What’s Worth Watching: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Shows Us How ‘Charlie Work’ Works

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, “Charlie Work” (Wednesday, Feb. 4, 10/9c, FXX)

How does It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s Paddy’s Pub pass a health inspection when it houses leaky pipes, clogged toilets, glory holes and giant rats? The answer: Charlie (Charlie Day), whose creative blend of mending, plunging, covering and carbon monoxide-poisoning (aka “Charlie Work”) keeps the bar open. It’s all actually quite complicated. And we get to see how he does it tonight when the health inspector visits the same day the rest of the gang uses the bar for a get-rich scheme involving live chickens, contaminated steaks and a confused trucker.

Veteran TV director Matt Shakman trails panicky Charlie through Paddy’s using long takes in the style of Oscar-nominated movie Birdman. Like Michael Keaton’s character in that film, Charlie faces the biggest challenge of his career (and puts up with a bunch of yahoos). The setting just isn’t so much the American theater as it is a neglected, failing dive. Same thing?