A Comprehensive Ranking of All Five Seasons of Broad City

Article Overview

Broad City Season 4 had a promising start but mostly fell flat, with the exception of the episodes "Florida" and "Friendiversary."

The story of Season 4 of Broad City was significantly influenced by the 2016 US Presidential Election. Season 5 of the show began with a strong start, featuring a premiere episode titled "Stories" that had a unique format. The season concluded on an emotional note, highlighting the enduring friendship between Abbi and Ilana, which moved viewers to tears.

Broad City, a comedy series that first premiered on Comedy Central nearly ten years ago, continues to stand the test of time. While certain seasons outshine others, this web series turned TV show revolves around the lives of Abbi Abrams and Ilana Wexler, two Jewish women in their twenties residing in New York City during the late 2010s. With each new episode, these best friends often find themselves separately or together in absurd, inconvenient, or humiliating situations, making it one of Comedy Central's finest.

The characters of Abbi Abrams and Ilana Wexler, as well as their onscreen camaraderie, are inspired by Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, the creators and actors of Broad City. However, these characters are exaggerated versions of their real-life selves. Ilana is portrayed as a carefree commitment-phobe, while Abbi is depicted as a neurotic, aspiring artist with timidity. Despite their growth and development throughout the series, Abbi and Ilana always manage to maintain their friendship. Each season of Broad City has its moments of brilliance and lulls, but some are undeniably stronger overall.

5. Broad City Season 4

Best Episodes: "Sliding Doors," "Florida," "Friendiversary"

The commencement of Season 4 held great promise as it finally unraveled the anticipated backstory of Abbi and Ilana's friendship. Additionally, it offered an alternate-reality perspective where a butterfly effect had the potential to hinder their bond from ever materializing. Regrettably, the remainder of the season failed to live up to expectations until episode 7, titled "Florida," wherein Abbi and Ilana journeyed to the Sunshine State to declutter the apartment of Ilana's grandmother, Esther. Season 4 somewhat redeems itself in the finale, "Friendiversary," which incorporates an intriguing murder mystery structure. However, this season ultimately falls short, landing at the bottom of this list.

One factor that influenced the placement of season 4 was the outcome of the 2016 US Presidential Election. This had a significant impact on the entire season, as Donald Trump was elected president just a few months before production began. Considering Broad City's feminist themes and vocal support of Hillary Clinton's campaign, it comes as no surprise that Trump's victory would affect the overall tone of the season. In fact, the name "Trump" is censored throughout the season as if it were a swear word, highlighting the girls' deep disappointment with his presidency.

A memorable moment in the season was the appearance of the iconic Fran Drescher, known for her role as The Nanny, as Ilana's aunt in the episode "Florida." Additionally, Ilana showcases her incredible talent for elaborate disguises in the scavenger hunt she organizes for Abbi in the episode "Friendiversary." The humor reaches peak levels of absurdity when Ilana reveals that she had actually disguised herself as the horse Abbi rode earlier that day.

4. Broad City Season 5

Best Episodes: "Stories," "Along Came Molly," "Broad City"

Season 4 of Broad City kicked off with a strong start in its premiere episode, "Stories." In this episode, Abbi and Ilana embark on a journey from the top to the bottom of Manhattan to celebrate Abbi's 30th birthday. The entire episode revolves around their eventful trip, with the use of Instagram stories as a creative storytelling device. Season 5 also successfully concluded with a touching penultimate episode and series finale, showcasing the heartfelt and enduring friendship between Abbi and Ilana.

However, a major drawback of season 5 is its overall lackluster quality, relying heavily on the premiere and finale to hold the viewer's interest. Nonetheless, there are some notable highlights, such as the meticulous attention to detail in the Instagram stories of "Stories." From emojis to stickers, polls, and tagged locations and user accounts, the episode goes above and beyond in its visual elements. Another standout moment is Ilana's humorous rejection of Lincoln's intention to marry, playfully remarking, "I'm 27, Lincoln. Am I some kind of child bride?" Lastly, the care and dedication displayed in the last two episodes are evident throughout, demonstrating Glazer and Jacobson's commitment to properly concluding their characters' story arcs in a beautiful manner.

3. Broad City Season 3

Best Episodes: "Two Chainz," "Game Over," "Burning Bridges"

Broad City season 3 offers a mix of both comedic and heartfelt moments, although some aspects have not aged well. In this season, Abbi takes more of the spotlight compared to Ilana. While Ilana deals with getting fired, dumped, and dealing with a rat infestation, Abbi pays a visit to her hometown of Philadelphia, accompanied by Ilana. Surprisingly, Abbi forms a sweet romance with her corny boss, Trey. Despite still embodying the same magic that initially captivated audiences, season 3 lacks consistency compared to the first two seasons.

One standout episode of this season is "Game Over," where Ilana finally gets fired from Deals, Deals, Deals for sharing a bestiality video on the company's official social media accounts. In this episode, Ilana even wears a dog hoodie as a crop top, a mistake she has made not just once or twice, but three times. "Game Over" also introduces the memorable term "early Randomcore," referencing the old viral video "Salad Fingers," to describe a specific style of Internet humor during YouTube's early days.

Another highlight of season 3 is the eighth episode titled "Burning Bridges." In this episode, Ilana experiences heartbreak as her casual sexual partner, Lincoln, ends their relationship. Meanwhile, Abbi finds herself on a date with Trey, causing her great embarrassment. Throughout the evening, Abbi hurriedly moves between her date with Trey and Ilana's parents' anniversary dinner, both happening at the same restaurant, to conceal her fling with Trey from Ilana. This entire scenario humorously parodies the memorable restaurant scene from the film "Mrs. Doubtfire." Notably, Mara Wilson, one of the stars of the film, makes a rare cameo appearance as a waitress in this episode.

2. Broad City Season 1

Best Episodes: "Fattest Asses," "Stolen Phone," "The Last Supper"

The inception of Broad City can be traced back to its first season. The initial episode flawlessly introduces us to the main characters, skillfully depicting their distinct personalities and the dynamics they share with one another. The opening sequence features Abbi and Ilana engaging in a video call, where they strategize to secure tickets for a secret pop-up Lil Wayne concert. However, the conversation takes an unexpected turn when Abbi realizes that Ilana is engaging in sexual activity with Lincoln at that very moment.

In season 1, one standout episode is "Fattest Asses." Abbi and Ilana attend a rooftop party with their own personal goals. Ilana wants to escape the stress of her job and reconnect with her true self, while Abbi aims to be less accommodating and stop being taken advantage of. At the party, they meet two roommate DJs who persistently try to arrange a spontaneous foursome. This episode also introduces Abbi's famous blue bodycon dress, which becomes a recurring joke throughout Broad City.

Another memorable moment is the season finale, featuring a special appearance by executive producer Amy Poehler. Abbi and Ilana celebrate Abbi's birthday with a fancy dinner courtesy of her parents. However, the night takes a bizarre twist when Abbi discovers she has had a used condom stuck inside her for four days and Ilana suffers a severe allergic reaction to shellfish, triggering an anaphylactic shock. Their evening ends in the emergency room, where they discuss their bucket lists, including desires such as visiting a pug farm, trying heroin, and being embraced by Abbi. Ilana manages to accomplish the last item on her list that night.

1. Broad City Season 2

Best Episodes: "Knockoffs," "Hashtag FOMO," "Kirk Steele," "St. Marks"

Season 2 of Broad City truly encapsulates the essence of the show. It maintains the genuine humor that made season 1 so enjoyable. While there are numerous noteworthy moments throughout the season, two particular highlights stand out. In episode 5, "Hashtag FOMO," we are introduced to Val, Abbi's alter ego who emerges only when she's heavily intoxicated. Ilana encounters "Val" when Abbi takes them to an underground speakeasy, reminiscent of the 1930s, where she proceeds to showcase her jazz-singing skills on stage as Val. Episode 8, "Kirk Steele," introduces us to the frosted-tipped porn star alter ego, who surprisingly turns out to be a younger version of Trey.

But the standout episode of Broad City season 2 is undoubtedly "Knockoffs." This is when Ilana introduces her parents, Bobbi and Arthur Wexler, who have come to town from Long Island to mourn Ilana's late grandmother, Esther, by sitting Shiva. Meanwhile, Abbi has a memorable moment of her own as she engages in a sexual encounter with her neighbor, Jeremy, whom she has had a huge crush on. This marks Abbi's first time using a strap-on dildo, a fact that she is eventually forced to explain to Ilana's entire family at Esther's Shiva after Bobbi discovers the item in her bag. With Bobbi's fixation on knockoff designer bags and Ilana playfully referring to Abbi as a "peg-asus," "Knockoffs" delivers a multitude of comedic moments.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have a few thoughts on the ranking of Broad City seasons. Firstly, I agree with the assessment that Season 4 was a bit of a let down. While the season started off strong with the "Florida" and "Friendiversary" episodes, the rest of the season fell flat. The show seemed to lose its focus and the storylines became less interesting.

On the other hand, I think Season 5 was a great way to end the series. The premiere episode, "Stories," was a creative and unique way to tell a story, and the season finale was both funny and heartwarming. Overall, I think the ranking of Broad City seasons is accurate, with Season 5 coming out on top.