After 16 Seasons, All Of The Sunny Gang's Spouses Have Appeared
Season 16 of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is here, and in addition to bringing back some plot threads from earlier seasons like Charlie's sisters and the extra rooms in his apartment, the series is also finally completing a tradition started long ago by having the gang's spouses appear.
In the third episode of the new season, "The Gang Gets Cursed," Danny DeVito's wife of many years, Rhea Perlman, appears as one of Dee's (Kaitlin Olson) neighbors. The two have apparently had beef for some time and we just never got to see her. But in this episode, Dee finally pushes her poor neighbor, Bertha Fussy, just a hair too far and gets herself cursed. Perlman and DeVito don't ever cross paths in the episode, but just seeing Perlman on one of the "Sunny" sets feels like some kind of grand prophecy come true. She even gets to hold a (very vulgar) trophy!
Perlman is the last of the "It's Always Sunny" spouses to appear on the show, and there's always the chance that she could appear again, making Dee as miserable as Dee makes everyone else. How fun would it be for her to meet Frank (DeVito)? Either way, let's look back at all of the fabulous spousal appearances on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," going all the way back to the very first episode... sorta.
An office romance gone right
Series creator and star Rob McElhenney, who plays Mac, didn't expect to fall in love with one of his co-stars, but that's exactly what happened. McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson began dating in secret before finally revealing to their co-stars and co-workers that they were a couple. Many years later, the pair are still married with two kids, and Olson's pregnancy with their first child was written into the show as Dee's pregnancy when she was a surrogate for Carmen (Brittany Daniel).
While Mac and Dee pretended to be parents to a baby they found in the dumpster behind Paddy's all the way back in season 3, the two characters have never had any kind of romantic relationship. It has to be strange working with your spouse in that kind of environment. But McElhenney and Olson do it well, bringing lots of laughs at one another's expense and using their comfort with one another to take some of the show's wildest jokes to their fullest conclusion. Remember when Mac picked Dee up by the genitals in "Time's Up for the Gang?" That kind of stunt requires some serious trust, and thankfully they have it.
The world's weirdest one-sided romance
Another behind-the-scenes relationship that makes the onscreen one feel a little less creepy is the marriage between Charlie Day and Mary Elizabeth Ellis, who play Charlie and the Waitress, respectively. Charlie has stalked the Waitress for 16 seasons now, and while they did have a lovely night on the Jersey shore and hooked up at least once when the Waitress was desperate for a baby, their relationship is far from romantic.
The Waitress sees Charlie as a terrifying nuisance who watches her every move and keeps a journal about her life, while Charlie sees the Waitress as the only woman he could ever possibly love or marry. It's unhinged, but thankfully Day and Ellis have been together for many years and don't mind being weird onscreen. In fact, the two got together prior to the creation of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and even guest starred as a pair of incestuous siblings on an episode of "Reno 911!". They have one child together.
Real-life D.E.N.N.I.S. systemed?
That takes care of Frank, Charlie, Mac, and Dee, but what about Dennis? Glenn Howerton, who plays the five-star man himself, is married to actor Jill Latiano. She has appeared only once on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," back in season 5, episode 10, "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System."
Latiano played Caylee, a pharmacist that Dennis uses his system on, which is supposed to make women fall desperately in love with him. Instead, Caylee sees right through his nonsense when he tries to win her back after Dee bets him that he can't, and the D.E.N.N.I.S. system is proven flawed.
Dennis and Caylee may not have made it, but at least Howerton and Latiano have. The pair are still together and have two sons. Maybe one day we'll get to see all of the gang's offspring appear in an episode, but for now, the spouses have it.
New episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" premiere Wednesdays on FXX and stream the next day on Hulu.