It's Always Sunny Season 16 Teased 'Old Frank' At Just The Right Time

Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) has become so integral to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" it's easy to forget he wasn't introduced until after the first season. When he first came onto the show, he was an eccentric businessman who became fascinated by the gang's lifestyle and decided to live in squalor with them, despite having access to a ton of money he'd use to fund various shenanigans. As the seasons have gone on, he's become more deranged and absurd. One poignant quote that sums up the character well is, "Well, I don't know how many years on this Earth I got left. I'm gonna get real weird with it."

It's an impressive accomplishment the show's on Season 16, and it's clear there's plenty of gas left in the tank. But Season 16 also demonstrates how the show hasn't forgotten Frank's roots, and he hasn't completely lost his mind yet. The first episode of the new season, "The Gang Inflates," opens with the gang discussing inflation, with Frank explaining to everyone what exactly inflation is. It's a thorough, concise discussion that can take viewers by surprise that Frank still has that much of his mind left. 

But it also makes sense. Frank was a successful businessman, so he'd understand inflation better than anyone, at least at Paddy's Pub. He may be willing to dress up in a cheetah suit from time to time, but he's also incredibly smart. And returning Frank to his roots may be what's best for the sitcom after all these years.

While sitcoms generally revert to the status quo at the end of each episode, there's definitely some progression and evolution with characters. Slackers get their lives together, while two characters who have crushes on each other get together, fall in love, and start families. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is an outlier in how the main cast devolves over the years. It's startling how relatively normal they are in the early seasons, despite having some quirks and dubious worldviews. As the show has gone on, they've all gotten worse, with no one ever learning lessons or improving their lives in the slightest. The same holds true for Frank, but just because he's morally dubious doesn't mean he can't be a solid businessman when he wants.

Fans were impressed with Frank's opening scene in Season 16, with Redditor u/strawberryfrosted writing, "I loved that they brought back some of his sanity there." Other Redditors noted how Frank seems more put together, like he actually took a shower that day. While Frank has certainly gotten weird with it over the years, it appears Season 16 wants to restore some of his normalcy. He's still willing to forgive some of the gang's debt when Charlie (Charlie Day) offers to give him some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pies, so he's still eccentric. But giving the gang someone more normal to play off of could be what the show needs to keep going strong.

Comedies usually rely on a straight man for the crazier characters to play off of. Frank will inevitably still get into his fair share of wacky situations, especially with one Season 16 episode titled "Frank vs. Russia." But he hasn't completely lost his marbles yet.