# Name the single best episode of a series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 7, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171 "2014-01-07T21:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/81 "2014-01-08T13:13:16Z")
the\_diego: > [@](#): > > The Simpsons - (Burns falls in love with Marge, with Tom Jones as special guest star) That would be “Marge Gets a Job.” Not my favorite entire episode, but the sequence with the wolf is possibly my favorite portion of one. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/82 "2014-01-08T13:30:56Z")
**Homicide: Life on the Street** –the one where Vincent D’Onofrio plays an obnoxious business man who gets trapped between a subway train and the platform. Someone upthread already mentioned **ER**. Definitely the _pre-eclampsia_ episode. I saw this when it originally aired. The very popular local anchorman would come on at 10 minutes before the end of the end of the show to do a teaser for the news and he’d usually comment on the episode; it was widely known that he watched on the monitor while he was prepping for broadcast. At the station break on this episode, which was the most gut-wrenching, agonizing hour I’ve ever seen on television, the camera cut to the anchor, he opened his mouth and… no words. After a few stunned seconds, he just shook his head and they went to black and then to a commercial. After the show finished, and weren’t we all crying buckets, he opened the newscast by apologizing for behaving unprofessionally. But y’know, everyone understood. I’ve never been able to watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/83 "2014-01-08T14:11:29Z")
LOST - “The Constant” ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/84 "2014-01-08T14:32:07Z")
Lots of mine have already been mentioned… Breaking Bad - Ozymandias The Wire - Middle Ground The Simpsons - Bart as Burns’ Heir The Honeymooners - TV or not TV Three’s Company - Up In The Air (Jack takes tranquilizers for fear of flying) All in the Family - Sammy’s Visit Lost - Through the Looking Glass Battlestar Galactica - Occupation ---
**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:** [January 8, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/85 "2014-01-08T15:16:42Z")
Fringe - Marionette I recommend this to anyone that likes X-files and would like to see if Fringe is any good. It’s a haunting episode, while at the same time it is a powerful, powerful story about how much we long to hang on to those we love. [And it contains this scene, which X-files would have killed to have done.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcfz3zt2DDo) I can imagine X-files writers saying, “Why didn’t we think of that?” That youtube video incorrectly calls it “ballerina”. It’s Marionette ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/86 "2014-01-08T15:20:58Z")
> [@Roundabout](#): > > The Boondocks - Return of the King > Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Crossroads of Destiny That’s a good one - my own favorite is probably The Southern Raiders. Ends with probably the best line in the whole series, the zinger Zuko delivers to Aang after Aang gives his moral homily about violence never being the answer … “If that’s so, what are you going to do when you face my father?” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/87 "2014-01-08T15:39:15Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Firefly - Objects in Space > > Great guest villain, gripping plot, great dialogue. > > In interviews, Wheden talks about the ship being a character all it’s own. That’s true in this episode on multiple levels. Wonderful camerawork. I’d go with ‘Trash’ myself. The action’s great, it’s probably the funniest episode of the all-too-brief series, it’s got Mal naked, it’s got Christina Hendricks, and it’s got River telling Jayne “I can kill you with my brain.” > [@](#): > > Saffron: He’s my husband. > Mal: Well, who in the damn galaxy ain’t? > [@](#): > > Mal: Yeah. That went well. > Inara: You call this going well? > Mal: We got the loot, didn’t we? > Inara: Yes, but… > Mal: Then I call it a win. What’s the problem? > Inara: Should I start with the part where you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere or the part where you have no clothes? ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/88 "2014-01-08T15:40:17Z")
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Becoming, parts 1 & 2 - “The cavalry’s here. Cavalry’s a frightened guy with a rock, but it’s here.” Angel - To Shanshu in L.A. “Don’t believe everything you’re foretold.” The Bob Newhart Show - Over the River and Through the Woods. The Thanksgiving episode where the guys (Bob, Jerry, Howard & Mr. Carlin) get drunk and order Chinese food. “My name is der Robert Hartley. D r period. Der.” Cheers - the one with Sam’s lucky bottle cap Northern Exposure - the election episode. Ruth-Ann’s handling of the candidate’s debate was just priceless. Star Trek: TOS - The Trouble with Tribbles The West Wing - “In Excelsis Deo” . Toby arranges for the military funeral of a homeless Korean War vet who at death happened to be wearing a coat that Toby had donated to Goodwill. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/89 "2014-01-08T15:47:05Z")
> [@phungi](#): > > Star Trek TNG: [The Inner Light](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Inner_Light_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)) > > Even if you are not a fan, watch this episode I just found this thread, and came in here to say the same thing, but your post beat me by three hours. What a profoundly cool concept; this has always been my favorite TNG episode. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/90 "2014-01-08T16:01:25Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > “I wish to make a complaint.” > > Do I need to elaborate? Well…personally, I expected the Spanish Inquisition. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/91 "2014-01-08T16:04:47Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > The West Wing - “In Excelsis Deo” . Toby arranges for the military funeral of a homeless Korean War vet who at death happened to be wearing a coat that Toby had donated to Goodwill. We just finished watching the entire series (much of which we somehow missed when it originally aired) on Netflix. I had forgotten how great a show that was, and that was a great episode. Right now we’re going through _Homicide: Life on the Street_ ( **Rhiannon8404** got the complete DVD set for Christmas), but it’s hard to pick a single episode as ‘best’, since they are all so good. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/92 "2014-01-08T16:04:55Z")
Everyone is saying ‘Breaking Bad - Ozymandias’. I’ve been watching it on Netflix and I am wondering what this is, since I’m down to only a few episodes left and I don’t remember seeing that one. I just checked Wikipedia and it’s the next one in my queue. The final disk is in the mail now. You may now all be jealous of me. 😃 Don’t bother spoiling me because I’m definitely not coming back to this thread after posting that! ---
**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:** [January 8, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/93 "2014-01-08T17:36:42Z")
Newhart–The final episode. TV history. Everybody Loves Ray–The episode where Marie backs the car into Ray’s house. > [@beowulff](#): > > The Big Bang Theory - _The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis_ > > There are so many funny episodes, but I think this one is awesome. The denouement, when Sheldon gets the napkin from Penny, has to be one of the greatest scenes in TV history. Much as I love this episode, I think the flashback episode showing how the elevator got broken tops it. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/94 "2014-01-08T17:52:17Z")
Firefly - “Out of Gas.” Brilliant, compelling, when I fell in LOVE with the show. MST3K - Space Mutiny for the win. Heads above everything else. Although any of the movies with Joe Esteves, i.e., Werewolf, Soultaker, are pretty near perfect. Avatar the Last Airbender - Sozin’s Comet Part 2 - The Old Masters. You get Zuko’s reunification with Iroh (ala the prodigal son), and Aang interacting with the Lion Turtle. Super dope!! “The true mind can weather all the lies and allusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed.” Love it!! ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/95 "2014-01-08T17:53:53Z")
Seinfeld: Soup Nazi. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/96 "2014-01-08T19:35:49Z")
_ **Gilligan’s Island:** _ The one with the Russian cosmonauts. _ **Star Trek:** _ “The Doomsday Machine.” _ **Dick van Dyke:** _ The one where Rob is convinced he and Laura took the wrong baby home from the hospital. _ **Cheers!:** _ The one where Coach’s daughter comes to visit. _ **Wild, Wild West:** _ The one where Harvey Korman is the Prussian-accented villain. _ **Star Trek: TNG** _: “Time Squared.” _ **The Honeymooners:** _ “Name That Tune.” _ **Columbo:** _ “Forgotten Lady.” _ **The Simpsons:** _ “Bart the Daredevil.” ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/97 "2014-01-08T19:36:33Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Everyone is saying ‘Breaking Bad - Ozymandias’. > > I’ve been watching it on Netflix and I am wondering what this is, since I’m down to only a few episodes left and I don’t remember seeing that one. > > I just checked Wikipedia and it’s the next one in my queue. The final disk is in the mail now. > > You may now all be jealous of me. > > 😃 > > Don’t bother spoiling me because I’m definitely not coming back to this thread after posting that! Enjoy it, and remember: You only get to be a virgin once. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/98 "2014-01-08T19:37:06Z")
Blackadder: Byeeeeeee from Blackadder goes forth. The most perfect ending of a perfect run of vintage Britcom. Southpark: Woodland Critter Christmas New Twilight Zone: Shatterday Sherlock: The Reichenbach fall Edited to add: seconding earlier recommendations for X-files (Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose) and Futurama (Jurassic Bark). ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/99 "2014-01-08T19:59:29Z")
Star Trek - \*The Doomsday Machine \* (but my favorite is _The Trouble with Tribbles_) The Alfred Hitchcock Hour - _The Jar_ Dick Van Dyke - _Walnuts_ Little House on the Prairie _Sylvia_ Beverly Hillbillies _The Family Tree_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/100 "2014-01-08T20:08:39Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Favorite X Files ep: Kill Switch – written by William Gibson, and it shows. Much better than most eps of the series, and it was a VERY good series. Had a peculiar melancholy feel to it despite the hi-tech theme. Plus the Lone Gunmen scenes were hilarious. > (Invisigoth: “How about we take the handcuffs off now?” > Mulder: (eyeing the google-eyed Lone Gunmen) “Better not put it to a vote …”) > > Favorite Star Trek TOS ep: Mudd’s Women (Harcourt! Harcourt Fenton Mudd!") That’s **I, Mudd** , the second Harry Mudd episode. “Mudd’s Women” was the first appearance, which featured no androids and no Stella. Incidentally, I wholly agree with you about **demon wit a Glas Hand**. Not only my favorite OL episode, but my favorite science Fiction episode of any type. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171.md?page=6)