# Best Single Television Episode Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831 "2004-09-02T20:43:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/141 "2004-09-06T19:01:12Z")
I’m surprised noone has yet mentioned [this episode](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/GuidePageServlet/showid-1339/epid-28748/). ---
**Author:** ![Lambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lambo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/142 "2004-09-06T20:29:14Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > I have three nominations, for moments that had me rolling at the time and still crack me up today: > > 1. The “Super Karate Monkey Death Car” episode of _NewsRadio_. Holy hell, I couldn’t even read that without laughing so hard tears came to my eyes. When will they finally get this on DVD!!! ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/143 "2004-09-07T19:13:50Z")
> [@Lambo](#): > > Holy hell, I couldn’t even read that without laughing so hard tears came to my eyes. When will they finally get this on DVD!!! Patience, grasshopper. According to [this site,](http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/shownews.cfm?ShowID=3054) work continues on a full DVD set for the first two seasons of _Newsradio_, although they haven’t set a release date yet. Personally, my favorite episodes are: **Daydream** , where the thermostat is broken and everyone’s daydreams are revealed–I particularly liked Catherine’s; **The Trainer** , where Dave is revealed to be a Canadian (Matthew, to Catherine: “You’re from Africa? Say something in African!” Catherine: “Shut the” _quick cutaway to next scene_); **Complaint Box** : “A complaint about the complaint box . . . delicious!”; **Jumper** , featuring Jon Lovitz as, well, a jumper outside Dave’s window. Several pee-in-your-pants funny scenes; **Bill Moves On** , the first episode made following the death of Phil Hartman; and any of the fifth-season episodes starring Patrick Warburton as Johnny Johnson. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/144 "2004-09-12T06:54:00Z")
The Sopranos: **Pine Barrens**. I wish people would quit asking if the “interior decorator” will ever show up again. If he did, it would retroactively make the episode imperfect! The Bernie Mac Show: First season finale (apparently doesn’t have a title). Bernie brings the family back to Chicago for his Uncle Ellister’s funeral, and to visit the kids’ mom. So much of it is predictable: Vanessa gets stood up three times by mom; her former friends turn on her for supposedly being uppity; ne’er-do-well Cousin D is drunk or speeding at the funeral; “Uncle” Ellister turns out to be Bernie’s bio-dad, but it plays out so realistically, you can’t help but be moved. My So-Called Life: **Weekend**. When I saw the plot synopsis in the TV guide, I thought they had to be kidding. Rayanne handcuffed to the bed all weekend? Patty gets drunk? Have they stooped this low to stay on the air? But again, it played out totally realistically. These were round characters, not flat ones moving through a slapstick plot. Alas, it didn’t save the show. ---
**Author:** ![Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirt_Ninja_13)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/145 "2004-09-12T11:49:42Z")
My favorite episode of TV is, currently, an episode of **Deep Space 9** wherein Capt. Sisko and Garek manage to get the Romulans into the war against the Dominion by forging a communique indicating that they intended to attack their forces, paying the forger in a grossly illegal manner, then having him and a Romulan diplomat who basically had nothing to do with any of it killed so as to make it all look like the Dominion did it. The entirety of the episode is Capt. Sisko’s personal log as he recounts his role in the (hideously immoral) events that take place. Granted, Garek suggests and orchestrates an awful lot of what happens, but Sisko ends up having to deal with his part in it all. Garek: “So the Romulans are in the war, now, on our side. The Alpha Quadrant has a fighting chance against the Dominion invasion, and all it took were the lives of one criminal, one Romulan senator…and the peace of mind of one Federation captain. I’d say that’s quite a bargain, wouldn’t you?” Capt. Sisko: “…but I can live with it. I _can_ live with it… Computer, erase that entire personal log.” _beep beep_ _end_ _bamf_ ---
