Here’s the answer up front: the wildest schemes in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are ranked below—from total chaos to gleefully absurd. You want the most outrageous plots? This is it. No build-up, just straight to the madness.
How The Rankings Work
Picking the “wildest” plans isn’t just about how zany they were. I looked at:
– The scale of disaster each scheme caused.
– How morally questionable things got.
– Whether it looped into other episodes or story arcs.
– How long the plan dragged out before crashing down.
Sometimes a “small” idea spiraled out into utter mayhem—and that stunt gets bonus points.
On the other hand, some obviously horrible schemes stayed contained. I gave those a bit less weight, even if they were brutal in tone.
So, yep, there’s judgment here. But it’s backed by how much we can’t stop talking about the insanity afterward.
1. The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis (Season 4, Episode 2)
This one takes the top spot for sheer audacity. They start with a weird idea: buying a gas station and jacking up prices for profit. As if that weren’t enough, they go undercover to manipulate demand, rig the pumps, and basically weaponize fuel. The fallout? Neighborly trust crumbles. Gas line riots, betrayal, financial ruin—and a newspaper smear campaign. Unlike other disasters, this plot had real-world echo.
2. The Nightman Cometh Musical (Season 4, Episode 13)
They turned sexual obsession into Broadway theater. That’s bold, right? The Gang capitalized on a bizarre dream (yes, literal dream) to put on a musical. There’s puppets. There’s catchy songs. There’s incredible cringe. But the brilliance comes in how their ego-driven theatrical experiment eats itself alive—audience reactions, performance issues, and Dee’s diva behavior collide spectacularly.
“Turning fantasy into live performance? That’s the fine line between genius and lunacy—especially when the Gang is involved.”
3. Paddy’s Pub: Under New Management (Season 11, Episode 11)
Here’s where they try to recruit a group to take over Paddy’s while they’re “incapacitated.” The looming takeover? Classic corporate parody mixed with barroom scheming. They slip up, trust the wrong people, and broadcast their incompetence live. The audience sees them unravel—and it’s delicious chaos. This has franchise-wide fallout, showing how even vacating control doesn’t save the scheme.
4. How Mac Saved Christmas (Season 6, Episode 13)
They accused a security guard of sexual misconduct and tried to ruin his holiday. To “preserve” Christmas, they unleashed slander under the guise of morality. It’s twisted, self-righteous, and outrageous. The episode is sharp, and its mix of holiday cheer and moral hypocrisy still sticks with fans.
5. The Gang Hits the Road (Season 7, Episode 2)
They embark on a road trip to play in Poconos weddings—but nothing goes as planned. Car theft, towing incidents, improv pitching their way into ceremonies—they touch every aspect of travel hell. It’s a chicken-scratch border with disaster. Not as meticulously planned, but chaotic in pure spontaneity.
6. Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games (Season 7, Episode 7)
They created a board game that’s half psychological torture, half assault. The rules? They change them mid-game. Alliances form, betrayals kick in, and the game breaks them. It’s almost mythic how much petty rivalry lives in that box. A perfect microcosm of the Gang in full psychotic spin.
7. Charlie Work (Season 10, Episode 4)
It’s low on moral ruin, high on precision. Charlie plots to pass a health inspection with zero downtime. He choreographs chaos with surgical accuracy. Sanitation warfare, with a side of genius. It shows how careful planning can feel “wild” in a show famous for brute-force schemes. It’s subtle—but still insane.
8. Frank Sets Sweet Dee on Fire (Season 7, Episode 3)
Remember when Frank thought lighting Dee on fire would cure her depression? Yeah. Terrifying and bonkers. It’s short-lived, but the image stays burned into the brain. It’s the kind of reckless, impulsive behavior The Gang specializes in, and the shock value keeps this memorable.
9. The Gang Gets Quarantined (Season 9, Episode 8)
They lock themselves in Paddy’s after a measles scare. Forced proximity, paranoia, a bunker mentality. Plot-wise, not huge—just sitting around and complaining. But socially? It impacted their relationships, showcased desperation, and underscored how they implode without outside stimuli. Intimacy as chaos has its own charm.
10. Dee and Charlie Write a Movie (Season 8, Episode 1)
They attempt to make a horror feature, using gas station equipment and Dee’s water injection pump for sound. Creativity mixed with incompetence. Lighting, effects, plot—it’s a mess. It’s funny, but grounded—no actual threat. Still, the misadventure gets in for pure ambition.
Why This Ranking Matters
This isn’t just a list for laughs. It demonstrates how It’s Always Sunny consistently pushes the envelope. The show’s comedic voice thrives where moral lines blur. When chaos meets ambition, viewer engagement spikes. These wild schemes become fan lore. You mention “gas crisis plot” and people respond. That tells you something.
Each scheme blends tragedy, farce, and character apocalypse. And remembering them—chronologically or emotionally—reveals how the show evolves its own brand of chaos.
Wrap-Up
The Gang’s schemes range from carefully calibrated mayhem to impulsive disasters. Whether they’re monopolizing gas, producing a cringe musical, or mocking Christmas values, each plot embodies their warped ambition.
At the heart of the show lies one key truth: plans matter far less than the fallout. That recklessly creative instinct is what keeps It’s Always Sunny unforgettable.
FAQs
Q: How are the schemes ranked?
Rankings reflect scale of disaster, moral depths, narrative impact, and lasting fan resonance.
Q: Which episode is the most famous scheme?
The gas crisis plot and The Nightman Cometh consistently rank highest in fan discussions.
Q: Are these schemes unique to one character or group-wide?
Most involve collaboration, except Charlie Work (Charlie solo-genius) and Frank’s fire stunt—moments that highlight individual extremes.
Q: Do any schemes recur across episodes?
Some ideas echo in later episodes, like Paddy’s manipulation or theatrical ambitions, reinforcing franchise continuity.
That’s the ranking. Wild, wacky, and wicked—these are the Gang’s standout schemes, ranked by chaotic greatness.
