The BEST Episodes of Queer As Folk (US)
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Sep 18, 2021
Network: Showtime
Brash humor and genuine emotion make up this original series revolving around the lives, loves, ambitions, careers and friendships of a group of gay men and women living on Liberty Avenue in contemporary Pittsburgh, PA.
#1 - The Dangers of Sex and Drugs
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired Apr 28, 2002
Justin's making too much money as a go-go dancer to care about his suffering schoolwork. George offers to take Emmett on a world tour! Detective Carl Horvath returns to the diner, to ask Debbie out on a date.
9.08 
#2 - Mixed Blessings
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired Feb 10, 2002
Justin and Brian negotiate their relationship - it's not like your parents! Ted's new business flourishes thanks to Emmett. Could one of Michael's first customers turn out to be the love of his life? Lindsay can't stand Ted's dirty little business. Melanie shares a dirty little secret of her own!
9.05 
#3 - Liberty Ride
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired Jul 18, 2004
After getting married in Canada, newlyweds Michael and Ben are stopped at the U.S. border; Mel goes into labor; The Liberty Ride enters the final stretch.
9.01 
#4 - Back In Business
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired May 22, 2005
Times are changing on Liberty Avenue. Justin returns and Brian re-opens Babylon. Michael makes a major decision regarding his daughter while Emmett gets a new job. Ted becomes the center of attention and makes some changes to his appearance.
8.88 
#5 - Proposal of Two Kinds
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired Jul 11, 2004
Preparations for the Liberty Ride get underway; Mel is confined to bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy; Justin is invited to Hollywood to pitch 'Rage'.
8.87 
#6 - Premiere
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired Dec 3, 2000
After a night out at the club Babylon with Michael, Emmett and Ted; Brian picks up a cute guy named Justin for a night of fun, but afterwards coldly rebuffs Justin's attempts to see him again. Michael also gets lucky taking home a hunk only to be happily interrupted for a trip to the hospital after Brian learns that Lindsay and Melanie have had a baby boy, Gus.
8.83 
#7 - Bored Out of Ya Fucking Mind
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired Jun 19, 2005
Brian has a rival. Emmett faces a career challenge while Ted has the oppotunity to exact some revenge. Ben and Michael try to help Hunter and Debbie's retirement appears to be shortlived.
8.76 
#8 - Fags Are No Different Than People
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired May 29, 2005
Brian and Michael's relationship is showing signs of strain as Michael embraces his new life with Ben and their family. Debbie decides to retire from the diner and a newcomer takes over.
8.76 
#9 - Full Circle
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired Jun 24, 2001
Brian turns 30; Michael and David prepare for their move to Portland; Ted faces the truth about Blake; Justin and Daphne attend their prom where a big surprise awaits; On his way to the airport, Michael receives a call from Brian.
8.73 
#10 - Sick, Sick, Sick
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired Jun 2, 2002
Michael's worst fears come true when Ben is hospitalized. Justin wishes Brian was more romantic - like Ethan. Emmett considers a million-dollar offer to keep his relationship with George a secret.
8.73 
#11 - Move and Leave
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired May 22, 2005
The Gang is back!! Michael plans a party that doesn't go quite as planned. Justin makes a decision that will effect his future with Brian and Brian makes a sound investment in a new business venture with Ted's encouragement.
8.63 
#12 - All Better Now
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired Jan 13, 2002
Justin is unable to process Chris Hobbs' attack, or to accept physical contact, despite Brian's best efforts. Ted is fired for surfing porn at work. Michael and Emmett take jobs as naked waiters. This time, it's Melanie who proposes to Lindsay.
8.57 
#13 - Hope Against Hope
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired Jun 26, 2005
Justin decides to leave the loft which creates a rift between Michael and Brian. Ted struggles to exact his plan of revenge while Lindsey and Gus move back to her parents.
8.54 
#14 - Hypocrisy: Don't Do It
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired Jan 20, 2002
Will Brian accept a Hero Award for saving Justin? Ted's favorite author, Howard Bellweather, is in town to protest Brian's award while collecting his own. Emmett's working for fabulous men who seem like the politically correct characters of the new gay TV drama, "Gay as Blazes"! Michael wants to reconnect with Brian at the comic convention.
8.54 
#15 - Irritation and Separation
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired Jul 4, 2004
Brian's oncologist gives him a clean bill of health but insists that he take it easy. However, in an attempt to repair the devastation of the fund-raiser Jeffrey Pendergrass left in his wake, Brian decides to obtain Remson Pharmaceuticals' sponsorship (in the amount of $100,000) to participate in the Liberty Ride. Against his concerned friends' wishes, Brian starts to train for the Ride but quickly becomes exhausted and has trouble keeping up with the others in his spin class. Emmett makes an attempt to forget Drew, which is no simple task now that images of him as the Brown Athletics underwear model are plastered all over town. It seems to be just as hard for Drew to forget Emmett, as his game has been off and he has trouble sleeping (among other things), and keeping Emmett off of his mind. He finds Emmett at Debbie's and tells him he misses him. Later at the motel, Emmett asks Drew when he plans on telling Sierra about them; Drew doesn't think anyone has to know.
8.51 
#16 - Love for Sale
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired Mar 3, 2002
Michael tries to forget Ben by re-entering the dating scene. Justin has an encounter with a boy closer to his age than Brian. Emmett is surprised when he meets his secret admirer - very surprised.
8.49 
#17 - It's Because I'm Gay, Right?
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired Apr 14, 2002
Divina Devore, Pittsburgh's very own drag queen is back in town! She dated Debbie 30 years ago, and (s)he looks a lot like Michael. Justin becomes a go-go dancer at Babylon to earn money for school. Melanie and Lindsay struggle to get Gus accepted for preschool.
8.48 
#18 - You Can Leda Girl to Pussy
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired May 26, 2002
Brian has to cancel plans with Justin to impress his new boss at work. Emmett receives a VERY generous gift from the late George. Melanie and Lindsay fight off the dreaded Lesbian Bed Death.
8.46 
#19 - Bowling for Equality
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired Jun 9, 2002
Michael is tempted to expose Justin's affair with Ethan to Brian. Ted's become immune to porn. Melanie and Lindsay ask Leda to leave. Bowling Showdown: Cops vs. Queers!
8.46 
#20 - How Far You Can Go
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired May 16, 2004
Cody decides to take Justin to a firing range; while they are there, Justin tells Cody the story of Chris Hobbs and the incident surrounding Brian, himself and the assault. Cody shocks and surprises him by bringing him to the construction site where Chris Hobbs works so that Justin has the chance to confront him about what he did. Justin, however, feels unprepared, and backs down. Convinced that Justin has to confrot Chris Hobbs for what he put him through, they go to his house, where Justin demands an apology. Seeing no reason to apologize and holding no remorse, Chris refuses, until Cody hands Justin a gun, which he uses to force Chris Hobbs to his knees to make him apologize; he does, yet Cody tells Justin that it is not enough and urges him to do more than simply make him apologize. Justin says that an apology is all he needed and, realizing Cody has gone too far, hands him the gun, and leaves.
8.45 
#21 - Hard Decisions
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired Jun 5, 2005
Brian's beliefs regarding marriage haven't changed. Debbie has difficulty adjusting to retirement and Ted decides to make some drastic changes in his life.
8.44 
#22 - Rage Against This Machine
Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired May 5, 2002
Michael and Justin join forces to create their own comic book. Emmett is barred from speaking at George's funeral. Melanie and Lindsay enlist Leda to help renovate their attic.
8.43 
#23 - Excluding and Abstemiousness
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired Jun 12, 2005
Brian has some news for Justin and all of his previous partners. Carl has a rival for Debbie's affections and Hunter makes a decision that will not only change his life, but Ben and Michael's as well.
8.43 
#24 - The Election
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired Jun 22, 2003
Queer as Folk's Third Season Finale starts with only a few more days until a new mayor is selected and Brian realizes that he must do something to stop Stockwell. A thing Justin also sets in motion by saying there should be a real rage, who could change everyone's mind about Stockwell. In the meantime Melanie almost passes her first trimester, which makes her nervous because her mother miscarried in her 11th week and Emmet gets a visit from Ted. Michael and Ben get a visit from Hunter's mother. When they tell Hunter he tries to run away again, but is stopped by Ben. He then tells them the truth and why his mother wants him back. When Hunter's mom comes to get her son and they refuse to give him up she goes to the authorities, which results in Michael and Hunter running away from the police. Also, Ted gets a serious wake-up call when he sees himself getting fucked by several men on TV, without recalling any of it, and submits himself into a drug clinic.
8.43 
#25 - Now Approaching... the Line
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired Jan 7, 2001
Michael fends off the romantic interest of a female coworker who doesn't know he's gay and instead dates a handsome chiropractor, while Brian is propositioned by a potentially lucrative client of his firm. Meanwhile, Justin struggles to repair his fractured relationship with his mother Jennifer.
8.42