The BEST Episodes of Queer as Folk (US)
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Mar 8, 2020
Network: Showtime
'Queer As Folk', a drama based on Britain’s controversial series, is about the lives of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh. Focusing on their relationships, their careers, their loves and ambitions, the series is a brave, realistic, funny and sometimes graphic portrayal of society. Entering the world of Brian, Michael, Justin, Emmett, Ted and a lesbian couple, Lindsay and Melanie, we discover characters as real as the people next door doing everyday jobs, raising a child, looking forward to the weekend –all with a strong and healthy interest in romance and sex.
#1 - The Dangers of Sex and Drugs
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired Apr 28, 2002
Justin is rolling in money, but his schoolwork suffers; Carl asks Debbie out; George asks Emmett to accompany him on a world tour.
9.08 
#2 - Mixed Blessings
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired Feb 10, 2002
Ben Bruckner, a customer at Michael's comic book store, teaches a gay studies course at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University. Invited by Ben to give a lecture on homoeroticism in superhero comics, Michael doubts his own intellectual abilities and fails to appear. Later, Ben reassures Michael, who, speaking from his heart, charms the students. Attracted to each other, Ben and Michael kiss as a prelude to sex, but Ben stops to warn Michael that he is HIV positive. Meanwhile, Ted and Emmett enlist well-endowed porn star Zack O'Tool to appear live on Ted's failing, pornographic Web site, but he cancels at the last minute. Desperate, Ted persuades Emmett to perform in Zack's place, and, surprisingly, Emmett's appearance generates big revenue for Ted. Lindsay expresses disgust for pornography, but she becomes sexually aroused by Melanie's photos, taken during college, in an old men's magazine. Justin moves out of Brian's condo, but Brian asks him to return. The two negotiate certain ground rules.
9.07 
#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.
9.00 
#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.
8.89 
#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.
8.84 
#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.
8.78 
#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 - Sick, Sick, Sick
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired Jun 2, 2002
Michael faces a nightmare after Ben is taken to hospital; Justin thinks Brian isn't as romantic as Ethan; Emmett receives a tempting offer to not reveal his relationship with George.
8.73 
#10 - 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.
8.72 
#11 - 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.
8.64 
#12 - 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.
8.53 
#13 - Hypocrisy: Don't Do It
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired Jan 20, 2002
Ted's favorite author is in town, while Michael tries to reconnect with Brian.
8.52 
#14 - 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.
8.52 
#15 - All Better Now
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired Jan 13, 2002
The boys are stuck. Ted's stuck in a career he no longer wants. Michael's stuck with the prospect of returning to his dead-end career at the Big Q. Emmett's decided he's stuck with an ass that needs surgical enhancement. Justin's stuck in the worst situation of all. Since the attack, he has nightmares about Chris Hobbs, and he recoils from physical contact. Jennifer is having trouble not only reaching, but even touching her son. Deb hints that Brian may be best suited to the job, but Jennifer refuses. When Justin throws a violent tantrum at home after Brian won't see him, Jennifer asks Brian to do whatever it takes to reach him. Seeking advice from a former trick (also a psychiatrist), Brian is told that Justin must relive the experience in order to process it and move on. But, Brian's best efforts to recreate the fateful prom night for Justin are ineffectual. Another day at the office means another day for Ted to surf cumquik.com. It's his last day, after Mr. Wertshafter catches him.
8.49 
#16 - It's Because I'm Gay, Right?
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired Apr 14, 2002
Michael wonders what his connection is to a celebrated Drag Queen who shares a past with Debbie; Justin decides to become a go-go dancer to pay his tuition.
8.49 
#17 - Love for Sale
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired Mar 3, 2002
Justin's Mother tries to talk to Justin into going to a party, with people his own age. He brushes her off at first, but decides to go to the party. He gets bored, and cruises people. But when a girl cruises him, he hides. He finds a guy who he know is gay and they later go upstairs, and start to have sex. The guy then starts to develop a crush on Justin (sound familiar?) and with his evil Brian Kinney ways, Justin gives the guy an intimate kiss. Michael tries to find his perfect match, by trying those online match makers.
8.47 
#18 - Bowling for Equality
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired Jun 9, 2002
Michael debates whether to tell Brian about Justin's unfaithfulness; Melanie and Lindsay decide that they've had enough of Leda.
8.47 
#19 - You Can Leda Girl to Pussy
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired May 26, 2002
Brian tries to impress his new boss; Emmett inherits a large gift from George.
8.45 
#20 - 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.
8.45 
#21 - Rage Against This Machine
Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired May 5, 2002
Brian is jealous when Michael and Justin decide to start a comic book; Leda offers to renovate Mel and Lindsay's attic; Emmett is barred from George's funeral.
8.44 
#22 - 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.
8.44 
#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 - 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.
8.42 
#25 - 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.
8.42