ChirpBlog

On 11/8/2018 at 7:49 AM, jcin617 said:

How It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Pulled Off Mac’s Jaw-dropping Dance

Per the article, the dancing was all Rob.   It also raises some interesting points to consider such as the fact that Mac has been in such great shape all season in no small part due to his rehearsal of this dance for months.     I also missed that Mac was crying in the middle of the performance when his dad got up and left, and that the long pause when he was crying in the middle was not part of the dance, until his partner picked him up and got him moving again.

Thank you for posting this article! Longtime PTV poster and have always watched Sunny, but I think this is the first time I felt compelled to come to the Sunny board. Rob’s performance was absolutely brilliant, amazing, and moving. Watching it the first time was emotional but I almost was afraid to let myself go in the experience because I kept waiting for “the gag.” Watching it again (video in the article above), I weeped.

I think all these years I’ve just underestimated Rob because he’s not a “breakout star” like Charlie Day and everyone else. Obviously as creator/writer Rob is brilliant. And a few seasons back, okay gaining weight for the gag showed some dedication—and, oh wow, going the other extreme physically this year he’s over-the-top ripped. But the dedication to learning this emotional interpretive modern dance is just unreal.

It’s interesting how a show that’s so anti-PC found a way to toe the line (somewhat) in today’s climate this season. This season really saw the evolution of the gang—to a point. Mac, Dennis, Dee, and Charlie at all different points this season would exclaim it’s 2018, you can’t say that anymore, etc. The gang being the gang always found a way to screw it up, but they at least acknowledged and TRIED to do/say the right thing in their own misguided way. Frank was the one holdout that balked at the “PC crap.” This episode really worked for me because not only did Mac have an awakening, but Frank did, too. He spent the whole episode complaining about getting stuck with the job of getting Mac on the float because he doesn’t understand this gay stuff—and I don’t understand you, Mac, in general. And we end on Frank’s epiphany, as well—Oh, my god. I get it. I get it. That’s a really big deal that Mac and Frank both had emotional epiphanies. Even though the gang wasn’t all together this episode, I feel like it could be a series finale. (I have no knowledge one way or the other.) Yet, because the gang is all off on different projects, this season was really cobbled together. Rob—as the only one without other job prospects (that I know of)— just catapulted himself as a star with this performance. Plus, I feel like they tackled all of the big issues of the day—this is as progressive as they’re each going to get...and probably could get and still be the same kind of provacative show. 

ETA: Another reason this could be a series finale is the way Mac was rejected by his father, yet accepted by Frank all in the same moment. Frank obviously is Dennis and Dee’s father, yet was most like a father-figure (BFF) to Charlie. As Frank kept reiterating this episode, I never got you, Mac. Implying we’re part of this circle, but you’re the one person i’ve always had distance with. Mac has spent his whole life craving his father’s love and acceptance. He’s been self-loathing his whole life—maybe if he’s a better Catholic or stronger or tougher or not gay... Once he finally accepted HIMSELF, Frank could finally SEE him, accept him, get him. Frank can give him that fatherly love he craves. Not that he’s all that great with Dennis and Dee (but a lot of that is D&D not really wanting that—calling him Frank instead of Dad) but he is a good “father” to Charlie—and this gang is family. I kind of don’t want them to ruin this moment by coming back for another season—even though i’ve always liked the show. They can’t top this. And, god damnit, Rob pulled the long—13 years long—con on me! As I said above, I always thought he was the weakest character. It’s kind of funny that if he was the creator, he gave the better material to everyone else all these years. I really didn’t see it coming that it was HIS story all along.

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