Here’s the scoop: this ranks the gang’s wildest, most absurd schemes from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, from the bizarre to the downright bonkers. It’s a no-fluff hit list where each plan is ranked by how over-the-top it gets—and yes, the gang surpasses all limits.
Why Ranking the Schemes Is Fun
This show excels in absurdity. Every episode delivers a fresh brand of chaos. Ranking their schemes isn’t just for laughs — it shows the lengths they’ll go when logic exits stage left. It also reveals their messy brilliance, and the show’s comedic edge, brightly shining.
Methodology: How the List Was Made
This ranking isn’t pulled from thin air. It’s based on how bizarre and consequential each scheme is. Factors include:
- sheer absurdity
- ripple effects on characters and plot
- comedic payoff
- memorable quotes or visuals
Pretty informal, but that fits the gang. No spreadsheets needed.
10. The Dumpster Baby Rescue Operation
It starts so normal, then unravels. They “rescue” what they think is an abandoned baby from a dumpster. Cue panic and blatant irresponsibility. It’s dark, chaotic, and, well, horrifyingly funny.
Beyond that, it highlights the gang’s bizarre moral compass. Safe to say — they fail spectacularly.
9. Fight Milk Launch Party
Charlie and Mac invent “Fight Milk,” an energy drink for bodybuilders. They even pitch on TV. It’s absurd, yes, but oddly entrepreneurial. That blend of ambition and cluelessness is a running theme—this one just hits close to a real startup fair gone wrong.
8. Dennis’ “D.E.N.N.I.S. System”
A manipulative guide to winning over women through psychological tactics. Brilliant worse-than-you’d-ever-want-it. The system is cunning, vile, and studded with darkly comedic moments. It’s a shining example of Dennis’ narcissism in action.
7. Charlie’s “Jenn-Ken-Paw Scheme”
Charlie, Dee, and Mac misinterpret DNA testing to “create” Jenn-Ken-Paw—his fictional dog—so they can claim child support. The confusion, the logic, the phrase itself… it’s all peak gang chaos. A scheme born of desperation, yet oddly creative.
6. Paddy’s Pub: Mass Confusion Tactics
The gang regularly embarks on strategies to drive customers away. One plan involves overpriced “ladies’ men” seminars that scare patrons. Another includes making the bar unappealing via aggressive odor. A chaotic lesson in marketing… done wrong.
5. Mac and Dennis’ “Dayman” Musical Production
Full-on musical extravaganza, crafted in secret. They recruit all of Philly, perform a self-written rock opera. It’s bold. It’s creative. It’s mad. The sheer production scale and costume chaos make this a top-tier scheme.
4. The Waitress Wedding Mess
They crash her wedding, disguise chaos with charm, and ensure everything falls apart. Love, jealousy, sabotage—packed into one scheme. A solid mix of cunning and emotional wreckage.
3. The Paddy’s Chains Scheme
They try franchising Paddy’s Pub—“Paddy’s Pub: The Franchise”—and run competitor locations to sabotage each other. It’s meta chaos, entrepreneurial failure, and egos clashing all around.
2. Cooking the Books — Literally
They decide to cook the “books” by placing cooked ingredients in ledgers. It’s a literal take on financial fraud. It speaks volumes about just how bad at crime they are. Plus, it’s one of the most visual gags ever.
1. The Anti-Social Media Campaign — “Frank’s Decline”
Frank launches a shocking website tracking his own physical decline. It is grotesque, hilarious, and so bizarre it stands apart. Body horror meets social experiment, in the gang’s signature, unfiltered style. It’s their wildest move because it breaks the fourth wall and even your comfort zone.
What Makes These Schemes Work
These wild plans succeed (in comedy terms) for several reasons:
- They stem from character quirks—Dennis’s ego, Charlie’s cluelessness, Dee’s ambition.
- They blend real-world logic with twisted creativity.
- They deliver chaos that’s narratively consequential but never fully resolved.
- Most of all, they surprise. You know they’ll fail. But how badly? That’s the joke.
“The gang’s brilliance isn’t in success—it’s in how spectacularly they fail.” That’s the essence.
Narrative Flow and Structure Recap
Each scheme here grows wilder as you move up. Starting with dumpster-baby level weirdness and climbing to existential cringe. That mirrors how Sunny paces its chaos—from ‘eh, just wrong’ to ‘I can’t believe they actually did that.’
A Note on Tone and Comedy
The show thrums with unpredictability. This ranking reflects that. A pinch of judgment, a heap of fondness, and an OK dose of “what were they thinking?” Human imperfection shines through. Because the gang isn’t polished—and that’s what makes them memorable.
Conclusion
These schemes show one thing clearly: the gang never stops pushing comedic limits. Their creativity is sizzling with wildness, and each failure reveals more than the plan itself. Whether it’s body horror energy drinks or musical freakouts—the gang’s chaos endures.
FAQs
What criteria were used to rank the schemes?
Rankings are based on absurdity, impact, comedic payoff, and character expression. It’s informal but intentionally loose, reflecting the gang’s chaotic style.
Which scheme is most iconic?
The “Dayman” musical is arguably the most iconic. It’s creative, memorable, and full-on theatrical—plus, fans quote it for years.
Why is the dumpster-baby scheme so disturbing?
It plays on desperation, poor judgment, and moral failure. That mix triggers both horror and laughter in one messy moment.
Does the franchise scheme reflect real life?
Kinda. It satirizes franchising gone rogue. But with the gang’s stupidity layered on top, it turns into pure comedic disaster.
Is there a pattern in the gang’s schemes?
Yes—most schemes reflect character flaws: Dennis’s arrogance, Charlie’s ignorance, Dee’s insecurity, Frank’s depravity, Mac’s clueless drive. The plans are extensions of their broken logic.
Leave a comment