The WORST episodes of Keeping Up Appearances
Every episode of Keeping Up Appearances ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst 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.
#1 - Early Retirement
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/6/1992
Richard has had to take early retirement. Sadly for him, Hyacinth has many plans for his future.
#2 - The Commodore
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/26/1993
Hyacinth switches on her sailing persona when volunteering to collect a guest speaking Commodore from a train station, however Richard gets clamped and they cannot find the man. When Hyacinth does finally meet the Commodore, she is unprepared for his attempts at seduction.
#3 - Hyacinth Tees Off
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/22/1991
The Major invites the Buckets for a golfing weekend at a luxury hotel. All is well until Onslow and Daisy turn up unexpectedly to collect Rose after she has spent a raunchy weekend away with a Mr Smith. Inevitably, when Hyacinth realises her family are there, she fears for her social standing. Adding to her dilemma is the amorous intentions of the Major.
#4 - Singing for Emmet
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/13/1991
Richard is offered early retirement and so ponders over the possibility of having to spend all day everyday with Hyacinth. Emmett is enraged when Hyacinth ends up rehearsing a performance for the old people at the Church Hall with him, and a tranquilised Rose arrives at the scene wanting to become a nun.
#5 - The Mayor's Fancy Dress Ball
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/10/1995
Hyacinth prepares for the Mayor's fancy dress ball and is also on a mission to impress the new neighbours, a few streets away.
#6 - The Candlelight Supper
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/15/1991
Hyacinth wants to impress Emmet with her musical talents at an elaborate musical supper. However her plans backfire when a short-skirted Rose turns up, followed by two aggressive men who begin fighting on Hyacinth's doorstep.
#7 - Country Estate Sale
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/8/1995
Richard is not looking forward to going to a country house sale with Hyacinth as he believes she will spend beyond their limit. Liz and brother Emmett are also going to the sale, and are devastated when they realise Hyacinth is there. Meanwhile, a Mrs Braddock has commandeered Onslow’s car and is impersonating his dog, which has gone missing.
#8 - Let There Be Light
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/17/1993
It is the "bring and buy" sale at the Church hall and the Church goers are in for a shock because Hyacinth has volunteered Richard to fix the Church hall electrics, despite his lack of electrical capabilities. Meanwhile Onslow, Daisy, and Rose turn up with a Daddy believing he is back in the war.
#9 - A Celebrity for the Barbecue
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/19/1993
For her summer entertaining, Hyacinth Bucket has decided to host an elaborate indoors barbecue. In an attempt to compete with the Barker-Finchess, she is determined to get a celebrity to attend. Meanwhile Rose gives Daisy a make-over.
#10 - Skis
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/1/1995
For Richard’s birthday Hyacinth buys some skis as she believes they "will look good on the car". However needing Violet and Bruce’s roof rack the Buckets head off to Violet's luxury home, picking two neighbours up along the way. Hyacinth is thrown into a panic when arriving as Violet and Bruce are arguing.
#11 - Richard's New Hobby
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/4/1992
Hyacinth decides that Richard should get a new hobby... and so insists he uses the camera that his boss presented to him when he retired!
#12 - The Charity Shop
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/19/1990
It is Liz and Hyacinth's day to help Mrs Nugent at the charity shop, and on their way there, Hyacinth has to make a visit to Onslow and Daisy's to remove a woman (played by Gretchen Franklin) from Daddy's room, refusing to leave. Meanwhile Rose intends to give up men, and arrives at the charity shop to donate her raunchy underwear.
#13 - A Picnic for Daddy
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/3/1991
Hyacinth arranges a picnic for Daddy, but things go awry when the senile old man decides to test-drive the Buckets' car. Thus Hyacinth has to ride in Onslow's, as a car chase gets underway.
#14 - 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.
#15 - Violet's Country Cottage
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/20/1992
Hyacinth gets a chance to try some social climbing while borrowing her sister Violet's cottage for the weekend.
#16 - 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.
#17 - 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.
#18 - 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.
#19 - 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.
#20 - The Art Exhibition
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/11/1992
Daddy runs off to join the Foreign Legion. Hyacinth and Richard manage to find him, but he escapes again and runs riot at an art gallery - The same art gallery that Hyacinth and Richard have been invited to!
#21 - 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.
#22 - 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.
#23 - 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.
#24 - 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.
#25 - 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.