The BEST episodes of How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)

Every episode of How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)!

Polly is a single mom who's been divorced for almost a year. The transition wasn't easy for her, especially in this economy. So, like a lot of young people living in this new reality, she and her daughter Natalie have moved back home with her eccentric parents, Elaine and Max. But Polly and her parents look at life through two different lenses. Polly's too uptight. Her parents are too laid back. Polly's conservative when it comes to dating (no action, whatsoever), while her parents are still sexually adventurous. They think Polly turned out okay, so what's the big deal? Well, they say it takes a village to raise a child...and in Polly's case, this village is on fire. But with help from her lovable yet irresponsible ex-husband Julian and her cool and fun assistant Jenn, Polly takes her first steps toward getting a life, starting with a social one.

Last Updated: 10/1/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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How to Not Waste Money
star
7.86
102 votes

#1 - How to Not Waste Money

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/12/2013

Max and Polly bond when he helps her learn to follow through on doing things -- like Groupons that she amassed while coping with her separation from Julian.

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How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life
star
7.86
106 votes

#2 - How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/22/2013

With Max stressing out over the opening of his second comedy club, and a lawsuit that comes with it, Max and Polly are butting heads - with Max eating anything in sight to calm his nerves. Meanwhile, Polly helps Julian figure out his feelings for his new girlfriend.

Directors: Richie Keen
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
How to Be Gifted
star
7.82
95 votes

#3 - How to Be Gifted

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/26/2013

Having always felt ordinary, Polly gets her family to go the extra mile to get Natalie into the gifted Magnet program, only to discover she's gifted in her own way. Also, when Elaine takes on a part in Max's play reading, their sex life is affected.

Directors: Lev L. Spiro
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
How to Live With the Academy Awards Party
star
7.73
285 votes

#4 - How to Live With the Academy Awards Party

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/17/2013

The family celebrate their favorite holiday - the Oscars. Polly invites an old classmate over for the event and tries to impress him. Meanwhile, Max thinks that Elaine has too close a relationship with her brother, and tensions explode at the party.

Directors: Rodman Flender
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
How to Stand on Your Own Two Feet
star
7.73
130 votes

#5 - How to Stand on Your Own Two Feet

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/15/2013

Polly is determined to start paying her own way, so when her attempt at a second job fails, she decides to go back to school and make something of herself. Meanwhile, Elaine inspires Julian to follow his dream of opening a zombie survivor fantasy camp.

Directors: Peter Lauer
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
How to Get Off the Couch
star
7.66
326 votes

#6 - How to Get Off the Couch

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/10/2013

When Polly hurts her back training for a 5K and becomes confined to the couch, her parents step in to take care of Natalie. Elaine finds herself in an awkward situation with Natalie's classmates when they ask her to explain heaven and religion. Meanwhile, Max and Elaine encourage Julian to give Polly some space.

Directors: Alex Hardcastle
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How to Have a Play Date
star
7.48
106 votes

#7 - How to Have a Play Date

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/5/2013

Polly's desire for Natalie to fit in with the kids and moms at her new school causes tension when she arranges a playdate and Elaine tries to steal the show.

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How to Not Screw Up Your Kid
star
7.35
250 votes

#8 - How to Not Screw Up Your Kid

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/24/2013

When Polly and Julian tell Natalie they won't be going camping as a family this year, Natalie invents an imaginary bully in an effort to deal with her parents' divorce. Meanwhile, Elaine forces Max into planning to see an old Aunt who is at death's door.

Directors: Bryan Gordon
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
How to Help the Needy
star
7.34
99 votes

#9 - How to Help the Needy

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/19/2013

When Polly is a hit at Elaine's birthday lunch, Elaine is left feeling uninteresting, so Polly gets her an audition for a movie to boost her ego. But Polly soon realizes she's fallen into an old pattern of putting her mother's dream before her own.

Directors: Michael McDonald
Writer: Emily Cutler
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How to Get Involved
star
7.23
102 votes

#10 - How to Get Involved

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/29/2013

When Polly is apprehensive about putting herself up for a promotion (wine and cheese manager) and Natalie announces that she's playing a "hillside" in the school play, Elaine and Max decide to get involved in order to make sure that Natalie and Polly are living up to their full potential.

Directors: Phil Traill
Writer: Emily Cutler
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pilot
star
7.00
437 votes

#11 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/3/2013

Polly leaves her irresponsible husband, Julian, and taking her young daughter, Natalie, moves back in with her unpredictable parents, Elaine and stepfather Max. Apprehensive but determined to get her life back on track, Polly jumps into the dating scene and reluctantly leaves Natalie home for a night with her parents.

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How to Run the Show
star
6.98
190 votes

#12 - How to Run the Show

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/1/2013

Elaine and Max encourage Polly to put her needs first, as they did when Polly was growing up, and offer to babysit Natalie so Polly can spend time out with Scott. But they get a quick lesson in parenting the middle ground between letting kids run the show and ending up on a milk carton.

Directors: Reggie Hudlin
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How to Fix Up Your Ex
star
6.66
188 votes

#13 - How to Fix Up Your Ex

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/8/2013

With Polly now happily dating, Natalie wants her dad to also have someone, and guilts Polly into helping Julian find a girl. Meanwhile, Elaine and Max, who have always been unapologetic about who they are, realize they have to make some changes for the sake of Natalie.

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