Line #19 Heartwarming/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_gang_4.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:They may be monsters, but they're also TrueCompanions.]]
3
4	Who says [[Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia a show]] about [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonists]] can't warm your heart from time to time?
5
6	'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''
7	----
8	[[foldercontrol]]
9
10	[[folder:In General]]
11
12	* A surprisingly large number of promotional photos have the Gang huddled together and legitimately enjoying each other's company.
13	* Charlie and Frank's relationship. As odd as the Gruesome Twosome are, most of the time, if there is anyone actually saying anything nice or supportive about another member of the Gang, it's one of these two about the other.
14	* In a bizarre way, Frank's total willingness to bankroll ''all'' of the Gang's schemes is somewhat sweet. He feels somewhat guilty about being away from his kids for so long (granted, he also wants to [[TheHedonist indulge his every baser impulse]] along the way), but he'll spend any amount of cash they want for whatever insane plan they have at the moment.
15	* There is a moment in "The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition" when Charlie starts freaking out and Dennis (with uncharacteristic sweetness) rubs Charlie's shoulders to calm him down and even gives him a hug. Similarly in "The Gang Goes to Hell: Part 2", Dennis apparently came up with the "OI OI OI!" thing as a way to calm Charlie down when he's having a panic attack.
16	* An easy-to-miss set detail, but one that says a lot: in later seasons, there is a picture of Ernie, the RecurringExtra whose actor died early in the show's run, hanging above the bar. It's both a nice tribute to the actor and a surprisingly touching gesture for the Gang to make InUniverse. Maybe there really was someone outside the five of them whom they all cared for.
17	* For all the mess and his abuse of her and her vengeance and the incest references, Dee and Dennis really do love each other. They have a tendency to cling to each other like little kids if one of them is nervous or trying to calm the other one down, they know each other better than anyone else, and if they’re on their own outside the gang they’ll usually get along quite well. Plus whenever they’re angling for Frank’s money, the goal is ''always'' “get away from our parents together”.
18	-->'''Frank''': Deandra will side with Dennis, that’s a given.
19	* In three separate episodes, Charlie, Dennis and Dee have all cried TearsOfJoy because the rest of the Gang really do care about them, and even that warped-abusive kind of love is something they’ve never had before.
20
21
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Season 1]]
25
26	[[AC:Underage Drinking: A National Concern]]
27
28	* Charlie listens to high schooler Sara's boy problems and takes her to prom where he steps aside for her original boyfriend to dance with her.
29
30	[[AC:Charlie Has Cancer]]
31
32	* When Mac accidentally punches Carmen for sneaking up on him, two guys react in disgust to Mac hitting a lady. Mac tries to brush it off by saying that Carmen is actually a transgender woman. The bystanders still chase Mac down, because now they see Mac as a transphobic bully in addition to a woman beater.
33
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Season 2]]
37
38	[[AC: Charlie Gets Crippled]]
39	* Obviously she’s not actually dead, but when Frank tells the twins their mom is gone, Dee clings to Dennis’s arm.
40
41	[[AC: Dee and Dennis Go On Welfare]]
42	* While muted by the whole both addled on crack thing, Dennis promises Dee that he’ll buy her everything she wants when he becomes a vet.
43
44	[[AC:Hundred Dollar Baby]]
45
46	* Frank, out of whatever small goodness he has in his heart, freely offers to train Dee in boxing when she wants to learn how to defend herself. Later, when Dee challenges the daughter of his old rival to a boxing match, Frank genuinely sounds concerned for her and tries to dissuade her from fighting.
47
48	[[AC: The Gang Exploits A Miracle]]
49	* In the background, Dee feeds the nuts to Dennis after he’s been starving himself for three days. In “The Gang Goes On Family Fight”, he actually repays the favour, telling her more than once to just eat something.
50
51	[[AC:Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad]]
52
53	* Soon after they meet their real father, Bruce Mathis, Dee and Dennis actually look genuinely happy singing on stage with him at his charity performance.
54
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Season 3]]
58
59	[[AC:Sweet Dee is Dating a Retarded Person]]
60
61	* Charlie and Dennis write the "Day Man" song together after they were both kicked out of Mac and Frank's band. It's just refreshing to see members of the group just getting along, singing, and dancing with each other that doesn't devolve into an argument or screaming match.
62	--> '''Charlie''' [grinning, pointing to his head]: What is going on up here?
63	--> '''Dennis''' [with affection]: I never know, man.
64
65	[[AC:Dennis Looks Like A Registered Sex Offender]]
66
67	* Luther gets arrested for violating his parole: he's not supposed to leave the state, but had purchased plane tickets for himself, Mac and Charlie to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame.
68
69	[[AC: The Gang Gets Whacked]]
70	* Sure it involves a lot of slapping, but Mac sounds genuinely concerned when Dennis has DelusionsOfParentalLove and gets him out of the ([[CerebusRetcon turns out]], [[HistoryRepeats recurring]]) belief that he ''has'' to do what he’s told when it comes to older women. Earlier on, Dee and Charlie look worried about what’s going on between him and Frank.
71
72	[[AC: The Gang Dance Their Asses Off]]
73	* While the point is that his dyslexia has fucked them over again, it’s still sweet that Charlie’s proud of the bar.
74
75	[[/folder]]
76
77	[[folder:Season 4]]
78
79	[[AC:Mac and Charlie Die, Part 2]]
80
81	* After getting out of jail again, Luther writes Mac a letter saying he still loves him even after Mac attempted to frame him for sexual harassment and that he's trying to learn to forgive Mac.
82	* Frank after thinking Charlie is dead misses him so much, he carries a mannequin of him around.
83
84	[[AC:The Nightman Cometh]]
85
86	* After the Waitress denied Charlie's marriage proposal, Frank was the only one who tried to comfort him.
87	-->'''Frank''': It was a great musical, Charlie. You did a great job. She ain't worth it.
88	** There's something to be said of The Gang [[SixthRanger and Artemis]] helping Charlie make his musical and proposal without much complaint beyond creative ones. Though their own insanity takes Charlie's vision off the rails a little bit, it was still a remarkably sweet thing for them to do.
89
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Season 5]]
93
94	[[AC:The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis]]
95
96	* The episode ends with the Gang playing together happily in the rich couple's pool.
97
98	[[AC:The Gang Gives Frank An Intervention]]
99
100	* During the eponymous intervention, Charlie demands to know why Frank doesn't play [[RunningGag Nightcrawlers]] with him anymore. A genuinely surprised Frank promises to play it with him more.
101
102	[[AC:The Waitress is Getting Married]]
103
104	* Even though she acted like a horrendous bitch and humiliated the Waitress, when her fiancé, Brad, comes back to Dee's apartment and confesses he still is in love with her, the small silent smile on her face was just a little touching.
105	* And, of course, Charlie gives the Waitress's would-be fiancé, who had only been manipulating her as revenge for being turned down in high school, a gift: a box full of hornets.
106	** To be fair, [[IfICantHaveYou he was going to give it to him before he found that out too.]]
107	** He did look like he was going to have second thoughts, before he found out about the fiance's intentions.
108	** However, keep in mind: Brad told Charlie he was going to to this scam with Dee next.
109	* It's notable that Dennis and Mac try to get Charlie a dating profile to help soften the blow of the Waitress getting married, which he doesn't yet know and will devastate him. It fails because Charlie is Charlie, but the impulse to protect him was there.
110
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:Season 6]]
114
115	[[AC:Mac Fights Gay Marriage]]
116
117	* Mac tells the rest of the Gang that Carmen (the trans woman who dated him in Season 1) got married and all of them show genuine happiness for her, even defending her when Mac starts making transphobic statements out of jealousy.
118
119	[[AC:Mac and Charlie: White Trash]]
120
121	* The episode ends with the Gang cooling off with a fire hydrant. There are no jokes, no mockery, no bickering, just a group of friends laughing and sharing a genuinely enjoyable time. Best of all is that it was Frank's idea, who wanted to do it "Philly-style" and had originally suggested doing so at the beginning of the episode.
122
123	[[AC:Charlie Kelly: King of the Rats]]
124
125	* Charlie's reaction when the Gang makes him a new rat stick is amazing, as is the whole plot of the episode, with the gang coming together to give Charlie a great birthday as thanks for him doing all the dirty work at the bar. And they still give him his gifts when they find out it's not even his birthday, but Frank's.
126	* Throughout the episode, the group tries to give Charlie nice things, such as a trip to the movies or a day at the spa, but they fail due to Charlie's own idiocy. Though they're tempted to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere give up as they always do]], Dee, Dennis, and Mac [[{{Determinator}} refuse to stop trying]]. Eventually, they sneak into Charlie's apartment and read his "dream book," a bizarre collection of odd pictures and misspelled words that contains the things he fantasizes about. At the end of the episode, they reveal that they painstakingly recreated these items, including a roast chicken wearing denim shorts, a [[ToothyBird bird with teeth glued on the beak]], and three different types of "worm hat" (a hat made from worms, a hat that makes the wearer ''look'' like a worm, and [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs a hat for a worm]]). Watching Charlie light up as he finally sees his dreams come true is adorable.
127	* When the Gang first starts reading the dream book, Dennis and Dee remark that it makes no sense and they should throw it away. Mac agrees, but then points out that they have to fight that instinct for Charlie's sake. It's the closest that he (or any of the group) ever comes to a lasting HeelRealization, and it's all for Charlie.
128	* When Charlie gets the new rat stick, he's almost ''crying'' as he says "I don't know what to say 'cause no one's ever really, um..." He's too choked up to finish the thought, but it's heavily implied that this is the first time he's received gifts that mean something to him. An earlier episode even revealed that the "presents" he received each Christmas were largely random items given to him by the various men who came over that day to have sex with his mother. In short, the Gang are the only people (besides his mom) who have ''ever'' tried to understand Charlie and his bizarre quirks enough to do something like this.
129	* Frank may have been tricking the Gang into throwing him a birthday party instead of Charlie, him trying to calm Charlie down in the spa was pretty genuine.
130	-->'''Charlie''': [[ItMakesSenseInContext JUST BASH ME, FRANK! JUST BASH ME LIKE A RAT!]]
131	-->'''Frank''': I'm not gonna bash ya, Charlie! I'm not gonna bash ya!
132	* When Dee complains about no spa day even when she’s pregnant, Dennis offers the coupon to her instead of Frank, and to her credit she fights her initial instinct to just ditch Charlie and take a day for herself.
133	* Probably most touching of all is that for once, the gang (minus Frank) has no self serving motivation behind doing any of this. The entire episode is pretty much dedicated to [[PetTheDog petting the dog.]]
134
135	[[AC:The Gang Gets Stranded in the Woods]]
136
137	* It's revealed that Frank had arranged for Mac to finally get to meet Chase Utley at the Animal Rights banquet. It's undermined by the fact that Mac, Dee, and Frank are still lost in the woods while Dennis and Charlie are partying, but it's still nice to see that he remembered and genuinely wanted him to meet his hero.
138	* Dennis takes it upon himself to help Charlie keep calm while they're out of Philly and embrace their predicament as an adventure. Later on, when Dennis loses his jacket, Charlie makes a lot of money, and have a great night at the banquet. He even has enough money left over to take himself and Dennis back to Philadelphia. It may have been at the expense of the other characters but, like most of these examples, watching them genuinely enjoy each other's company and helping each other out deserves a mention on the Heartwarming page.
139
140	[[AC:Dee Gives Birth]]
141
142	* All of it. From Dennis' genuine concern for Dee when she is in labor (even wanting to be in the room when she gives birth) to the looks on the Gang's face when Dee was getting rolled down the hallway, baby in hand. Set to a cover of a Music/KateBush song no less. Later, Mac even laughs at one of Dee's jokes!
143	** One shot lingers on Mac looking very euphoric. There's a good chance Rob [=McElhenney=] (Kaitlin Olson's real life husband) wasn't acting when he made that look.
144	** And at the end it turns out that Dee was actually the surrogate for Carmen and her husband Nick. While Dee states later on that she hated being pregnant, the fact that she helped this couple achieve their dreams of having a family is a very kindhearted gesture on her part. Not to mention despite the cynicalness of the show, Carmen and Nick are two of the more straight-laced characters featured, meaning that they will likely be GoodParents to the baby.
145	** The gang being genuinely happy to have Dee back now that her pregnancy is over. For once an episode ends without anyone being a ButtMonkey, and they all go to the bar to have a beer and celebrate.
146	** While the real purpose of the party was to figure out who the father of Dee's baby was, it's still nice to see Dee's exes just enjoying themselves and having a good time, especially considering how many of them are TheChewToy in all their other appearances.
147	* After the credits, there's a picture of a baby, stating the episode is dedicated to Kaitlin Olson and Rob [=McElhenney=]'s real life son Axel who was born around that time.
148
149	[[AC:A Very Sunny Christmas]]
150
151	* There's a legitimate one at the very, very, ''very'' end, which has the Gang finally all together for Christmas throwing rocks at trains, and a flashback to a young Charlie and Mac doing the same and being surprisingly sweet.
152	* And also Frank's change of heart and the Gang's reaction to the gifts he gets them, especially Dennis' excitement. At least, until the experience is ruined when the presents are all stolen by Frank's old business partner.
153
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Season 7]]
157
158	[[AC:Frank's Pretty Woman]]
159	* While it’s also a fat Mac joke, Mac is concerned about Dennis nearly passing out from not eating, and shares his chimichangas.
160
161	[[AC:The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore]]
162
163	* Charlie runs into the Waitress and they spend the evening on the beach together, collecting washed up objects on the shore, playing with a puppy the find, and watching fireworks as the Waitress holds onto Charlie's arm. For a show like this, it's almost too heartwarming to believe. So obviously, it's [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when the Waitress reveals she was on ecstasy that night, and shuns Charlie the next morning. However, it's DoubleSubverted when it's revealed Charlie honestly doesn't care that she was high, and enjoyed the night on its own merit.
164	** The montage of them enjoying the beach together is more heartwarming in the context that Charlie Day and Mary Elizabeth Ellis are married in real life (she was also pregnant with their son when the episode was filmed).
165	* At the beginning of the episode, Mac and Charlie question Dee's choice of hairstyle, in which she had it styled into braids, and intend to mock it. When Dee defends herself, Dennis backs her up and touches her hair fondly, stating she looks like Bo Derek. It's very heartwarming, considering how often Dennis is the one who leads the verbal attacks on Dee.
166	* In a dark way, how they cling to each other when they’re both terrified. There’s no backstabbing or trying to save just themselves, they’re in this traumatic situation together.
167	* Frank and Mac getting picked up by the boat and partying with them counts, as the two actually have a great time. Frank [[ItMakesSenseInContext reuniting with Rum Ham]] is the icing on the cake.
168	-->'''Mac:''' ''elated'' "RUM HAM!!"
169
170	[[AC:Sweet Dee Gets Audited]]
171
172	* Frank seems genuinely concerned about Dennis when he talks about feeling empty inside. It's an understated moment, but it is one of the few moments where Frank seems concerned and sympathetic towards one of his children.
173
174	[[AC:The Gang Gets Trapped]]
175
176	* When Dee, Dennis and Charlie all get the full story of the Southern-Asian family's situation (the mom is having an affair with her husband's friend, and they and her daughter were about to run away to California when the dad came home to confront them), [[EvenEvilHasStandards they all become uncomfortable with the situation, especially when the daughter starts crying]]. It's only when the dad threatens to have their discussion go "all night" when they stop caring.
177
178	[[AC:The High School Reunion]]
179
180	* One of the Gang's old high school bullies tells everyone that Dennis was not really in the cool group back in high school since all he really did was hang out with Mac and Charlie all the time. It really shows that Dennis is friends with those two because he really likes them.
181	** Not only that, but he spent so much time with them that it only allowed him to put in a token effort at being one of the popular kids. Dennis prioritized hanging out with his real friends over even ''attempting'' to be popular and stroking his ego, which, considering the size of Dennis' ego, is really saying something.
