The BEST episodes of Keeping Up Appearances

Every episode of Keeping Up Appearances ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Keeping Up Appearances!

British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances features Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bucket, a wannabe social climber who insists her surname be pronounced "Bouquet." Her incessant attempts to project an upper-crust image cause grief for all those around her, including henpecked husband Richard, the local vicar and her neighbours. Providing a constant source of embarrassment are Hyacinth's unsophisticated sisters Daisy and Rose as well as lazy, crude brother-in-law Onslow.

Last Updated: 8/29/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended
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The Hostess
star
8.50
60 votes

#1 - The Hostess

Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/5/1995

Hyacinth has put an advert in the local newspaper to teach people social etiquette, however an excited Hyacinth does not quite get what she expected.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
The New Vicar
star
8.50
239 votes

#2 - The New Vicar

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/5/1990

Hyacinth is determined to create the perfect impression when inviting the new Vicar for “tea and light refreshments”. However her hopes come crashing down on her when Onslow and Daisy turn up with the news Daddy has been kidnapped by a gypsy. The day gets even worse for the polish-perfecting protagonist when Rose turns up, on her way to her own funeral.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
What to Wear When Yachting
star
8.36
129 votes

#3 - What to Wear When Yachting

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/18/1992

Hyacinth and Richard spend the weekend on a yacht.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Christening
star
8.13
251 votes

#4 - The Christening

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/3/1990

Daisy and Onslow’s granddaughter Kylie is getting christened, but Hyacinth is unimpressed because there has not been a wedding first. The day does not get any better for Hyacinth when she and Richard are forced to come to the rescue of the baby's mother Stephanie, whose transport has broken down. The leading lady then learns the baby's mother is a hippie, who is unaware of the baby’s father.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Driving Mrs. Fortescue
star
8.00
179 votes

#5 - Driving Mrs. Fortescue

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/8/1991

Hyacinth and Richard drive a wealthy Mrs Fortescue into town, however Hyacinth's plans to impress are crushed by her family when Daisy and Rose flag down the Buckets for a lift. Eventually to Hyacinth's dismay, this leads to Mrs Fortescue playing darts with Onslow in a public house.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Barbecue at Violet's
star
7.97
177 votes

#6 - A Barbecue at Violet's

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/22/1995

A ""luxury barbecue"" at Violet's house looks like being a disaster because Bruce and Violet keep having violent arguments. Hyacinth organises a sing song in an attempt to take everyone's mind off their hosts' battle. Later, Hyacinth goes along to a rehearsal of ""The Boy Friend"" to offer her services to Emmet.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
Hyacinth Is Alarmed
star
7.93
193 votes

#7 - Hyacinth Is Alarmed

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/17/1995

Richard is terrified to wake up to see Hyacinth smiling at him; he later realises he has forgotten his and Hyacinth's wedding anniversary. Richard then decides to have an alarm system installed, claiming it is Hyacinth's "surprise" anniversary present.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
A Strange Man
star
7.92
274 votes

#8 - A Strange Man

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/1/1991

Hyacinth is shocked to see a strange man wearing only a towel emerge from Elizabeth's house, thus she tells Richard they will have to move house. However her opinions change when discovering who the man really is. Meanwhile Daddy has gone missing.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Daddy's Accident
star
7.90
239 votes

#9 - Daddy's Accident

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/29/1990

Hyacinth's "Daddy" is put into an ambulance and taken to hospital, after getting injured chasing after the milk woman naked on his bike. After visiting him, Hyacinth returns home and is visited by the gas man, whose life she makes difficult.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
How to Go on Holiday Without Really Trying
star
7.89
160 votes

#10 - How to Go on Holiday Without Really Trying

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/27/1992

Hyacinth takes a trip to the travel agents for some ""quality"" holiday brochures. Afterwards, Onslow decides to take Richard in hand and show him how to 'enjoy' life.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Toy Store
star
7.88
196 votes

#11 - The Toy Store

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/20/1991

Daddy has ended up at the toy store and is "improving" a few toys with the help of a screw driver. This results in Hyacinth and Richard having to go into town to solve the problem, where Hyacinth fears for her status when meeting Mrs. Counsellor Nugent.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Three-Piece Suite
star
7.86
190 votes

#12 - The Three-Piece Suite

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/27/1991

Hyacinth is very excited at the prospect of having her new three piece suite, an exact replica of the one at Sandringham House, delivered. She will also give Daisy and Onslow her old suite, provided they pick it up themselves. But of course these two events are likely to collide at some point, creating an insurmountable disaster.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Riverside Picnic
star
7.84
182 votes

