For some series, the anticipation leading up to the season premiere is tortuous. For It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it’s downright hilarious. One year after releasing Season 7’s dysfunctional family portrait-slash-promo poster — complete with the invincible Special Agent Jack Bauer… in Kitten Mittens — the Sunny gang has released a Season 8 teaser in which they have been replaced by actors you haven’t talked about since 1999, but are thrilled to see again.
Especially when they pull off their Sunny alter-egos so brilliantly. Pimp My Ride host Xzibit sky dances like Kaitlin Olson‘s Dee (but, clearly, is not bird-like enough to really pull off the character), Full House star Candace Cameron pulls off Charlie Day‘s Charlie’s bemused sanity (in a casting choice that makes us still wonder whatever happened to predictability), mixed martial artist Chael Sonnen clearly can S.E.L.L. D.E.N.N.I.S. (though those abs help us separate him entirely from Glenn Howerton), and it wouldn’t surprise us if Andrew Dice Clay has enjoyed a rum ham or two in his life. But the clip’s most impressive switcheroo is Haley Joel Osment‘s version of Rob McElhenney‘s Mac, which is so spot-on, it’s a shame his talents were wasted on Secondhand Lions.
It’s an encouraging promo for the season ahead — and right up Sunny‘s demented alley. After all, the show is no stranger to inviting nostalgic names to appear on an episode or two. (See: Tom Sizemore and Sinbad, star of Houseguest, otherwise known as the gift that keeps on giving.) Still, we know who the real star of Sunny is: Special Agent Jack Bauer.
Watch the clip below, and get yourself excited for Oct. 11!
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