182	*** Though it's more likely this is because Mac and Charlie were the only ones he could get to actually believe he was as great as he said he was; being the "alpha" among losers to avoid being the laughing stock among actual well-adjusted people is still his strategy to this day, even if he seems to be genuinely unaware of it and buying into his own self-hype.
183
184	[[/folder]]
185
186	[[folder:Season 8]]
187
188	[[AC:Pop-Pop: The Final Solution]]
189
190	* Dennis and Dee aren't comfortable with the idea of watching someone die after being taken off of life support (though they have no qualms about the act itself due said person being their NaziGrandpa), so they go to a dog pound where Cricket works at to watch a dog be put down in order to prepare themselves for the real deal - except instead of going through with it, they end up setting all the dogs scheduled to be euthanized free, because even they can't stomach the idea of putting a dog down for no reason.
191
192	[[AC:Charlie and Dee Find Love]]
193
194	* Dennis genuinely wants to protect Charlie from being crushed by the Taft family, and didn't go in with the intention of taking Ruby for himself (his failed attempts at seduction were subconscious). At the very end of the episode, he humiliates Trevor because he embarrassed Dee and Mac.
195
196	[[AC: Charlie's Mom Has Cancer]]
197	* It’s sweet that when Dennis is hysterically crying at his mom’s corpse, he holds onto Dee’s arm for dear life and Dee keeps herself together to take over the “yelling at Frank” duties. It might have been only three minutes born earlier, but she’s still his older sister.
198
199	[[AC:The Gang Dines Out]]
200
201	* Dennis publicly confesses that knowing Mac always had his back was a key to building self-confidence in his early years. Inevitably, Dennis fouls it up a little with a tale of sexual conquest better left undescribed here, but it's still a genuine expression of friendship, entirely free from his usual manipulative machinations.
202	* The episode also boasts another extremely rare everybody-gets-along ending, like the aforementioned "Mac and Charlie: White Trash" and very few other episodes in the series. The waiter's downfall instantly mends the divide between Dennis & Mac and Charlie & Frank, and when they find out Dee arranged it by tying the waiter's shoelaces together, they respond with praise and welcoming of a kind that Dee virtually never receives from them. Of course, the joke is that by now, everyone else in the restaurant utterly despises the gang, so that the funniest outcome would be for them to be too absorbed in enjoying each others' company to notice or care. Even so, in its own misanthropic way, this is one of the few truly feel-good endings the show's ever run.
203	* While she’s manipulating him, a rare NiceGuy is concerned for Dee when she tells him guys are watching her and she’s in a lot of trouble,
204
205	[[/folder]]
206
207	[[folder:Season 9]]
208
209	[[AC:The Gang Broke Dee]]
210
211	* Even though it's revealed that the events of the episode were just one big lie, Dennis, who wasn't in on the scheme, genuinely wanted Dee to be happier (and out of their hair), and thought that if she did go with the plan of trying to continue her new career, she would become more depressed and kill herself. He even tells her he loves her (albeit with heavy IncestSubtext). And while she ultimately blows him off and kicks him to the floor, Dee looks both touched and interested during that speech.
212
213	[[AC:The Gang Tries Desperately to Win An Award]]
214
215	* The Gang admit that they don't need an award to feel special, and that an award doesn't matter as long as they like themselves.
216	* After the rest of the Gang kick out the industry people, Charlie asks Frank if he heard his paint-high influenced song. Frank says "I did, I loved it. Great song Charlie."
217
218	[[AC:Mac Day]]
219
220	* The fact that the Gang has no problems with the fact that Mac is gay and are actually annoyed that he's denying his true sexuality is surprisingly tolerant of them.
221	* Country Mac is nothing but kind and caring to his cousin, without hesitation attacking Mac's opponent in the karate tournament for hurting him. Considering his strained relationships with his mother and father, this may have been Mac's most positive familial relationship on the show.
222	[[AC:Flowers for Charlie]]
223
224	* Charlie [[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome believes he's becoming smarter]] after taking pills from some scientists. He becomes a huge jerk and treats the whole Gang like garbage. Despite this, the Gang still goes to the culmination of the project, where Charlie reveals his "invention" (a device to let cats talk to spiders), and the scientists themselves reveal [[PlaceboEffect it was all a sham]]. The pills only made Charlie ''think'' he was getting smarter, and the actual experiment was on the details of that process. Rather than get angry at Charlie for being such a {{Jerkass}}, though, Dennis, Mac, Frank, and Dee make jokes about the situation (and even laugh at one of Dee's!) while trash-talking the scientists, and Charlie happily joins in. The episode ends with the group, reunited without any bad feelings, leaving the auditorium to watch ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' together. Who knew that StatusQuoIsGod could be such a heartwarming trope?
225	** Mac, Dennis, and Dee all get high on gasoline, and end up sitting on the floor together giggling and watching cartoons like they’re children.
226	** Frank's reaction is particularly heartwarming. Frank has spent the whole episode trying to get Charlie back to normal, to the point that he even convinces the Waitress to spend time with Charlie by paying her. After Charlie asks if Frank wants to go watch ''Police Academy'' together, Frank responds "With all my heart."
227	*** The Waitress actually letting her guard down and sharing details about her personal life with Charlie. Sure, it's pretty vapid and not especially interesting to hear, but any other time and Charlie would have been thrilled to have her open up to him like that.
