After being away from the show for seven years, Jimmi Simpson confirms he is returning for It’s always sunny in Philadelphia season 16. Simpson has a recurring role on the long-running comedy series as Liam McPoyle, a member of the creepy and incestuous family who first enters Mac and Charlie’s lives during elementary school and is often seen battling the Paddy’s Pug Gang. The McPoyles have done everything from taking the gang hostage to almost having a wedding that breaks the family bloodline, resulting in Liam losing an eye.
While talking exclusively with Screen Rant to discuss his work in the drama The starling girlconfirmed Jimmi Simpson that he would return for It’s always sunny in Philadelphia season 16. While not giving many details about how he and his brother, Nate Mooney’s Ryan McPoyle, will return to the fold, the star teased that it will be a “ridiculous” performance from the fan-favorite characters. See what Simpson shared in the quotes and video below:
Oh yes, it’s coming. I was with Charlie for his film, Fool’s Paradise, and he said the editing was pretty ridiculous. I thought, “I haven’t done this in eight years. Who knows if I’ll be able to do it again? I’m going to be weird!”
Why the McPoyles are returning is so exciting for sunny fans
Since their debut in the series’ season 1 finale, the McPoyle family has been considered one of the cornerstones of much of It’s always sunny in Philadelphia‘s weirder sensibilities during its earlier run. Going from joking about the family being incestuous to directly showing the family being with each other and describing their long bloodline, the recurring characters are an element that through most other lenses would be loathsome or dramatic, but instead have proved hilarious in their various appearances.
Since the family typically appeared at least once a season for much of It’s always sunny in Philadelphia‘s run, a seven-year absence has largely come as a surprise to those eager to see the McPoyles return to wreak havoc on Paddy’s Gang. Their final appearance, which pitted Liam against Bill Ponderosa in a lawsuit over the loss of his eye in his and Maureen’s attempted wedding, not only remained a fun return, but also featured the return of Guillermo del Toro in a cameo role as the McPoyle patriarch , Daddy.
The recently released It’s always sunny in Philadelphia season 16 trailer teased the return of both Liam and Ryan, apparently as employees of a bowling alley that Paddy’s Gang happens to visit. Whether this results in another complete disaster or an awkward reunion is unclear, but the Simpsons tease of a “ridiculous“return is sure to keep fans of the series excited for the June 7 premiere.