1701 - The Gang Goes to a Dog Track

Written by: Charlie Day & Ross Maloney

Directed by: 

Airing as Episode 5 on July 30, 2025

Synopsis: Frank attempts to win big with an old business associate at a West Virginia dog track; Dennis and Dee lose more than their shirts to gambling addiction; Mac and Charlie learn about a simpler way of life.

What we know:

• This episode was filmed, in part, on October 17-19, 2024 at Santa Anita Park:

• Charlie has teased that this episode has a classic, old episode feel to it. 
• Per Glenn Howerton, this is not a Charlie/Mac/Dennis episode.

• Based on production order, the BTS photo Rob shared from the first day of filming could be is from this episode:

Glenn is clearly out of wardrobe, while Charlie and Rob are in wardrobe. This could imply a Charlie/Mac team up for (at least portions of) this episode

• This shot from the trailer belongs to this episode:

Putting Mac in the same shirt as the BTS photo above

• Everyone is on the bus together in another trailer shot, indicating the entire Gang are in West Virginia for this episode:

• Dennis and Dee are seen with Frank and gamblers, with missing/swapped clothing items...

Dee is told to eat gum off the floor... which she seems willing to do

• This moment from the trailer seems to indicate that Dennis and Dee could be the racing dogs in question.. perhaps losing their dignity after losing their clothes:

Dennis and Dee leashed by their collars with betters behind them

Predictions:

• It doesn't seem like Mac and Charlie are involved with the dog track stuff, however they are in West Virginia with everyone, so what is the Charlie Mac B plot? We do have some idea that Charlie and Rob were filming together with police tape involved... could this be related to their side plot for this episode?

• We also have some mystery filming location in the Canyons, which Glenn wasn't sure about:

Questions:

• An actor was credited on IMDb for #1801 for the character "Sparky", which is not an episode that exists in any form. Could he be in this episode? It seems likely 

Notes: 

• *With the knowledge that The Gang Fucks Up Abbott Elementary is airing as Episode 1, Dog Track being #1701 makes IMDb credits a little more confusing, at the moment. These two episodes will have some crossed wires until everything is official (if not aired).