“I have the grace of a falcon, and I’ll be in and out like a demon’s whisper.” – Mac, recalling Dennis
When the Gang targets a rare artefact for extraction, which they believe to be stolen, their affinity for allowing situations to escalate backs them into a tight corner… or closet.
Dee, Dennis, and Frank break into a house to steal a vase that they think should be in a museum – or something like that – while Mac and Charlie wait outside in an escape van, both dressed like Indiana Jones. Despite being trapped inside a closet or van for most of the episode, there are sunny spots abound as the family whose house they break into just happens to be in the middle of some intense domestic drama.
The Extraction Team
Frank has the attitude, Dennis has the grace, and Dee noses her way in. When they get trapped in the bedroom upstairs, Dennis and Dee want nothing more than to leave, but Frank won’t abandon the mission. While Dee pees and Dennis plans, Frank ransacks the bedroom of the little girl who also lives in the house. He has his Indiana Jones’s signature whip instead of his gun, which is probably for the better in case they get caught for breaking and entering.
The Van Team
Mac is in control of the walkie-talkie and the chips, and Charlie is on lookout. When they find out that the family who owns the house is from the south – probably Texas – they decide it’s time to leave for Arizona and start up their leather store. Dennis convinces them that it will go under in a week’s time, so they stay, but Charlie gets fed up with Mac’s controlling attitude and runs into the house to join the extraction team.
The crumbling southern family
Not only do the people that own the house have the worst sense of awareness – they don’t hear Dee flush the toilet or Charlie come in through the front door – they’re also in the midst of a domestic crisis. The Gang ranges through the possible scenarios from the snatches of conversation they overhear: the wife is having an affair with Jay Leno, the wife wants to kill Jay Leno, the wife wants to kill someone, and so forth. They finally learn that the wife is having an affair, planning on stealing away to California with her daughter,; just then the husband returns home to catch her in the act.
The Vase
While Mac prepares for his Swedish plumber role to provide a distraction for Frank, Dee, Charlie and Dennis, the four of them conclude that they’ll be able to walk right out of the front door, considering the situation. The vase which they initially came to steal is sitting in plain sight, which leads to an awkward and confused staring match between the troubled Asian family and the Gang, which is eventually broken with the vase itself thanks to Frank’s whip. I’m a little underwhelmed that the whole gang agreed on the pronunciation of the word “vase.” That being said, Mac’s Swedish accent was gut-wrenching and wholly made up for it. It’s only a matter of time until the Gang wrenches on Mac’s gut, as he’s getting increasingly selfish and gluttonous.
Some stats and info about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, “The Gang Gets Trapped”
TV SHOW – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 7, Episode 9
AIRED ON – November 10th, 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.