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30 best episodes of Whose Line is it Anyway?

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August 29, 2019
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30 best episodes of 'Whose Line is it Anyway?'

"Whose Line is it Anyway?" is the show where "everything's made up and the points don't matter." The series, adapted from the British show, brought improvisational comedy to American audiences in 1998 and has been cracking us up ever since. The original version of the American show was hosted by comedian and sitcom star Drew Carey, to give it a chance, and featured Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, and Wayne Brady, alums from the British version. They performed alongside a rotating guest performer, with familiar faces like Stephen Colbert, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams joining in on the fun. The show ran from 1998 to 2007 and was revived in 2013 with the same original cast. Comedian Aisha Tyler took over the host's chair, and the show still includes a celebrity guest each week.

These guests join the cast in improvisational games, some of which require audience participation. In "Scenes from a Hat," the audience contributes funny scenarios pulled from a hat at random. In others, like "Party Quirks" or "Let's Make a Date," three performers are pre-assigned roles that the fourth has to guess: are they guests at the host's party, contestants on a dating show, or something completely different? Other popular games include "Hoedown" (each participant sings an improvised verse in a hoedown-style song), "Greatest Hits" (with cast member Wayne Brady performing songs from an album made up by two other contestants), and "Film, TV and Theatre Styles" (with two performers given a scene and several different film styles to perform).

Altogether, there are 14 seasons and 339 episodes of bizarre, hilarious, and entirely improvised comedy, which can be overwhelming when you're trying to figure out where to start. 麻豆原创 compiled a list of the best 30 episodes of "Whose Line is it Anyway," . Episodes from Drew Carey's years hosting (1998 to 2007) as well as Aisha Tyler's (2013 to the present) were considered; each episode required a minimum of 30 IMDb user votes as of August 2019 to be ranked. Ties were broken in favor of the episode with the most votes.

Whether you're a longtime fan or just looking for a laugh, read on to discover the best episodes of "Whose Line is it Anyway?"

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#30. Show No. 210

- Season 2, Episode 19
- IMDb rating: 7.7
- IMDb votes: 30
- Air date: Jan. 13, 2000

This episode featured frequent recurring guest Greg Proops鈥攃omedian and voice actor in 鈥淏ob the Builder鈥 who has appeared on the show 70 times鈥攁longside Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady, and Ryan Stiles. This episode marked the return of 鈥淨uestionable Impressions,鈥 a game where performers only speak in questions and use a different impression every time they re-enter the scene. The cast members and Proops also played 鈥淪cenes from a Hat,鈥 鈥淲eird Newscasters,鈥 and 鈥淭hree-Headed Broadway Star,鈥 and closed out the episode with a puberty-themed 鈥渉oedown鈥 alongside host Drew Carey.

#29. Mary Killman and Mariya Koroleva

- Season 1, Episode 5
- IMDb rating: 7.8
- IMDb votes: 30
- Air date: July 30, 2013

Olympic synchronized swimmers Mary Killman and Mariya Koroleva and guest comedian Jeff Davis (who鈥檚 appeared on the show 40 times) joined Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Ryan Stiles in the first season of the revived show. The four comedians gave their take on an escape movie while playing 鈥淗ollywood Director鈥 (shedding some clothes in the process) and acted out a skiing mishap in 鈥淔orward/Reverse.鈥 Mochrie, Brady, and Davis performed an entire scene sideways, Koroleva and Killman acted as props for Stiles and Mochrie in 鈥淟iving Scenery,鈥 and danced along to Davis and Brady鈥檚 boy band-style 鈥淒uet.鈥

#28. Show No. 220

- Season 2, Episode 5
- IMDb rating: 7.8
- IMDb votes: 30
- Air date: Oct. 8, 1999

Comedian, country singer, and actor Charles 鈥淐hip鈥 Esten, who played Deacon Claybourne in 鈥淣ashville,鈥 joined the regular cast for this episode鈥攐ne of more than 40 appearances on the show during both runs. During the episode, Mochrie and Stiles recreated a scene from 鈥淕one With the Wind鈥 in the audience-generated game 鈥淲hose Line?鈥 and all four performers sang a 鈥淗oedown.鈥 They also played 鈥淲eird Newscasters,鈥 鈥淒uet,鈥 鈥淪cenes from a Hat,鈥 and 鈥淨uestions Only.鈥