**Author:** ![Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirt_Ninja_13)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/146 "2004-09-12T11:56:40Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > “Duet”, “In the Pale Moonlight”, and “Far Beyond the Stars” from Deep Space Nine and “Tapestry”, “Darmok”, “Thine Own Self” and “The Inner Light” from The Next Generation > > I do not care for BtVS’ “Once More with Feeling” at all. It has to be one of the most overrated episodes I’ve ever seen. It’s not bad but I don’t think it’s a tenth of the show it’s made out to be either. Put my vote in for “Tapestry” under the TNG column. Favorite Quote: Picard: “I would rather die as the man I was than live the life I just saw.” _bamf_ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/147 "2004-09-12T13:02:23Z")
Some of these are seconds, but oh well. **The Simpsons** : Cape Feare; Homer vs. The 18th Amendment (I’m always the only person to nominate that one ;)) **Futurama** : The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings might be #1. I read about Jurassic Bark here before I saw it. The ending was really devastating. I love that the show had that capability. The Globetrotters episode is similar. **The X Files** : Jose Chung, probably the most surreal hour you’ll ever see on TV- I have no idea how they came up with any of it, much less pulled it off; Clyde Bruckman, bizarre but deep and kind of moving. **The Sopranos** : The Pine Barrens; Funhouse. **Star Trek: TNG** : Family **The Daily Show** : December 12, 2000. The Supreme Court stops the Florida recounts only hours before showtime, and the writers turned one of the strangest political moments in our history into one of the funniest television episodes in history. Stephen Colbert did a report from the camp of the ‘real loser in this election’ (according to John Paul Stevens): The Nation’s Confidence in the Judge as an Impartial Guardian of the Rule of Law. T.N.C.J.I.G.R.L. has conceded to something like The Nation’s View of the Judge as a Biased Partisan Despot, who “just ran a better campaign.” We learn the election was decided by a cluster of 537 ganglia in the medulla oblongata of Justice Kennedy. And best of all, we’re told that with the Supreme Court having weighed in, Gore does have one last option: pleading his case at the Hall of Justice, before the Justice League. However, the Legion of Doom might pose a problem by tying up the Justice League, as the Legion have released a swarm of evil, giant mutant crabs into Chesapeake Bay. One of the crabs gives Jon a few closed-captioned soundbytes, which end with something like “We will be victorious. For we are the legion of DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!” I’m amazed I survived this episode. I once asked Jon Stewart if he thought there was an episode that best exemplified what TDS does, and this was his pick. It’s mine too. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/148 "2004-09-12T14:18:00Z")
I must say one of my favorite bits of a show was the Star Trek: TNG “Pegasus” opener. Picard and Riker standing in 10-Forward, looking at the kids’ work for Picard Day. Riker’s impersonation of Picard is freakin’ hilarious, and the look on Picard’s face. And then when he tries to explain “Picard Day” to the admiral (It’s for the kids) his discomfort is obvious. It’s the best leader for TNG I’d ever seen, and really, the most I’d ever laughed at it. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/149 "2004-09-12T16:22:58Z")
I always liked the \*\*Cheers \*\* episode in which Emma Thompson guest-starred as a children’s singer and former romantic interest of Frasier and at one point ended up rolling around on the floor of the bar in a catfight with Bebe Neuwirth. (As Frasier turned to Sam and said something like “Right now, at this exact moment, I’m the happiest man on earth,” IIRC) Too many potential choices from \*\*The Larry Sanders Show \*\* to go into here, but off the top of my head perhaps one of the ones with Elvis Costello or David Duchovny. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/150 "2004-09-12T16:59:24Z")
late to the thread, as usual, and with sevral coices to post, as usual… But I’ll settle on this one. it’s _M_A_S_H\*\* The ep where Hawkeye tries to catch Trapper John before he leaves to go home. He just misses him, and he and Radar meet Trap’s replacement, B,J. Honnycut. If I’m remembering correctly, when it was first shown, it was a 90 minute special, reruns and syndication brought it down to a choice of either 2 30 min eps or one very chopped up 30 min ep. Neither do justice to the original as aired episode. Only the first two or so minutes and the final shot were at the 4077th, the rest was some sort of ‘location’ filming. From the beginning desperation of Hawkeye wanting to see his friend one last time, to the predjudice shown between ranks and services and nationalities, to the noob seeing first hand the casual horrors of war that the other two are already jaded by… it was truly memorable TV. Plus, B.J. got to report to Major Ferret Face as the end comedy shot. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/151 "2004-09-12T17:39:02Z")
