Dennis Reynolds: The Broken Character

Let's do another character analysis. But this time let's look at the character of Dennis Reynolds from Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This character, the golden god, feels like he's constantly about to snap in some way and that's part of what makes him such a fun character.

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[KProductions]

What should I talk about next? Comment it here! Follow me on Twitter to stay up to date — Twitter.com/10kbill

[keithcrook]

I WOULD ask everyone here if Dennis is their favorite character but why bother..you’re not gonna say no, you would never say no…because of the implication.

[kevinmcgrath]

I think the evolution of Dennis is the most natural. He’s a narcissist who has gone from his 20s to his 40s now, and as affirmation of his delusions (aka hooking up with women) comes less frequently, he simply begins to spiral deeper into insecure vengeance.

[danilomoscoso]

Glenn Howerton was once asked in an interview why his character, Dennis Reynolds, has a completely different name from him while Charlie Day plays a character named Charlie and Rob McElheny plays a character named Mac. Howerton replied that it’s because in real life he wants as little to do with Dennis Reynolds as possible. With that being said the last episode will probobly be “Dennis Kills the Gang".

[LordHollow]

Dennis making himself go down on himself is one of the most insane scenes in TV history. I pissed myself crying when I saw it the first couple times.

[skankerton]

“develops an eating disorder for a few days” more like the rest of the series

[siriusshabazz]

Dennis being my favorite character makes me think I'm insane.

[jackeroo_sundown]

I'm not sure you get the point. All these characters are supposed to get worse, its an anti-sitcom. That's the whole point. Dennis is aging and he's getting more narcissistic. He's not broken, he's following the beautiful formula of Always Sunny.

[riotgrrrlry]

there are different forms of narcissistic personality disorder. dennis’ “vulnerable moments” is his narcissism focusing on his own flaws. he still is self obsessive.

[elko]

I always saw Dee as the straight man originally. Dennis was always narcissistic. Dee didn’t have the weird insecurities like the rest of them. I chalk that up to the fact that they didn’t know how to write for a woman which Kaitlin Olsen has stated about her character in the first season.

[jaylong]

Im not ALLOWED TO EAT THE SKIN, DEE!!! IM NOT

[Dustyholes]

He’s not broken… it’s just the IMPLICATION.

[flickboy]

Dennis and Jeff from Community seem to have the same effect on their gangs 😂 in the episode remedial chaos theory of community they show the possibility of what happens to the group when jeff leaves them and it is the best scenario out of all of them.

[Forestranger]

Here me out y’all. The catalyst was then Dee ripped his stuffed bears head off. He said he wasn’t phased but then turned around and you could see a noticeable change and his iconic sigh haha. I believe it’s the episode Dee and Denis rob their moms house.

[krazyworld]

I love when Dee gives birth and Dennis is so concerned about the TV not working in her room. It just shows that he does love her deep down.

[farceFacade]

I feel that in shows most characters become caricatures of themselves with no valid reason. In Always Sunny we’re given reasons why they slip further into these archetypes. Franks been slumming it. Charlie huffs glue. They all continue to hangout with each other.

[spadinnerxylaphone]

I think we relate to the Gang because we all have the impulse to yell random insults, or drink a bunch of beer, or whatever. They're just that side of us unbound from empathy or social order.

[okeomslax]

Considering they’ve signed on for 4 more seasons I think we aren’t really waiting for him to separate entirely but I like what you are getting at. If the season finale of last season(before the last 2 minutes) taught us anything it’s that they can write an exceptional ending and when they do end it we will be satisfied

[timwhite]

I see it like Married with children; they started out similar to other shows and characters, but if you were to jump seasons later you'd get whiplash. But watching it, it moves pretty seamlessly.

[speeeee]

I don’t think you watched the same show as me. There’s literally an entire episode in the first season where Dennis is a serial killer. He also gets hooked on crack in the first season and tries to sell a human baby. When was he not a sociopath? Like any untreated mental illness, they get worse over time.
If you listen to the Sunny podcast, you’d see that everyone, ESPECIALLY frank, going downhill is intentional. Rewatch season two and you’ll realize that that’s the joke with frank… that he was a normal, if not insane, business man who finally reached the age where he didn’t want to pretend to be normal anymore.