# It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 5

The fifth season of the American television sitcom series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered on FX on September 17, 2009. The season contains 12 episodes and concluded airing on December 10, 2009. Beginning with this season, the series' aspect ratio was changed from 4:3 to 16:9.

## Season synopsis

This season sees the gang tackling the global recession in their own selfish, clueless ways, by exploiting the mortgage crisis and taking advantage of the nouveau pauvre homeless people living outside the bar thanks to the 2008 recession to growing the bar's brand by selling merchandise. The gang also follow up on last season's musical episode by putting on a wrestling show for American troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq, with Frank also dresses up as a trash man for his wrestling-for-the-troops persona.
In their dating lives, The Waitress announces her upcoming wedding, which sends Dee into a panic while Mac and Dennis introduce Charlie to online dating to get his mind off the fact that his days of stalking The Waitress are over once she says, "I do." Dennis introduces the gang to his manipulative guide to scoring with women, while Dee has an online relationship with a soldier who turns out to be a wheelchair user.
This season also sees Frank becoming more self-destructive and worried over his mortality: becomes a slobbering drunk, attempts to hang himself after losing all his money, has sex with Artemis (the strange actress from Sweet Dee's acting class), and tries to sleep with the same women as Dennis...after Mac has had his shot at them. The gang then decide to take a trip to the Grand Canyon as part of an item on Frank's bucket list—but the trip ends before it can begin after several unfortunate events. The gang then gets their taste of Hollywood stardom when M. Night Shyamalan films his latest movie in Philadelphia, wreak havoc at the 2008 World Series, and reignite a rivalry started ten years ago at a popular drinking contest.

## Cast
### Main cast

* Charlie Day as Charlie Kelly
* Glenn Howerton as Dennis Reynolds
* Rob McElhenney as Mac
* Kaitlin Olson as Deandra "Dee" Reynolds
* Danny DeVito as Frank Reynolds

### Recurring cast

* Mary Elizabeth Ellis as The Waitress
* David Hornsby as Rickety Cricket

### Guest stars

* Artemis Pebdani as Artemis
* Travis Schuldt as Ben The Soldier
* Lynne Marie Stewart as Bonnie Kelly
* Sandy Martin as Mrs. Mac
* Brian Unger as The Lawyer
* Melanie Lynskey as Kate
* Ben Koldyke as Sean
* P.J. Byrne as Tad
* Nora Dunn as Donna
* Mary Lynn Rajskub as Gail the Snail
* Suzy Nakamura as Tabitha
* Nick Wechsler as Brad
* Nasim Pedrad as Lucy
* Patricia Belcher as Judge
* Roddy Piper as Da' Maniac
* Jill Latiano as Caylee
* Mae Laborde as Gladys
* Marshall Allman as Bezzy
* Noah Bean as Art Sloan
* Cody Kasch as Cheesefoot