228	* Just knowing that this group of people who do horrible things to each other still do [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther genuinely care for one another]] is a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming in itself.
229
230	[[AC: The Gang Gets Quarantined]]
231	* When the concert gets cancelled, the Gang goes to the bar to harmonize (and drink) because that’s what they always do. Dennis even gives Dee and Charlie a quick cuddle.
232	* When Dee does her stuttering hick impersonation, Mac and Charlie PetTheDog and are actually impressed.
233
234	[[AC:The Gang Squashes Their Beefs]]
235
236	* Although while it is quite mean-spirited and cynical in the context of the situation, the Gang end up agreeing that they shouldn't care about their relations with others because they still have each other.
237	* It’s just instinctive, but when they suspect there’s a fire, Dennis shields Dee and she leans into him. Extra sweet as he’s usually the one clinging to her when he’s freaked out.
238
239	[[/folder]]
240
241	[[folder:Season 10]]
242
243	[[AC:Psycho Pete Returns]]
244	* The Gang getting rid of Pete by sending off on a train to L.A. would be a standard KickTheDog moment for them...except [[ThrowTheDogABone Pete is actually happy for the chance at a fresh start.]]
245
246	[[AC:The Gang Misses the Boat]]
247
248	* Dee and Charlie bonding. It's really nice to see that without the toxic influence of the rest of the Gang that the two of them can actually encourage and support each other enough to get somewhere close to normal--while getting lunch, Dee is able to calm Charlie down enough to order a chicken sandwich without becoming unhinged, and Charlie politely urges Dee to ''not'' use a "character voice" while ordering, keeping her from being embarrassed. Later, the two reveal a shared love of slam poetry and plan to go out to a jam together. The making out and probable sex may have ruined the relationship with awkwardness, but it was nice too.
249	* The end of the episode counts too. The main plot sees the Gang, all frustrated with each other, try to split up, only to discover that without each other around, they're even ''worse'' (with the exception of Dee and Charlie, as seen above--but even they need the group to function). At the end, they all come back to Paddy's and decide that they want to go back to the way things were--each of their own volition, no less. Frank even agrees to [[ItMakesSenseInContext pay to have Dennis's car pulled from the river]], no questions asked. To cap the moment off, Frank reveals that he's been saving a "special surprise" for just such an occasion, runs out, and returns with [[RunningGag the rum ham!]] The episode ends with the Gang cheering and devouring the alcohol-soaked meat. They be may absolutely horrible people, but God damn it, they're TrueCompanions through and through.
250	* When Frank tries to find a new group of young people to hang out with, his typical schemes and antics [[DidntThinkThisThrough cause them to lose their bar and be slapped with a huge fine for serving liquor to minors]]. When the owners tell him the bad news, Frank immediately responds that the Gang would always have an even crazier Plan B in situations like this. Even when they're supposed to be spending time apart, he's still thinking about them. Granted, his kindness toward his original friends [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere makes him flee the damage he's caused to these new people]], but it shows that he has at least some decency and loyalty.
251
252	[[/folder]]
253
254	[[folder:Season 11]]
255
256	[[AC:Dee Made A Smut Film]]
257	* It’s tactless and boneheaded, but considering Dee’s usual belief that women can’t rape men, she tries multiple times to get it through Dennis’s skull that he was taken advantage of, and gets frustrated when he keeps trying to justify it.
258
259	[[AC: Mac and Dennis Move To The Suburbs]]
260	* Very quickly subverted as Mac grows to not be able to stand the thing (and ends up cooking it), but Dennis gets Mac a dog and for five seconds he’s delighted and cuddling it.
261
262	[[AC:Being Frank]]
263
264	* When Frank injures himself in the towing yard Charlie is immediately concerned and the panicked response from Frank (who has little idea of what is going on) to the only guy he obviously trusts is quite touching:
265	-->'''Frank:''' Charlie, are you there?
266	* The episode also ends with our first look at Charlie and Frank playing Nightcrawlers.
267
268	[[AC:The Gang Goes to Hell, Part 2]]
269
270	* There are few moments towards the end when the Gang are trapped together in a small room on sinking cruise ship that's slowly filling up with water:
271	** Dennis sincerely telling Dee that he loves her before they both go under, even though she blows him off.
272	** The final exchange between [[ChildhoodFriends Mac and Charlie]] before they join the others under the water:
273	-->'''Charlie:''' I can't believe nobody came to save us. Should we do this?
274	-->'''Mac:''' Let's go be with the Gang.
275	** The entire Gang holding hands beneath the water as they wait to drown (pictured above). It's undermined seconds later once they realize they're being rescued and start kicking the crap out of each other to reach the surface, but in the moment it's a genuinely sweet, heartfelt gesture that shows the five of them really do love each other in their own warped way.
276
277	[[/folder]]
278
279	[[folder:Season 12]]
280
281	[[AC:The Gang Goes to a Water Park]]
282
283	* Dennis takes a LittleMissConArtist under his wing for a day after she successfully scams him. Throughout the day, he shows genuine interest in and support for her, albeit in her potential for crime. And when it's revealed she was running a long-con on ''him'' and takes his keys, he's not angry like he normally is when he's outwitted, just [[WorthyOpponent impressed]]. It's the only time over the whole series that Dennis likes a female character for herself, however warped a scenario it is.
