It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Shout-Out

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • "Hundred Dollar Baby"
    • The title is a reference to Million Dollar Baby. The End of the episode also parodies the "stool" scene.
    • The episode also provides references to the Rocky series, particularly the "running up the steps" scene.
    • The Karate Kid gets referenced with the "You're The Best" montage.
  • "Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody's Ass"
    • The Russian Roulette game in the basement is a shout out to the end of The Deer Hunter.
    • The same episode also alludes to Dog Day Afternoon, when Charlie chants "Attica, Attica"
  • The ending of "The Gang Gets Held Hostage" has Frank in Die Hard's John McClane's role with a pistol taped to the back of his head, and he even tosses Liam McPoyle off the roof of the pub like Hans Gruber. His line, "Yippy-kay-yay, Mister Falcon!" is the dubbed line from the edited-for-television version of the film that replaces "Yippy-kay-yay, mother fucker!"
  • "The Gang Solves the North Korea Situation"
    • Frank, Mac, and Dee hold auditions for a talent show, where they take on the personae of the American Idol judges. Complete with the red glasses of coke.
    • In the beginning of the episode, Dee attempts a Christopher Walken impression using a bit of the famous "watch monologue" from Pulp Fiction.
    • Dee does an imitation from Do the Right Thing
  • "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack"
    • Frank is put into a mental institution that is an homage to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. There is even a large mute Native American. Frank escapes the mental institution in the same way the Chief does in the book. The actor playing the Chief in the episode is the movie actor's son. This doubles as an Actor Allusion, since Danny DeVito was in the original film.
    • Mac tries to emulate the plot of The Secret Of My Success and sings the "Day Bow Bow" song featured in the film.
  • "A Very Sunny Christmas"
    • When Mac is looking at old Christmas recordings his family took of them all opening presents on Christmas Morning, Mac's reaction to his present might be alluding to the Nintendo 64 Kid.
    • Dee makes clumsily-worded references to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
    • Frank crashes his Lamborghini and has a vision of a Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer-type stop-motion world that also has a California Raisins reference.
  • "Mac is a Serial Killer"
    • The way the gang coaxes Mac in is similar to Chris Hansen's To Catch a Predator. Frank even says, "To catch a predator!" when they ask Frank where he's going.
  • "The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition"
  • In "Charlie Has Cancer", Artemis frequently mentions and acts out scenes from Coyote Ugly. In what doubles as an Actor Allusion, Katlin Olsen (Sweet Dee) had a minor role in the film.
  • In "Charlie Got Molested", Mac can be seen wearing a jacket that say "Shermer H.S.". this is alluding to the fictional high school used in the John Hughes-verse. According to the commentary, the crew has selected it from the costume department without realizing that it was a reference and only learned about it after the episode was filmed.
  • "The Gang Gets Invincible":
    • The film Invincible is frequently mentioned, to the point that the episode could be considered an Affectionate Parody. Everybody seems to call the film, "That New Kids on the Block Movie," apparently mistaking Mark Wahlberg for his brother, who was in the music group.
    • Geoffrey Owens plays himself masquerading as football player Donovan McNabb. The gang recognizes him from his recurring role on The Cosby Show, and the coach makes it a point to insist he's "not the guy from The Cosby Show."
  • "The Gang Wrestles For The Troops" makes a few references to the WWE, most notably Hulk Hogan.
  • "Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City,"
    • Charlie makes repeated references to Serpico, dresses up like the title character, and tries to do an Al Pacino impression.
    • Dennis names the cat Special Agent Jack Bauer after the character from 24.
  • Frank keeps editing parts of Rambo's life into his own past in "Mac & Dennis: Manhunters".
  • "America's Next Top Billboard Model" is a parody of America's Next Top Model, while Mac tries to turn it into a dating gameshow remnicent of The Bachelor.
  • "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System" has the gang go to a fair, where Dee's boyfriend Ben gets his face painted and says, "I like turtles," referencing a popular youtube video.
  • "The Gang Reignites the Rivalry" features Charlie trying to be a savant janitor instead of just a janitor like the lead of Good Will Hunting.
  • "Dennis Gets Divorced" has Maureen beating herself on the chest like Mark Wahlberg in Fear. It takes Mac and Charlie a few moments to figure out the reference.
  • One of the high school students in season six is a Juggalo.
  • In "Dee Gives Birth", Weekend at Bernie's is referenced and pulled off.
  • "Frank's Pretty Woman" is a pretty clear parody of Pretty Woman, complete with the Roy Orbison song.
  • In "The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore"
    • Mac references Jersey Shore
    • Mac and Frank losing their precious rum ham is a reference to Wilson in Cast Away. It even has a face on it. Immediately after it floats away, the show cuts to Dennis and Dee on a ride called "Castaway."
  • In "Frank Sets Sweet Dee on Fire," the guys go to Chinatown and are surprised that it's nothing like the scenes from Big Trouble in Little China.
  • In "The ANTI-Social Network", while looking for a Dylan Tobak they found on Facebook, Mac and Dee discover that he's actually a fictional person made up by a woman named Catfish.

Back to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia