You ever try to explain the ending of Will & Grace to someone and realize you're basically recounting a fever dream? Honestly, it’s a mess. If you look at a standard will & grace episode guide, you’ll see 246 episodes spread across eleven seasons, but there is a massive, gaping hole in the middle that confuses just about everyone. We aren't just talking about a time jump. We’re talking about a total, "just kidding, that didn't happen" rewrite of television history.
Most people remember the 2006 finale. You know the one—the depressing bit where Will and Grace don’t talk for twenty years, only to reunite when their kids (Ben and Laila) move into the same college dorm. It was supposed to be poetic. Instead, it was just kinda sad. Then 2017 rolled around, and the creators basically said, "Yeah, Karen was just having a gin-induced hallucination."
That’s where the real fun starts.
Navigating the Two Eras of the Will & Grace Episode Guide
To understand the show, you have to split it into the "Must See TV" era (1998–2006) and the Revival era (2017–2020). The original run gave us 194 episodes of pure, high-octane snark. This was the era of Jack McFarland’s "Just Jack" and Karen Walker’s absolute refusal to acknowledge that Rosario was a human being with rights.
The revival added another 52 episodes, bringing the total to 246. But here’s the kicker: if you’re following a will & grace episode guide to binge the show, the transition from Season 8 to Season 9 is jarring. You have to ignore the fact that Grace was pregnant by Leo at the end of Season 8. In the Season 9 premiere, "11 Years Later," they’re both single, childless, and living together again.
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Why? Because the creators realized that Will and Grace are only funny when they’re co-dependent and miserable. Seeing them as functional parents would’ve killed the vibe.
The Peak Years: Seasons 2 Through 5
Ask any die-hard fan, and they’ll tell you the show peaked somewhere between the turn of the millennium and 2003.
- Season 3, Episode 7: "Gypsies, Tramps and Weed" – This is the one where Jack meets Cher. Well, he thinks it's a drag queen playing Cher. He actually slaps the real Cher across the face to "show her how it's done." It’s arguably the most iconic thirty seconds in sitcom history.
- Season 4, Episode 9/10: "Moveable Feast" – A double-episode Thanksgiving special where the gang hops between four different families. It’s chaotic, loud, and perfectly captures why these four people can only truly stand each other.
- Season 5, Episode 2: "Bacon and Eggs" – Kevin Bacon plays himself. He hires Jack as a personal assistant, and they end up doing a synchronized dance to "Footloose" in front of a mirror. It’s peak camp.
The show was a revolving door for A-list talent. We’re talking Matt Damon playing a straight guy pretending to be gay to get into a choir. We’re talking Madonna as Karen’s eccentric roommate, Liz. The episode guide from this era reads like a guest list for the Oscars.
Why the Revival Changed Everything
When the show returned in 2017, the world had changed. The original run was groundbreaking because it put two gay men in the spotlight during a time when that was still considered "risky" by network suits. By the time Season 11 (the actual final season) rolled around in 2020, the landscape was different.
The revival episodes felt... sharper? Sometimes too sharp. They leaned heavily into politics, especially in the first new season. But they also did something the original run was scared to do: they let the characters grow up, eventually.
In the second series finale, titled "It's Time," the show finally got it right. Grace is pregnant (again), and Will has a baby on the way via surrogate. But instead of them drifting apart for two decades, they decide to raise their kids together in the same building. It’s a much more "Will and Grace" ending. It acknowledges that their bond is the most stable thing in their lives, even if it’s a little bit healthy/unhealthy.
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Essential Guest Stars You Can't Miss
If you're cherry-picking episodes from a guide, you have to watch the Debbie Reynolds appearances. She played Bobbi Adler, Grace’s mother, and she was a force of nature.
- "The Unsinkable Mommy Adler" (Season 1) – The introduction of Bobbi. Her "Told Ya So" dance is legendary.
- "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" (Season 3) – A flashback episode showing Will and Grace in college. It explains how Will came out and features a hilarious cameo by Martina Navratilova.
- "The Finale" (Season 11) – While Bobby Cannavale (Vince) and Harry Connick Jr. (Leo) return, the real heart is the silent acknowledgement of the cast members who passed away, like Reynolds and Shelley Morrison (Rosario).
Dealing With the "Daydream" Retcon
A lot of people get hung up on the "Karen's Dream" explanation. To be fair, it’s a lazy writing trope. But it was necessary. If they hadn't retconned the 2006 finale, the revival would’ve been a show about two fifty-somethings who hadn't spoken since the Bush administration. That’s not a comedy; that’s a tragedy.
By resetting the clock, the writers allowed us to see Jack finally marry (to Estefan) and Karen finally find a semblance of peace after Stan. It gave the audience three more years of James Burrows' impeccable directing. Burrows directed every single one of those 246 episodes. That’s a feat of stamina that literally no other modern sitcom director has matched.
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How to Watch It Today
If you’re diving back in, don't just start at Season 1 and power through. The middle seasons (6 and 7) can get a little soap-opera-heavy with the Will/Vince and Grace/Leo drama.
- Skip the fluff: Focus on the "JackTalk" and "Karen-heavy" B-plots.
- Watch the live episodes: Season 8, Episode 1 ("Alive and Schticking") was performed live for both coasts. You can see the actors nearly break character several times.
- Appreciate the physical comedy: Debra Messing and Sean Hayes are world-class clowns. Look for the "Shower" scene in Season 9 where Grace and Karen get trapped. It’s a masterclass in timing.
The legacy of Will & Grace isn't just that it was "the gay show." It’s that it was a genuinely fast, mean, and heart-filled sitcom that refused to play by the rules of what a family should look like.
If you're looking for a specific episode to start your rewatch, find Season 3's "Coffee & Commitment." It’s got the perfect blend of the gang's neuroticism and their genuine love for one another. Once you've got the timeline straight—remembering that the 2006 ending is basically "alternate universe"—the whole series becomes a lot easier to enjoy. Just grab a martini (extra olives, Karen style) and settle in.
To make the most of your viewing, your next step is to head over to a streaming service like Hulu or Amazon Prime, where the entire 11-season run is currently available. Start with the pilot and then jump straight to the Season 3 Thanksgiving special to see the show at its absolute peak.