Emotional battery and public humiliation await all who would play.
It’s finally happened. After seven seasons of madcap, extremist shenanigans, the Gang is finally bored. This leaves them with only one option: Chardee MacDennis. Many years ago, Charlie, Dennis, Mac, and Dee created a drinking game comprised of elements from all their favorite board games to assuage their boredom. Now, they’ve introduced it to Frank, who joins Mac and Charlie’s team to try and bring a sunny spot to their extensive losing streak.
The Pre-Game Wine and Cheese Reception
Before kicking off the competition, the Gang engages in a respectful affair with cheese and wine to uphold their semblance of decency and to wish each other luck. Then they chug their drinks, smash their glasses on the ground, and try to intimidate each other with war-dances. Frank is learning as he goes along, but he’s not allowed to ask any questions, at the cost of forcing his team to drink for five seconds.
Level 1: Mind (Trivia, Puzzles, and Artistry)
The first round consists of opinion-questions masquerading as trivia, artistic challenges, puzzles, and lots of wine. Although Dennis and Dee quickly pull ahead with two points, Frank and Charlie’s weird connection saves their team, if only briefly. Although cheating is accepted and tolerated, getting caught progresses the other team to the next level; instead of eating his chance card whole, Mac tries to rip everyone off for their money, and gets caught by Frank.
Level 2: Body (Physical Challenge, Pain, and Endurance)
Dennis and Dee are at level two and have to move on to drinking beer. Swearing is also no longer tolerated. The first challenge has Dennis place his hand in front of a dart board, the goal being for Mac, Charlie, or Frank to make him flinch. Even though Frank gets a bullseye through Dennis’ palm, he doesn’t bat an eye. Frank then gets sent to jail, which is a small dog-kennel that he can’t leave until he eats the ingredients of a cake. This gives him a chance, however, to look through the rule book while Charlie fails his next challenge against Dee.
Level 3: Soul (Emotional Battery and Public Humiliation)
It seems all is lost. Dee is perfectly equipped to deal with the emotional battery and public humiliation that goes along with level three’s hard liquor that she and Dennis have to drink. Before they have a chance to draw a card, however, Frank catches them cheating by getting Mac and Charlie to chug their drinks, which are actually just water. When Frank was in the kennel, Dennis splashed his drink at him, giving away his and Dee’s almost-infallible tactic. Charlie, Mac, and Frank move up to level three for the first time, thinking they might actually have a shot to win. But then the buzzer goes off.
Tie-breaker
The buzzer has never gone off in the entire history of the Game of Games. They are instructed to draw “the black card,” an ominous sign that things are about to get very dark. No one remembers what they wrote for a tie-breaker, so they have Frank break the news: they have to flip a coin. Mac and Charlie are content to put their destiny in the hands of the gods, chanting “tails never fails” when Frank makes the fateful flip. Once again, Dennis and Dee get the raw satisfaction of demolishing the action-figures Mac and Charlie use as game-pieces.
Some stats and info about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, “Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games”
TV SHOW – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 7, Episode 7
AIRED ON – October 27th, 2011
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – FX, FXX, Hulu
GENRE – Comedy, Office Culture
CREATED BY – Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton
CAST – Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.