The Single Greatest Episode of Television Ever

[JLBats]

I watch a lot of tv. I'm genuinely disappointed by most of it. But every once in a while, there's that one episode that is such a gem, such a brilliant episode of television that it gives you hope for the medium. What, to you, is the best single episode in the history of television?

This is going to seem weird, but I've gotta give my vote to Beware the Grey Ghost, BTAS. There is not a bad moment in that episode, it LOOKS amazing, it has plot structure that is better than most movies, and it features Adam West playing against type in a dramatic role... and turning out brilliant. Plus, it really paints a great picture of Batman, inspired by childhood hero worship of this mythic, pulpy hero. Brilliant, brilliant episode.

I realise some shows will suffer in this because we are talking about singular episodes and a lot of great television has come in serialised form recently(24, Alias, Season 1 of Lost, Buffy and Angel). Personally, I think episodic vs. serialised is a nice debate for another day, but personally I see the advantages of both. Episodic is capable of being much more cinematic, bookending the story and closing off all the character arcs within in a much cleaner way. Serialised television gets to have long, vivid character arcs and complex mythology. It's a trade off.

 

[Sawyer]

I personally think that alot of the shows out today and in previous years are better than alot of movies being released in theaters. Just my opinion.

 

[Happenstance]

Possibly Graduation Day Part II from Buffy

 

[JLBats]

I personally think that alot of the shows out today and in previous years are better than alot of movies being released in theaters. Just my opinion.

I never said they weren't. But I think a lot of narrative and thematic coherency that is almost inherent in film is lost in television.

 

[TrailerCues]

I am hoping the upcoming SG1 / SGA Crossover makes this list Or at least very very high up on the list

 

[AllThingsComic]

If you guys promise not to laugh, i'd like to share this with you all: It was a Tom and Jerry cartoon, it was a Christmas episode and Tom finally catches Jerry and kicks him out the house. Jerry is looking in the window to see Tom cozy up by the fire, the house is decorated beautifully. The fire is glowing a soft warming glow. Tom has a nightmare of some kind about Jerry and feels terrible, runs out to find Jerry a frozen popsickle, brings him inside, warms him with some hot soup and wraps a blanket around him by the fire. I just think it was one of the most comfortable looking places I have ever seen, it had the message of forgiving between enemies and I have never forgotten it. It was a truly great cartoon. NOW DON"T LAUGH!! lol

 

[Warhammer]

^Nice.
I remember that episode.

 

[cabel]

What's Opera Doc?
Duck Amuck

BTAS: Robin's Reckoning

Gargoyles: Awakening, City of Stone

Teen Titans: Birthmark

JLU: Question Authority

 

[imdaly]

The pilot episode of "Alias". It's a freaking movie...

 

[Prognosticator]

These are ALL good selections. What about the S1 episode of Angel where Angel & co. squared off against what appeared to be Nazi-like army of Demons. This episode marked the end of the half-demon character Doyle, and I believe it gave an homage to Original Star Trek body paint with the introduction of "The Oracles" who represented "The Powers That Be"...

 

[Prognosticator]

The Pilot of Deadwood is pretty outstanding as well.

 

[huskerwebhead]

Wow, so many come to mind. Off the top of my head I'd say:

The most recent episode of The Shield was pretty damn amazing. "We're going to find out who did this and we're going to kill them." Still reeling from that one.

The new Battlestar Galactica pilot was amazing. So are alot of the episodes...Water and 33 spring to mind.

Star Trek: TNG had some great episodes:
The Inner Light, Best of Both Worlds Part I, and Yesterday's Enterprise were all great.

 

[Prognosticator]

There have been some AMAZING episodes of The Shield, and I would have to track down an episode or two of NYPD Blue that come close to perfect, in terms of flawless tv

...and I bet there's an episode of Law & Order back in its prime that is as solid as hourly tv gets.

 

[A.J.Rimmer(BSC)]

Angel, were he became human but then sacrificed his humanity for Buffy's survival, and was the only one who remembered.


awesome show.

 

[deathshead2]

I am hoping the upcoming SG1 / SGA Crossover makes this list Or at least very very high up on the list

Seeing SGA already on the list tells me its not thats the worst spin off I have ever seen on tv. And stargate sg1 don't get me started about how bad that so got after Anderson left.

 

[Speedball]

The Battlestar Galactica Mini-series(pretty much the pilot for the series)

 

[Pink Ranger]

The premiere episode of the West Wing.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Doublemeat Palace

Homicide: Life on the Street--when they interrogate Steve Buscemi, the subway episode, the Araber episode,

Angel: Smile Time

Red Dwarf: Polymorph

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine--The Visitor

 

[Poetic Chaos]

Nip/Tuck - Rose and Raven Rosenburg

The OC - The Rainy Day Women

 

[Movies205]

If you guys promise not to laugh, i'd like to share this with you all: It was a Tom and Jerry cartoon, it was a Christmas episode and Tom finally catches Jerry and kicks him out the house. Jerry is looking in the window to see Tom cozy up by the fire, the house is decorated beautifully. The fire is glowing a soft warming glow. Tom has a nightmare of some kind about Jerry and feels terrible, runs out to find Jerry a frozen popsickle, brings him inside, warms him with some hot soup and wraps a blanket around him by the fire. I just think it was one of the most comfortable looking places I have ever seen, it had the message of forgiving between enemies and I have never forgotten it. It was a truly great cartoon. NOW DON"T LAUGH!! lol

This isn't TV, these are Theatrical Shorts

 

[Hunter Rider]

The last episode of 24 season 5

The pilot episode of The Shield

 

[Speedball]

It's the End of the World/As We know It (Two parter) from Grey's Anatomy(Got me hooked on the Show)
Good Grief! from Arrested Development

 

[Tangled Web]

The episode of Frsh Prince when Will's Dad comes home and then leaves him again.

 

[Kaboom]

an episode of entourage...any of them
house-the three patients.
greys anatomy- the one with the season finale

 

[JackBauer]

24 first season finale... those last few moments... breaks my heart EVERY time.

 

[Gamma Ray]

"On The Beach" from season 9 of ER is the single best episode of anything ever.

"Rhea Reynolds" in the third season of Nip/Tuck was fu*kin' awesome, too.