#13 - A Riverside Picnic

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/24/1995

Hyacinth organises a riverside picnic, much to the despair of those invited. Despite Emett's and the Vicar's best efforts to tell Hyacinth they are unable to attend, they find getting out of Hyacinth's function impossible. As always, Hyacinth's plans of perfection are shattered when a digger dumps dirt in her chosen location for the picnic.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
The Boy Friend
star
7.82
162 votes

#14 - The Boy Friend

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/15/1995

Hyacinth sings to her hearts content when discovering Emmett's latest musical The Boyfriend is in production. Meanwhile Daddy is once again back in the war and guarding Onslow’s house with a sharp object.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
The Senior Citizen's Outing
star
7.75
181 votes

#15 - The Senior Citizen's Outing

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/3/1995

Hyacinth volunteers to look after the old people in an outing to the funfair, however a certain old man proves to be quite a handful. As the day progresses, Hyacinth ends up in a mirror house, on some dodgems and on a ghost train.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
Looking at Properties
star
7.74
174 votes

#16 - Looking at Properties

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/3/1993

Richard panics when leaving Hyacinth to browse country property without him, fearing she will purchase something they cannot afford, as he collects "Daddy" from a police station. Finally Hyacinth decides on a country property.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Iron Age Remains
star
7.74
127 votes

#17 - Iron Age Remains

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/13/1992

Hyacinth drags Richard off into the countryside in search of the remains of an Iron Age settlement.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Job for Richard
star
7.73
155 votes

#18 - A Job for Richard

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/5/1993

Hyacinth’s attempts to keep Richard occupied in his years of retirement continue. Now she has found him an executive job in frozen foods, and to impress the manager of the company she has contrived a plot involving Onslow and golf.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Please Mind Your Head
star
7.70
89 votes

#19 - Please Mind Your Head

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/10/1993

Hyacinth and Richard are settling into their new country apartment, but Richard is less than enthused with its diminutive size. It's already cramped enough as it is for two, but when Hyacinth invites friends over, it becomes unbearably tiny!

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Stately Home
star
7.70
337 votes

#20 - Stately Home

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/12/1990

Hyacinth and Richard visit a stately home where the leading lady hopes to meet a member of the aristocratic family. However she fears her social status will be sabotaged by Onslow, Daisy and Rose, who turn up unexpectedly. Thus Hyacinth drags Richard through the ground's private gardens to hide from the lower-class clan.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
New Car
star
7.66
165 votes

#21 - New Car

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/29/1995

Hyacinth is completely insulted when she is awarded second prize at the local craft fair, and over Lydia Hawksworth. Scandalized even further when she and Richard are overtaken by Lydia's new car, it isn't long before Richard's worst fears are realized and Hyacinth sets her sights on a newer, more expensive Rolls Royce.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:Amazon
Daisy's Toyboy
star
7.66
298 votes

#22 - Daisy's Toyboy

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/26/1990

In an attempt to make Onslow jealous, Daisy finds herself a toyboy. However the plan fails and Daisy sends Onslow to the Church hall to meet Richard, in a final ploy to get him to notice her antics.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Country Retreat
star
7.65
161 votes

#23 - Country Retreat

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/12/1993

Hyacinth wants “a little place in the country”, however her heart is not set on little. An old farmer with a speech impediment causes much difficulty for Hyacinth when out looking at property, and seems to take a liking to her.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Onslow's Birthday
star
7.59
201 votes

#24 - Onslow's Birthday

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/6/1991

Hyacinth is dreading an invite to Onslow's birthday party, but changes her mind when finding out she and Richard will be picked up by Rose's wealthy Greek boyfriend. Thus Hyacinth holds a gathering at her house to impress the neighbours as she departs in the luxury vehicle. However her hopes die when a hearse arrives instead.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Problems with Relatives
star
7.58
201 votes

#25 - Problems with Relatives

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/29/1991

Hyacinth's brother-in-law Bruce is stuck up a tree, Daddy goes to the register office to be married and Emmett meets Daisy, Onslow and Rose, throwing Hyacinth into dismay. Liz offers to drive Daddy back to Daisy's, but to avoid herself and Emmett seeing how Daisy and Onslow live, Hyacinth insists they stop off at Violet's.

Directors: Harold Snoad
Writer: Roy Clarke
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV