It’s sunny again in Philadelphia!

Tonight sees the premiere episode in Season 5 of “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”, the US sitcom that’s gone from cult status to be regarded as one of the more imaginative and surreal comedies on American TV. The show follows four young, under-achieving alcoholics (Dennis, Sweet Dee, Mac, and the gas-huffing Charlie) as they come up with ridiculous schemes, blackmail each other and attempt to use sex as a weapon wherever possible.

Following the production of a self produced pilot in 2005 (rumoured to have cost a mere $85), creators, and principle actors, Glenn Howarton, Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney were commisoned by US network FX to create the first, seven episode series in August of 2005, with word of mouth about the show encouraging the network to commission a further four seasons, propelling the series from a late night cult hit to finding acceptance among a more mainstream audience.

Still, yet to find a permanent home in the UK (only seasons one and two were shown on Bravo in Britain and Ireland in 2006/07), the power of the internet has ensured that the cult status the show has outgrown in the States remains in Blighty. The new series promises to be as hysterical, and slightly disturbing, as ever with future episodes featuring the gang tackling serious subjects such as the currently unstable economy (albeit in their own unique way) and, in an episode that’s sure to be particularly close to my heart, the trio of Dennis, Mac and Charlie form a wrestling team known as the “Birds of War”, even enlisting veteran grappler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper for a cameo. Simply awesome.