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The Definitive Rankings Of The Most Evil Characters In ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’

Nolan Hawk
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Photo Credit: "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" by Phil Roeder is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

The five main characters (“the gang”) in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are so depraved that it may be difficult to grasp their evil at first.

There’s no getting around the fact that they’re sleazy people you don’t want to be friends with in real life.

The crude, over-the-top humor that permeates the show, however, sometimes hides the actual level of their depravity.

Nothing is off-limits for this group, whether it’s car theft, arson, kidnapping their opponents, or operating a sweatshop in the basement of their bar.

They personify all that is wrong with humanity and serve as prime examples of what not to be. But who exactly is the worst of the bunch?

5. Charlie Kelly

Charlie is no saint, but he has been drinking for so long that he lacks the wit and cunning of the rest of the gang.

His worst deeds are often motivated by a sincere desire to correct a wrong but clouded by a total lack of comprehension of right and wrong.

For instance, he thinks that following the waitress he has a crush on is a reasonable demonstration of his feelings for her.

His delusional beliefs that a mall Santa was having an affair with his mom led him to violently attack one.

Charlie is essentially a hopeless romantic who, unlike his peers, finds happiness in the simplest of things; all he needs is milkshake and jellybeans to feel content.

4. Ronald “Mac” McDonald

Mac’s personality has changed the most over time compared to the rest of the gang.

His sexual orientation was previously only hinted at, but now he openly identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

(His coming out episode “Mac Finds His Pride” is unquestionably the show’s greatest genuinely uplifting moment.)

His newfound identity and his long-held Catholic beliefs conflict with one another, and he has a hard time reconciling them.

But his inner turmoil is no explanation for his actions. Mac’s wickedness is limitless, from constant backstabbing to covertly feeding his roommate Dennis dog remains.

Perhaps you’re wondering why he’s not ranked higher. Just like Charlie, he lacks the wit to completely grasp the nature of good and wrong.

He is the most vulnerable to the manipulation strategies of the three characters we will be studying in the next paragraphs.

He doesn’t usually come up with the most heinous plans for the gang, but he’s always game to take part in anything they come up with.

3. Dee Reynolds

Because of the apparent misogyny of her companions, Dee is frequently the target of the group’s jokes.

If she wasn’t such an arrogant narcissist, one may feel sorry for her.

Dee, jealous that the waitress is about to get married, plots to ruin the ceremony.

She hands her online wheelchair-bound boyfriend over to her pal as soon as she learns the truth about him.

After discovering his mobility, she makes a determined effort to reclaim him.

Perhaps her worst plan is when she lures Matthew Mara (nicknamed “Rickety Cricket”) away from the priesthood with the intention of showing the gang that she can.

This event serves as the impetus for Mara’s downfall, which occurs over the course of the show.

And Dee doesn’t feel the slightest bit sorry for all the people she’s hurt. Instead, she feels entitled to more because of her previous disappointment in not becoming a movie star.

2. Dennis Reynolds

It’s easy to see why some fans might think Dennis should be at the top of the list.

Like his sister Dee, he is a master manipulator, as seen in “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System,” in which he explains to the gang his “system of seduction” for attracting and retaining female companionship. The following are the steps involved:

  1. Demonstrate value
  2. Engage physically
  3. Nurture dependence
  4. Neglect emotionally
  5. Inspire hope
  6. Separate entirely

Dennis clearly enjoys bringing misery to the lives of others around him, and this is not confined to his romantic relationships.

Dennis is the most likely to turn on his pals in the group and stab them in the back.

He’s holding out the possibility of a night with the waitress as a weapon against Charlie. Mac is duped into embracing this cult of his own making.

Maybe Dennis would be the most nasty member of the gang if he inherited his father’s fortune. In reference to his dad…

1. Frank Reynolds

With Frank, where does one even begin? The absence of morality in Dennis and Dee can be traced back to their (non-biological) father.

Without a shred of humanity or shame, he is the gang’s ultimate degenerate.

And with bottomless resources, his capacity for evil is practically unbounded.

He’s shown waterboarding his daughter, pimping out his son, kidnapping a boat full of tourists, impersonating a police officer to abuse citizens, and a whole lot more throughout the series.

Hints from his past show that he was responsible for a sweatshop with extremely dangerous conditions.

He best exemplifies Marquis de Sade’s hedonistic concept of limitless individualism on television.

And how common individuals like him are in the world is a mystery.

The most important thing to take away from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is to not follow in the footsteps of the gang, and notably Frank.

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