In a perfect TV world, if a show only gets a few short seasons, every single episode will be gold. It will feature funny moments, great quotes, and award-worthy performances. In the case of Difficult People, there are only three seasons of the Hulu comedy, and while many of them are standouts, some don't even feel like they're part of the same show.
Of course, Julie (Julie Klausner) and Billy (Billy Eichner) are so hilarious and clever that fans can forgive some of the episodes that are lacking in humor and plot. Read on to find out the five best and five worst episodes of Difficult People.
Best: "Library Water"
The pilot is one of the greatest episodes of this comedy, mostly due to the idea that Julie and Billy have. They think that the water that comes in the water fountains at libraries is the most delicious thing ever, so they want to actually put it in bottles and sell it.
This is the kind of weird, clever, and quirky thing that Difficult People excels at. It sounds like a great idea... and also completely ridiculous. That sums up pretty much every idea that this duo has.
Worst: "36 Candles"
"36 Candles" has one boring, expected storyline that makes it a pretty bad episode: Billy uses a dating app. If a TV series is going to talk about that subject, it should be fascinating, funny, or bring something new and different to the table. Master Of None has a good episode about Tinder that viewers can relate to since it really felt like the experience everyone has when using the app.
This episode didn't do anything new, and it's not very memorable.
Best: "Strike Rat"
The third season episode "Strike Rat" is one of the show's best and funniest since it features Julie finally landing a role. She thinks that this is it, she's going to make her Hollywood dreams come true, and nothing can stop her now.
As it turns out, the role is on an Amazon show that is by Woody Allen, so... we can guess how that turned out. Difficult People is at its best when it makes lots of pop culture references, and this is an excellent example of that. The episode also gets its name from the opening sequence when Billy and Julie hate "strike rats" and striking people.
In this second season episode, people assume that Julie and Billy are of Italian background. They don't tell the truth and they fake it.
Poking fun at different backgrounds isn't actually fun... and besides that offensive part, it's just another example of Billy and Julie lying. While sometimes this is funny, at other times it's grating, like in this episode.
Best: "Cedar Cove"
"Cedar Cove" is also one of the best episodes of this Hulu comedy. The title refers to the Hallmark TV series of the same name (based on the book series by Debbie Macomber). The show in question is corny beyond belief... and it's just the thing for Julie, who comes down with a truly bad illness.
She says, "Cedar Cove turns off the brain so the body can heal." This is exactly how everyone feels when they're sick and they're watching their guilty pleasure TV show. There's just something about the way that this episode handles a character getting sick that is unique and so clever.
Worst: "Premium Membership"
Everyone seems to have a podcast these days... so why not Billy and Julie?
Well, they realize that it's easier said than done and the whole episode is basically about how they find it tricky to set up a podcast. This is boring to watch and also a bit irritating since many people would agree that if someone really wants to do something, especially something artistic, they're going to find a way to do that. Of course, fans know that Julie and Billy love to complain about everything and they don't want to put in effort. But even so, it's just not a very well-done episode.
Best: "The Children's Menu"
Doesn't everyone love kid-friendly food, from fries to chicken fingers to grilled cheese? Of course, right? So shouldn't there be an actual restaurant that only dishes up this kind of fare?
That's the question behind the Difficult People episode "The Children's Menu" which is definitely one of the best. When Billy is left in charge of the restaurant where he works, he changes the name and the kind of food that they have. Of course, a (hilarious) disaster ensues when too many kids want to eat there and Billy freaks out.
Worst: "Code Change"
The third season episode "Code Change" finds Julie going to AA because she says that's how she feels about her mom, Marilyn.
Sure, this is a comedy... but is that funny? Some people might be okay with it and others might take offense, especially if they or a family member has been to AA for the actual reason that you would go. Yes, Julie and Billy are "difficult people" and this episode proves that they're hard to like sometimes.
Best: "Even Later"
In what is hands down the best episode of Difficult People, Julie and Billy are supposed to be trying out for a gig that will finally allow them to write. But instead of sitting down in a quiet place and concentrating and getting down to business, the two of them keep putting it off. They swear that they'll be able to focus better if the conditions are perfect and wind up everything from the subway to a sporting goods store to buy a ping pong table.
This is such a genius episode since every writer can relate to it. But, really, anyone who has put off working on a school (or work) project and thought that things should feel perfect in order to begin can see themselves here.
Worst: "Carter"
In the season two episode "Carter," Julie and Billy create a Hamilton type of musical. Even just that sentence by itself doesn't sound like a very good episode. So it makes sense that it's the worst one of the whole show.
Nobody really wants to see their favorite TV show do a musical episode... or even feature a musical. Nope, not even the hilarious and quirky Billy and Julie could save this dull and awkward plot. Instead of this one, just watch the best ones from this list over and over again.