As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’m thrilled that FXX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is back for its seventeenth season! It’s high time for us fans to once again join Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton), Ronald “Mac” McDonald (Rob Mac), “Sweet Dee” Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito). But the question remains, what about the supporting characters in this hilarious series? Only time will reveal their appearances. You see, “It’s Always Sunny” wouldn’t be the same without the Gang interacting with grumpy and offended individuals to play off of. So, let me share some of my favorite supporting characters from the world of the Gang!
This implies that anyone not part of the five-member gang was eligible for inclusion, as long as they appeared in at least four episodes. Unfortunately, Ben the Soldier, Rex, Artemis, Luther McDonald, and Carmen didn’t make the cut, but they are all exceptional characters (and in Rex’s case, The Master).
10) Gail the Snail (Mary Lynn Rajskub)
In my humble opinion as a film critic, Gail “The Snail,” a long-standing thorn in the side of Dee and Dennis Reynolds, is downright revolting, even causing a visceral reaction in Charlie that leads him to avoid her altogether. To add insult to injury, she spends her days meandering through sewers.
In one of Sunny’s top episodes, “The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention” from Season 5, Gail made her first appearance, showcasing her dependency issues and refusal to swallow her saliva. She reappeared in Season 9’s “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs,” where she failed to reconcile with Dee, then again in Season 13’s “The Gang Beats Boggs: Ladies Reboot,” intruding upon Dee’s repetitive competition. More recently, we saw her in Season 16’s excellent episode “The Gang Goes Bowling.
9) Bonnie Kelly & Mrs. Mac (Lynne Marie Stewart & Sandy Martin)
In many outstanding episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Charlie Kelly’s mother Bonnie often features prominently. Their relationship is intriguing as she is his whole universe, yet frequently irritates him. However, even when she orders him to clean the ceiling, he complies because of his deep affection for her.
Firstly, there’s Mrs. Mac, whom Mac cherishes deeply despite her being unaware of his existence as an individual. We’re combining this with another point because although distinct, these women significantly contribute to understanding the personalities and backstories of two members of the Gang.
8) Uncle Jack (Andrew Friedman)
Only “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” manages to make an individual like Uncle Jack, who has a history of child abuse, seem funny. This might be due to Charlie’s refusal to acknowledge any past incidents and Uncle Jack’s open show of being precisely as he’s been described.
Essentially, the essence of Andrew Friedman’s portrayal is crucial. He manages to be both quirky and unsettling, yet not too repugnant to be seen as a stereotypical villainous predator. However, it’s evident that he deeply affected Charlie, though Charlie may never openly acknowledge it. This aspect of Andrew’s character is as obvious as his peculiar fixation on the size of his hands.
7) Z (Chad L. Coleman)
Chad L. Coleman has shone brightly in series such as “The Wire” and “The Walking Dead,” and his performances as Z on “Always Sunny” are no less impressive compared to these top-tier productions. Despite appearing in only five episodes of “Sunny,” he has managed to make a lasting impact, stealing the show in each and every one.
Initially, in the sixth season’s “Charlie Kelly: King of the Rats,” I was introduced to Charlie and his companions under a bridge, whom they had been associating with. In the same season, there was a side-splitting exchange between Charlie and Ben the Soldier about jean shorts in “Dee Gives Birth.” Later on, I reappeared in Season 9’s “The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award,” Season 12’s “The Gang Turns Black,” and Season 14’s “A Woman’s Right to Chop,” where I was momentarily called upon to carry out a canine abortion procedure.
6) The Lawyer (Brian Unger)
In the third season episode titled “Dennis and Dee’s Mom Is Dead,” Brian Unger made his debut as the lawyer, who read out Barbara Reynolds’ will. This will included a jab aimed at Frank about his “overweight ape heart.” However, it only took one scene for him to grow weary of the trio’s tumultuous behavior.
In Season 5, the Lawyer made two reappearances. Firstly, he showed up in “The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis,” defending a family whose home was foreclosed upon against the antics of our gang. Later, in “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens,” Dennis attempted to manipulate him by suggesting a “frame bang” as part of a scheme, hoping it would give his wife an excuse to get rid of him.
The Lawyer resurfaced again in Season 6 for “Dennis Gets Divorced,” where he offered his legal services free of charge to Maureen Ponderosa, solely to irritate Dennis and derive some satisfaction from the situation. His appearance in Season 8’s “Pop-Pop: The Final Solution” saw him eager to put an end to Dennis and Dee’s grandfather’s Nazi activities.
