Will & Grace Season 4 (2001)
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Will & Grace Season 4 Review
The fourth season of Will & Grace is the longest so far as it consists of 27 episodes. It is pretty much similar in quality to the previous ones as this series is quite consistent in quality.
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“I see they’re finally giving out medals for evil“
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The Third Wheel Gets the Grace is solid and at times funny, but a typical first episode that is just build-up for the future ones. Past and Presents is also solid, but I found Will’s bully subplot especially underutilized in terms of the humor. Crouching Father, Hidden Husband is very sweet in Jack/Elliot storyline and very funny in Karen’s crying wolf to Will. Prison Blues is somewhat dull in Will’s subplot, but effective in the other story where Grace spends some time in Karen’s mansion.
Loose Lips Sink Relationships is terrific. Jack setting up Will to his female boss is so much fun, but Karen’s reactions to Grace and Nathan’s sex problems are hilarious and very memorable one-liners. The Rules of Engagement finally sees Nathan break up with Grace in what is obviously a downer of an episode.
Bed, Bath and Beyond is a necessary transitional episode which is rather dull. Star-Spangled Banner makes fun of identity politics so well while also befriending Elliot and Karen quite well. Moveable Feast is a pretty good, dramatic two-parter. I did like Jack’s strained relationship with his father as that was easily the best part of this episode. Grace’s mother also is solid, but I found Will’s problem uninteresting and Karen/Stan prison storyline is overly stretched by now.
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Stakin’ Care of Business is fantastic in Grace/Karen subplot where she traps Karen in an elevator and asking her to admit her reasoning for wanting to keep her business small. It ends sweetly, but the entire conflict in the elevator was so much fun. Jingle Balls is a fine episode, but I did find Will’s boyfriend endearing and they treated him way too harshly in my opinion.
Whoa, Nelly is another boring Will’s father’s mistress story and Grace in the Hole is solid, but nothing too remarkable. Dyeing is Easy, Comedy is Hard is particularly effective in Rosie O’Donnell’s guest turn as a lesbian mother of Elliot’s. I found the scene where she admits that to Jack quite touching.
A Chorus Line is a hilarious episode and I wish more episodes were this funny and casual. Karen tells her female friends that Will’s her whore to funny results while Jack wants to out his chorus rival played by Matt Damon as straight. Damon is terrific here and that subplot was hilarious. Someone Old, Someplace New is entirely forgettable and boring. Something Borrowed, Someone’s Due is pretty much the same as it’s the continuation of this story with only Karen being reliably amusing. Cheatin’ Trouble Blues is one episode too many about Will’s parents not getting along.
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Went to a Garden Potty is too silly, but not funny enough. He Shoots, They Snore is quite funny in straight male parents talking to Will and Jack in a very odd, redneck, curious about gays manner. Wedding Balls sees Karen and Will bond which makes Jack frustrated. A great premise well executed.
Fagel Attraction is so endearing in Michael Douglas’s character being too shy to ask Will out. This season surely was a blast when it comes to the guest appearances. Hocus Focus starts the story of Will and Grace wanting to have a baby, A Buncha White Chicks Sittin’ Around Talkin’ sees them discuss it and the two-part finale A.I.: Artificial Insemination is about the various means to get to the baby and some of it was awkward and funny, but I did find it too dramatic again and it ended in a soapy, overly open manner. The Cher cameo was precious though.
In the end, this season is overly dramatic and serious, but the guest stars are great and some episodes are pure comedic gold with Karen being as great as ever.
Worst Episodes: Bed, Bath and Beyond and Cheatin’ Trouble Blues.
Best Episodes: Stakin’ Care of Business and A Chorus Lie.
