Us fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are used to waiting a while between seasons. But that doesn’t mean it ever gets easier. The FX sitcom about what’s probably the most dysfunctional group of friends is just so good. And we’re always eager for more! Well, we may have just gotten the release window for season 17 thanks to co-creator/actor Rob McElhenney.
As many of you fans know by now, the show is doing a two-part crossover event with Abbott Elementary! The first part will air on the ABC comedy‘s fourth season on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 (get all the watch details, here). Part 2 of the crossover will be an It’s Always Sunny episode, which will be the premiere episode of season 17. Based on McElhenney’s recent comments in an interview with Rolling Stone promoting the crossover, he gave away when we might see the series return. Here’s what the talent had to say:
“So we have the Abbott episode and then the same story, except told through the prism of Sunny, which will air four or five months later. We thought, OK, that then gives us an opportunity for our characters to play in their tone and to make an episode of Abbott, and then their characters to play in our tone and make what will feel like an authentic episode of Sunny. The authenticity still remains between both shows. “
Patrick McElhenney/FX
Did you hear that? Four or five months later! So that puts the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 premiere at some point in late spring/summer 2025, which would be May or June 2025. If I had to guess, I think June is more likely as season 16 premiered June 7, 2023.
That would be one year between the two seasons, and pretty much almost exactly five months after the Abbott episode. I really hope it’s the beginning of the month so we don’t have to wait too long! But what’s great is that in the meantime, we’ll be able to see the gang in just a couple of days on ABC to tide us over a bit.
While both sitcoms are set in Philly, some of us have been wondering how the characters are going to interact and fit in each world because the tones are so different. Well, McElhenney and Abbot Elementary‘s Quinta Brunson thought of that!
(Disney/Gilles Mingasson)
The ABC comedy is a mockumentary style, and the characters are aware of the cameras. And so, that means the Sunny gang is going to act a bit toned down because they know they’re being filmed and want to make a good-ish impression. However, when we see the second part of the crossover from their perspective in season 17, the cameras are off and that means they get back to the root of who they really are, per Rolling Stone. Ha!
What’s cool is that the Abbott staff also won’t have the cameras on them at that point, which means we might see the group be a little more authentic than who they already are because they don’t have to be conscience of the cameras. That’s actually a really smart workaround. Especially for those running Paddy’s Pub.
For those of us who are fans of both shows, it could have easily felt like they were out of character. There’s a certain point they can go on ABC compared to FX, which is much more mature. But I have faith that all the characters’ essences will remain and that the episodes are in good hands!
Stay tuned to Show Snob as we bring you updates about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 on FX, and the crossover event with Abbott Elementary. The first part of the Abbott and Sunny crossover premieres Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 on ABC.