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
| 46 | 1 | "The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis" | Randall Einhorn | Becky Mann & Audra Sielaff | September 17, 2009 (2009-09-17) | IP05008 | 2.24 |
| While Frank, Mac, and Dennis try their hand at real estate, Dee arranges to be a surrogate mother to a wealthy couple with a pool; Charlie faces off with a lawyer on the intricacies of the judicial system. ||||||||
| 47 | 2 | "The Gang Hits the Road" | Fred Savage | Glenn Howerton & Charlie Day | September 24, 2009 (2009-09-24) | IP05005 | 1.79 |
| The Gang tries to expand their horizons by going on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Despite the guys' attempts to leave Dee behind, the entire group travels in Dee's small car and the back of a U-HAUL trailer, making many stops along the way: bathroom stops, the Italian Market to buy furniture for the trailer and fruit for Charlie, and picking up a hitchhiker. ||||||||
| 48 | 3 | "The Great Recession" | Fred Savage | David Hornsby | October 1, 2009 (2009-10-01) | IP05007 | 2.01 |
| Frank attempts suicide because of a recent financial loss he attributes to the recession. Mac and Dennis deal with the economic strain by making Charlie and Dee prove their worth; when they can't, Dee quits and Charlie gets fired. Dee then teams up with Frank, who feels better after financially cutting off the Gang, to start a business; the business fails and the good feeling flees. Mac and Dennis try to emulate the Dave & Buster's business model with newly-impoverished Americans who are residing in RVs by the bar. Meanwhile, Charlie tries to move back in with his mother but the condition that he must share a room with Uncle Jack drives him to choose a cardboard box. ||||||||
| 49 | 4 | "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention" | Fred Savage | Scott Marder & Rob Rosell | October 8, 2009 (2009-10-08) | IP05006 | 1.51 |
| Dennis, Charlie, and Dee stage an intervention on Frank because they no longer enjoy drinking with him; trying to become as depraved as possible, Frank tries to seduce his former sister-in-law (Nora Dunn), whom Mac also pursues while Dennis and Dee deal with their bizarre cousin "Gail the Snail" (Mary Lynn Rajskub). ||||||||
| 50 | 5 | "The Waitress Is Getting Married" | Fred Savage | Glenn Howerton & Charlie Day | October 15, 2009 (2009-10-15) | IP05004 | 1.61 |
| Jealous that The Waitress is marrying her former boyfriend Brad Fisher (Nick Wechsler), whom she cruelly dumped because of his acne—Dee tries to derail the wedding, enlisting help from Frank, Artemis, Mrs. Kelly, and Mrs. Mac. Fearful that Charlie will lose his mind and take it out on them, Dennis and Mac try to find him a girlfriend with online dating. Dee learns that The Waitress went to high school with her ("... you really are forgettable.") ||||||||
| 51 | 6 | "The World Series Defense" | Randall Einhorn | David Hornsby | October 22, 2009 (2009-10-22) | IP05014 | 1.61 |
| The Gang describes the tribulations they endured during Game 5 of the World Series, hoping that the judge will clear them of all the citations they received. ||||||||
| 52 | 7 | "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops" | Randall Einhorn | Scott Marder & Rob Rosell | October 29, 2009 (2009-10-29) | IP05012 | 1.35 |
| There's nothing more American than wrestling, so the Gang decides to put on a wrestling show for the returning troops; Frank wants to go along as the Trashman, but the others disapprove. Meanwhile, the soldier (Travis Schuldt) Dee has been chatting with online is not what she expected. ||||||||
| 53 | 8 | "Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens" | Randall Einhorn | Sonny Lee & Patrick Walsh | November 5, 2009 (2009-11-05) | IP05011 | 1.99 |
| When a merchandising convention comes to town, the Gang tries to develop marketable products, such as Kitten Mittens, Nudey Pens, Dick Towels, and "Shot"guns in an attempt to build the Paddy's brand, and try to blackmail The Lawyer into helping them. ||||||||
| 54 | 9 | "Mac and Dennis Break Up" | Fred Savage | Scott Marder & Rob Rosell | November 12, 2009 (2009-11-12) | IP05003 | 1.87 |
| Mac and Dennis decide to spend some time apart after Dee compares them to an old married couple; Charlie lends his feline expertise to help Dee get her cat out of a wall. ||||||||
| 55 | 10 | "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System" | Randall Einhorn | David Hornsby & Scott Marder & Rob Rosell | November 19, 2009 (2009-11-19) | IP05013 | 1.49 |
| Dennis reveals his foolproof seduction system to the Gang; Charlie tries to use it on The Waitress but doesn't quite grasp the concept; the Gang tells Dee that her boyfriend from "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops" is using the system on her; Mac and Frank reveal their parts in the system. ||||||||
| 56 | 11 | "Mac and Charlie Write a Movie" | Randall Einhorn | Glenn Howerton & Rob McElhenney | December 3, 2009 (2009-12-03) | IP05009 | 1.89 |
| When Dee gets a part in the new M. Night Shyamalan film, Mac and Charlie seize the chance to pitch their movie script, Frank takes on the role of a talent agent, and although Dennis participates, he spends the whole time typing on his phone. ||||||||
| 57 | 12 | "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry" | Randall Einhorn | Dave Chernin & Charlie Day | December 10, 2009 (2009-12-10) | IP05010 | 1.68 |
| After a 10-year ban from a local drinking competition, "Flipadelphia," the gang tries to reignite their old rivalry with another local bar. Needing serious practice, the guys head to Dennis' old fraternity house at the University of Pennsylvania to get their game up to speed, only to find new rivals. Meanwhile, Dee hones her skills on her own. ||||||||

## Reception

The fifth season received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 94% with an average score of 8 out of 10 based on 17 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Gang comes to accept their rotten lot in life and It's Always Sunny settles into a morbidly pleasurable groove as a comedy of foiled dreams and dunderheaded schemes."

## Home media

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Complete Season 5 :
| Set details | Set details | Set details | Special features | Special features | Special features |
| 12 episodes 3-disc DVD set, 2-disc Blu-ray set (Region 1 & 4) Technical specifications Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) English Dolby Surround (DVD), DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (Blu-ray) English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese subtitles | 12 episodes 3-disc DVD set, 2-disc Blu-ray set (Region 1 & 4) Technical specifications Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) English Dolby Surround (DVD), DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (Blu-ray) English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese subtitles | 12 episodes 3-disc DVD set, 2-disc Blu-ray set (Region 1 & 4) Technical specifications Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) English Dolby Surround (DVD), DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (Blu-ray) English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese subtitles | Six Audio Commentaries: "The Gang Hits the Road" "The Gang Give Frank an Intervention" "The Waitress Is Getting Married" "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops" "Mac and Dennis Break Up" "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry" Phindin' Love in Philly: The Gang's Dating Profiles Kitten Mittens Endless Loop 23,793 Photos in 5 Minutes – Dream Sequence Montage Extended/Uncensored scenes and alternate takes Blooper reel Archer Pilot episode | Six Audio Commentaries: "The Gang Hits the Road" "The Gang Give Frank an Intervention" "The Waitress Is Getting Married" "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops" "Mac and Dennis Break Up" "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry" Phindin' Love in Philly: The Gang's Dating Profiles Kitten Mittens Endless Loop 23,793 Photos in 5 Minutes – Dream Sequence Montage Extended/Uncensored scenes and alternate takes Blooper reel Archer Pilot episode | Six Audio Commentaries: "The Gang Hits the Road" "The Gang Give Frank an Intervention" "The Waitress Is Getting Married" "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops" "Mac and Dennis Break Up" "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry" Phindin' Love in Philly: The Gang's Dating Profiles Kitten Mittens Endless Loop 23,793 Photos in 5 Minutes – Dream Sequence Montage Extended/Uncensored scenes and alternate takes Blooper reel Archer Pilot episode |
| Release dates ||||||
| Region 1 | Region 1 | Region 1 | Region 4 | Region 4 | Region 4 |
| September 14, 2010 | September 14, 2010 | September 14, 2010 | February 29, 2012 | February 29, 2012 | February 29, 2012 |