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The Best Episodes of The Book Group

Every episode of The Book Group ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Book Group!

Binge this in 4h 58m•Peaking at 8.1/10

Clare, a neurotic American, moves to Glasgow and starts a book group to meet new, interesting people. But Kenny, Dirka, Rab, Fist and Janice are more interesting than she bargained for...

Airs on
Channel 4
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Seasons2

All12

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Book Group Season 1 Episode 2 - The Alchemist
    8.1/10(40 votes)

    #1 - The Alchemist

    S1:E2

    Kenny has an admirer at the leisure centre where he works, but does she know he's in a wheelchair? Meanwhile, Fist decides to follow some advice from this week's book - and leave her husband...

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  2. The Book Group Season 2 Episode 5 - Research
    8.1/10(22 votes)

    #2 - Research

    S2:E5

    The group reads a dirty book, The Sexual History of Catherine M. Fist is impressed, and decides to organise group sex with Dirka. Lars and Bart. Meanwhile, Jean is mistaken for a prostitute while conducting research for her new book, and Clare meets Kenny's underage girlfriend, Harriet.

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  3. The Book Group Season 2 Episode 2 - Hunger
    8.0/10(26 votes)

    #3 - Hunger

    S2:E2

    Kenny brings along his new girlfriend, Carole Anne, to the book group, much to the irritation of all the women.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  4. The Book Group Season 2 Episode 1 - Sueños
    7.9/10(28 votes)

    #4 - Sueños

    S2:E1

    Clare is living in apparent bliss with her artist boyfriend Lachlan, in a loft apartment with no furniture. But then her sister from hell comes to visit - and won't go away.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  5. The Book Group Season 1 Episode 4 - Bedtime Stories
    7.8/10(34 votes)

    #5 - Bedtime Stories

    S1:E4

    Clare discovers Barney's on drugs, and decides it's her mission in life to save him. Meanwhile, Janice sleeps with the famous thriller writer, Martin Logan, and can't wait to go to confession to tell her priest, a big fan of the author.

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  6. The Book Group Season 2 Episode 4 - Drowning
    7.8/10(22 votes)

    #6 - Drowning

    S2:E4

    Lachlan is in a brace, due to his unfortunate fall into the empty pool. He makes a terrible invalid, and Clare is no good at changing bedpans.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Book Group

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  7. The Book Group Season 2 Episode 6 - A'Salaam Insh'Allah
    7.8/10(25 votes)

    #7 - A'Salaam Insh'Allah

    S2:E6

    Jean has a party to celebrate her book deal. Kenny sings karaoke, Lachlan proposes to a reluctant Clare, and Janice gets very drunk and tells Rab she loves him.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  8. The Book Group Season 1 Episode 3 - Magical Realism
    7.7/10(34 votes)

    #8 - Magical Realism

    S1:E3

    Kenny is writing a book in which a beautiful woman who looks a lot like Fist shares a cabin in the hills with him. Clare is also writing a book, in which a handsome professor who looks a lot like Barney falls in love with his student, a lovely American woman not unlike Clare.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  9. The Book Group Season 1 Episode 5 - Dark Alley
    7.7/10(33 votes)

    #9 - Dark Alley

    S1:E5

    Janice hosts the book group as they discuss the book written by the author she is having an affair with. But the group can't seem to focus on their subject.

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  10. The Book Group Season 1 Episode 6 - A Little More Living
    7.7/10(28 votes)

    #10 - A Little More Living

    S1:E6

    Barney has died of an overdose. His brother Lachlan arrives to tell Clare - and there is an instant spark between them. Meanwhile, Kenny's literary fantasies intrigue Fist and Dirka - but can he deliver in the flesh?

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  11. The Book Group Season 2 Episode 3 - You Must Change Your Life
    7.6/10(21 votes)

    #11 - You Must Change Your Life

    S2:E3

    Kenny is doing a book tour and the women of the Outer Isles can't get enough of the author of 'Peaks in the Mist'. Meanwhile, Lachlan seems to be taking an awful lot of interest in Clare's sister.

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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  12. The Book Group Season 1 Episode 1 - On the Road
    7.2/10(45 votes)

    #12 - On the Road

    S1:E1

    Clare's book group starts to assemble. She meets Kenny, a handsome guy in a wheelchair who wants to be a writer; Janice, the frustrated wife of a Scottish footballer; and eccentric student Barney, to whom Clare is strangely attracted...

    Director:Annie Griffin
    Writer:Annie Griffin

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Alchemist" is the best rated episode of "The Book Group". It scored 8.1/10 based on 40 votes. Directed by Annie Griffin and written by Annie Griffin, it aired on 4/19/2002. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Research".