It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia naturally got weird again for a bizarre "clip show" episode, and recreated a piece of television sitcom history. The Gang dressed up as Seinfeld's central characters and performed a shot-for-shot recreation of a classic scene from "The Contest." You can watch the scene below alongside the original clip from Seinfeld itself.
We have a Redditor to thank for this comparison-urging video, and it's really impressive just how well It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia was able to mimic the Seinfeld scene. Even with stars Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhinney both playing Jerry, the scene works relatively well and only falls behind the original sketch in pacing a couple of times.
The gang certainly deserves an A for effort and a pat on the back for being the closest thing television has gotten to a primetime Seinfeld reunion since Curb Your Enthusiasm. What's really great about this scene is the painstaking effort that went into recreating Jerry's apartment. Viewers who analyze EzloTheMinish's video can spot the various differences, but without the Seinfeld scene right there, it could easily be mistaken for the actual set. That's dedication, especially considering the scene was used for a relatively short bit.
For those who didn't catch the Sunny episode, the Seinfeld moment happened in the midst of an off-kilter clip show when Sweet Dee accidentally confused the Gang's own adventures with the masturbation-focused exploits from Jerry's crew. The episode featured other false memories and flashbacks, but also had its fair share of legitimate past highlights. It was a twist on the classic "clip show" episode many programs have done, although it probably took more work to create this episode than those due to the new scenes.
So, who wins the award for the best Seinfeld character impersonation? Kaitlin Olson deserves a fair share of credit for carrying the scene, although she played the part more like Sweet Dee than Elaine. Charlie Kelly's Kramer impression was pretty great, albeit somewhat exaggerated when measured up against the actual scene. When one takes into consideration Danny DeVito didn't have to do much as George Costanza, perhaps the winner here is Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhinney's performances as Jerry?
Honestly, the entire cast are winners in this scenario, as It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia once again skirted the line of surrealist comedy perfectly. Performing a Seinfeld sketch in costume is a bit that could've easily ended up being a dud, especially given the show's rabid fandom even to this day. If the show continues cooking up fresh and inventive ideas, it might just stay on the air long enough to claim the title of longest-running live-action television comedy.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 13 airs on FXX on Wednesday nights at 10:00 p.m. ET. It's one of many shows airing this fall season, so be sure to check out our fall premiere guide to get the scoop on other programs premiering and returning over the next couple of months.
