# Milestone episodes in shows (MAJOR spoilers possible) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2017, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740 "2017-06-24T07:28:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/1 "2017-06-24T07:28:34Z")
So I was rewatching the first season of The Big Bang Theory and I’ve reached episode eight “The Grasshopper Experiment”, and I realized this was the first episode that set a new rule for Raj normally not being able to talk to women in that …he can talk to women as long as he is drunk., a new facet to this that follows in the show from then on, at least until the (also milestone) episode where he …talks to Penny for the first time, without being drunk.. So what other milestone episodes were there in shows that started well known or important story lines or lead to huge changes? Like, think of a show, any show…and then think of a milestone episode for it. For example, when I think of How I Met Your Mother, I think of “Slap Bet” as being a milestone episode. When I think of Lost, I think of “The Hatch” as a milestone episode (first of many). When I think of The Office, I think of "New Boss"as a milestone episode…but again, that’s just one of many. A smaller one of The Office might be in season three’s “The Merger” or even in season two’s “Casino Night”. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2017, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/2 "2017-06-24T11:56:57Z")
Just about every chapter of _The Good Place_ is a milestone episode. The biggest are “Chapter 2: Flying,” “Chapter 5: Category 55 Doomsday Crisis,” and, of course, the season finale (one of the best ever). ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/3 "2017-06-24T19:44:58Z")
Babylon 5: [The Coming of Shadows](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coming_of_Shadows). Brings together multiple story threads from the first season and part of the second then kicks off the major conflicts that will shape the rest of the next 3 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/4 "2017-06-24T21:12:19Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > Babylon 5: [The Coming of Shadows](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coming_of_Shadows). > > Brings together multiple story threads from the first season and part of the second then kicks off the major conflicts that will shape the rest of the next 3 seasons. How about “In the Shadow of Za’ ha’ dum” ? We finally get some explanation. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/5 "2017-06-24T21:18:46Z")
_Game of Thrones_ has had many, but what stands out to me is the beheading of Ned Stark in Episode 9, “Baelor.” This is the point at which one realizes that _nobody_ is safe, and whomever you assumed was the main protagonist is probably not. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/6 "2017-06-24T21:44:14Z")
“The Contest” on _ **Seinfeld** _. The first time an entire episode of any show was based the M-word. Won a Primetime Emmy, too! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/7 "2017-06-24T23:30:55Z")
“Surprise/Innocence” - **Buffy the Vampire Slayer** When subtext became text, big-time. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/8 "2017-06-24T23:38:13Z")
“Lisa, the Coach’s Daughter” on _ **Cheers!** _ It was only the fifth episode in the series, but it set the bar for all the rest. I still can’t watch it without getting all choked up. :o ---
**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:** [June 24, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/9 "2017-06-24T23:46:36Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > “The Contest” on _ **Seinfeld** _. The first time an entire episode of any show was based the M-word… Is this correct? I thought so at the time, but I am not sure it is right. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/10 "2017-06-25T00:06:09Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is this correct? I thought so at the time, but I am not sure it is right. If you can think of another in the annals of television, I’ll buy you a lobster dinner at Scott’s in London. 😃 The M-word, BTW, is never used in the show; euphemisms are used instead. However, it’s perfectly clear what they’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/11 "2017-06-25T02:34:58Z")
I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/12 "2017-06-25T02:52:13Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I’m out. From my old office, I could see into another building’s apartment where a hot babe would exercise in her underwear every evening. I nevertheless remained master of my own domain. :o ---
**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:** [June 26, 2017, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milestone-episodes-in-shows-major-spoilers-possible/789740/13 "2017-06-26T13:31:41Z")
The Big Bang Theory season finale of Season 3, The Lunar Excitation, which introduced Amy Farrah Fowler. As Howard summed it up at the end “Good God, what have we done?”