# Individual Episodes of shows you like but most fans hate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391 "2011-07-18T00:02:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/21 "2011-07-18T11:41:08Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > On _The Simpsons,_ everybody seems to hate the episode “The Principal and the Pauper.” It’s the one where Principal Skinner admits that he’s really Armin Tamzarian. It’s not necessarily one of my favorites, but I still think it’s a decent episode. I always thought the premise for this episode sounded great, but when I finally actually saw it, I felt the execution fell a little flat. I still think the _controversy_ is way overblown, but for all that, I wish the episode were funnier. Still, I do love the “We will continue pretending Armin is Skinner and never speak of this again” continuity reset ending (that’s basically the part I mean when I say “I always thought the premise for this episode sounded great”). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/22 "2011-07-18T13:16:33Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I kinda like “Bad Eggs” from Buffy, which is supposedly disliked. I liked that one too. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/23 "2011-07-18T13:57:12Z")
Well, the final episode of Seinfeld can be very polarizing for people. I always enjoyed it, thought it was a fitting summation of the series, and great characterization of each character’s personality. Some people who hate that episode, IMHO, just identified too much with these rotten people and had their feelings hurt. But just look at the smile on Jerry’s and Kramer’s face dressed in prison orange during his final standup – their lives haven’t been affected at all, they love it. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/24 "2011-07-18T14:21:51Z")
Another _Simpsons_ episode I liked was “That 90s Show” with flashbacks to when Marge was in college and Homer was in a grunge band when they broke up. It’s another episode that alters the show’s continuity like “Principal and the Pauper.” People just don’t like their continuity messed with. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/25 "2011-07-18T14:30:34Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > Battlestar Galactica’s “The Woman King”. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it and I don’t remember why fans hated it so much almost unanimously, but I enjoyed it because it was Helo-centric and Helo was my favorite character. I didn’t hate this episode, but I thought it had rather too much plot-mandated stupidity - they brass and Dr. Cottle spend far too long refusing to listen to Helo for no particular reason beyond generating dramatic tensioin. There were some good moments, but it was a weaker episode. Though perhaps I’m not one to talk - I _loved_ “Black Market.” Other than the labor-relations ep later in the series, this was one of the very few moments we got a good, hard look at the Fleet’s economy. Fantastic! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/26 "2011-07-18T14:30:36Z")
I like the boxing episode of _Battlestar Galactica._…think it was called “The Dance”. The premise was that every so often, the crew would set up a boxing ring, and any willing participant could put their dog tags in a hat. The tags were drawn one at a time, and whoever’s tag was drawn could call out any other participant to put on the gloves and get in the ring. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/27 "2011-07-18T14:32:35Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I dislike it even though it’s a well written and interesting episode. I started getting sick of Xander’s inability to “man up” throughout the series and I think it starts with this episode. Buffy has super powers and Willow gets magical powers but Xander is still afraid of old bullies by season 3? I know the series was flying high on girl power, but come on? I am decidedly in the minority here I suspect. I’m afraid so - this really _is_ Xander’s manning-up episode. He faces down undead bullies, saves the school from a powerful bomb, and gets laid. The whole point of the episde is that Xander and the folks around him _think_ he can’t man up, but are mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/28 "2011-07-18T15:29:47Z")
My impression that “The Zeppo” was mostly unloved came from fan reaction on the Newsgroups I read at the time when it aired. I also remembered it showing up on many people’s “Worst Episodes” lists but admittedly my sample size was small and that was all a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/29 "2011-07-18T15:35:59Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > On _The Simpsons,_ everybody seems to hate the episode “The Principal and the Pauper.” It’s the one where Principal Skinner admits that he’s really Armin Tamzarian. It’s not necessarily one of my favorites, but I still think it’s a decent episode. I agree. Story-wise, it may not hold up very well, but it’s _funny_, which too many episodes these last few seasons just haven’t been. “Up yours, children!” ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/30 "2011-07-18T20:32:44Z")
I am, apparently, the only person on the planet who likes the final episode of **Quantum Leap**. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/31 "2011-07-18T21:06:54Z")
> [@Southpaw](#): > > I am, apparently, the only person on the planet who likes the final episode of **Quantum Leap**. No, you are not. I am crushed by it, but it is perfect and astonishing. It’s what I came in to mention. Likewise, I enjoyed the final episode of _Battlestar Galactica_ and all of _Caprica_. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/32 "2011-07-18T21:21:36Z")
Oh, and while it’s not an “episode,” per se, _Meaning of Life_ is still my favorite Monty Python film. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/33 "2011-07-18T22:29:08Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > On _The Simpsons,_ everybody seems to hate the episode “The Principal and the Pauper.” It’s the one where Principal Skinner admits that he’s really Armin Tamzarian. It’s not necessarily one of my favorites, but I still think it’s a decent episode. Not only do I love that one, but Saddlesore Galactica (the one with Duncan the Wonderhorse, the singing jockey trolls, Clinton is a pretty lousy president, etc) is also one of my all time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/34 "2011-07-18T23:04:23Z")
> [@Southpaw](#): > > I am, apparently, the only person on the planet who likes the final episode of **Quantum Leap**. I’m torn. I love the episode all the way up to the last title card, but “Sam never got home” was a really horrible thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/35 "2011-07-19T00:08:42Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I like the boxing episode of _Battlestar Galactica._…think it was called “The Dance”. The premise was that every so often, the crew would set up a boxing ring, and any willing participant could put their dog tags in a hat. The tags were drawn one at a time, and whoever’s tag was drawn could call out any other participant to put on the gloves and get in the ring. This one has a director’s extended cut on the DVD that improves it a ton. I like the extended cut, but the original was only OK. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/36 "2011-07-19T04:39:51Z")
The final episode of Battlestar Galactica was exactly what it was supposed to be. If you didn’t like the final episode, why were you watching the show in the first place? Folks, you had angels and prophecies and visions from the first episode. I guess prophecies and chosen ones are such ubiquitous science fiction tropes that people expect them but don’t expect them to be taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![bramma23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bramma23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramma23)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/37 "2011-07-19T04:43:23Z")
The caffeine pill addiction/“I’M SO EXCITED!” episode from Saved by the Bell. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/38 "2011-07-19T04:46:59Z")
I thought “Beer Bad” was a perfectly serviceable filler episode of _Buffy_. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/39 "2011-07-19T05:34:33Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I kinda like “Bad Eggs” from Buffy, which is supposedly disliked. It’s got Cordelia in a leather miniskirt, boots and matching vest. Good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391/40 "2011-07-19T08:40:12Z")
1. the simpson - that episode where mr. burns falls for marge and kidnaps tom jones for a captive command performance. i kept repeating “it’s not unusual to be loved…” during my MBA evening class. most people say it’s their holloween specials or the episode featuring the older george bush. 2. the night stalker - “the trevi collection” where lara parker was a witch. most liked the vampire and the ripper episode. 3. the thin blue line - “kids today.” 4. original mission impossible - “the council” 5. hawaii 5-oh - “‘v’ for vaccion” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/individual-episodes-of-shows-you-like-but-most-fans-hate/589391.md?page=3)