Some episodes are notable for creating iconic memes, some show the cast doing outrageous things, and then there are episodes that stand out for a musical moment or an adventure. Viewing Sunny season by season, each one has its strengths and weaknesses and there’s no saying that it is the most consistent show on TV. Taking all factors into account, there’s one season that stands above the rest.
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When a show has been on the air as long as Sunny has, fans will look for what is considered the ‘golden era’ and it could be said Sunny has had a few. By the time a show reaches its fourth season, most characters and their personalities have been cemented into the show. Sunny’s fourth season was where the show really kicked things up a notch with more experimental writing, and the gang’s antics took another step into the world of chaos.
The quality of writing became a lot more structured and varied in the fourth season. There’s no doubt kudos must be given to the third season for helping give Sunny the status it now has as there were some of the gang’s worst moments here. To look at season four in the smallest of topics would be to pick out Charlie Day and his performance in season four.
Two episodes from season four are considered some of Sunny’s best work: the musical episode “Nightman Cometh” with its memorable story, costumes, and songs; and “Sweet Dee Has A Heart Attack,” which includes the infamous Pepe Silvia scene. Even those who haven’t seen the show have likely seen either or both of these episodes referenced in internet memes. The whole concept of “Nightman Cometh,” which originates in the previous season’s episode “Sweet Dee Is Dating A R******* Person,” is created by Charlie, who is known as the least intelligent and illiterate member of the group.
The musical is filled with a deep story about Charlie becoming himself, who plays the final character Dayman in the hopes to ask for The Waitress’ hand in marriage. The concept of creating an entire musical just for it to be another elaborate ruse from Charlie to get The Waitress to date him is just more evidence that he is the best character in the show. Those who have seen the show merely need to say the word Nightman, and singing will ensue. That’s the impact that one episode has had on the show and its legacy.
“Sweet Dee Has A Heart Attack” is one of those moments in the Sunny timeline where the cast manages to work so much content into one 20-minute episode, and it pays off. Each cast member has a role in this episode with three separate storylines, stemming from Dee’s heart attack at the beginning of the episode. Dee and Dennis try sketchy tactics in order to stay healthy and in shape, including taking many health supplements and botched Botox. Mac and Charlie take a low-paying office job in order to get health insurance, which falls flat as Charlie is left to deal with the mailroom. Meanwhile, Frank takes so much health medication he goes through a One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest experience. The results land each member of the group in the hospital where they started. This quality of writing that leaves nothing out, and sees Charlie Day’s solid two-minute outburst as he loses his mind in the mailroom.
Moving on from those two iconic episodes, the Sunny gang aimed to be more outrageous than ever throughout Season 4, whether it was dedicating a whole episode to bed defecation, Charlie and Dee being potential cannibals, or the gang taking a family hostage. The increase in both camera quality and content make for the most Sunny of Sunny seasons.
Season 4 is the second time the show saw a two-parter episode where Mac and Charlie fake their own deaths in fear that Mac’s dad, Luther, is out to kill them after aiming to keep him in jail. Mac and Charlie’s wild antics create one of the most hilarious sequences in the actions taken to film their deaths. Mac’s collision turns him into Charlie for a while, and their actions together even in their absence lead to bizarre events for the rest of the gang. Their destruction of Dee’s car leads Dee to inhumane bus trips, Dennis’ ego takes another knock from his eccentric roommate, and Frank creates a Charlie dummy as a coping mechanism that really questions the true relationship between Frank and Charlie. There’s madness throughout, exemplified in another season four episode “Who Pooped The Bed?,” which ends with everyone in the bar. It makes Paddy’s Pub feel like a spiritual conclusion after a lot of Sunny episodes.
If faking deaths wasn’t reckless enough, the show kicks things up a notch in “Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life” and “The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition.” Dennis’ self-centered book of lies about his sexual experiences is discovered, which leads him, Frank and Mac to recreate some of the events to become more believable. However, the intention to take Dennis to a rehab clinic and perform stigmata on him backfires. Waking up in what he believes is rehab, he becomes the victim of bullying from the strange duo of Rob Thomas and Sinbad. The whole experience is an early sign that Dennis’ mind is not all there, and this behavior has continued well into the most recent season.
With the obsession of doing good things to reward themselves, the gang, influenced by the Home Makeover show intended to improve the lives of a newly-arrived Hispanic family. This is one of the gang’s darkest moments, but includes some fantastic fast-action camerawork with quality that the show wouldn’t see again until Season 12. The gang basically breaks into the poor family’s house and, through Dee’s broken Spanish, gives the impression that the family are hostages and their house is no more. This is one of the few occasions where the gang’s actions really backfire, as they are seen in court and lose the mansion inherited from Dee’s mother.
Not every episode in this season can be considered great. “The Gang Cracks The Liberty Bell” is one of the less-phenomenal moments. Whilst it is experimental and is one of the earliest alternative episodes, placing the gang in 1776 upon the War of Independence, its American history humor feels lacking from an outsider’s perspective. The overall performance from the cast lacks depth, with Cricket actually being one of the more interesting displays…and one of the most gruesome TV deaths.
The whole section of Seasons 3 through 6 can certainly be regarded with high praise. Each one features dynamic moments that define Sunny as one of the most outrageous shows on TV. On the other hand, whilst each of those four seasons features great episodes, it’s season four which really took things to a whole new level both cinematically, comedically, visually, and musically. There’s a reason it is one of the best fan-rated seasons out there. The show wouldn’t have such a huge line of episodes until Season 10, and the beauty of Sunny is how it can surprisingly bounce back and become more experimental with each year. At this point in time, the best season of Sunny may still be in the future, but for now, Season 4 is the best.
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