The BEST episodes of The Royle Family

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

Sitcom about a working-class family from Manchester, focusing on Mam and Dad - Barbara and Jim - as parents of children Denise and late-teen Antony.

Last Updated: 9/30/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended

8.23

111 votes

#1 - Nana's Coming

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/1999

Jim isn't best pleased when he learns that Barbara has invited Nana to come and stay with the Royles after her cataract operation. Antony announces that he's become the manager of a band called 'Exit'.

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8.14

14 votes

#2 - The Royle Family at Christmas

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/25/2000

Baby David's first birthday comes around and the Royle's sit down as they did last Christmas. This time they are joined by Darren and Emma, including her parents. Emma's father, Roger can't seem to stop boasting which annoys Jim. When they leave, an unhappy and mad Jim gets the best present of them all

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8.13

141 votes

#3 - The Wedding Day

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/19/1998

The morning of Dave and Denise's wedding arrives. Will everything go as planned?

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8.09

240 votes

#4 - Bills, Bills, Bills

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/14/1998

Jim Royle is annoyed when the latest telephone bill arrives just before Dave and Denise's wedding.

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8.08

120 votes

#5 - Decorating

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/30/2000

Twiggy and Jim are redecorating the dining room for the Christening, but because Jim is so tight they don't have a steamer. The pair, and later Dave, use kitchen utensils to remove the wallpaper, whilst Dancing to Mambo No. 5! They don't get very far ...

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8.02

130 votes

#6 - Antony's Birthday

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/28/1999

It's Antony's 18th birthday and the Royles are planning a family party. They finally get to meet Antony's girlfriend Emma.

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8.01

143 votes

#7 - Sunday Lunch

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/1999

Nana and Twiggy come round for Sunday dinner. Barbara loses her temper during lunch. She's feeling the onset of "the change".

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7.88

139 votes

#8 - Nana Comes to Stay

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/1999

Nana has had her cataract operation, so she comes to stay with the Royles. Jim is even less pleased now that she's arrived. Antony's band has split up.

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7.81

123 votes

#9 - Christening

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/27/2000

The day of the christening is finally here, but the decorating is still not finished in the background. Everyone is there for a buffet, including Twiggy's 'Bird'.

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7.79

158 votes

#10 - Baby

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/16/2000

Baby David finally arrives at the Royle's House, dressed from head to toe in the 'latest Gear', that is obviously Manchester slang for complete tack, but it seems that Denise is taking a back seat and letting Dave do all the work, will it continue?

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7.77

116 votes

#11 - Barbara's Finally Had Enough

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/1999

Barbara loses patience with Jim and storms out of the house. Jim tries to show that he's concerned about Barbara by offering to make her a cup of tea!

Writer: Carmel Morgan, Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash

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7.76

292 votes

#12 - Sunday Afternoon

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/28/1998

It's Sunday afternoon and Nana is visiting. Everyone is more interested in the television.

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7.73

205 votes

#13 - Jim's Birthday

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1998

Jim Royle is trying to ignore the fact that it's his birthday. His family refuse to let him go on ignoring it.

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7.71

75 votes

#14 - Christmas with the Royle Family

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/25/1999

It's Christmas Day. The family have just finished a big Christmas dinner. Barbara learns her turkey wasn't up to scratch, and Dave buys Denise a mobile phone for when the baby is born, even though she uses it to call Barbara on the house phone from upstairs! Antony goes to Emma's shortly afterwards, and Dave takes Nana home. Soon after Dave and Nana have left, Denise goes into labour upstairs in the bathroom, and Jim is left to comfort her. Denise reveals the baby isn't due until 3 weeks. Will the baby and Denise be alright

Directors: Mark Mylod

Writer: Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash

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7.67

150 votes

#15 - Funeral

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/6/2000

Nanna's dear old neighbour Elsie dies, and today is the funeral. It's full of the usual admiration of the persons house, and Nanna has also been taking stuff from Elsie's since she has passed on, so Jim gets one back for Elise! Nanna is also hinting that she wants to move in: "I would never ever think of asking you to let me stay here, but well that back bedroom is free now!"

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7.58

175 votes

#16 - Another Woman

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/12/1998

Denise is upset after Dave is accused of chatting up another woman.

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7.57

145 votes

#17 - London

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/13/2000

Antony declares that he and Darren, the managers of their band 'Exit' are going to London to find a record deal, of course they get the usual barrage of insults from Jim and Dave, and Nanna contributes to the fund, 50p!

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7.56

159 votes

#18 - Pregnancy

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/1999

Denise announces that she's pregnant. Jim thinks that Antony may be a "gay boy".

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7.46

181 votes

#19 - Babysitting

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/23/2000

The Royle's decide that it's time for a pint but who will be left babbysiting, 'Big Cheryl' from next door or maybe Mary and Joe, but when Antony goes for 'a Tommy Tit' he's left holding the baby

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7.29

281 votes

#20 - Making Ends Meat

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/21/1998

Jim Royle is getting more and more worried about finding the money to pay for his daughter's wedding.

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