Opinion: The artists behind It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are some of the greatest creative geniuses of our time.

From Danny DeVito to Charlie Day, they present a comedic force that is challenging, engaging, and completely unique in our world. The plot points are wild, but somehow we buy into them. The characters are awful, awful people...but somehow we can't get enough of them. 

We live in their world, and we hate it and love it there. We keep going back. 

We just can't help ourselves.

What happens, though, when a member of the gang breaks off and creates a project of their own?

These three gems, that's what.

Here's why you should be watching them:

Mythic Quest

Don't let the name fool you. This is not (just) a show for nerds. Mythic Quest is the name of a video game, the office of which is the backdrop for an edgy and heartfelt workplace comedy.

In it, Rob McElhenney plays the narcissistic and emotionally damaged creator of a wildly successful video game. A strong supporting cast of equally sharp characters helps him to explore themes of ambition, feminism, family, creativity, and commercialism. You'll recognize David Hornsby (Rickety Cricket) as a familiar face.

At its (surprisingly warm) core, this is a show about the balance between personal power and vulnerable human connection - and what we sacrifice when we don't get it right. You'll find yourself rooting for these imperfect characters in a big way. You will share in their victories. You'll be shocked when they let you down.

Also, it's laugh-out-loud funny. Seriously, give this one a shot.

The Mick

Kaitlin Olsen deserves her own show, you guys. She is as underappreciated in real life as Sweet Dee is by the fictional gang on Always Sunny. In fact, it was Olsen's insistence that Dee be a depraved mess of desperation, rather than an eye-rolling "good sport" to counter the boys, that truly made her character work.

In The Mick, she rolls into the scene with shades of Dee's "scammin'" mentality. Naturally, her greed backfires immediately. She finds that a fortune she has inherited comes with the guardianship of three pretty difficult children. A sullen teen, a young republican, and an endearingly strange little one round out a strong cast and provide ample comedic fodder. This premise allows Olsen's edgy brand of physical comedy to run wild.

Critics seem split on whether the result is fresh and hilarious, or too uncomfortable, implausible, and rife with child endangerment to be truly funny.

I suspect Always Sunny fans will side with the former.

AP Bio

What if Dennis Reynolds did move to the Midwest and start a life there? That seems to be the premise of AP Bio, in which Howerton plays a disgraced former Harvard professor. Cold-hearted elitist Jack Griffin finds himself forced to move back into his childhood home and take a job teaching high school.

What if, when this happened, though...the people of this small town slowly changed him?

Here's where Howerton takes a very un-sunny risk. Always Sunny frequently approaches the question of Dennis Reynolds' ability to grow as a person, and the answer is always a hard no. We get a short tease of vulnerability, and then, like a rubber band, he snaps back twice as sharp.

Granted, AP Bio's Jack Griffin is more of a sarcastic narcissist to Dennis Reynolds' full-on sociopath. The show overall is much lighter and brighter. Essentially, it's a heartfelt comedy full of deeply likeable supporting characters, to which Howerton brings some welcome edge. From the veteran teachers who are unimpressed with Jack but befriend him anyways, to the well-defined students bringing their own layers of complexity, it's the ensemble that makes this show shine. You can't help but fall in love with them. This makes it strangely believable when Jack starts to warm up. The growing friendship between Howerton and Oswalt's characters, in particular, is a bright spot.

The reason It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has worked for fourteen seasons is undoubtedly the powerful creative force behind it.

Although they shine as a team, I can say conclusively that McElhenney, Olsen, and Howerton hold up just as well on their own. As with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, all three of these shows improve and deepen as they age.

Give them the two-season chance they deserve. You'll be glad you did.