The third episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18, titled “The Gang Gets Tested,” arrived on August 24, 2026. The episode follows the gang as they take a neuropsychological test, and the results send them on a chaotic trip back to college. The episode originally aired on FX, FXX, and Hulu at 9 p.m. ET.
The Gang Takes a Neuropsychological Test
The episode begins with Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton) and Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson) receiving positive diagnoses for ADHD. Mac (Rob McElhenney) learns he does not have the condition, which almost offends him. Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) gets an “inconclusive” result, which prompts further examination. Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) does not care much about the tests and tells everyone to believe in who they are.
After getting the test results, Dennis and Dee decide to go back to college for a do-over, believing that understanding their brains better will help them succeed. To their surprise, Mac is already there. Frank also shows up, wanting to recreate the events of the 1986 comedy film Back to School in real life.
Dennis and Dee’s ADHD Diagnoses Lead to Disaster
Dee initially sees her ADHD diagnosis as an explanation for her struggles. She turns to stimulants to help herself focus. That does not solve the problem, so she keeps escalating until she is trying to make it through an exam while high on crack. Kaitlin Olson gets plenty to work with as Dee becomes increasingly frantic.
Dennis decides that studying is unnecessary when manipulation is available. Instead of learning the material, he sets his sights on seducing the professor. He also sabotages Mac, who is actually trying to study and get tutoring. Dennis plants a Tootsie Roll in Mac’s ear to convince him that he literally has “shit for brains.”
Charlie’s Inconclusive Results Spark Curiosity
Charlie goes for another test. After listening to his answers, the lady asking the questions calls for other professors. When they arrive to question Charlie, they are left impressed. At one point, Charlie notices that the woman sitting in front of him has two pencils in her left pocket. He figures this out because of the way she walks, as she steps lightly on that foot to avoid getting poked. However, Charlie has no interest in knowing what condition he has. Just when the professors are about to reveal his diagnosis, he walks away.
Critics noted that Charlie’s storyline emulates the best parts of episodes like Season 12’s “Flowers for Charlie,” which highlight Charlie’s unique outlook on the world. Some reviewers felt that while the idea of Dennis and Dee getting diagnosed with ADHD while Mac and Charlie do not sounds great, the episode does not fully live up to its premise.
Frank Turns Back to School Into Real Life
Frank’s subplot involves him taking a shy student under his wing. He decides to give the student some new experiences, which include breaking into the dean’s office without realizing there are cameras, taking him to a party and helping him find a girl, and pushing him to take a dangerous dive. In the end, the student jumps into the pool, and Frank checks on him only to find that he is unconscious. Critics described this as the episode’s darkest joke, as Frank treats the 1986 comedy less like a movie and more like an instructional manual.
The Gang Realizes the Test Doesn’t Define Them
Dennis, Dee, and Mac do not find their names on the result list. They soon realize that they were never enrolled in the college in the first place. The group reunites with Frank and Charlie, who tells them that he does not need anyone to tell him who he is. The episode ends with the gang believing that the test was pointless and did not really define them. The episode saves its best reversal for Charlie, who somehow emerges looking like the most emotionally well-adjusted person at Paddy’s Pub.
Critical Reception of the Episode
Reviews for “The Gang Gets Tested” have been mixed. Some critics felt that the episode borrows from previous episodes like Season 2’s “Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare” and Season 9’s “Flowers for Charlie.” While still entertaining, it treads familiar water that serves as a reminder of great episodes from the series’ run.
“I was most invested in Charlie’s storyline about his inconclusive diagnosis, as it emulates the best parts of episodes like Season 12 Episode 8, ‘Flowers for Charlie,’ that highlight Charlie’s unique outlook on the world. But everything else is mostly forgettable.”
The episode has a runtime of approximately 22 minutes. It is the 181st episode overall.
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Season 18 Details
Season 18 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered on August 17, 2026 with two new episodes. The season consists of 10 episodes, a jump from the eight-episode seasons that made up the previous three installments. The season airs on FX, FXX, and Hulu in the US, and streams on Disney+ internationally.
The main cast, including Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito, all return. The season deals with topics like automation, neurodivergence, LARP, Little League, tent encampments, and baseball. It also features the return of the McPoyle clan (Jimmi Simpson, Nate Mooney, Thesy Surface). After 18 years, the characters are now in their 50s, and Frank is in his 80s.
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