#27. Show No. 225

- Season 2, Episode 18
- IMDb rating: 7.8
- IMDb votes: 32
- Air date: Jan. 6, 2000

Game show host Brad Sherwood was the second most-featured guest in the show鈥檚 history after Greg Proops, appearing in 69 episodes. In this episode, the crew teamed up to deal with a mosquito crisis in 鈥淪uperheroes,鈥 raised money for sitcom stars in a game of 鈥淭elethon,鈥 and also played 鈥淔ilm, Theatre and TV Styles,鈥 鈥淪ong Titles,鈥 鈥淪ound Effects,鈥 and 鈥淭hree-Headed Broadway Star.鈥

#26. Show No. 113

- Season 1, Episode 11
- IMDb rating: 7.8
- IMDb votes: 48
- Air date: Jan. 13, 1999

Highlights of this episode included recurring guest Greg Proops' Bill Clinton impression, as well as Wayne Brady singing about postal workers in "Greatest Hits." The cast also played "Dating Service Videos," and rounded out the episode with "Film, Theatre, and TV Styles," "Weird Newscasters," and "Helping Hands" with host Drew Carey.

#25. Show No. 101

- Season 1, Episode 4
- IMDb rating: 7.8
- IMDb votes: 61
- Air date: Aug. 26, 1998

Brad Sherwood joins the crew in rapping about meeting someone in a park. Later, Sherwood plays the host in a game of 鈥淧arty Quirks,鈥 and Colin Mochrie pretends to be a skier who can鈥檛 stop running into things. Other games in this episode included 鈥淲eird Newscasters,鈥 鈥淒uet,鈥 鈥淎nimals鈥 鈥淧rops,鈥 鈥淢oving People,鈥 and 鈥淔oreign Film Dub.鈥

#24. Show No. 201

- Season 2, Episode 4
- IMDb rating: 7.9
- IMDb votes: 32
- Air date: Oct. 7, 1999

In this episode, Wayne Brady chose between Greg Proops鈥 exorcist, Ryan Stiles鈥 club bouncer, and Colin Mochie鈥檚 fanatic Canadian hockey player during 鈥淟et鈥檚 Make a Date.鈥 Other games featured in the episode included 鈥淔ilm Dub,鈥 鈥淭hree-Headed Broadway Star,鈥 鈥淔ilm, Theatre, and TV Styles,鈥 鈥淕reatest Hits,鈥 and 鈥淲orld's Worst.鈥

#23. Misha Collins

- Season 2, Episode 13
- IMDb rating: 7.9
- IMDb votes: 33
- Air date: June 16, 2014

Misha Collins took a break from fighting evil on the CW鈥檚 鈥淪upernatural鈥 to join the second season of the 鈥淲hose Line鈥 revival. He became the subject of a 鈥淒uet鈥 by Wayne Brady and recurring guest Brad Sherwood (in Russian folk style) and pretended to be 鈥淟iving Scenery鈥 for two friends鈥 motorcycle trip to Las Vegas. Sherwood acted as the fourth man in the rest of the episode鈥檚 games, 鈥淟et's Make a Date,鈥 and 鈥淪cenes from a Hat,鈥 and finished off the episode with a cheese-themed 鈥淗oedown.鈥

#22. Show No. 206

- Season 2, Episode 3
- IMDb rating: 7.9
- IMDb votes: 33
- Air date: Sep. 30, 1999

As the episode鈥檚 winner, veteran guest Greg Proops looked on with delight as Drew Carey joined the cast in a 鈥淗oedown鈥 about the Village People (known for their hit 鈥淵MCA鈥). The cast also played 鈥淲eird Newscasters,鈥 鈥淎frican Chant,鈥 鈥淪cenes from a Hat,鈥 鈥淐hange Emotion,鈥 and a round of 鈥淕reatest Hits鈥 featuring an exterminator.

#21. Show No. 209

- Season 2, Episode 1
- IMDb rating: 7.9
- IMDb votes: 38
- Air date: Sep. 16, 1999

The second season of the original American series opened with Wayne Brady officially joining the regular cast. Featuring frequent guest performer Chip Esten as the episode's fourth participant, the cast performed a song about lumberjacks in love during "Three-Headed Broadway Star," and played "Let's Make a Date," "Props," "Stand Sit Lie Down," "Greatest Hits," and "Hoedown."

