The 16 Best Big Mouth Episodes, Ranked

In a society where students lack access to comprehensive sex education and the universal effects of puberty are treated as taboo, the animated coming-of-age comedy "Big Mouth" dares to take a candid, humorous approach to the awkwardness of adolescence. Based on the real-life experiences of creators and long-time friends Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg, the show follows a group of seventh graders grappling with the challenges of growing up. 

With storylines ranging from mental health to masturbation, no subject is off limits. The show constantly pushes boundaries with its willingness to use explicit humor and empathy to tackle uncomfortable or sensitive topics, setting it apart from other TV shows of its kind. Since 2017, "Big Mouth" has released six seasons with a total of 51 episodes. As we await the 2023 release of Season 7, followed by the 8th and final season, let's reminisce on the 16 best episodes to come out of the series.

It's a common adolescent right of passage to experiment with drugs, so when Jessi finds her dad's stash of edibles, it's only natural for her to be a little curious. With some subtle peer pressure, she convinces Nick to try the gummies with her. All is well until Nick's giggly attitude quickly turns for the worse into a paranoid existential crisis. Meanwhile, the Shame Wizard and Maury accompany Andrew as he attempts to break off his nonmutual relationship with Lola, but his guilt causes him to prolong the breakup. When Andrew finally works up the courage, Lola doesn't take the news well, leaving Andrew's wrist in pieces.

When Jessi comes home high, her mother blames her father for Jessi's state and kicks him out of the house. The Shame Wizard visits Jessi and plants the thought that her parent's separation is her fault — an all too common feeling for kids in similar situations. It's a perfect combination of relatable experiences that make this episode especially memorable.

The Shame Wizard torments the kids tirelessly during Season 2, but in the Season 5 episode "The Shane Lizard Rises," he makes his return during school swim lessons and thrives in the irresistible environment of insecure, developing kids in revealing swimsuits. He quickly turns the kids against each other as they all start taking notice of each other's awkward shapes and body hair. Missy is on the verge of flirting with her crush until her backne ruins the mood while Nick envies how well Go-Gurt Burglar fills out his swimsuit.

The kids go out of their way to try and fix their insecurities but end up putting themselves in dangerous situations in the process. The episode's gross-out imagery of pubescent bodies is balanced out by the ending's encouraging messaging. Finding each other at the ER, the kids learn that nobody is perfect and the pursuit of self-love is a lifelong battle.

This Season 4 Holloween special captures the confusing in-between phase of outgrowing the traditions of dressing up and trick or treating. To make matters worse, Tito the Anxiety Mosquito is buzzing around in everyone's heads. The kids opt to spend their night at a haunted sorority house but find themselves experiencing weird hallucinations after drinking an unknown substance. Their biggest fears come to life in horrific scenarios that give them new perspectives on life. Missy learns a lesson in self-discovery, Matthew learns he doesn't have to choose between his boyfriend and his mom, Andrew faces his fear of death, and Jessi learns how to manage her anxiety and depression better.

On the other hand, Nick comes out of his nightmare feeling worse than before. Still dealing with the aftermath of being rejected by Jessi in a moment of vulnerability, Nick fails to protect himself from his murderous future self. It's a bittersweet ending that leaves audiences with the anticipation of future character development.

Time and time again, "Big Mouth" reminds us of the extensive curriculum that's part of coming into one's sexuality. In "How to Have an Orgasm," the hierarchy of sexual pleasure is spotlighted when Jessi takes on the impressive feat of achieving a female orgasm with the help of Connie and her anthropomorphic vagina. With some wisdom from her mom, the sweet musk of Nick's older brother Judd, and an electric toothbrush, Jessi discovers the wonders of self-pleasure.

Andrew also becomes more comfortable in his body but in a much more unpleasant way. While sexting his cousin, Andrew is pressured into sending pics but is unsure how to approach the task. After a confidence-building photoshoot, Andrew adopts a self-loving mentality, but not without suffering from the embarrassment of his parents finding out. Meanwhile, Nick becomes more empathetic of Jay's living situation and embraces his new roommate, strengthening their friendship in one of the series' most wholesome storylines.

The fan-favorite Shame Wizard makes his official debut after Nick's sister Leah catches Andrew pleasuring himself at the sight of her swimsuit. The humiliating moment sends Andrew into a self-loathing spiral that lands him in shame court under trial. Overwhelmed with self-pity and judgment, Andrew finds himself guilty of being a creepy pervert. When discussing the idea of the Shame Wizard to Vulture, show creator Andrew Goldberg explained, "What makes shame so powerful is that it's so internal, and you keep it secret, and you don't talk about it and it just festers, and you judge yourself." He went on to cite empathy and vulnerability as the best ways to combat self-hatred, something the "Big Mouth" kids work on throughout the series.

However, Nick is oblivious to Andrew's problems and is too busy caught up in the friend zone with Gina. Jessi and Jay also go through separate personal struggles that aren't solved by the end of the episode. The beginning of Season 2 takes its time fleshing out each individual character and introducing a new set of coming-of-age complexities to be explored.

Season 3 kicks off with a Valentine's Day special — a fitting holiday for our hormonal pubescent characters as they navigate feelings of heartache, loneliness, longing, and confusion. The kids' vulnerabilities are on full display as they grapple with the expectations and pressures of the romantic holiday, which is highlighted in an infectious musical performance. Nick's hormones are out of whack with Connie as his new hormone monster, Andrew struggles with communicating his feelings to Missy, Jay juggles his relationships with his two pillows, Jessi has trouble coming to terms with her mom's new partner, and Matthew struggles to find a valentine as the only openly gay kid at school.

However, while most of the kids resolve their issues by the end, it seems love and forgiveness aren't strong enough to redeem everyone. Unable to accept Missy's unrequited love, Andrew goes on a jealous tirade in front of everyone at Lola's Valentine's Day party. Lying in a cold, wet puddle outside, Andrew hits a new rock bottom, setting up the character's turbulent arc for Season 3.

In the Season 6 finale, the kids' wishes from the previous episode, "The Parents Aren't Alright," magically come true overnight, but the cliché "be careful what you wish for" couldn't be more f***ed up (hence the title). In true "Freaky Friday" style, Andrew and his dad, Nick and his grandpa, Jessi and her baby sister, and Missy and Nathan Fillion all swap bodies, while Jay and Coach Steve share whatever space can be found in Coach Steve's head. The only way to switch back: learn an important life lesson. For many of the kids, this means helping repair their family dynamics.

Andrew's parents' relationship has been rocky for some time now, and while occupying his father's body, he learns his dad's true feelings towards his mom. To help his dad overcome his fear of being vulnerable, Andrew offers to deliver the message through his dad. Nick does the same thing for his dad by using his grandpa's body to give him the fatherly love and acceptance he's always longed for. Both are heartwarming moments while simultaneously being comedically uncomfortable. Andrew's mom tries to sleep with him in his dad's body, and Nick and his dad tenderly rub each other's nipples during their heart-to-heart. The juxtaposition of both tones is a signature of the series.

During spring break, Nick joins the Gloubermans on their vacation to the sunshine state, where they encounter all the best stereotypes Florida has to offer. Like the musical number states, anything goes in Florida. The extremely unbearable weather, the population of senile retirees, the alligator infestation, and the overall chaos make for an unenjoyable trip until, of course, Andrew's cousin Cherry and her friend Vicki show up. After exchanging some flirtatious banter with Cherry, Andrew contemplates the morality of kissing your cousin and decides it's worth the risk. During Passover, the two sneak into the bedroom to make out while Nick joins Vicki in sinking a boat. Both end in disaster.

Andrew gets caught by his family, and Nick opens a deadly sinkhole that swallows half of Florida. Nick and the Gloubermans are able to make it out in time, thanks to Andrew's mom's invigorating outburst. Was it all real or just a biblical metaphor? The episode cleverly uses satire to explore the many facets of Florida's uniqueness while connecting with viewers through universal experiences of family vacations.

In part two of the school-held lunar eclipse sleepover, while the Shame Wizard is busy trying to shame the unshameable Coach Steve, Nick takes the opportunity to create a new game called smooch or share — a combination of spin the bottle and truth or dare — in hopes of getting some action from one of the girls. However, everything goes wrong when Andrew tells Nick about the time he masturbated to his sister's swimsuit, causing the two to get into a fight.

After some reflection, Andrew and Nick realize they're only fighting because they feel bad about themselves. When they go to make up, their apologies spark the epiphany that everyone in the school has been haunted by the Shame Wizard. When the Shame Wizard tries to regain control, the kids team up and overcome their shame, spending the rest of the sleepover living it up shame-free. The episode's themes of self-acceptance and sex positivity are valuable lessons for everyone, and make for the perfect setup for the Season 2 finale.

Boob fever in "What Is It About Boobs?" has everyone broaching the subject, and it's all because Gina's chest went through a little bit of a growth spurt. The boys can't keep their eyes off her, while the girls try to comfort themselves through jealousy. Missy takes the boob talk especially hard after being made fun of for her flat chest. The realization hits that maybe it's not a good thing to hyper-fixate and objectify women's bodies. Andrew feels bad about Missy's new insecurity, but Nick is too busy trying to befriend Gina for all the wrong reasons.

Viewers get an honest depiction of puberty from the female perspective with the important lesson that no body is the same. "What Is It About Boobs?" challenges societal stereotypes surrounding body image and rebukes harmful beauty standards. The comedic approach to the episode's inclusive messaging is especially well-crafted in this highly-rated episode.

The kids experience their first high school party hosted by Leah, but not without learning some valuable lessons about consent the hard way. At the party, Nick hits it off with 9th grader Tallulah, but when rumor spreads that she's known for a certain level of promiscuity, Nick gets nervous and starts drinking to calm his nerves. When Tallulah and Nick finally share a kiss, Nick ruins the moment by assuming there will be more, only to learn that Tallulah isn't what everyone's made her out to be. 

Leah isn't having the best time either. When she and her crush Daniel stumble into her room for a makeout session, Daniel tries the head push on Leah, but she isn't having it. Leah storms out, upset with Daniel for ignoring her repeated refusal. When everyone learns it's Daniel who's been spreading rumors and ignoring consent, he's ostracized from the party with a beanie full of puke.

Many fans in a Reddit thread have expressed their love for the episode's relatable humor and moral center. One user wrote, "This episode was funny but I'm really glad that they took the time to discuss consent and try and teach (whatever kids would be watching) that it's not cool to spread rumors about someone if you hook up with them." Although the series targets viewers over the age of 17, another user pointed out that "a lot of adults need these lessons."

Five episodes into the series, the realization finally hits: girls are horny too. The only difference is they don't talk about it all the time like boys do. Instead, they rely on the sensual nature of things like the romantic novel "The Rock of Gibraltar" to provoke those hot and bothered feelings. This changes everything for the boys ... if only they could figure out to best way to utilize this new information. It turns out there's more to sex than just sex, and feelings of passion and longing are just as important to the equation.

Jessi's storyline about her developing chest and tumultuous relationship with her mother shines in this episode. Feeling like she doesn't live up to the beauty standards of the protagonist in the book, Jessi convinces her mom to buy her a sexy red bra with a feminist guilt trip. But when she wears the bra to school, she's met with unwanted attention. The transition from child to woman is a challenging balancing act, but as Jessi and the rest of the kids better get to know themselves and their bodies, the easier it will be to manage this phase in their lives.

Leah is ready to lose — or rather, win — her virginity to her hunky new boyfriend, Val, on the Birch family ski trip. Of course, the first time, like for so many, doesn't go as smoothly as she hoped. Both are inexperienced, and neither Leah nor Val knows how to communicate their needs. Although both her parents, Elliot and Diane, are supportive, Diane isn't happy with how nonchalant Elliot is acting about Leah's situation. Eventually, the two are able to find common ground and give advice to Leah on how to communicate with her partner for safe, pleasurable sex.

Everyone is having the sexual time of their lives except for Nick, whose attitude is ruined by his antagonizing hate worm. Between his parents' sex-positive mentality and Andrew's ability to pick up a girl despite his dorkiness, Nick can no longer control his hatred and annoyance, but that's not something a little love can't fix as the opposing emotions of love and hate go head-to-head in the finale of Season 5.

In this Season 3 finale, the series' absurdity reaches new heights when everyone in school is granted superpowers after a mysterious storm rolls into town. But in a world where genitals talk and hormone monsters guide children through puberty, the overnight transformation is an exciting, believable addition to the absurdity of adolescence. Instead of using their strangely specific powers for good, the hormonal kids choose to use them against each other as fights between friends over the love of Missy escalate. But when a bigger threat puts them all in danger, they set their differences aside for a moment of teamwork before going back to fighting about Missy.

When everything comes to a head, expectations are subverted with the big twist that everyone's superpowers are all in Caleb's head. The seventh grade comes to an end, and Nick heads off to summer camp without his best friend by his side. Unlike other episodes that end with the characters of "Big Mouth" fixing their problems and learning a lesson, the finale ends on a cliffhanger with tension-fueled rifts between friends.

In the final episode of Season 2 (yet another satisfying "Big Mouth" season finale), Nick's hormone monster Tyler leaves a portal open to Puberty Headquarters for Nick, Jessi, and Andrew to wander into. While there, Nick searches for a new hormone monster after Tyler is fired from his position, and Jessi gets assigned to the Depression Kitty to help manage her out-of-control hormones. The only problem: the kids have to leave the portal before the prolonged exposure stunts their growth.

Jessi's time with the Depression Kitty accurately portrays the realities of living with the disorder while still maintaining the series' humorous approach, making the complex subject accessible to everyone. Luckily, Nick, Andrew, Maury, and Connie are able to help Jessi overcome her depressive episode and make it out of the portal in time. Back in the real world, Connie is assigned as Nick's hormone monster — her first boy, setting up an interesting dynamic for Season 3.

In part one of the lunar eclipse sleepover, the Shame Wizard leaves no kid unscathed from feelings of shame, embarrassment, and self-loathing when their behavior is called into question. When word gets around that Nick managed to get to second base with Gina — the Mount Everest of middle school sexual accomplishments — the two receive entirely different reactions from their peers. Nick is praised and idolized for his conquest, while Gina is outcasted as a slut who gave it up easily, causing their intimate moment to become a shameful mistake.

The double standard is an all too relatable experience and just one of the many challenges of puberty. Meanwhile, students like Jessi, Missy, Jay, and Matthew struggle with their own shame: Jessi with her part in the slut shaming, Missy getting caught dry-humping her stuffed worm, Jay's friendship with Coach Steve, and Matthew with his sexuality. Together they find the strength to overcome the Shame Wizard on their road to self-discovery and acceptance.