The gang fight over a lottery ticket and seek out an arbitrator to decide a rightful owner, who also decides if Frank is a hero or hate monger.
WAR
63
Wins Above Replacement
“Hero or Hate Crime?” ranks #14 of 177 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 86.4 — Elite. The episode packs 46 scored jokes at 1.6 per minute, averaging 7.6 on craft and 7.1 on impact, with Mac landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Mac Gang Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Mac: cigarettes covered by cologne covered by skunk covered by dog shit
The arbitration bill totaling $9,986, leaving Mac with only $14
Phil Irony/Sarcasm Escalation I am happy for him, but I do still hate him. It's not a gay or straight thing, it's a Mac thing.
Gang Character Comedy Observational Mac: The Ass Pounder: Never stop pumping.
Mac Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy All Jokes — 46 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Character limping and claiming it's from working out on an exercise bike, making their glutes sore
Mac Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Charlie · Others: Charlie deliberately stepping in dog shit after pointing it out
Dennis: Since when do you read?
Charlie: Books are stupid. I don't.
Frank Dark/Subversive Setup/Punchline Frank claiming he's a hero while everyone else calls it a hate crime
Dennis: You are entitled to nothing!
Dennis: followed by formal parliamentary procedure
Revealing they hired an arbitration attorney for a two-dollar scratcher ticket
Phil: Why don't you scratch it and see if it's worthless, and then you wouldn't have to go through all of this?
Phil Observational Reaction Beat Gang: Gang's horrified reaction to Phil's suggestion, treating him like he doesn't understand
Gang Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Dennis: Hope, potential, promise. The very foundation upon which this group rests.
Dennis Escalation Character Comedy Dee: As long as you don't scratch it, then you're not a loser. You're a winner. Potentially.
Dee Character Comedy Observational Gang immediately calling Dee's logic 'pathetic' and 'sad' after Dennis just said the exact same thing
Gang Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Mac: sub-arbitration to determine whether or not that's sad
Dee: Dee claiming she has a 46% chance of Parkinson's disease based on a DNA test
Dee Character Comedy Absurdist Dennis: Your elbows are too sharp. You're stabbing me with your elbows.
Dennis: Your hands are fine. Your hands are a good size.
Dennis Character Comedy Absurdist Mac: Oh, my God, who gives a shit?!
Mac Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement Dennis describing his coffee tip scheme to impress an underage barista
Dennis Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Mac: Cassie's underage.
Dennis: No, no, no, what-what? What are you talking about? Cassie is not underage. Cassie is 21 years old.
Dennis: You put the money in, then you wait. And then you make a hefty withdrawal.
Dennis Dark/Subversive Wordplay/Pun Mac: Mac explaining he voluntarily stepped in dog shit 'naturally' to cover up other smells
Mac: cigarettes covered by cologne covered by skunk covered by dog shit
Charlie: If the shit shoe's a matcher, Charlie gets the scratcher!
Charlie Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Charlie: If it smells like shit, you must acquit
Mac: I was just about to do a sweet backflip to safety
Mac Character Comedy Escalation Frank: Frank repeating the slur as part of his legal defense
Frank Dark/Subversive Escalation Charlie: Charlie accidentally saying the N-word while trying to guess what word Frank would use
Charlie Dark/Subversive Cringe/Discomfort Mac: Mac's historical explanation of 'faggot' as a burning bundle of sticks used to burn homosexuals
Mac Dark/Subversive Observational The debate about losing the word 'cunt' and Dennis saying 'We can't lose that! It's a good word.'
The philosophical discussion about 'cocksucker' where they conclude half the population loves to suck cock and the other half loves getting their cock sucked
Gang Observational Wordplay/Pun Dennis Setup/Punchline Escalation Mac Gang Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Mac: It's not a penis, it's a fist.
Mac: Ass Pounder 4000
Mac Escalation Character Comedy Mac: when you're tired and want to rest, 'it pushes you right back up in your workout. The Ass Pounder 4000 will never let you rest.'
Mac Absurdist Character Comedy Mac: The Ass Pounder: Never stop pumping.
Mac Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Phil: an extreme sexual deviant. Gay or not.
Phil Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Phil calling Mac an 'extreme sexual deviant' regardless of orientation
Phil Deadpan/Understatement Observational Phil: it would technically not be hate speech if Mac doesn't claim to be gay
Mac: I'm gay
Mac: Oh, does that mean if I claim to be gay, I get all of it?
Arbitrator: Well, um, y-yes.
The lottery ticket winning $10,000 - massive payoff after all the arguing over $2
Gang Irony/Sarcasm Escalation Mac: 'Gay Mac rules!' followed by Mac planning to invest it all in the Ass Pounder 4000
Mac Character Comedy Callback Callback Gang pressuring Mac to go back in the closet now that he has the money
Gang Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Mac: Mac considering staying out of the closet after winning
Mac Character Comedy Misdirection Mac: Maybe I'll stay out
Mac: Actually feels pretty good
Mac Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm The arbitration bill totaling $9,986, leaving Mac with only $14
Phil Irony/Sarcasm Escalation I am happy for him, but I do still hate him. It's not a gay or straight thing, it's a Mac thing.
Gang Character Comedy Observational Top Episodes — It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia