Why Glenn Howerton Almost Left It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

When fans talk about Glenn Howerton possibly leaving "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," they usually think of that brief period between seasons 12 and 13 where Dennis Reynolds' future on the show wasn't clear. At the end of "Dennis' Double Life," Dennis decides to leave the gang so he can be closer to his recently-discovered kid in North Dakota. In real life, Glenn Howerton announced he would be leading a new sitcom, "A.P. Bio." Dennis thankfully returned to the show part-time the next season, and has stuck around full-time from season 14 on. 

But before Howerton officially pulled away from the show for a bit, he was thinking about leaving as early as season 6. In a recent podcast interview with Rick Glassman, Howerton explained how he had felt confined by the show and it was making him a little miserable. "When we were shooting season 6 of 'Always Sunny,' I was in a bad place," Howerton said. "I was feeling burnt out, and frankly I was feeling boxed in by the show." He explained further:

"At that point, we were doing 13 episodes a season. [...] I didn't want to do it anymore — at all. Because I had other career goals, and it was getting in the way. Because I'm spending, at that point, probably eight, nine months were spent writing, acting, and then in post on 'Always Sunny.' Nine months. And I didn't set out to be a comedic actor, I had other things that I wanted to do. [...] I'm not someone with endless amounts of energy. Some people can juggle multiple things at once, I'm not good at that."

The good news is that co-star Rob McElhenney, who plays Mac and also co-writes/produces the show, was able to get Howerton out of his funk. As Howerton put it, "[McElhenney], in the most loving way, he pulled me aside and he was like, 'Hey man, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute.' I was like, 'Yeah?' and he was like, 'Are you okay? Are you doing okay?'" 

The two were able to talk through Howerton's frustrations, and Howerton came out of the conversation a little more content with his situation, and more capable of enjoying the production without bumming out the rest of the crew. It also may have also helped that "Always Sunny" started making changes to its production soon after.

As early as season 8, "Always Sunny" switched from 13-episode seasons to 10-episode seasons, and in season 15, the show lowered its output to 8-episode seasons. Not only have the seasons grown shorter, but the gaps between them have grown longer; it might be frustrating to "Always Sunny" fans who just want more episodes, but the less demanding schedule is part of what's helped the show stay fresh for so long. It doesn't feel like "Always Sunny" is going through the motions because the people involved seem to be giving themselves time to try new things and take time off when needed. It's rare for a live-action TV show to make it as long as this one has, and the gaps in production might be the key to pulling the feat off. 

The other thing that's helped is the show's tonal shift. It's still raunchy and silly, sure, but the show has grown increasingly comfortable with letting its actors show off their dramatic acting chops. Mac was given a surprisingly emotional coming-out scene to his neglectful father, and poor Charlie was given a sad, heartfelt monologue in the rain. The later seasons of "Always Sunny" are filled with moments seemingly designed to give its actors an occasional dramatic showcase amid all of the zany comedic beats fans have come to expect. 

Howerton has sadly not yet been given any big, flashy emotional moment on the show like the ones McElhenney and Day received — I guess it's harder to write that kind of moment for an established sociopath like Dennis — but he's been given plenty of little scenes that hint at his range. Take that season 14 moment where Dee jokes about Dennis being old, only for a flustered Dennis to respond, "We're the same age!" This could've been a forgettable throwaway joke, but the sad rage Howerton imbues into the line elevates it into something so much more:

"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" season 17 premieres on July 9, 2025.