It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia offers a complex, satirical portrayal of LGBTQ+ themes. While the main characters frequently exhibit homophobia, the show consistently lampoons their bigotry. Mac's long-running arc, culminating in a surprisingly earnest and affirming coming-out, provides a powerful moment of queer validation, positioning the show's net impact as positive despite its often problematic humor.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia features Carmen, a recurring transsexual character. While Carmen herself is not portrayed as a caricature, the show frequently uses the main characters' transphobic language (e.g., "tranny") and prejudiced reactions to her identity as a source of humor. This portrayal, lacking explicit in-narrative critique of the slurs and prejudice, results in a net negative impact.

The show consistently portrays Christianity through the lens of the main characters' extreme hypocrisy, selfishness, and moral depravity. While satirizing the characters' actions, the narrative frequently uses Christian themes and symbols as a vehicle for their manipulative schemes and superficial understanding of faith, without offering a counterbalancing positive portrayal.

The show uses the main characters' interactions with Judaism to expose and satirize their own ignorance, prejudice, and desire for personal gain. The narrative clearly condemns the characters' antisemitic remarks and stereotypical behavior, making them the objects of ridicule rather than validating negative stereotypes about the religion.