284
285	[[AC:Old Lady House: A Situation Comedy]]
286
287	* The episode reveals that Charlie's mom is aware enough of his "reading language" that she can send letters that he can read (meaning they are pictures and gibberish text).
288	** And then it turns out that the letter she sent Charlie, believed to be a letter saying Mac's mom is holding her captive, is ''actually'' a letter asking Charlie to be around more, since she misses him.
289
290	[[AC: Making Dennis Reynolds A Murderer]]
291	* Of course it’s a little suspect that she wants to play her brother’s ex-wife, but Dee is the only one to defend Dennis (even if she thinks he probably did kill Maureen) when the rest sell him out.
292
293	[[AC:Hero or Hate Crime?]]
294
295	* Mac finally comes out as gay. While it's kind of ruined by the Gang immediately stating that they hate him the second he leaves the room and swindling him out of his lottery winnings, they make it clear that they're happy for him and even put off on stealing his money for a day to let him enjoy his newfound comfort.
296	** The look on his face when he finally decides to stay out is one of happiness and relief.
297	** Oddly enough the group's acceptance of Mac coming out is quite possibly one of the few decent things they've ever done. It also showcases just how strong their friendship, albeit dysfunctional, really is.
298	* The look of concern on everyone's faces when a piano was about to crush and kill Mac. Even if they all later say that they hate him, they still, in their own strange, bizarre way, care for him as they do each other. Charlie even immediately kicks Mac out of the way and Frank shouted to Mac to show he was in danger...sure, he shouted "faggot", but it's the thought that counts.
299
300	[[AC: [=PTSDee=]]]
301	* Small, and still dark, but Dennis mentions that the rest of the Gang keep trying to tell him that he was raped by the librarian. He's not going to admit anything, but they do care about him.
302
303	[[AC:The Gang Tends Bar]]
304
305	* Mac buys Dennis an RPG off of the dark web. Dennis, who had been angrier than usual because it's Valentine's Day, is so overjoyed he doesn't even care that the seller didn't include a rocket. What makes this moment even more heartwarming is that despite his typical AttentionWhore nature, Mac doesn't once ask Dennis for a gift in return, nor does he complain to anyone else about not receiving one throughout the episode. Thus, this gesture was entirely for the sake of making Dennis happy, making this one of the few (if not only) genuinely kind and selfless things Mac has done.
306	* When the rest of the Gang realize Dennis isn’t actually scheming or having a ControlFreak moment, he’s just in pain, they go from teasing about not having any feelings to reassurance. Frank sounds like a soft dad for once when he says the bar is fine, and Dee looks like she’s going to cry as much as her brother is.
307	* TheReveal that Frank got Jerry the tapeworm because he heard Charlie say he was flabby. Charlie clarifies that he said Frank smelled crabby, and that he likes Frank's crab smell.
308
309	[[AC:Dennis' Double Life]]
310
311	* Dennis quits the Gang to be a father. He initially tried to get out of taking responsibility by scheming his way into alienating the mother and his son, but, at the very end, he decides he doesn't want his son to grow up with an absent father like he did and leaves for North Dakota.
312	* Charlie finally gets the Waitress to sleep with him because after angrily questioning why he doesn’t mind someone better because she’s such a mess, he tells her there is no one better and that he loves her (again more heartwarming in the context the actors are married in real life). Subverted later on, because he realizes how bitchy she can actually be.
313
314	[[/folder]]
315
316	[[folder:Season 13]]
317
318	[[AC:The Gang Escapes]]
319
320	* The dudes buy steaks but because Dee was the one that allowed them to make the titular escape, they let her take the first bite of hers. You'd think that there'd be a terrible twist like they got it from the trash or that they all put their gum in it, but nothing of the sort happens. The episode ends with them taking a happy group photo.
321
322	[[AC:The Gang Gets New Wheels]]
323
324	* Dennis' line about "parenting from a distance" suggests that he hasn't completely abandoned his son.
325	* Dennis initially doesn't want to hit on Tara because one of his friends has a crush on her. Compare this to Dennis using the Waitress without any regard for, or to spite, Charlie.
326	* The very end of the episode is heartwarming too, in its own bizarre Sunny way. After Dennis gets his new Range Rover and picks up the rest of the Gang, they all escape from their problems and drive back while "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley blares on the radio and Dennis wears a massive grin.
327	-->'''Dennis:''' We're in the Range Rover now. All is well.
328
329	[[AC:The Gang Solves the Bathroom Problem]]
330
331	* Despite the premise of the episode, the whole Gang treat the idea of trans people using whatever bathroom they prefer as more or less a non-issue--Dee casually states that she'd be fine with a trans woman using the women's restroom, and no one else challenges her on it or disagrees. Sure, Frank still uses some bigoted language, but it's overall a remarkably open-minded attitude from the gang.
332	* A noticeable example comes when Charlie votes with Dennis and Frank, and Mac and Dee refuse to go to the concert because Dennis and Frank used Buffett's words against them. Dennis, Frank, and Charlie wanted the gang to go, and Frank decides if Mac and Dee won't go, there's no point in going. After they do compromise, they all leave singing Piña Colada.
333
334	[[AC: The Gang Does A Clip Show]]
335	* The twins show how much they deeply love each other, as Dee infects the going to North Dakota memory by doing a stupid switch the lights on and off game with Charlie and getting Dennis to laugh and stay, and when it’s his fantasy he subconsciously heals her cut.
336
337	[[AC:The Gang Wins the Big Game]]
338
339	* The end credits feature a montage of actual Eagles fans celebrating their Super Bowl win, including Kaitlin Olson and Rob [=McElhenney=] at the real game. Between the absolute joy in the clips and Frank's speech about how this is their chance to feel like champions for once, the episode is more or less a love letter to the city of Philadelphia. In fact, Mac hugs both Frank and Dee when the Eagles win.
340	* While Dee did ignore it, claiming they are just picking on her, Mac informs her that she does have pink eye.
341
342	[[AC:Mac Finds His Pride]]
343
344	* While a lot of the episode is a regular TearJerker, it's not without its heartwarming moments:
345	** Even if Luther didn't accept him, Frank and the other inmates are completely enraptured by Mac's performance and give him a standing ovation.
346	** The female dancer (who, InUniverse, is supposed to represent God) cradling Mac and whispering, "It's okay," over and over.
347	** A reddit user put it best.
348	-->'''[=u/DorkSide=]:''' It represents Mac's desire to desire/love women (which is why he visualizes God as a woman); God is important to Mac and God being a woman who tells him 'it's okay' at the end of the performance is God telling him it's okay that he loves men, that she recognizes his love for her (as God), as well as his sexuality and does not reject him because of it. The first act Mac and God part ways and look forlorn because Mac feels as though he has sinned due to his inability to love women in that manner; the second act is God letting Mac know that it is okay to be as he is, that he can still be a Godly man as a gay man.
349	-->But, whatever metaphors about the woman representing God, the rain representing chains, the light representing Luther, whatever your interpretation, this scene beautifully demonstrates Mac's struggle in his eyes. And when Mac looked over to his dad in the middle of his performance, only to see him stand up and leave, made me brokenhearted. But he stood up and kept dancing, ultimately finding his pride.
350	-->Then there's Frank. A tempered, conservative man who only wants Mac to find his pride for only his, and the gang's, gain. But at the end, he connects with Mac's struggle. A man who he previously thought was weird (Being Frank) he now understands and sympathizes for. A completely unexpected character development.
351
352	[[/folder]]
353
354	[[folder:Season 14]]
355
356	[[AC: Dee Day]]
357	* Considering the next episode has him really sick because of dairy, the fact that Dennis purposely had cheese to make their ForcefulKiss nice for Charlie is startlingly sweet of him.
358
359	[[AC:The Gang Chokes]]
360
361	* When Dee is dying, the Gang tells Mac to save her when he refuses to, making his own decision and allowing Dee to see the other side. Considering the last time they saw her nearly die, it's nice to see they do care about each other and actually try to help her.
362	* Although Dennis is constantly berating Mac throughout the episode for being an ExtremeDoormat who only does things when Dennis tells him to, he's actually impressed when Mac defies his order to save Dee. He even ends the episode with some degree of respect for Mac.
363	* Charlie apologizing to Frank not saving him while choking, and promising that he’ll always save him from now on.
364
365	[[AC:The Gang Texts]]
366
367	* After the Gang does go to the Meerkat Exhibit, they enjoyed it, and forgave each other. When Dee posted an emoji that depicted Frank pissing on Mac, they laughed at the text and congratulated her for it.
368
369	[[AC: Paddy Has A Jumper]]
370	* Naturally they do it by insulting her, but Dennis/Mac/Charlie are all worried and want to talk about it when Dee knows far too much about suicide.
371
372	[[AC: A Woman's Right To Chop]]
373	* While he tries to fob it off later as he doesn’t actually care, and heavy on the IncestSubtext, Dennis proves once again that the only woman he actually gives a shit about is Dee; going on a big rant realising women need to have a safe space to get short haircuts and feeling terrible he made his sister “get a back alley chop”.
374
375	[[AC: Waiting For Big Mo]]
376	* Charlie and Frank delight each other with riddles that make no sense, Frank brings Charlie chicken wings, and Charlie turns Frank’s pack on.
377	* Dee and Mac usually hate each other, and Dennis manipulates Mac’s jealousy and Dee’s need for approval to improve their score, but they get past that and actually have fun together.
378	* Despite all his weaponised and manipulative affection to her in the episode, Dee’s upset that Dennis has no plans to let himself be happy.
379	* While he’s also doing it as a manipulation tactic to get her confused and aggressive, when you remember that Dennis has told Dee he genuinely loves her on several occasions in the past, his compliments to her in this episode are implied to have some degree of truth to them.
380
381
382	[[/folder]]
383
384	[[folder:Season 15]]
385
386	[[AC: The Gang Buys A Roller Rink]]
387	* Charlie randomly comes out with a boombox and skating, and while the rest of the gang have no idea why he’s doing that, they all excitedly praise him with no complaint.
388	* Naturally it was never going to last, but the younger members of the Gang are actually either nicer than how they were when they were teens, or in positions of respect. Dennis even thanks Mac and Charlie for not harassing Dee, and looks really proud of her when she’s going to Hollywood.
389
390	[[AC:The Gang Carries a Corpse Up a Mountain]]
391
392	* The Gang returning to help Charlie finish the Irish burial of his father after having abandoned him earlier. Afterwards they walk off with their arms around each other, fully cementing them as Charlie's FamilyOfChoice.
393	** Massive props have to be given to the Gang (minus Dee) for sticking it out as long as they did. When they get the corpse halfway up the mountain only to have it slip and crash to the bottom, you'd expect them to say "fuck this", head to the pub and that would be the end of the episode. Instead, they make the effort to retrieve the body and continue the trek, showing that despite Charlie's low status in the Gang, they'll still look out for him.
