With a new season of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia coming out of FXX, I would like to take a moment to explore one of the questions that has repeatedly crossed my mind while watching the series: what the hell is wrong with Dennis? While the show makes it very clear that there is something morally/psychologically wrong with just about every character, no character progression has been as sinister and simultaneously hilarious as that of Dennis Reynolds (played by Glenn Howerton). Seeming at first to be merely a narcissistic lady’s man, Dennis has since shown a complete disregard for human life and basic morality dozens of times throughout the course of the show. But is Dennis a true psychopath? Let’s look at some of the most prevalent signs of psychopathic behavior and compare.
One of the most telltale signs of psychopaths are their willingness to prey upon other people’s emotions. And while this trait is prevalent in just about all Sunny characters, no one is quite as malicious as Dennis. Take, for example, the D.E.N.N.I.S. system developed and mastered by Dennis in the tenth episode of season five to win a woman’s undying love. According to the D.E.N.N.I.S. system, seducing any woman is as simple as Demonstrating value, Engaging physically, Nurturing dependence, Neglecting emotionally, Inspiring hope, and then Separating entirely. While the D.E.N.N.I.S. system backfires for Dennis in the episode, his complete willingness to do whatever it takes to prove the system works clearly demonstrates his total disregard for others’ emotions.
Another common sign of a psychopath is an incredibly inflated sense of self worth. I feel I don’t need to go into too much detail on this one, since an inflated sense of self worth is Dennis’ main character trait. Just as Dennis says to Frank (played by Danny DeVito) in Season 4, Episode 3, “My nose was chiseled by the gods themselves, Frank. My body was sculpted to the proportions of Michelangelo’s ‘David.’ You, on the other hand, well, you’re a pit of despair.” For someone who works at the same bar for ten years and running and has a recurring addiction to crack, Dennis definitely has an extreme case of narcissism.
Finally, the last trait of a psychopath I’m going to touch on is a complete lack of conscience. While Dennis may sometimes stand up for his friends throughout the course of the show, usually it’s in his own self-interest. Several times, Dennis has implied his willingness to murder or kidnap others for his own entertainment. In the episode “Mac Is a Serial Killer,” Dennis and Dee (played by Kaitlin Olson) stalk the waitress in costume to get in the mind of a serial killer. After the waitress pepper sprays them, Dennis admits that he forgot they weren’t actually trying to kill the waitress, and was a little disappointed that they were just acting. Nothing says psychopathic like Dennis Reynolds stalking women in a painter’s outfit. As the show has progressed, this lack of conscience has only gotten worse. In the episode “The Gang Goes To Hell,” Dennis tries desperately to seduce a young girl (who Dennis learns is of age after stealing her driver’s license) on a Christian cruise. However, what Dennis intends to be a classy seduction comes off as downright evil, as his attempts to woo her come off as rape threats. Dennis has no remorse for this misunderstanding, and blames his rejection on the storm outside making his advances sound way worse than they were.
So, with my limited psychology knowledge (with the exception of a few google searches), I would like to officially like to diagnose Dennis Reynolds as a psychopath. Just how far the writers of It’s Always Sunny are willing to go with Dennis is yet to be seen. However, I know that I’m looking forward to more hilariously creepy Dennis moments to come.
