According to a 2022 study conducted by WordFinderX.com, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the most difficult TV show to understand—when taking subtitles and words per minute (wpm) into consideration. That makes the long-running FX series the wordiest television comedy—a genre that also happens to be the wordiest.
After analyzing subtitles from Always Sunny’s most recent season (at the time), the show clocked in at 176.2 wpm. To put that into perspective, the National Disability Authority (or NDA) suggests that English subtitles be kept to a maximum of 140 wpm.
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Based on data gathered from the 15 wordiest comedies, the genre was found to have an average wpm of 133.6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine wasn’t too far behind Always Sunny, racking up a reported 174.6 wpm during its eighth and final season. Though technically a dramedy, Gilmore Girls snuck its way into the top three with 167.8 wpm. Other popular comedies that went well beyond the NDA’s wpm recommendations include Modern Family (166.2), Bob’s Burgers (160.6), South Park (160.0), and Parks and Recreation (156.3).
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On the drama side, only two shows after Gilmore Girls exceeded the NDA’s recommended wpm, and those were Suits and Dynasty, with 161.0 and 152.7 wpm, respectively. There’s a significant drop-off from there, as Emily in Paris was determined to have amassed a measly 131.0 wpm. Even lower on the totem pole were such hit shows as Desperate Housewives(115.4), Sex and the City(112.8), and Mad Men (98.8).
Interestingly, not a single sci-fi or fantasy show that was analyzed went above 93.9 wpm. True Blood hit the high note in question, with Doctor Who and Star Trek: The Next Generation trailing slightly behind at 89.7 and 86.8 wpm. Superhero subtitles turned out to be a little bit wordier, but DC’s Legends of Tomorrow still only managed to crack 115.0 wpm in the number-one spot. She-Hulk was a close second, with just 111.4 wpm.
Here’s the full list, in case you were curious.
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia — 176.2 words per minute
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine — 174.6 wpm
- Gilmore Girls — 167.8 wpm
- Modern Family — 166.2 wpm
- Suits — 161.0 wpm
- Bob’s Burgers — 160.6 wpm
- South Park — 160.0 wpm
- Parks and Recreation — 156.3 wpm
- Dynasty — 152.7 wpm
- Emily in Paris — 131.0 wpm
- Desperate Housewives — 115.4 wpm
- DC’s Legends of Tomorrow — 115.0 wpm
- Sex and the City — 112.8 wpm
- She-Hulk — 111.4 wpm
- Mad Men — 98.8 wpm
