The WORST episodes of Work in Progress
Every episode of Work in Progress ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Work in Progress!
A 45-year-old self-identified queer lesbian from Chicago enters into a transformative relationship with a millennial trans-man.
#1 - Two Queens on Two Queens
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/29/2021
Abby and her new roommate Campbell provide moral support for each other as they power through a full day of supposedly-fun-but-ultimately-stressful family gatherings. The only way out is through and the only thing keeping them going is the shimmering promise of Two Queens on Two Queens. They deserve it.
#2 - Eleanor Roosevelt
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/12/2021
Abby and Campbell attempt to live their best lockdown lives despite the constant stream of bad news that somehow keeps getting worse. The growing calendar of canceled events causes Abby and Campbell to mourn the loss of queer community and reminisce about the messy (and germy!) days of yore. Life is predictably unpredictable.
#3 - Oh Say Can You See
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/19/2021
All Abby and her family can do now is wait at her father’s house. As they all turn to the important task of ordering delivery, watching massive amounts of TV, and avoiding the giant looming question mark hovering above everything, Abby’s reality starts to blur. It’s a matter of life and death again, but this time it isn’t her neck on the line.
#4 - Take Your Child to Work Day
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/5/2021
A catastrophe at work gives Abby a chance to rise to the occasion in front of her visiting nephew, Matty. Later, the two of them share a rare moment of peace and calm before sleep. It’s been a rough couple of months, but life is finally starting to return to normal…right?
#5 - Life Got in the Way
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/22/2021
As Abby settles into a routine with a new roommate, she embarks on a fraught quest to find a new therapist — ideally, one she doesn’t hate. All out of almonds and hanging on by a thread, Abby blusters her way through a shrinking list while doing her best just to make it to tomorrow.
#6 - 176, 172, 171
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/15/2019
Abby feels out of place when Chris takes her to a hip, sex-positive, ‘queer wonderland’ for their second date and has a free therapy session.
#7 - Apologies and Their Fluctuating Nature
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/29/2021
Haunted by her “crime against the entire queer community,” Abby sets out on a pilgrimage of healing that definitely might work. Overwhelmed by guilt and shame? Don’t worry, there’s a crystal for that. Temporarily armed with her new age attitude, Abby ventures out of her comfort zone and makes a bold decision.
#8 - Hey, Dad
Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/3/2021
Masking up to brave the outside world, Abby wills herself to overcome her fear of germs and the unknown to visit Edward in the hospital. Father and daughter reflect on their fraught relationship, acknowledge newfound similarities, all while searching for a bit of hope, humor, and, eventually, healing. It’s called therapy, ever heard of it?
#9 - FTP
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/26/2021
With the world on fire, Abby is forced to reckon with the history of racism, police violence and grief and her complicity in it. Tasked with writing her company’s “Black Lives Matter solidarity statement,” an exhausted Abby drifts in and out of the kind of nightmares that don’t necessarily stop when you wake up. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
#10 - Everything’s Fine, Everything’s Okay
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/22/2021
When a crisis in Abby’s apartment threatens her most prized possessions, a cascade of buried memories takes her back to where her mental health journey began. Abby reflects on the rollercoaster of her childhood, looking back to see if she can finally find a way to move forward.
#11 - 162
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/22/2019
Abby and Chris plan to have sex for the first time at the end of a Bacchanalian day of three meals, four Lyft rides and an STD reveal.
#12 - 180 Almonds
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/8/2019
Abby begins an existential life evaluation vowing mortal consequences after 180 days. Her therapist checks out mid-session and a first date turns into a confrontation with the woman responsible for ‘ruining her life’.
#13 - 66, 65, 64, 62
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/5/2020
A medical emergency brings Abby and Campbell’s friendship into focus and Abby reveals her biggest secret to Chris.
#14 - 14 (pt. 2), 12, 11, 10
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/19/2020
Having ignored the advice of her friends, Abby finally confesses the truth to Chris after a painting puts her in a trance.
#15 - 3, 2, 1
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/26/2020
The final almonds. When Abby motivates herself to get out of the apartment for Julia’s This American Life show, she’s met with two unwanted surprises.
#16 - 161, 153, 137, 122, 106, 104, 102 (We're Still Counting Almonds.)
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/29/2019
Abby navigates public restrooms as a gender non-conforming queer dyke with OCD and pinballs against a cross section of humanity and perspectives at a Dolly Parton concert.
#17 - 15, 14 (pt. 1)
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/12/2020
Edward and Carol Lynn wed, Danger Zone has their moment and Abby violates Chris’ one request.
#18 - I Release You
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/10/2021
Abby and Julia venture into uncharted waters, the family throws a party, and Abby finds herself ending one relationship just as she begins a new one. The fate of her last almond hangs in the balance, so Abby has a nice long talk with herself before making any decisions. There’s definitely no going back now.