The Gang finds a dead man in the bar and tries to cover it up. When the man's granddaughter Rebecca shows up, Dennis and Mac compete to impress her, while Charlie and Dee visit the dead man's father in a nursing home, discovering he is a Nazi war hero. The episode ends with Charlie and Mac burning the Nazi uniform in an alley.
Set List
Interiors Paddy's Pub, Charlie's apartment, nursing home, museum office
Exteriors alley behind Paddy's Pub
Placement
- Sixth episode of Season 1
- First appearance of a dead body in the bar
- Introduces the theme of exploiting death for personal gain
References
People
Tom BradypersonMentioned as a football player Mac wants to intimidate.
Rebecca KeanepersonGranddaughter of the dead man.
Lionel KeanepersonDead man's father, a Nazi war hero.
Places
- RRoxborough Storage FacilityplaceWhere Pop-Pop's box is stored.
Callbacks
- None earlier
Tropes used
- Cold-open pitch: The Gang argues about killing Tom Brady ahead of discovering the dead body
- Everyone-is-the-villain amorality: Each member lies to the granddaughter for personal gain, with no remorse for the dead man
- Dennis's self-serving calculus: Dennis delivers a fake eulogy about washing feet to manipulate the granddaughter
- Escalating scheme: From covering up the death to competing for the granddaughter to selling Nazi memorabilia to burning it
Tropes subverted
- Sympathy for the dead: The Gang shows zero empathy, focusing only on how the death affects them
- Family reconciliation: Dee's attempt to bond with Pop-Pop ends with him groping her face
- Museum donation: Mac and Charlie expect praise for the Nazi uniform but are threatened with police
Threads planted, where they pay off
- Sets the series template for the Gang's callous exploitation of death and family secrets, later echoed in episodes like 'The Gang Gets Whacked' and 'The Gang Buys a Boat'.
Production file
- Written by Rob McElhenney, directed by Daniel Attias, aired September 8, 2005 on FX to an unrecorded number of viewers.
- Season 1, episode 6 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
- Frank Reynolds does not appear; the Season 1 Gang is Dennis, Dee, Mac, and Charlie.
Scene by scene
Scene 1
Dead Guy in the Bar
Paddy's PubScene Summary
- The gang discovers a dead old man in a booth.
- They argue about who is responsible and how to handle it.
- They decide to clean up and pretend it never happened.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Charlie pokes the dead man with a stick.
- Mac suggests burning the booth, but Dennis vetoes.
- Dennis orders Charlie to clean up the mess.
Color Host notes
- The gang's selfishness is immediately apparent.
- Charlie's cleaning method involves spreading the mess.
Scene 2
Rebecca Visits
Paddy's PubScene Summary
- Rebecca, the dead man's granddaughter, comes to the bar.
- Dennis and Mac both claim to have known her grandfather well.
- They compete to impress her.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Rebecca introduces herself and asks about her grandfather.
- Dennis says he was a great man; Mac interrupts to claim he knew him better.
- Rebecca leaves, and the guys argue over who has a chance with her.
Color Host notes
- Dennis and Mac's rivalry escalates.
- Dee points out the tragedy, but they ignore her.
Scene 3
Charlie and Dee at the Nursing Home
Nursing HomeScene Summary
- Dee asks Charlie to accompany her to visit her grandfather.
- Charlie agrees in exchange for using her car and lunch.
- They arrive but are creeped out by the old people.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Dee is scared of the elderly; Charlie tries to calm her.
- They find Pop-Pop's room; Dee panics and leaves.
- Charlie stays and Pop-Pop mistakes him for Dennis.
Color Host notes
- The humor relies on discomfort with aging.
- Charlie's negotiation shows his opportunistic side.
Scene 4
Pop-Pop's Request
Nursing HomeScene Summary
- Pop-Pop asks Charlie (as Dennis) to retrieve a box from storage.
- He claims it contains his war uniform for burial.
- Charlie agrees to keep it a secret.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Pop-Pop complains about Jews and asks for candy.
- He reveals he was a war hero and needs his uniform.
- Charlie takes the storage key.
Color Host notes
- Pop-Pop's racism is played for shock value.
- The secret sets up the later plot.
Scene 5
Memorial Service Prep
Paddy's PubScene Summary
- Rebecca asks the gang to help with a memorial service.
- Dennis and Mac volunteer to find friends of her grandfather.
- Charlie demands Dee's car for the storage run.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Rebecca explains she needs people who knew him.
- Dennis and Mac both claim they can help.
- Charlie insists on using Dee's car; she reluctantly agrees.
Color Host notes
- The gang's lies are building.
- Charlie's persistence pays off.
Scene 6
The Nazi Uniform Revealed
Charlie's ApartmentScene Summary
- Charlie opens the box and finds a Nazi uniform.
- Mac comes over and they realize Pop-Pop was a Nazi.
- They debate what to do with it.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Charlie calls Mac to come over urgently.
- They examine medals and a photo of Pop-Pop in Nazi uniform.
- Mac suggests selling it; Charlie worries about legality.
Color Host notes
- The reveal is played for dark comedy.
- Their moral dilemma is shallow.
Scene 7
Dennis's Eulogy
Memorial ServiceScene Summary
- Dennis gives a fake eulogy about Lionel Keane.
- He tells a story about feeding the homeless and washing feet.
- Mac gets a call from Charlie and leaves.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Dennis speaks emotionally about Lionel's generosity.
- Mac's phone rings; he excuses himself.
- Rebecca is moved by the speech.
Color Host notes
- Dennis's manipulation is on full display.
- The eulogy is entirely fabricated.
Scene 8
Museum Rejection and Burning
Museum Office, AlleyScene Summary
- Mac and Charlie try to sell the uniform to a museum.
- The curator is offended and threatens to call police.
- They burn the uniform in the alley.
Recap Girl play-by-play
- Mac presents the uniform proudly.
- The curator rejects it and calls it offensive.
- They burn it, saying 'Auf Wiedersehen.'
Color Host notes
- The museum scene satirizes historical sensitivity.
- Burning the uniform is a rare moment of unity.
Verbatim lines
Holy shit. That bitch is dead.
I'm not getting anywhere near that booth.
He was a great man.
Eat the damn candy!
I need you to help me.
Auf Wiedersehen, my friend.
Sources: It's Always Sunny Wiki 路 transcript saved locally (tv-scripts corpus) 路 trope/callback data from the AlwaysSunny trope index