#20. Show No. 102

- Season 1, Episode 6
- IMDb rating: 7.9
- IMDb votes: 64
- Air date: Sep. 9, 1998

Aired before Wayne Brady joined the regular cast, this episode featured guest performers Brad Sherwood and actress Kathy Kinney, (鈥淭he Drew Carey Show鈥 and 鈥淣ewhart鈥) in her first and only appearance on the show. Kinney played the distressed mother of the 鈥渢hree little pigs鈥 during a game of 鈥淒aytime Talk Show鈥 in one of the episode鈥檚 stand-out moments. The cast also played 鈥淟et's Make a Date,鈥 鈥淪ound Effects,鈥 鈥淧rops,鈥 鈥淗elping Hands,鈥 鈥淗oedown,鈥 and 鈥90-Second Alphabet.鈥

 

#19. Show No. 232

- Season 2, Episode 29
- IMDb rating: 8.0
- IMDb votes: 30
- Air date: March 23, 2000

Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles played two secret agents on an 鈥淚mprobable Mission鈥 to do laundry for a visiting dignitary. Mochrie鈥檚 repeated use of 鈥渢he cat!鈥 to solve the mission鈥檚 problems has long made it one of the show鈥檚 most enduring sketches. Greg Proops contributed to 鈥淟et's Make A Date,鈥 鈥淪ong Styles,鈥 鈥淧arty Quirks,鈥 and 鈥淭hree-Headed Broadway Star.鈥

#18. Show No. 213

- Season 2, Episode 14
- IMDb rating: 8.0
- IMDb votes: 31
- Air date: Nov. 25, 1999

This episode marked the debut of 鈥淭he Millionaire Show,鈥 a parody of 鈥淲ho Wants to Be a Millionaire?鈥 In another highlight, the audience participated in a song about toothbrushes created by Stiles, Wayne Brady, and guest comedian Brad Sherwood. The cast also played 鈥淪uperheroes,鈥 鈥淔ilm, Theatre and TV Styles,鈥 鈥淧rops,鈥 鈥淢otown,鈥 and finished up with a 鈥淗oedown鈥 about family reunions.

#17. Show No. 114

- Season 1, Episode 14
- IMDb rating: 8.0
- IMDb votes: 46
- Air date: Feb. 3, 1999

Ian Gomez鈥攌nown for his roles on the 鈥淒rew Carey Show,鈥 鈥淔elicity,鈥 and 鈥淐ougar Town鈥濃攋oined regular guest Brad Sherwood for one of his two appearances on 鈥淲hose Line is it Anyway?鈥 Gomez played a hybrid sportscaster/fed-up Ricky Ricardo during a 鈥淲eird Newscasters鈥 segment. Other games featured in this episode were 鈥淟et's Make A Date,鈥 鈥淢oving People,鈥 鈥淕reatest Hits,鈥 鈥淧arty Quirks,鈥 and 鈥淗elping Hands.鈥

#16. Show No. 119

- Season 1, Episode 12
- IMDb rating: 8.0
- IMDb votes: 50
- Air date: Jan. 20, 1999

Wayne Brady and Brad Sherwood took to the stage to participate in a game of "Telethon" to benefit NBA players. A game of "Film, Theatre, and TV Styles" was another highlight: Brady and Stiles recreated the biopic "Birdman of Alcatraz" in the styles of Shakespeare, sumo wrestling, and adult film. The cast also played "Let's Make A Date," "Duet," "Newsflash," and "Hoedown."

#15. Show No. 103

- Season 1, Episode 1
- IMDb rating: 8.0
- IMDb votes: 102
- Air date: Aug. 5, 1998

The American version of 鈥淲hose Line is it Anyway?鈥 kicked off with the show鈥檚 most frequent guest, Greg Proops, guessing his castmates鈥 strange 鈥淧arty Quirks.鈥 The episode started off with Ryan Stiles infamously portraying the birth of a foal. The rest of the episode鈥攚hich included 鈥淟et's Make a Date,鈥 鈥淪ound Effects,鈥 鈥淗ats,鈥 鈥淕reatest Hits,鈥 and 鈥淔oreign Film Dub鈥濃攚asn鈥檛 quite as bizarre, but still managed to start the series with a bang.

#14. Show No. 205

- Season 2, Episode 2
- IMDb rating: 8.1
- IMDb votes: 34
- Air date: Sep. 23, 1999

Recurring guest Brad Sherwood joined Drew Carey, Ryan Stiles, and Colin Mochie to serenade Wayne Brady (the episode鈥檚 鈥渨inner鈥) with a 鈥淗oedown鈥 about drinking too much. The performers also worked their way through 鈥淲eird Newscasters,鈥 鈥淒uet,鈥 鈥淣ewsflash,鈥 鈥淧arty Quirks,鈥 and 鈥淪cenes from a Hat.鈥

#13. Candice King

- Season 1, Episode 3
- IMDb rating: 8.1
- IMDb votes: 46
- Air date: July 23, 2013

Candice King, best-known for her role as Caroline Forbes on the supernatural drama 鈥淭he Vampire Diaries鈥 and its spinoff 鈥淭he Originals,鈥 was featured in this episode. King was the subject of a Latin pop song by Wayne Brady during 鈥淪ong Styles鈥 and joined 鈥淟iving Scenery鈥 alongside two mountaineers climbing Mount Everest. This episode also marked the first appearance of actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key, of 鈥淜ey & Peele鈥 and 鈥淢AD TV,鈥 who has appeared on the show nine times. Key contributed to the rest of the episode鈥檚 games: 鈥淗ollywood Director,鈥 鈥淧rops,鈥 and 鈥淒ating Profiles.鈥

#12. Show No. 111

- Season 1, Episode 8
- IMDb rating: 8.1
- IMDb votes: 55
- Air date: Dec. 9, 1998

Denny Siegel, a correspondent on 鈥淭he Daily Show,鈥 made her first of 14 鈥淲hose Line鈥 appearances in this episode. Siegel took on the role of host in 鈥淧arty Quirks鈥 and a bachelorette in search of a partner on 鈥淟et鈥檚 Make a Date.鈥 鈥淧rops,鈥 a game of 鈥淪ong Styles鈥 about swimming lessons, the 鈥淕reatest Hits鈥 of butchers everywhere, and 鈥淗elping Hands鈥 rounded out the episode.

#11. Show No. 117

- Season 1, Episode 10
- IMDb rating: 8.1
- IMDb votes: 57
- Air date: Jan. 6, 1999

Denny Siegel returned for her second guest appearance to open the show with a melodramatic teen soap opera in "Questions Only." Wayne Brady's gospel-style song about an immigration attorney in "Song Styles" marked another highlight in this episode. The four comedians also played "Newsflash," "Sound Effects," "Weird Newscasters," "Scene to Rap," and "Hoedown."

#10. Show No. 204

- Season 2, Episode 10
- IMDb rating: 8.2
- IMDb votes: 30
- Air date: Nov. 5, 1999

Drew Carey joined Wayne Brady and Ryan Stiles in 鈥淭hree-Headed Broadway Star鈥 for the very first time, accidentally singing an entire line instead of just one word during 鈥淵ou鈥檝e Got Sole鈥 from made-up Broadway musical 鈥淢y Favorite Shoe.鈥 Other highlights included Greg Proops teaming up with the regular cast as 鈥淪uperheroes鈥 who have run out of deodorant, and Wayne Brady impersonating an aging Michael Jackson in 鈥淪ong Styles.鈥 The cast also played 鈥淣ewsflash,鈥 鈥淨uestionable Impressions,鈥 and 鈥淒ating Service Video.鈥

#9. Show No. 227

- Season 2, Episode 22
- IMDb rating: 8.2
- IMDb votes: 31
- Air date: Feb. 4, 2000

In this episode, Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles acted out a film noir scene in a fast food restaurant during a game of 鈥淣arrate.鈥 The scene famously ended with the two longtime collaborators kissing on-screen. Canadian actress and frequent series guest Kathy Greenwood played a woman dining with a colleague in a war zone during 鈥淭hemed Restaurant,鈥 and portrayed a bratty granddaughter in 鈥淲eird Newscasters.鈥 The episode finished up with a racy singing telegram in 鈥淪ong Styles,鈥 after the cast played 鈥淪cenes From A Hat,鈥 and sang a Halloween-themed 鈥淗oedown.鈥

#8. Wilson Bethel

- Season 1, Episode 6
- IMDb rating: 8.2
- IMDb votes: 38
- Air date: Aug. 6, 2013

