10 Quintessential ‘Broad City’ Episodes to Watch Before the Series Finale
As Broad City nears its grand finale, we must pay homage to “fronds to the ond” Abbi Abrams and Ilana Wexler — a.k.a. real-life pals Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, the stars and creators of the Comedy Central comedy they first started as a web series a decade ago.
The show is airing its final episode on Thursday, March 28, so it’s high time — emphasis on the high — that we round up some of our favorite episodes, all of which you could easily binge-watch in one evening.
Season 1, Episode 1: “What a Wonderful World”
The episode that started it all — on traditional TV, at least. In the series premiere, Abbi and Ilana take odd jobs to scrounge together money for a secret Lil’ Wayne concert, even if doing so means being underwear-clad maids for an infantile Fred Armisen character. Quoth Ilana: “What would you be doing instead? Watching Breaking Bad and eating a Smart Ones?”
Season 1, Episode 10: “The Last Supper”
Abbi and Ilana try to class it up for a fancy birthday dinner — but Ilana suffers an allergic reaction, and Abbi pees out a condom in the restroom. Executive producer Amy Poehler, who directed this episode, also guest-stars as a cook with a serious beef.
Season 2, Episode 3: “Wisdom Teeth”
Abbi gets her wisdom teeth removed, after which Ilana, naturally, gives her marijuana cocktail — inadvertently sending her on a vision quest involving a Whole Foods shopping spree spurred on by Abbi’s stuffed toy, Bingo Bronson.
Season 2, Episode 4: “Knockoffs”
Peg-a-sus! Abbi is thrown for a loop when her neighbor-crush, Jeremy, asks her to peg him. She dutifully does so, but accidentally ruins his prized strap-on in the dishwasher. And her next critical error is buying a replacement on the way to a shiva for Ilana’s grandmother.
Season 2, Episode 9: “Coat Check”
Wanna see Kelly Ripa throw shade Michael Strahan’s way — from when they were chummy in real-life? Then check out this episode, in which Abbi accidentally loses the TV host’s coat at a party, while Ilana experiences eerie sexual chemistry with Alia Shawkat’s character.
Season 3, Episode 5: “2016”
As Abbi navigates the fifth level of hell that is the DMV line, Ilana takes a job as a bike messenger and finds herself working for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign — working for a tough boss played by a post-Sex and the City and pre-gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon.
Season 4, Episode 4: “Mushrooms”
Abbi messes up her boss’s party, and Ilana botches a threeway opportunity, but the real reason to watch this installment is the animated segment depicting Abbi and Ilana tripping on mushrooms.
Season 4, Episode 7: “Florida”
Abbi tags along as Ilana and her mom and brother visit Ilana’s aunt Bev (Fran Drescher) in Florida, and the girls make it their mission to gain admission to a senior living community… humidity-frazzled hair aside.
Season 5, Episode 1: “Stories”
On Abbi’s 30th birthday, she and Ilana walk from one end of Manhattan to the other in an episode entirely filmed through Ilana’s Instagram stories. Hijinks ensue, of course — what’s a little child abduction between friends, anyway?
Season 5, Episode 5: “Artsy Fartsy”
As Abbi tries to lead a double life as a cater waiter and a guest at a prestigious MoMA party, Ilana and boyfriend Lincoln negotiate the terms of the next year of their relationship. “I would like to make out with five… ty people. Fifty people.”
Broad City, Series Finale, Thursday, March 28, 10/9c, Comedy Central
