'Its Always Sunny's Gang Visited 'Abbott Elementary' — Why the Crossover Worked

Although the crossover between Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia wasn't what anyone asked for, the reactions prove that it worked out better than anyone could have hoped. It was a random pairing, made even stranger by the vastly different casts of each show. But after it aired on ABC as an Abbott Elementary Season 4 episode, viewers were here for it.

Honestly, you don't even have to be a fan of both shows to appreciate how off the wall and entertaining the crossover was. Does that mean fans can expect more crossover episodes with Abbott and It's Always Sunny or other shows? That certainly seems possible. Because if this was an experiment to see how fans would react, the consensus would be that everyone loves the result.

Initially, fans were unsure about what the crossover episode would be. With Abbott being on network television and typically lighter in tone and It's Always Sunny being a TV-MA show on FXX, it was unclear how the shows would mesh. But, according to fans, they blended well together for the sake of the storyline.

"It's official…Abbott Elementary/It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover was just pure genius and they are the best comedies on TV right now," one user shared on X (formerly Twitter) following the episode. "Part 2 in 4 months!"

Another user wrote, "Is this the best crossover in television history? Who's to say… But YES!! Abbott Elementary & It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia… Instant Classic."

Before the episode aired, some fans were skeptical. Apparently, though, for many, it exceeded expectations.

Fans of both shows even had ideas about which characters would work well or work against each other in the crossover. It's no secret that the darker characters in It's Always Sunny typically have nefarious intentions, versus the well-meaning faculty on Abbott.

The premise for the Abbott and It's Always Sunny crossover episode, which will conclude with another crossover episode during the latter's seventeenth season, is that the gang has to do community service. They have to serve their hours at Abbott, and naturally, chaos ensues. But, because Melissa has been to the gang's bar, Paddy's Pub, she knows who they are.

That connection makes total sense, given the plot of the crossover. Plus, both shows take place in Philadelphia. At one point, Jacob from Abbott even almost says that "it's always sunny in Philadelphia" in reference to the city, but also a cheeky nod to the title of the FXX series. However, he gets cut off before a commercial break.

It's unclear just how many fans the two shows share. However, some Abbott Elementary fans said on social media that they now want to check out It's Always Sunny and vice versa. But where did this bizarre pairing even originate from?

Quinta Brunson, who created Abbott and stars in the show as Janine, met Rob McElhenney, one of the stars and creators of It's Always Sunny, at the Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024. They reportedly joked about crossing over their shows. From there, they eventually began working on scripts that would serve fans of both comedies.

According to Deadline, the It's Always Sunny episode in Season 17 that shows the crossover will share the same story but from the gang's perspective. Abbott is filmed like a documentary, a la The Office.

With the It's Always Sunny version, viewers will get this show's typical format, with the usual dark edge to it. And after the first look at the crossover on Abbott, fans are eager to see it play out.