Actor Wilson Bethel, from the CW鈥檚 鈥淗art of Dixie鈥 and Netflix's 鈥淒aredevil鈥 appeared on this episode of 鈥淲hose Line is it Anyway?鈥 Bethel was serenaded with a Motown-style 鈥淒uet鈥 by Wayne Brady and frequent show guest Gary Anthony Williams, an actor and comedian known for roles in 鈥淏oston Legal鈥 and 鈥淗arold and Kumar Go to White Castle.鈥 Bethel also joined in for the three-headed song "I Can't Live Without Your Rubber Ducky.鈥 Other games featured in the episode are 鈥淗elping Hands,鈥 鈥淪ideways Scenes,鈥 and 鈥淲eird Newscasters.鈥

#7. Kevin McHale

- Season 1, Episode 2
- IMDb rating: 8.2
- IMDb votes: 49
- Air date: July 16, 2013

鈥淲hose Line is it Anyway鈥 launched its first season after a six-year hiatus by bringing on several new celebrity guests, including Kevin McHale of hit TV show 鈥淕lee.鈥 Former 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 writer Heather Anne Campbell also contributed to games of 鈥淪cenes from a Hat,鈥 鈥淪ong Styles,鈥 鈥淒ubbing,鈥 鈥淪ideways Scene,鈥 and 鈥淗elping Hands.鈥

#6. Lauren Cohan

- Season 1, Episode 1
- IMDb rating: 8.2
- IMDb votes: 64
- Air date: July 16, 2013

Lauren Cohan, from FX's "The Walking Dead," was the inaugural guest on the revival of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" acting out a zombie apocalypse in "Dubbing" and playing a prop in "Living Scenery." Actor and comedian Gary Anthony Williams also made his "Whose Line" debut on the new version of the show, participating in "Let's Make a Date," "Dubbing," "What's in the Bag," and "Scenes from a Hat." He's since appeared in 22 episodes.

#5. Show No. 239

- Season 2, Episode 39
- IMDb rating: 8.3
- IMDb votes: 31
- Air date: May 18, 2000

Chip Esten and Wayne Brady teamed up for 鈥淒uet,鈥 serenading a sandwich shop employee. Drew Carey joined in for 鈥淔oreign Film Dub,鈥 translating a film into 鈥淐anadian.鈥 In one of the show鈥檚 best-known 鈥淣ewsflash鈥 segments, Colin Mochrie reported in front of a green screen flashing pictures of himself, and kicked off the segment by claiming that "it all started with a badly timed bald joke,鈥 without realizing the context. 鈥淪ong Titles鈥 and a 鈥淗oedown鈥 about plastic surgery rounded out this episode.

#4. Show No. 8016

- Season 8, Episode 16
- IMDb rating: 8.4
- IMDb votes: 31
- Air date: Nov. 10, 2006

Greg Proops joined this episode, playing a game of 鈥淪uperheroes鈥 in which the four performers formed an odd band of heroes facing off against a global beer crisis. The episode also featured 鈥淪ound Effects,鈥 鈥淧rops,鈥 鈥淗ey You Down There,鈥 鈥淒aytime Talk Show,鈥 鈥淪cene to Rap,鈥 and 鈥淗ats.鈥

#3. The Best of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

- Season 3, Episode 0
- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 32
- Air date: Oct. 4, 2000

This clip show that aired just before the show鈥檚 third season featured host Drew Carey introducing some of the first two seasons鈥 most memorable moments. It also presented a number of bloopers and outtakes from the show that didn鈥檛 make it to air.

#2. Show No. 313

- Season 3, Episode 9
- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 66
- Air date: Nov. 16, 2000

Robin Williams鈥 sole appearance on 鈥淲hose Line is it Anyway鈥 gave the comic legend a chance to show off . He for 鈥淔ilm Director鈥 (featuring "Riverdance"), sang gospel during 鈥淒uet,鈥 played a fashion-conscious party guest during 鈥淧arty Quirks,鈥 and participated in 鈥淪cenes From A Hat鈥 and 鈥淧rops.鈥

#1. Show No. 521

- Season 5, Episode 17
- IMDb rating: 9.2
- IMDb votes: 76
- Air date: June 20, 2003

Regular guest performer Greg Proops (who appeared in 70 episodes) joined the cast for "Multiple Personalities" and "Newsflash," both of which featured jokes about flamboyant celebrity fitness personality Richard Simmons. Simmons himself later surprised the cast and audience to great effect, participating in "Song Styles," "Living Scenery," and "Moving People." Simmons' appearance in "Living Scenery" is considered one of the most infamous scenes in the entire series, due to his exaggerated signature racy gestures.

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