# Most Unique Structure for a TV Episode **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111 "2015-08-06T00:10:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/21 "2015-08-06T01:36:39Z")
_Simpsons: Behind the Laughter_ ---
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/22 "2015-08-06T01:40:38Z")
_The Middle_ had an episode where the college-age son Axl only appears as a full screen face in a Skype session on a laptop. It’s pretty funny as they carry the computer/head around to show him what’s going on at home. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/23 "2015-08-06T01:42:41Z")
Community. Basically every single episode. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/24 "2015-08-06T01:43:13Z")
Didn’t _Roseanne_ do a “Gilligan’s Island” pastiche? WASN’T ROSEANNE GINGER? :eek: :eek: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/25 "2015-08-06T01:47:43Z")
Many episodes of **Neon Genesis Evangelion** were quite uniquely done. Often, that was to cheat their way around animation schedules, but they were (generally) able to make it work. Unfortunately, I have little desire to watch the series again to make a list of which episodes and how. The top rated episode of **Homicide** was one where the officers spend time talking with an imminent homicide victim and nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/26 "2015-08-06T02:56:58Z")
The episode of _My Name Is Earl_ that was done as an episode of _Cops_. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2015, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/27 "2015-08-06T03:14:00Z")
The Jose Chung X-Files ep comes to mind. TNG - Lower Decks – from the perspective of lower ranked personnel ---
**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:** [August 6, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/28 "2015-08-06T05:26:43Z")
Babylon 5 did one like that, shown from the POV of two janitors. Then there is always the various musical episodes. Or the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that suddenly starred Jonathan. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/29 "2015-08-06T06:10:35Z")
One of my favorites was the Dr. Who episode where, first he was in a “reality show” set in a house, where whoever got “voted out of the house” would be killed. Then he was on the set of “The Weakest Link” hosted by a robot caricature of Anne Robinson (Robinson did the voice!) where “weakest links” got killed by laser beams. The Buffy musical is one of the most brilliant of all of these. I will also note the final episode of The Prisoner which was just plain weird for weirdness’ own sake. All you need is love! ---
**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:** [August 6, 2015, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/30 "2015-08-06T13:33:48Z")
_WKRP in Cincinnati_ did an episode where they offered free tickets to the [December 3, 1979 Who Concert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who_concert_disaster). It had a very sad ending. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/31 "2015-08-06T13:43:03Z")
I can’t remember the year (it was some time ago), but one of the networks played an entire NFL football game without announcers; just the game and the necessary graphics. Here it is: [Remembering the NFL game broadcast 30 years ago without announcers - ESPN](http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=5906858) ---
**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:** [August 6, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/32 "2015-08-06T14:38:39Z")
**Buffy** did “The Zeppo,” with the whole episode from the point of view of Xander. **House** did something similar with “5 to 9,” a view of Cuddy’s day. One episode of **The Monkees** started out with their usually comic situation, but the Monkees, just stopped it and said, “the heck with this.” The rest of the show was concert footage, IIRC, so they could show they really were musicians. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/33 "2015-08-06T15:07:49Z")
**Yes, Dear** did a couple of these. One time they did an episode of the show that was an episode of another show called “Here Comes Baby” (or something like that). Drew Carey did more than just the live shows. They did a couple of them, and they also did a show that was completely without a script. They just knew the general plot and everyone improvved from there. It was funny to watch because you could really tell who the improv veterans were, and who was just coasting on their laurels ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/34 "2015-08-06T15:09:40Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Community. Basically every single episode. I basically came in here to mention **Community** , but yeah. It seemed that part of the point of the show was to create unique TV show structures. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/35 "2015-08-06T15:12:16Z")
I can’t remember if they kept it up for the whole episode, but one episode of **Mama’s Family** at least started out as an episode of **Family Feud** with the sitcom family as one of the contestant families. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/36 "2015-08-06T15:28:56Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > One episode of **The Monkees** started out with their usually comic situation, but the Monkees, just stopped it and said, “the heck with this.” The rest of the show was concert footage, IIRC, so they could show they really were musicians. I think most of the episode just showed them wandering around Paris. And they weren’t miked. It was just footage of them with a musical soundtrack. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/37 "2015-08-06T15:45:10Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > I can’t remember the year (it was some time ago), but one of the networks played an entire NFL football game without announcers; just the game and the necessary graphics. > > Here it is: [Remembering the NFL game broadcast 30 years ago without announcers - ESPN](http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=5906858) If you hadn’t mentioned the site, I’d’ve sworn you made that up. That could actually get me watching football again. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/38 "2015-08-06T16:23:44Z")
Conan O’Brien did a show last year, I think, that was all in claymation > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Many episodes of **Neon Genesis Evangelion** were quite uniquely done. Often, that was to cheat their way around animation schedules, but they were (generally) able to make it work. It was the last 2, episodes 25 and 26. Some trippy mindfuck ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/39 "2015-08-06T16:44:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Babylon 5 did one like that, shown from the POV of two janitors. “A View from the Gallery”. Other shows have also experimented with this structure–featuring minor or previously unknown characters, while the main characters go about their affairs in the background. _Doctor Who_ did something similar with “Blink”, in which the action is focused on new characters and the regulars appear only via recordings and written instructions until the very end. > [@](#): > > Then there is always the various musical episodes. Or the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that suddenly starred Jonathan. “Once More, with Feeling”. They also had sort of the opposite, with “Hush”–in which no one can speak for most of the episode (in a series praised for its dialogue). ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111/40 "2015-08-06T16:49:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The episode of _My Name Is Earl_ that was done as an episode of _Cops_. This is one of the best episodes of TV ever. **Community** had a Christmas episode that was mostly Claymation. Another episode where it was them mostly playing an 8-bit video game and they were 8-bit characters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unique-structure-for-a-tv-episode/727111.md?page=3)