The British sitcom has become a TV institution around the globe. The characteristic awkwardness and rudeness take a much more brash approach to comedy than the (sometimes) more family-friendly American sitcom.
From the icons of the 20th century, all the way up to the modern classics loved by young adults today, there have been some seriously incredible shows that have made an impact, despite typically only having six episodes per season. This article looks to IMDb to find what is considered to be the best episode from some of these landmark shows.
The Office: Christmas Special, Part 2 (9.5)
While it is the very first episode of The Office that sits at the very bottom of the show's IMDb list of ratings, it is the show’s very last episode that wins out. It might not have the best jokes in the show’s run, but it certainly had an emotional impact.
Dawn and Tim were finally together and we got to see that David Brent really did have some friends after all. It was the perfect way to end the show, but for some reason, Gervais decided to ruin it all with Life On The Road many years later.
Outnumbered: The Wedding (8.8)
The reason ‘The Wedding’ is considered to be the best episode of Outnumbered is probably down to the fact that it was the first time we saw Ben and Karen at the absolute perfect age to be at the pinnacle of their comedic brilliance.
The fact that the two of them are improvising almost exclusively and have such fantastic comedic timing, despite being so young, remains impressive, even to this day.
The Inbetweeners: Trip To Warwick (8.7)
It is widely agreed upon that the best episode of everyone’s favorite awkward teen comedy is the ‘Trip To Warwick’. In it, the four boys visit Warwick university so that: Simon can lose his virginity, Will can explore the local area before applying to attend the university, and Neil and Jay can experience a brief moment of uni life.
What follows is a masterclass in how to write characters who are funny in their own genius way.
Only Fools And Horses: The Jolly Boys’ Outing (9.6)
Interestingly, it is the fifth Christmas edition of Only Fools And Horses that is regarded as the worst episode of the show, while the eighth is considered its best.
It’s a Christmas special by name only, as it’s actually set in August, but showed a great return to form for a show that had already been running for a very long time.
People Just Do Nothing: Clubnight (9.0)
Somehow, despite forming a pirate radio station with very few listeners and almost no talent, the Kurupt FM boys manage to put together a rather successful illegal rave in this episode.
Not only does it have some of the show’s best jokes, but the realization of their semi-success is actually quite emotional.
Peep Show: Wedding (9.3)
Peep Show left the standard formula found in British sitcoms behind. Instead of sticking to one or two seasons, the David Mitchell and Robert Webb starring show went all the way to nine seasons, with the dip in quality taking quite a long time to set in.
Around halfway through the show, Mark is about to marry his long term love interest, Sophie. The sequence of events surrounding his abandonment of the wedding is almost too hilarious to explain.
The IT Crowd: The Work Outing (9.5)
The first episode of season two of The IT Crowd is a masterclass in comedy writing. At its core, it has one of the funniest characters of all time (Moss) and a collection of still-really-funny straight man characters.
The whole sequence from when Moss accidentally finds himself working behind a bar to Roy having to pretend to be disabled is almost unparalleled in comedy.
Gavin And Stacey: Christmas Special 2008 (8.5)
Before they ruined their legacy by producing a terrible reunion Christmas special, Gavin And Stacey put out one of the best Christmas specials in British TV.
The hour-long episode took on every one of the best character tropes, came within millimeters of telling us about the fishing trip, and delivered on laughs, left, right and centre.
Dad’s Army: The Deadly Attachment (9.2)
By 1973, Dad’s Army had found its feet. It was produced in color and full of jokes that have somehow managed to hold up, even nearly 50 years later.
The episode is ed by fans for one of the most iconic moments in British television history: when the British and German troops encounter each other and there is the classic ‘don’t tell him, Pike’ conversation.
Friday Night Dinner: The Females (9.1)
Friday Night Dinner has a slight advantage over many other episodes on this list, as it is by far the most recent show here. In fact, ‘The Females’ aired at the start of May 2020, so very few IMDb s have even had a chance to rate it yet.
However, finally getting to meet the ‘females’ referred to throughout the show in its final episode was a great moment.
