As soon as Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s worlds collided, at least one outcome was inevitable: dutiful kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) teaching a defensive Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) how to read. Finally. Not only does she get him to enunciate a few words from a book about birds, but she also bestows upon him a “Move Up Day” ceremony as Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) cheer on. It’s oh-so-lovely, and oh-so-contrary to the ethos of FXX’s long-running series. And yet, Abbott makes the moment entirely justifiable.
“Volunteers,” Abbott season four’s midseason return, doesn’t undercut the ABC sitcom's wholesomeness or It’s Always Sunny’s pure chaos, instead reveling in the odd mashup. Charlie getting one step closer to literacy is offset by how Mac (Rob McElhenney) looks at him with disdain. There’s also Dee’s (Kaitlin Olson) attempts to seduce Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and Frank (Danny DeVito) igniting a battle royale with Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) over killing vermin. The Paddy’s Pub gang, who should decidedly be nowhere near a school, fit quite nicely into these hallowed halls for a brief yet memorable time.
In fact, “Volunteers” is one of the best examples of a TV crossover. It tracks that this notorious crew would get community service to help out at an underfunded West Philly public school. (It’s also worth noting here that, yes, the collaboration stems from both shows being owned by Disney.) For viewers unfamiliar with It’s Always Sunny, don’t worry: The episode is fun even without context. (Do you need any to enjoy DeVito trapping himself in a cage for a sight gag?) The Sunny gang also gets attuned to the mockumentary style quickly—well, except for Dennis, who runs away whenever a camera faces him. (A lack of Glenn Howerton is frankly this episode’s only flaw.)
Usually, characters from different shows interacting together feels like wish fulfillment instead of realistic, like Fox’s terrible Sleepy Hollow/Bones endeavor or Steve Urkel dropping in on Full House. But for every misguided attempt, there is The Simpsons/Family Guy crossover and How To Get Away With Murder’s Annalise Keating gabbing with Scandal’s Olivia Pope in a hair salon. Thankfully, Abbott season four’s outing belongs in the latter camp, with a delightful 20-minute arc that plays to the strengths of both shows and their very different worlds.
Look no further than Dee brazenly hitting on Gregory, undeterred after learning that he’s dating her new Penn gal pal, Janine (Quinta Brunson). If anything, this information motivates her to flirt harder. It brings out an unexpected side of Janine, who is ready to beat The Paddy’s Pub bartender. Thanks to Dee’s meddling, Abbott sneakily sows the seeds for a certain “I love you” declaration for Janine and Gregory in the future. (Fellow fans of their slow-burn romance, the patience is paying off.)
Meanwhile, Principal Ava finds a perfect counterpart—sorry, “white VP”—in Mac. To get out of their mandatory community service, he transforms into an efficient helper…for Ava, not the school. Does she want her car detailed and clothes steamed? He’s on it. Does she need him to take photos of an endangered bird’s egg to implicate a luxury golf course that’s causing the school distress? Mac’s the guy, unafraid to commit light blackmail, get the gym a new scoreboard, and help advance a major Abbott plot point. And McElhenney in particular aces the whole “look to camera” part of the schtick.
“Volunteers” is so much fun that a 20-minute runtime seems too little. This writer would’ve loved to watch Mac and Jacob make eyes at each other, Melissa dig into the details of “the skeeviest bar” she’s ever been to, and any interactions between powerhouses DeVito and Ralph. But the point is to leave everybody wanting more. And luckily, that’s just what we’ll get when It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia gives us an episode of these events from the gang’s perspective (and presumably explains whatever shenanigans Dennis was up to).
