Plebs: ITV’s greatest comedy

Published by Mason Oldridge, 22 May 2025

CONTAINS SPOILERS!

When in Rome, do as the Romans do! ITV may not have the best roster of comedy series when compared to its contemporaries of BBC and Channel 4 but it had a sure fire hit on its hands with the ITV2 sitcom Plebs. Running from 2013 to its bumper finale in 2022 across five hilarious seasons, Plebs deserves the crown (and toga) for being ITV’s greatest comedy.

Set in Ancient Rome, it follows the weedy Marcus, his ladies man roommate Stylax and his lazy slave Grumio as they struggle to live as lowly citizens in the big city. Marcus and Stylax work for the intimidating Flavia in a scriptorium of a grain factory, along with waterboy Aurelius, who insists on being called waterman and has an unfortunate habit of speaking crudely just as their boss enters the room. The boys live in a block of apartments run by the greedy and lawless Landlord, who isn’t shy to pull a sly con on an unsuspecting Grumio. He is joined by the burly bodyguard Davus from the second season and later his ruthless mother Landlady. Marcus is the opposite of his playboy roommate and proves to be unlucky in love, therefore entertaining different love interests throughout the series. In the first two seasons, he falls for aspiring actress Cynthia, his neighbour from Briton, though his efforts are regularly thwarted by her slave Metella. Following their deportation, which he inadvertently plays a part in, he turns his efforts to Delphine, an activist from Gaul, which ultimately ends abruptly when he abandons her to seek refuge from a predicted earthquake. In the final two seasons, he embarks on a not-so-clear relationship with business neighbour Gloria, though this is also not without obstacles. The fourth season launches a major plot change as Stylax is killed off, crushed to death in a construction accident at the hands of clumsy worker Jason, who replaces him. The new trio, joined by Aurelius, then renovate an underground toilet block into a wine bar, which doesn’t quite become the swanky new watering hole they were hoping for.

The recipe for success in a sitcom is the situations the characters find themselves in. After all, it is a situation comedy. Marcus doesn’t make the best first impression on Cynthia as he invites her to an orgy, which is more Stylax’s scene. He then fixes for Cynthia’s new gladiator boyfriend Cassius (Danny Dyer) to face a brutal opponent, which results in his decapitation. Grumio receives an erotic vase for his birthday, featuring someone with a resemblance to Cynthia from a certain angle, which Landlord proceeds to borrow. Marcus then pretends to like a stray cat that Cynthia is fond of, though the moggie soon dies. To make matters worse, Grumio, having been tricked into buying a lottery ticket with 50/50 odds of winning (you win or you don’t), loses it and believes it to be inside the dead animal. Stylax is excited by sexy new Thracian immigrants, until he learns his new love interest is married. Marcus and Stylax are forced into working during Flavia’s Saturnalia party, so they move the clock forward to leave early.

In the second season, Stylax takes up charioteering, getting taught by an emotionally unstable divorcee (Shaun Williamson aka Barry from EastEnders). Aurelius is getting married and asks Marcus to be his best man, resulting in a disastrous stag do where the water carrier has second thoughts about his bride with brittle bones. Elsewhere, Grumio decides to adopt an abandoned baby he finds, which Stylax uses to date a wet nurse, until an incident involving her having an involuntary release. Stylax is mentored by a nobleman (James Fleet), whose interest in him he misinterprets. Marcus learns that the grass isn’t always greener when he purchases a psychotic new slave (Tim Key). Marcus is hired to manage the wig of a politician (Simon Callow). When Cynthia and Metella face deportation, Marcus enlists the help of hotshot lawyer Fabianus, but between Marcus having teased him at school and Grumio breaking the phallus off his stone statue, the plan backfires.

The third season kicks off with the boys narrowly escaping death as they find themselves in an arena with a lion as the Games come to town. Thankfully, his new girlfriend Delphine is protesting the games… for cruelty to animals. Grumio’s birth father returns and apologises for abandoning him on a hill as a baby and Grumio intends on joining his soup business. Stylax sleeps with a vestal virgin (Michelle Keegan), who lets the flame go out. A theatre director (Miriam Margoyles) hires Grumio to play Cupid in a play. When a self-defence instructor belittles Marcus in front of Delphine, he exacts revenge that doesn’t end well. Stylax invents a new game jugball, which entails throwing a paper ball in Aurelius’ water jug. Grumio has to work for another master, where he teaches the other slaves to be lazy. When a weatherist moves in next door and predicts a minor tremor, Marcus uses it to attempt to spice things up with Delphine, though when the forecast turns more dangerous, he flees to evacuation without her.

In the fourth season, the boys set up their new business The Crown and Toga, but aren’t off to a great start when they receive a negative review from a critic, leading to them faking an extremely positive one. Jason challenges Aurelius in a marathon, leading to a rather disgusting forfeit. When Grumio is mistaken for having learning disabilities, Marcus uses this to gain money from a charity. Marcus dates a stand-up comedian (Aisling Bea) but doesn’t like when she uses intimate details as material for her sets. When Grumio swallows a customer’s engagement ring, they have to wait for him to pass it. When the boys visit a bathhouse, they realise they can keep using their free trial for as long as they don’t leave. Marcus convinces a Jewish accountant to date him… and do the bar’s accounting. The boys try to steal the recipe for beer when a Germanian pub opens nearby.

The fifth season starts with the boys on a trip, but when they collide with a pig (and Jason violently puts it out of its misery) they stay over at a farm with a nice family… who owned said pig. Back in the city, Marcus tutors Gloria’s son… and graphically threatens him. Meanwhile, Grumio finds himself on an under-14s boxing team after the coach (John Thomson) mistakes him for a schoolboy. Elsewhere, the boys become embroiled in a poison plot at a banquet, where Jason is attracted to one of the aristocrats (Amanda Holden). Grumio invents a hat, while Jason and Aurelius become male escorts. The boys try to attract sports fans to the bar but their lack of allegiance to one team sees their plan backfire as usual. They then find themselves in trouble with the police over the death of an archeological professor (Tony Robinson). When they get evicted, Marcus plays his parents for help whereas Jason becomes an estate agent… and stays in the vacant properties. Then, Marcus sees Jason’s brother’s wedding as a business opportunity but learns he may not go through with the marriage.

Between the variety of brilliant characters, the hilarious situations of making immoral decisions for personal gain, plans backfiring or just downright misfortune and an array of special guest appearances, Plebs solidifies itself as ITV’s greatest comedy and indeed one of the best British comedies overall.