In the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode (Season 3, Episode 14), the Gang's attempt to "clean up" South Philly quickly descends into a chaotic parody of vigilantism and police corruption. The Catalyst: An Alleyway Incident
join "Philadelphia Citizens for Justice," a neighborhood watch group. Frustrated by the group's lack of weapons and authority, they decide to become vigilantes modeled after the Guardian Angels , complete with red berets and black tank tops. Bums: Making a Mess All Over the CityIt's Alway...
The taste of authority proves too much for the Gang. Frank and Dennis begin wearing police uniforms and abusing their perceived power, shaking down hot dog vendors for free food and harassing jaywalkers. Meanwhile, Dennis becomes obsessed with an "indestructible" junkyard cat named . In the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode
Disgusted by Frank and Dennis’s corruption, Charlie adopts the persona of , a gritty undercover cop from the 1973 film, to expose his friends. The episode concludes with Charlie destroying the fake police car with a Molotov cocktail. In true Always Sunny fashion, Charlie's attempt to deliver incriminating evidence to "the Mare" (the Mayor) ends with a janitor tossing the tape directly into the trash. Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City - IMDb The taste of authority proves too much for the Gang
Mac and Dee's attempt at community service fails spectacularly. After being dropped off in a "bad neighborhood" by actual police officers, they are quickly robbed at gunpoint by a homeless man (played by Rob McElhenney's real-life father ). The Climax: Charlie as Serpico
take a different route, purchasing a beat-up police car from a junkyard to scare off "undesirables". Escalation and Corruption