Hi all!
This post has been a long time coming. Will & Grace is my favourite television show of all time. I know it inside out and back to front. I started watching when I was only nine years old. It had such a positive impact on me, continuing to comfort me throughout adolescence and adulthood. I couldn’t be more grateful that it exists. If you didn’t know, it follows a gay man (Will) and a straight woman (Grace) who are best friends. Together, they navigate life and love alongside their quirky pals, Jack and Karen. I treasure every episode, but I want to share five favourites today that I deem perfect. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
One More Thing!
Sean Hayes and Eric McCormack have recently launched a podcast titled: Just Jack & Will, where they go through every single episode of the show and give listeners lots of behind-the-scenes tea. It’s absolutely fantastic and something my mum and I look forward to weekly. Highly recommend!
1.) Lows in the Mid-Eighties (Season 3)
Without a doubt, my favourite episode from Will & Grace is Lows in the Mid-Eighties. This two-part episode flashes back to when Will was dating Grace in college. We saw him struggle with his sexuality and come to terms with a life-changing truth. With the help of his new friend Jack, he finally comes out to Grace…right after asking her to marry him. Ouch! This news not only breaks up their relationship but also their friendship. They don’t speak for years, until they run into each other unexpectedly and decide to start over. It makes me cry and laugh every single time, especially when Karen interjects, showing how she met Rosario in a nightclub in the 70’s. More importantly, it makes me smile. This is such a pivotal moment in the W&G lore. It tells you everything you need to know about the love and bond they share.
“Oh, hindsight? What, is that one of your gay words?”
2.) A Chorus Lie (Season 4)
Over the course of 11 seasons, Will & Grace featured a plethora of iconic guest stars. However, none could hold a candle to Matt Damon’s cameo in season 4. In this episode, his character pretends to be homosexual so he can sing in the gay man’s choir. Jack, adamant on ‘outing’ him, persuades Grace to seduce him so he can expose his lies to the group and get him kicked out. The rivalry between the two is truly something to behold. It’s a laugh riot from start to finish with a surprising ending. The fact that such an A-list celebrity was on the show spoke volumes about how special it was.
“Ya know, you’re a good kisser for a gay guy, and I’ve kissed a lot of gay guys.”
3.) Last Ex to Brooklyn (Season 6)
I think I’ve realised why I love Last Ex to Brooklyn so much. It actually ties in with Lows in the Mid-Eighties, which is my ultimate favourite episode (see above). At this point in the series, Grace is married to Leo (played by Harry Connick Jr.). He invites his ex-girlfriend, Diane, over for dinner (played by Mira Sorvino) and to Grace’s absolute outrage, she learns that Diane is the only woman Will has ever slept with. Instead of feeling envious that her husband used to date such an incredible woman, Grace becomes rife with envy over Will’s misguided hookup. This episode has so many hilarious lines and moments. I love recommending it non-fans of the show because it’s strong enough to stand on its own. If you want to watch a drama-filled, inappropriate dinner party, this is the one for you.
“Yes, but at least she got off…”
4.) Polk Defeats Truman (Season 2)
If I’m being perfectly honest, 2 is my favourite season. It was very hard to narrow down my list from this season alone. I ended up going with Polk Defeats Truman because I remember loving and quoting it when I was only nine. In this episode, Will begins to become quite arrogant, due to his success with a high-profile client. Disgusted by his attitude, Grace tells him that karma will bite him and sure enough it does, when he is suddenly fired. It has the infamous ‘I Told You So’ song and dance. If you know, you know! At the same time, Karen is put on a budget and forced to shop at an outlet mall. It’s every bit as hilarious as it sounds.
“I told you never to call me that!”
5.) Pilot (Season 1)
Last but certainly not least, I have to mention the Pilot. It’s the beginning of a wonderful journey and I may sound biased, but I think it’s the best first episode of a series ever. It’s perfect. It cannot be improved. You know who these characters are within the first five minutes. I don’t know how the writers did it but they struck gold. A lot happens too! Grace gets engaged to a guy Will doesn’t approve of, resulting in quite a serious argument. The creators took a risk, and it paid off beautifully. It’s also on my list because whenever I re-start the show (and I’ve done so more times than I count), I feel so warm inside. There is nothing more comforting than watching re-runs of your favourite sitcom. If you’ve never seen it before, at least take a chance on the Pilot.
“Goodnight Gracie.”
Thank you so much for reading! What did you think of my list? What are some of your favourite Will & Grace episodes?
Peace & Love xoxo