Why It’s Always Sunny Is Missing 5 Episodes On Streaming

Fans have noticed that five episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are no longer available on streaming services, sparking curiosity about the reason. This came after discussions resurfaced regarding the show’s episodes featuring blackface. Despite past and present controversies, It’s Always Sunny continues to be produced and aired.

The episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that featured blackface were particularly controversial and caused significant backlash. Other episodes were also removed from streaming services for similar reasons, as the platform objected to content depicting blackface and brownface.

With eighteen seasons and counting, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is now the longest-running live-action sitcom ever. The show’s stars – Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Kaitlin Olson – have no plans to stop, but it remains to be seen how far they can push the envelope before the show ends.

The Five Missing Always Sunny Episodes

The show It’s Always Sunny constantly makes fun of its characters’ selfish, unethical, and often disturbing behavior. However, a few episodes have been considered too offensive, leading streaming platforms to remove them, despite these scenes being consistent with the show’s satirical style.

The characters in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are intentionally flawed and often behave terribly, but some of their actions have been deemed too controversial over time. As a result, five episodes of the show have been removed from circulation.

Episode Number	Episode Title
Season 4, Episode 3	“America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest”
Season 6, Episode 9	“Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth”
Season 8, Episode 2	“The Gang Recycles Their Trash”
Season 9, Episode 9	“The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6”
Season 14, Episode 3	“Dee Day”

Hulu has been the exclusive streaming home for the comedy series in the US since 2017, but it only began removing some episodes in mid-2020. These episodes were taken down because they contained scenes where characters used blackface, brownface, or yellowface, which were considered highly problematic.

The show’s characters frequently challenge each other about racism, but they’ve all demonstrated prejudiced behavior at some point, whether intentionally or through ignorance, which explains why the historically racist actions depicted aren’t shocking. While the show’s satirical intent was obvious when it originally aired, that message seems to have been forgotten over time.

Is There A Way To Watch It’s Alway Sunny In Philadelphia’s Banned Episodes?

If you’re hoping to rewatch the five It’s Always Sunny episodes that were pulled from the air, it’s proving to be pretty difficult. Although many other hilarious episodes still showcase the show’s edgy and often outrageous comedy, these specific five are no longer available on streaming services.

As a big fan of the show, I’ve been trying to find these five missing episodes for ages! It’s incredibly frustrating because Hulu is the only place that even carries all seventeen seasons, but even they haven’t been able to make these particular episodes available. And it’s not just streaming – you can’t even buy them, either on Apple or Amazon. They aren’t offered individually or as part of the season sets, which is a real bummer for collectors like me.

If you want to watch the episodes, you can buy the seasons on DVD. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia continues to release DVD box sets, but recent seasons are often only available as larger collections containing multiple seasons. If you’re willing to spend the money and stick to official copies, you can find these episodes that aren’t available through streaming.

It’s Always Sunny Had Episodes Taken Down Over Blackface Controversies

There are five episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that have been removed from circulation due to their use of racially insensitive makeup – specifically, blackface, brownface, and yellowface. This practice, rooted in the history of American minstrel shows, is widely considered racist and deeply offensive.

On the show “America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest,” Dee Reynolds performs as Martina Martinez, a Latina character she plays using offensive makeup and a deliberately exaggerated, stereotypical accent. Although the show doesn’t endorse Dee’s jokes, they are still considered hurtful and inappropriate.

The episode “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth” was taken down because Mac wore blackface while pretending to be Danny Glover’s character from the Lethal Weapon movies. Although the episode includes a lengthy discussion about how racist this is, another episode, “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6,” also features Mac and Dee in blackface while filming their own sequel to the movie.

The episode “The Gang Recycles Their Trash” was removed from streaming services due to Dee’s portrayal of Martina Martinez, a character she performed using racist brownface. This wasn’t an isolated incident; in the 2019 episode “Dee Day,” Dee forced the gang to recreate her comedy routines, including Frank in brownface as Martina Martinez and Mac in yellowface as an Asian character.

People have pointed out that Hulu and Netflix have removed specific episodes of It’s Always Sunny despite the show continuing to stream many other problematic behaviors from its characters. A key part of the show’s comedy comes from the fact that the supporting characters often criticize the main characters’ outrageous actions.