394	* After years of denying Charlie's paternity, Frank says he's sorry he's not Charlie's biological father, promising to always be there for him.
395
396	[[/folder]]
397
398	[[folder:Season 16]]
399
400	[[AC: The Gang Inflates]]
401	* Dennis exhibits quite a few PetTheDog moments towards Mac in this episode, particularly once the latter comes down with a nut allergy. From nagging Mac to go to the hospital (and telling him he’s taking him to the hospital at the end of the episode when it’s gotten so bad half his face is swollen), to checking Mac's pulse while he's sleeping out (and actually being relieved that he's still alive), etc. He's even willing to ''sleep in the same bed'' as Mac. Considering how repulsed Dennis was at even being in the same room as Mac in previous seasons, this is a huge bit of progression in their relationship.
402	* Throughout the episode, Charlie keeps trying to push his investment idea to Frank, but Frank won't hear him out. Instead, Frank pretends to invest in Mac and Dennis' flimsy inflatable furniture scheme and evicts Dee from her apartment after he stops paying her rent, all in order to get them all indebted to him and siphon money off of them. When Charlie finds this out, he schemes to get back at Frank by finally pitching his investment, and Frank actually takes the deal. When Frank asks what Charlie wants, instead of asking for money, Charlie asks for Frank to forgive Mac and Dennis' loan and give Dee her apartment back (and to start paying her rent again). The latter is especially significant, considering how strained their relationship had become in previous seasons due to Dee assaulting Charlie.
403
404	[[AC: Frank Shoots Every Member of the Gang]]
405	* When Mac and Charlie retrieve some letters as part of Mac's family heirloom, they meet Mac's uncle Donald, an incredibly nice man who is also gay, has experience with being TheUnfavorite compared to his brother Luther, and wants nothing more than to bond with Mac. [[StatusQuoIsGod Of course]], Mac rejects him and leaves, but [[OnlySaneMan even Charlie mentions]] that Donald could be the father figure Mac's been looking for. The fact that he's also played by Gregory Scott Cummins (the actor who plays Luther) makes this even better.
406	* After failing to get his [[ItMakesSenseInContext jar of teeth]] from his sisters, Charlie starts creating his own jar from scratch, using his own teeth. He then asks Mac if he wants to contribute some of his own teeth to the jar. As weird and dark as it is, the fact that Charlie wants his childhood friend to be part of his legacy is pretty sweet.
407	* As much as they hate Frank, and are justifiably angry about him shooting the both of them, Dee and Dennis have no intention of killing him like he thinks they’re about to. (Raping him in payback two episodes later, is a different story.)
408	** During this moment, Frank expresses gratitude to the twins that they're not "killing" him in front of Charlie. The fact that Frank wants to spare Charlie the pain of having to see his father figure die (especially after the events of Season 15) is surprisingly considerate of Frank and a sign of how much he truly loves Charlie.
409
410	[[AC: The Gang Gets Cursed]]
411	* Totally twisted, but Dee has no issue at all with Dennis supposedly keeping Maureen’s ashes. And to return the favour, he helps her find out why her face has been paralyzed alongside his brain fog.
412	* Equally twisted, but as much as the guys claim to not want her around, giving Dee the "Cunt of the Year” trophy is heavily implied to be a compliment, because it was a present they worked hard on and wanted her to keep.
413
414	[[AC: Celebrity Booze: The Ultimate Cash Grab]]
415	* Despite being ordered by Aaron Paul not to do so all throughout the episode, Bryan Cranston finally defies him and shakes Dennis' hand because he genuinely wanted to. The look of awe on Dennis' face when this happens is nice to see.
416
417	[[AC: The Gang Goes Bowling]]
418	* After Dennis has been messing with Dee's head all night, causing her to get nothing but gutterballs, the Waitress stands up for her and challenges Dennis to a test of strength. When you remember that the Waitress has had a pretty massive and consistent crush on Dennis since all the way back in ''Season 1'', her standing up to him in favor of someone she's had a pretty contentious relationship with throughout the series is significant.
419	-->'''Waitress:''' Okay, you know what, dіck? I don't like your sister. She's a terrible person. She's a bitch and she's ugly and I didn't want her on the team.
420	-->'''Gail the Snail:''' And she's gross.
421	-->'''Waitress:''' Sure, and she's gross. But you know what? You're even worse. And I am not gonna sit here and let you just shit on her all night long.
422	* It's a small and subtle moment, but as the guys are walking away from the rink, Mac softly touches Dennis' arm while praising his bowling performance, and Dennis actually lets him. In previous seasons, whenever Mac even tried to put his hand on Dennis' shoulder, Dennis always pushed him away, so the fact that Dennis seems to welcome this small bit of affection from Mac here is yet another sign of their improving relationship.
423
424	[[AC: Dennis Takes A Mental Health Day]]
425	* Instead of the usual lashing out because rage and insecurities, Dennis concocts an elaborate fantasy to lower his blood pressure, and goes to be with the Gang when it's done. His prideful exit is actually a little deserved for once.
426	* In Dennis's fantasy, Dee offers to drive him to the beach and is frequently on his side when the Gang are being morons, showing he really does appreciate her UndyingLoyalty and BigSisterInstinct.
427	[[/folder]]

Context Heartwarming / ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia