# Best Single Episode of an Otherwise Mediocre-to-Bad Series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104 "2009-04-23T14:52:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/1 "2009-04-23T14:52:33Z")
Obviously inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=515066) thread, how many piddling series have a standout episode? “Just Shoot Me” is a given–chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot piiiiiiiieeeee, the episode about Donny, the (supposedly) retarded brother, had me on the floor laughing. It was so funny I’m laughing as I type this. What others? ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/2 "2009-04-23T15:50:25Z")
I seem to recall an episode of Mama’s Family wherein Mama got a job at a grocery store and was a surly old hag to all of the customers. Now, I might be mis-remembering; this was YEARS ago, back when it was still first run, but I seem to recall that episode being incredibly funny… …and I have nothing else nice to say about that show… ---
**Author:** ![SpasticKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@SpasticKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpasticKitty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/3 "2009-04-23T16:03:38Z")
I remember laughing hysterically at the “Just Shoot Me” Donnie episode. The rest of the series…not so much. I’m pretty sure the only reason I watched it was because I had a huge crush on David Spade at the time. Another show this thread brought to mind was “Oliver Beene,” a show on Fox set in the early 1960s that ran from 2003 to 2004. The episode when Oliver’s older brother yelled “PENIS!” on live TV (some Bozo-the-clown-type TV show) had me laughing so hard, it kind of made up for the rest of the mediocre series. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/4 "2009-04-23T16:04:51Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Obviously inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=515066) thread, how many piddling series have a standout episode? > > “Just Shoot Me” is a given–chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot piiiiiiiieeeee, the episode about Donny, the (supposedly) retarded brother, had me on the floor laughing. It was so funny I’m laughing as I type this. > > What others? There was also the parody “Biography” episode that they did of what’s her name… Wendy Malick’s character. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/5 "2009-04-23T16:27:17Z")
In _Angel_ a show I don’t think is very good, but my wife would watch and I would see more than I hoped, there is a very funny and entertaining episode where the characters turn into puppets. It’s actually dumb, but in a fun and like I said, entertaining way. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/6 "2009-04-23T16:38:42Z")
The pilot episode of **Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip** was fantastic, and well worth watching. The rest of the series was uneven at best. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/7 "2009-04-23T16:56:01Z")
Bad series: _Galactica 1980_. Good episode: “The Return of Starbuck”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/8 "2009-04-23T18:06:50Z")
The “Year of Hell” episode of Star Trek: Voyager. The ship is badly, visibly damaged, supplies are running out, the crew is miserable - this is how the entire series should have been. The mirror universe episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise were excellent. Even the opening sequences - NX starships kicking ass and taking names! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/9 "2009-04-23T18:15:30Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Bad series: _Galactica 1980_. > Good episode: “The Return of Starbuck”. Darn it! You beat me to it! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/10 "2009-04-23T18:38:13Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > The mirror universe episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise were excellent. Even the opening sequences - NX starships kicking ass and taking names! I just saw these recently for the first time, and I have to say, they were top-flight. And I’m not even thinking about the fact that I think I saw Hoshi’s nipples. Not thinking about that at all. My story. I’m sticking to it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/11 "2009-04-23T18:51:41Z")
Series: Lost in Space Episode: “The Questing Beast” Hans Conreid as a space knight searching for a monster (voice of June Foray). Penny befriends the monster, and the combination of Conreid playing the role as Don Quixote and the very charming ending makes it a pretty good episode. It had a nice fairy tale quality overall. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Black\_Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/12 "2009-04-23T20:41:48Z")
I know a lot of people are in love with ER. I thought it was just ok. The episode where Dr. Greene is trying to save the woman with preeclampsia, and that’s the only thing going on in the whole episode was just devastating. I’ll never forget it. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/13 "2009-04-23T22:25:18Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Obviously inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=515066) thread, how many piddling series have a standout episode? > > “Just Shoot Me” is a given–chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot piiiiiiiieeeee, the episode about Donny, the (supposedly) retarded brother, had me on the floor laughing. It was so funny I’m laughing as I type this. > > What others? The one I thought of immediately on seeing the thread title, and still the only one that comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/14 "2009-04-23T23:18:12Z")
Show: Law and Order SVU (Disclaimer: I love SVU, but I’m not one to make claims that it’s any more than a standard police procedure) Episode: Rage Basically the episode is about a suspect for a murder they can only hold for 24 hours, and once they let him out they know he’s gonna leave the country. Except for the last five minutes, the whole episode is nothing more the the two detectives interrogating him nonstop, playing mind games trying to get him to reveal something. Really intense and gripping. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/15 "2009-04-23T23:25:33Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > “Just Shoot Me” is a given Never understood why this show is generally considered bad–I remember liking it a lot, though I only saw it during the first year or two. (Didn’t have a TV during the rest of its run.) The funniest thing I remember from it was the “Surf City” montage (“Two Girls for Every Boy” ). ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/16 "2009-04-23T23:37:26Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > In _Angel_ a show I don’t think is very good, but my wife would watch and I would see more than I hoped, there is a very funny and entertaining episode where the characters turn into puppets. It’s actually dumb, but in a fun and like I said, entertaining way. Only Angel was turned into a puppet, and the rest of the cast’s reactions was the greatest part of the episode. Puppet Angel kicking Spike’s ass while he’s giggling uncontrollably was just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/17 "2009-04-23T23:42:11Z")
Semi-famously, there’s actually one good episode of The Superfriends. “The Fear.” The Scarecrow torments Batman by using his fear gas to make him flash back to his parents’ murder. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/18 "2009-04-24T00:07:04Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Bad series: _Galactica 1980_. > Good episode: “The Return of Starbuck”. This. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/19 "2009-04-24T02:34:27Z")
“Think Tank” from _Star Trek Voyager_ was the only episode of the series I liked. Odesio ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104/20 "2009-04-24T02:44:24Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > There was also the parody “Biography” episode that they did of what’s her name… Wendy Malick’s character. I would argue for the episode where David Spade’s character believes that Laura San Giacomo might be willing to hook up with a lesbian and goes on a city-wide series of tasks to try and make it happen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-episode-of-an-otherwise-mediocre-to-bad-series/494104.md?page=2)