Cloudy in Philadelphia

I just finished the last two episode of ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, which signified a whimpering end to the 5th season. By a whimper I mean compared to a bang. And this season was filled with bangs, as exemplified by the failed road trip out of Philadelphia.
The penultimate episode revolved around the film of a movie in Philadelphia. The storyline with Mac and Dennis gets the most laughs, in its insanity and the way they're mocking the movie making process. I think i liked the underlying commentary better than anything else. The supposed twists in the episode didn't really deliver any laughs. Dennis failed to amuse me or surprise me. Dee was Dee, which isn't really good or bad, as she's typically just a foil for the other characters. As for Frank, I thought he nailed his role just by eating a breakfast sausage out of his breast pocket.
I think my main problem with this episode stemmed from the fact that it felt like a repeat. THe episode felt like something I'd already seen in new packaging. I understand that every episode is about how horrible they are and how futile their lives are, but each episode needs to bring something new. This episode felt like nothing new.
There were definitely shades of SUNNY brilliance in the episode, but they were fleeting. Dee trying to get into the trailer was classic. Unfortunately her self-destruction was predictable. Mac and Charlie brainstorming is always giggle worthy. Actually they remained at a high level of excellence. Ultimately it comes down to Dennis remaining out of the limelight until the end, when he is supposed to steal the show. It ultimately fell flat.
The finale, which brings the gang to college was also a disappointment. Alex loved the episode and talked it up to the point where I had to see it tonight. Unfortunately I disagree with assessment of the episode. I think I actually enjoyed his recounting of the story better than the actual episode. When he told me about Charlie doing Will Hunting I laughed more than when Charlie executed the character.
For me the episode packs too much into such a short span. That's good in a show where plot doesn't matter, like 30 Rock where it's just a series of running jokes, but SUNNY offers good story with interesting plot points. All of that gets lost when you're running through a show on hyperspeed.
Essentially the show could have been split in two. Do the college episode as its own show, and they had a perfect lead with Frank wearing his tight pants. This aspect never gets mentioned, not really, after the opening, but it could have made the rest of the gang seize their youth. This would have led them back to college. Plus, I think Charlie should have done Will Hunting without announcing it. THen maybe ending the episode by showing he's really retarded. I find that more interesting, and I think it would have given Flipadelphia the attention it deserved in another episode.
I mean c'mon, FLIPADELHPHIA!?!?! That's flipping fantastic. I'd watch that episode. Maybe bring back the Korean bar. Have the waitress compete. And rickety cricket, we'd need him.
But no. Instead the show went out with a pffffff, instead of with the bang it deserved. I'm disappointed. I don't feel betrayed, but after a history of big ballsy finales this one didn't stand up.