Always Sunny Creator Nearly Destroyed Another Hit Sitcom

While discussing the upcoming crossover episode with the press, Abbott Elementary showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker explained that they had to cut a full episodes-worth of content from their sessions with the Always Sunny cast, as McElhenney couldn’t stop delivering hilariously filthy lines throughout his performance.

Fans of Always Sunny are already well aware of the show’s loose structure and tendency to let performers fire off a wide array of jaw-dropping improvised jokes, which make for some of the show’s most memorable and unhinged scenes.

Over the years, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia has become something of a black sheep series in American television, airing for over 16 seasons without having ever won an Academy Award. While this is deeply upsetting to some fans, many people understand that the academy wouldn’t want to recognize such a crass and outrageous show, which frequently depicts shouting, abuse, physical violence, and cartoonish shenanigans packed with juvenile humor.

Abbott Elementary, on the other hand, is known to be an uplifting show that relies on the genuine spirit of its characters to carry most episodes, often concluding with a message of positivity and thoughtfulness.

So you can imagine the shock that Abbott‘s producers must have felt when Rob McElhenney inundated their set with thousands of F-bombs, slurs, and other backwards turns-of-phrase common to his Always Sunny character Mac. One of Mac’s key traits is his inability to smooth out his rough edges to appeal to sensible crowds, especially when he’s going out of his way to impress people. Historically, this has not paid off in his favor, as his Paddy’s Pub cohorts tend to do a much better job masking their insanity for the general public.

While the Abbott Elementary showrunners didn’t provide any quotes or specific examples of Mac’s cut dialogue, they did explain that their standards and practices department would never let the episode air with most of the lines left in.

Always Sunny fans can always pray for a long-form gag reel loaded with these scenes, though even that is doubtful considering how sternly the Abbott crew shut down the vulgar improv. Still, Halpern and Schumacker called the experience “so damn funny,” and described absolute joy at the process of working with the Always Sunny team, so maybe we’ll get another chance to hear Mac verbally assault Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues another time.

The crossover episode is expected to air in late November as part of Abbott Elementary‘s fourth season. For now, there’s no word on how Charlie, Dee, Mac, Dennis, and Frank will fit into the uplifting mockumentary about a Philadelphia public school, though Charlie is said to have the most prominent appearance in the episode.

Charlie and Dee previously took part-time jobs at an elementary school all the way back in Always Sunny‘s sixth season which aired in 2010, so maybe that’s an entry point for the whole gang to appear.

Source: Cracked