It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Episode 4 Review: The Show’s Satire Is Losing Its Sparkle

Critic’s Rating: 2 / 5.0

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You know how there are some episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that you have to grit your teeth to get through? 

Unfortunately, the latest episode is one of those for me. 

The sitcom has never shied away from controversial topics, but the glaring issue here is that the show doesn’t offer an interesting or new perspective on homelessness.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Episode 4, “2026: A Virtual Insanity,” follows the Gang as they get stranded near a homeless encampment on their way to the concert.

Like its other timely, topical episodes, this one pulls in a variety of issues, none of which get the time for meaningful commentary. 

In trying to say something about everything, the episode ends up saying close to nothing. 

Virtual Insanity, Real Problems 

The first red flag that’s raised at the very beginning is when we find out that the Gang is on its way to a Jamiroquai concert.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Jamiroquai hater. Virtual Insanity is one of the most fascinating music videos I’ve ever seen.

But the episode alienates viewers with its hyperspecific focus on using Jamiroquai’s song to frame how messed up the current state of the world is.

It’s Always Sunny has always thrived in the niche, but Jamiroquai might even be too niche for its audience. 

Dennis’ repeated explanations of Jamiroquai’s warnings about the dangers of technology and artificial intelligence don’t land when they’re only loosely related to the situation at hand. 

Even the visual gag of the characters donning Jamiroquai’s signature tall black hat doesn’t land well enough to justify the time spent on this storyline. 

It also feels like the show is veering into relying on ’90s nostalgia and how big the song was then to score some brownie points with the audience.

Plus, the Jamiroquai needle drop at the end of the episode barely covers up the weak ending of having the Gang decide to order a self-driving car.

It feels like the writers hoped to comment on the rise of automation and how technology has infiltrated our lives, but a few references to self-driving cars and a Jamiroquai song don’t offer much. 

The Gang Doesn’t Solve Homelessness

I’m not surprised the episode had shaky execution when tackling homelessness. 

As I mentioned earlier, the show isn’t afraid to discuss hot-button issues. Last week’s episode talked about being neurodivergent, a topic that has grown increasingly popular in recent years.

The problem with how the sitcom addresses homelessness is that it doesn’t offer a clear angle.

It flip-flops between poking fun at the Gang for their ignorance and justifying their antagonistic attitude toward the homeless population, as shown when Mac gets robbed by a homeless person and when Cricket breaks into the RV.

Additionally, the commentary lacks the subtlety and absurdity that usually make other It’s Always Sunny episodes, like the Season 18 premiere, so great.

The whole point of the Gang having the RV to flaunt in front of the homeless population is very tacky, even if it’s meant to highlight their 

Similarly, the bit about using music stands to physically support people who are “fent folding” feels obviously shoehorned in to poke fun at how Dennis and Charlie aren’t actually doing much to help the homeless population. 

While the episode tries to humanize homeless people by showing the characters interacting with them, it doesn’t spend enough time letting viewers empathize with people living in the encampment. 

Cricket’s return feels like a de facto way of playing to viewers’ empathy, as we should feel bad about how the Gang has ruined his life. 

But honestly, the show doesn’t seem to know what to do with Cricket anymore other than have him in dreadlocks and make some mildly offensive comments. 

Even the Dee and Mac storyline of trying to find gas and falling into bad fortune feels increasingly irrelevant, as the buildup only leads to a quick visual gag of Mac’s hat on fire that didn’t necessarily warrant the time spent on their plot.

“2026: A Virtual Insanity” tries to reflect how our society’s collective ignorance and inability to help out homeless people, but its inconsistent tone and wobbly humor fail to make the episode memorable. 

It’s honestly a little disappointing to see a show that once stood out for its sharp satire fall so flat, and I hope this is just an off-episode for this season.

Paddy’s Pub Bulletin Board

• Dee is drunk basically this whole episode. Last episode, she was on crack. I hope we see her take a break from substances next week. 
• I did not expect to see Rob Mac’s bare butt this episode, but c’est la vie, I guess.
• Insane in the Membrane now has been immortalized in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
• I like watching Dennis nerd out about music, but again, it would’ve been nice if his obsession with music analysis was connected to the story in a meaningful way. 

• The gas bit made me want to rewatch Season 4 Episode 2, “The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis.” Talk about the good old days!

That’s all from me! What were your top moments from the latest episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?

Don’t forget to vote in the poll below, and come back next week for our continued coverage of the Gang’s antics!

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs on Mondays at 9/8c on FXX, FX, and Hulu.