> [@Airblairxxx](#): > > **The Trainer** , where Dave is revealed to be a Canadian (Matthew, to Catherine: “You’re from Africa? Say something in African!” Catherine: “Shut the” _quick cutaway to next scene_) My favorite part of that episode is where Dave is explaining to Jimmy why he hid being a Canadian. J: What did you think the other kids would think? D: It’s remarkably stupid. J : It’s not stupid if it has bothered you this long. D: I was afraid the other kids would think we were spies. J: Spies? D: Yes. J: _Canadian_ spies? D: (nods head) J: That is remarkably stupid. D: Well, you know, when you’re 5-years old, you don’t really understand the intricacies of international espionage. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/152 "2004-09-12T18:37:27Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I second (third or whatever) _West Wing_, **In Excelsis Deo**. Yes, this episode moved me to tears. On a lighter note, I really loved the Frasier episode where Niles + Daphne danced together. (Gee, I wonder if any Doper can identify it?!) And how about CSI: ‘Ellie’. When Captain Brass asks his daughter if they can get back together, I was expecting the script to call for a massive hug. Oh, no. Just great acting. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/153 "2004-09-12T19:32:41Z")
I just started watching Sex and the City (leave it to me to wait until after a show is done to start watching it). I wouldn’t call any of the episodes deep or powerful, really, but there was one scene in an episode I watched yesterday that really did move me. Carrie, fresh out of her relationship with Big, starts dating “The New Yankee” in an effort to move on. She keeps thinking she sees Big everywhere she goes, but usually ends up mistaken. Out on a date with the Yankee, she again spots Big, but this time for real. They show Big as he spots her, and the only sound you hear as he approaches her is that of a pounding heartbeat. It must have been almost a full minute of nothing but that rhythmic thumping, and the look of anguish on Carrie’s face. An excellent, excellent moment, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/154 "2004-09-12T20:22:04Z")
I can agree with many of those I recognize (I don’t watch most of the newer shows), but I’ll throw in a couple I haven’t seen mentioned. Both are from **Red Dwarf** , _Four Horsemen (?)_ and the Kennedy episode. In _Four Horsemen_, Kryten wires himself into the ship’s computer to fight a virus, and the others go in to watch him via a virtual-reality game - a western. In the Kennedy ep, Lister gets the others to time-travel in search of a new stock of chicken vindaloo, his favourite food. They end up in Dallas in 1963, accidentally push a man out the window of a warehouse (leaving his rifle behind), and find they can’t get home because of the changes they’ve caused in their history. Both are very funny and very dramatic at the same time, both play well with science-fictional ideas, and both deal with the courage the characters get from working together. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/155 "2004-09-12T21:21:29Z")
Great call on that Daily Show episode, Marley23. I had just started watching the show a few months prior, and I watched that specific episode every single time they re-ran it. Absolutely brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Ezekiel25\_17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@Ezekiel25\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezekiel25_17)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2004, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/156 "2004-09-13T04:05:14Z")
Wow, so many of these episodes appear on my own list that I’m inclined to agree that all dopers really are becoming one person. Sausage! That being said, I’ll start with my seconds: Jurassic Bark also made me tear up (but in a manly way), Once More With Feeling runs neck and neck with A streetcar named Marge for best musical ever, Eli’s Coming was fantastic (and how could it have taken 90 some odd posts to get to Sports Night?) In the Shadow of Two Gunman is IMHO the best told West Wing episode. New additons (unless I missed them, in which case I apologize) Buffy: Pangs Angel: A Hole in the World. Don’t know why, but this episode spoke to me. Firefly: Out of Gas- Hands down the best hour of television ever produced West Wing: Issac and Ishmael Sports Night: The Apology- This was the episode that convinced me of Sorkin’s genius Pete Vs Pete: Tie between “Sick Day” and “Time Tunnel” Rocko’s Modern life: To Heck and Back. First apearance of rocko’s version of Satan, the man called: Peaches Boy Meets World: Ok, so this show sucked…alot. But it meant a great deal to me back in the day, especially “Long Walk to Pittsburgh” I & I Theres my two scents. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831/157 "2004-09-13T05:31:36Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Simpsons: **A Streetcar Named Marge**. Best. Musical. EVER! And the subplot with Maggie at the Ayn Rand Daycare is great too. > [@A Streetcar Named Marge](#): > > Marge: Maggie is allergic to strained pears, and she likes a bottle of warm milk before nap time. > > Ms. Sinclair: A bottle? Mrs. Simpson, do you know what a baby is saying when she reaches for a bottle? > > Marge: Ba Ba? > > Ms. Sinclair: She is saying, “I am a leech!” Our aim here is to develop the bottle within. An excellent episode! I saw it the first time right around when I first read a Rand novel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-television-episode-ever/262831.md?page=7)