It's Always Subway in Philadelphia

The season premiere of FXs "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" featured some of the most egregious examples of product placement in recent memory, and that's saying something. An irreverent comedy like this seems particularly weakened by, for example, a scene set in a Subway with everyone munching on Subway food and drinking out of Subway cups.

Even worse is the gang sitting around the bar drinking Coors Light--and drinking it with the labels facing the camera, natch. You mean to tell me any group in any bar anywhere at any time hangs out over a round or 3 of Coors Light?

The beer may have its virtues--it has funny commercials, it's relatively cheap, it's easy to find--but it's hardly a beer drinker's beer. Many would argue it's hardly a beer.

Maybe one or two people in the average social group would order a Coors Light. Maybe if it's offered at a party, or if someone else is buying, a few others would join in. But I see a group of wise-ass barflys choosing to imbibe Coors Light--when they run the bar, no less--and it takes me right out of the scene, the show, even off the network for a few seconds.

No storyline reason would justify this. The gang is allergic to every other beer? Nah, since when do these characters care about their health? A law mandating only Coors Light be sold in bars? Nah, since when do these characters care about laws?

If the show needs the money that badly, it'll have a hard time convincing me. After all, this is the same series that is charging 40 bucks for 12 half-hour episodes on its most recent DVD set.