His most memorable comeback was undoubtedly in “McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century,” when he suffered an unfortunate incident involving a bird that pecked out his eye.
5) Maureen Ponderosa (Catherine Reitman)
In the opening episodes of Season 6, we were first introduced to Maureen and Bill Ponderosa. From the start, it’s clear that Bill is quite unscrupulous, with a disregard for decency, while Maureen has an unusual fondness for cats. As their stories unfold, Bill continues to deteriorate (even his own family shows little concern over his survival), whereas Maureen undergoes remarkable, captivating transformations.
In Season 7, Maureen reappeared for a two-part episode, the season finale titled “The High School Reunion.” Here, it’s disclosed that she now has a diamond stud in her decayed tooth. In Season 8’s “The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre,” she undergoes breast augmentation surgery, which temporarily wins Dennis back, as her long-term goal had always been. Later in Season 10, “Mac Kills His Dad,” she started her transformation into a cat, and in Season 11’s “McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century,” she was almost completely turned into one, as indicated by her chasing a laser around the courtroom. In the following season, “Making Dennis Reynolds a Murderer,” it’s revealed that Maureen passed away after attempting to jump between buildings, although there is some uncertainty about whether she jumped or was pushed.
4) The Waiter (Michael Naughton)
Initially, Michael Naughton graced the screen on “Sunny” as a temporary guest star in Season 4’s “Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack”. He played the role of the hiring manager who assigned Charlie and Mac to the mailroom. However, his impeccable line delivery left Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day in fits of laughter, making it impossible for them to maintain their composure. The Season 4 blooper reel is a must-watch due to this particular hilarious scene alone.
As a dedicated fan of the show, I was thrilled to see the return of the character, this time portraying Guigino’s Waiter. While it wasn’t explicitly stated, it seemed plausible that the HR Director might have taken up the waiter role – but that remained uncertain during the Always Sunny Podcast discussions.
Just like other characters in the Gang’s circle, he finds himself on the receiving end of their indifference. Yet, he always manages to retaliate in his unique way. For example, in Season 8’s “The Gang Dines Out,” he publicly embarrassed Dee. He reappeared in Seasons 10 with “The Gang Group Dates” and “The Gang Spies Like U.S.,” where the recurring joke about the Gang forgetting him originated.
He made a comeback twice more in Season 13, and most recently, in Season 14’s “The Gang Chokes.” In this episode, Frank hilariously asserted himself as the Waiter’s new roommate, even going so far as to forcefully move into his home (and checking the Waiter’s mom into a seedy retirement home, aptly named “bang ’em and bin ’em joint”).
3) Liam McPoyle (Jimmi Simpson)
Over the course of It’s Always Sunny, we come across many relatives from the McPoyle family line. However, our focus primarily remains on Ryan, Liam, and Margaret.
Liam stands out among the group, mainly due to Jimmi Simpson’s outstanding performance. He brings plenty of humor to his role and steals scenes in the season bloopers as well. His unique line deliveries are impressive, and he skillfully portrays his character’s horribly inbred family as “a multitude of us thousands strong…our bloodline was as pure as snow that has been driven by force.
2) Waitress (Mary Elizabeth Ellis)
Mary Elizabeth Ellis, who plays the waitress and is married to Charlie Day in real life, has been part of “It’s Always Sunny” since its debut – right from the first episode. From the early days of the show, her character’s core trait is that she dislikes Charlie, which fits perfectly with the series.
Ellis has been a constant presence in every season of “Sunny” so far, and it’s unlikely that this will change in the future. Even when the gang traveled to Ireland in Season 15, she was still there. If not for one other character, she would arguably be the main supporting character on “It’s Always Sunny.
1) ‘Rickety Cricket’ (David Hornsby)
Just like Mary Elizabeth Ellis, David Hornsby has played a significant and continuous role on the show It’s Always Sunny. Notably, since 2008, he has ascended to the position of executive producer.
However, the EP credit isn’t what makes Matthew ‘Rickety Cricket’ Mara the top choice here; instead, it’s due to the profound transformation of his character on the show. This transformation, from a priest to a PCP-using homeless man, was the most significant among all characters and was primarily caused by the actions of the Gang. Remarkably, they consistently refuse to acknowledge any responsibility for this downward spiral.
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2025-07-13 20:11