The show consistently highlights how misguided and flawed the characters are, and they never succeed in their awful schemes. Despite the terrible behavior of the main characters, It’s Always Sunny actively pushes back against their prejudices. Hulu might find the show’s overt racism more problematic than its portrayals of sensitive issues like homelessness or drug use, which are handled in an exaggerated and absurd way.

How Did The Always Sunny’s Controversies Escape Cancel Culture?

There are a few reasons why It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia hasn’t faced criticism or calls for cancellation. The show launched at the right time, it’s consistently hilarious, and it’s managed to adapt and stay relevant, which all contribute to its continued popularity with viewers. The show’s bold and often inappropriate humor still resonates today.

As a huge fan, I’ve noticed the show seems aware people are really picking apart its storylines lately. There’s this episode in season 15 where It’s Always Sunny basically makes fun of getting censored and calls out the phoniness in Hollywood – and you see that kind of self-awareness popping up more and more in the later seasons, which I think is really clever.

The tenth episode of season thirteen, “Mac Finds His Pride,” uses a lot of humor related to gay themes, but it’s also the emotional peak of Mac’s ongoing story with his father. It’s a touching moment where Mac finally accepts who he is. The show’s creators might not have taken this direction if they hadn’t noticed some viewers weren’t understanding the show’s satirical intent.

With news constantly changing and events often taken out of context, things can quickly become popular or fall out of favor. While passionate fans couldn’t stop some episodes of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia from being removed from streaming services, their support has so far saved the show from cancellation – though that could still change.

Why It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Has So Many Controversial Moments

If you haven’t seen It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you might be curious why some episodes were taken down. Making a TV show involves a lot of people, so why weren’t these problematic episodes prevented from airing in the first place?

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has never hidden its satirical nature. The show fundamentally aims to reflect American culture truthfully. While ‘satire’ can be a complex term, It’s Always Sunny uses it in its purest form.

The main characters in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia aren’t role models. They embody some of the worst traits in society, and the reasons they give for their awful behavior actually offer surprisingly insightful observations about Western culture – it’s some of the sharpest social commentary on TV today.

This strategy involves taking chances. The creators of Always Sunny are known for using provocative storylines to get their point across, but occasionally these storylines can be deeply unsettling. Unfortunately, some people deliberately misinterpret the show to support their own harmful beliefs.

It’s possible some viewers might miss the point of the show and mistakenly copy the outrageous behavior instead of understanding the satire. However, despite some controversial moments, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia hasn’t been cancelled, and it still has space to deliver its signature brand of humor.

It’s Always Sunny Isn’t The Only Comedy Series With Missing Streaming Episodes

The recent removal of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes from streaming platforms isn’t unique. Other comedy shows known for their satire have also had content pulled. In fact, It’s Always Sunny now has five episodes removed, just one less than South Park, which has had six episodes taken down.

Several episodes of South Park, including “200” and “201”, have been removed from streaming platforms. These episodes mocked Comedy Central’s decision not to show the Prophet Muhammad, a decision that also led to the removal of “Super Best Friends”. In addition, multiple episodes of Scrubs and 30 Rock have also been taken down from their streaming services.

An episode of the TV show Community was taken down from streaming platforms due to a scene where the character Ben Chang wore blackface. While the show attempts to address the offensiveness through other characters – Shirley even calls his costume a “hate crime” and he is mocked – the fact that the show highlights the issue doesn’t excuse the harmful imagery. This situation is similar to one that occurred with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

It’s natural for older TV shows to be viewed with modern perspectives. Jokes or storylines that were once considered funny or daring might now be seen as problematic or offensive. This constant shift in how we perceive things means shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will likely always face this challenge as long as television exists.

Why It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Is Still Going Strong

Even though there’s been some discussion about it, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is still going strong and is currently filming its 18th season. The whole cast is returning, and the show continues to feel fresh and relatable. Despite the actors getting older and working on other things, It’s Always Sunny remains a key project for everyone involved.

The show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has a history of tackling controversial topics, and the past year has given them plenty of material for satire, much like South Park demonstrated in its recent season. If the show were to be canceled, it wouldn’t be due to online criticism – it would take someone with real power to make that happen.

2026-02-18 17:22