The Big Bang Theory - The Staircase Implementation. The flashback scenes are done so perfectly, and the tale of how the elevator got broken is nerd-vana.
Penny: Of course he was crazy. He was living with Sheldon.
Leonard: Yeah, it makes sense. NOW.
The Ren and Stimpy episode which included Stimpy’s Invention, one of the greatest pieces of animation ever created.
I was thinking of this one too. The “time-travel” scene never fails to crack me up! 
This was my fave from first showing. Years later, I caught it in syndication run and 10 or 15 minutes had been cut for time. :eek: Made not a lick of sense.
Fargo, S2, ep 8, I think. The episode where Peggy and Ed kidnap Dodd.
“Ya gotta quit stabbin’ him, hon.” 
If for nothing else than the river rafting skit, Portlandia S2E1 “Mixology”.
I’m going to mention. Red Dwarf’s Back to Reality, which had me genuinely wondering if they were going to change the setup of the entire series.
Quantum Leap - M.I.A (must be with the original Georgia on My Mind)
Married with Children - A Period Piece
I see “Pine Barrens” got love previously, but I still feel that “Funhouse” is the best episode of The Sopranos. Every time I watch it I marvel at how amazing it is.
Oh, and Titus - Insanity is Genetic
The episode of Hill Street Blues where the two hoods rape and murder a nun.
In the real-life incident on which that episode was based, even the Mafia dropped everything to look for the killers. They were lucky the cops found them first.
Dick van Dyke, “That’s My Boy?” With guest star Greg Morris, got the series’ loudest, longest laugh ever.
That was very daring in the year it was shown.
Dick: Why didn’t you tell me?
Greg: And miss seeing the look on your face?
**Sesame Street **episode #1839 - This is the episode where the cast helps Big Bird understand the death of Mr. Hooper (after the real life death of actor Will Lee). One of the most poinient epsiodes on a show that has dealt with a lot of real life situations and provides powerful tools for helping pre-school age kids understand death and its permanence. Not as funny or dramatic as some other entries on this list, but one that has stayed with many of the kids who watched it.
Apologies for the hijack.
There are many ways to assess TOS episodes. For me, one of the more important ones is visual effects; in particular, starships maneuvering through space and firing beams. “Elaan of Troyius” has more such action than (almost?) any other TOS episode. Along with miscellaneous other efx, it also has the greatest transporter effect of any episode, a close-up with (what looks like) 4 or 5 glitter passes on Ms. Nuyen as she beams down.
Another important TOS consideration is of course space babeage. Ms. Nuyen looks great, has some of the best hair of the series, is awesomely costumed (a series hallmark) and makes a superb “space bitch.” It’s easily the best performance of hers I’ve ever seen…and I’ve seen at least five of her 63 credits listed on IMDB.
While Mr. Shatner, et al are in their usual fine form, the stand-out performance in the supporting cast comes from creepy Jay Robinson. It was one of his first credits following a drug bust in the late ‘50s that effectively ended his movie career for several years. Admittedly, he complains a lot in the episode, yet somehow never comes off as too obnoxiously whiny (e.g., imagine Jonathan Harris in the role).
Plot-wise, the episode weaves action, romance, humor, mystery and political intrigue in the best TOS manner. There is a palpable sense of dramatic escalation and tension in the climactic space battle. I think one of the more subtle reasons these sequences work as well as they do is the music. I am sure the sample used was reused in other episodes, but it was not as overused as much as certain other music samples associated with the series. It is also unusually well edited/integrated into the episode.
The biggest criticism I can make of the episode is that when Kirk says “fire phasers,” the stock shot which follows has the Enterprise firing photon torpedoes (note that this mistake is recreated in the “remastered” version of the episode with CG torpedoes). It is annoying. I hope whoever was responsible for it got a lengthy session in the Agony Booth.
Comparison to other alleged “best TOS episode” candidates is revealing. “City on the Edge…” has Joan Collins in soft focus, and perhaps a greater dramatic impact, but it can’t compete in terms of visual efx, action or tension; “Amok Time” has even fewer efx and too much lame-ass Vulcan ritual (and Dr McCoy’s a cheater…I hate cheaters). “…Tribbles” is perhaps funnier, but comes up well short in terms of space action and babeage.
I have never understood why this episode is not more highly regarded. I know I have read some criticisms, but I don’t recall what they were. I obviously did not find them as compelling as the case for regarding “Elaan of Troyius” as the “best TOS episode.”
I was on the edge of my seat watching the episode in which Adrienne got whacked. Holy crap, you could feel the terror she was experiencing as she was dragged from the car! :eek:
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson had me in tears. Best episode ever.
A good analysis and defense of your position. 
While “Elaan” is (IMHO) far from the best episode of the series, I’ll grant you it’s far and away better than the real stinkers of the third season (like “Plato’s Stepchildren”).
Just for the sake of argument, phasers *can *be fired in short bursts that resemble the launching of photon torpedoes, as in “Balance of Terror” (I think this also remained unchanged in the remastered version).
Have to agree with this choice. For a show that was funny from beginning to end, this episode stands out as not missing a single beat. Jen sees Roy in a wheelchair, then turns around and there is Moss as a bartender. I’ve since watched a ton of British quiz shows with Richard Ayoade in them (as well as “Travel Man”), and he may be the funniest man alive. 
“Aluminum Falcon? What the hell’s an “Aluminum Falcon”?!?”
Sig line.
Frank’s Place- Where’s Ed