# 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:** 7
**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, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/121 "2014-01-08T21:43:41Z")
_ **The Avengers:** _ “Two’s a Crowd.” (The one with Psev.) _ **The Prisoner:** _ Tie: “The Chimes of Big Ben” and “Many Happy Returns.” _ **Mission: Impossible:** _ The one where the IMF fake a nuclear attack. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/122 "2014-01-08T22:39:01Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Becoming, parts 1 & 2 - “The cavalry’s here. Cavalry’s a frightened guy with a rock, but it’s here.” Although I agree that was the best episode of the series, The Body has got to be one of the greatest pieces of television ever made. (and Hush and Once More With Feeling and The Gift) ---
**Author:** ![Bellhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Bellhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bellhorn)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/123 "2014-01-08T22:49:59Z")
**Get Smart** – _Connie and Floyd_ – Spoof on Bonnie and Clyde, with Don Adams doing a John Garfield impression, and Barbara Feldon looking just incredible in her period wardrobe. **Seinfeld** – _The Jimmy_ – The whole “Jimmy likes Elaine” was hilarious, but even better was the story line about Kramer being mistaken for a mentally challenged adult and being invited to the dais of a charity dinner, next to Mel Torme! Beautifully and gently done around a topic that is hard to do without stepping on the third rail. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/124 "2014-01-08T22:59:54Z")
I’ve been trying to think of the best 30 Rock episode, but I’m kind of stumped. Ludachristmas? When It Rains, It Pours? ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/125 "2014-01-08T23:05:29Z")
> [@toast\_pakora](#): > > **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. Yeah, we watched that episode when my wife was pregnant with our second child. That night was a bit stressful. Then, in real life, we lost our third child and I nearly lost my wife to eclampsia. You think the episode is tough – try the real deal. On second thought – don’t try the real deal. Not much fun at tall. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/126 "2014-01-08T23:13:23Z")
The Young Ones Episode: Bambi (Full episode below) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBDzhbH1DJg) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/127 "2014-01-08T23:32:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Rome: The ep where Pullo and Vorenus end up back-to-back in the arena. Yes, I’ve watched the episode a dozen times. Season II was better, overall, but that episode of Season I was just terrific. _Seinfeld_: The Pen. When Jerry visits his parents with Elaine at Del Boca Vista, and his dad’s friend gives him the “astronaut pen”. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/128 "2014-01-09T02:12:52Z")
Well, you all inspired me to look for “Space Mutiny”, but I didn’t see it on Amazon. So I watched “Manos” which I heard to be infamous and hadn’t seen before. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/129 "2014-01-09T02:24:19Z")
\*\*Seinfeld \*\*- The Strike (Jerry dates Two-Face, Kramer discovers Festivus, George founds The Human Fund, Elaine hunts down her Submarine Captain punch card) \*\*Futurama \*\*- The Devil’s Hands are Idle Playthings (my favorite “finale” of any TV show I’ve seen) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/130 "2014-01-09T02:30:31Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > _Seinfeld_: The Pen. When Jerry visits his parents with Elaine at Del Boca Vista, and his dad’s friend gives him the “astronaut pen”. **Bizarro Jerry** builds up perfectly to Kramer’s _“I don’t even really work here”_ absurdity by giving us (a) Man Hands as the passkey for the “forbidden city” nightclub, along with (b) the whole, y’know, Bizarro Jerry angle. That’s GOLD, Jerry! GOLD! ---
**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:** [January 9, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/131 "2014-01-09T03:08:41Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Simpsons: The Man Who Had To Struggle For Everything. Best black comedy evah! My favorite also. I think the official title is “Homer’s Enemy.” My second favorite is the one where they add Poochie to the Itchy and Scratchy Show. Beavis and Butt-head: “Good Credit” - they steal Mr. Anderson’s credit card and buy a bunch of animals at the pet store. Meanwhile, Mr. Anderson is unable to pay for his hotel room during the Tulsa Odd Fellows convention. “I’m gonna miss the opening ceremonies!” ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/132 "2014-01-09T03:44:16Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Babylon 5 - The final battle against the Vorlons and the Shadows, when Sheridan tells them to get out of our galaxy It was a VERY satisfying conclusion, after a similarly compelling and suspenseful lead-up. I think a close 2nd though, is the episode, “Severed Dreams”, where B5 declares independence in response to President Clark’s orders to bomb civilian targets on Mars. The ISN broadcast station is attacked and taken over by government troops. There’s a big battle outside B5 with lots of cool CGI, while enemy troops get on-board and have to be repelled. Delenn shatters the Grey council and shows up with some Minbari cruisers to save B5’s bacon. Add in a guest spot by Rance Howard, who turned in great work on the show, and another from Bruce McGill, and it’s one hell of an episode. > [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Well, you all inspired me to look for “Space Mutiny”, but I didn’t see it on Amazon. So I watched “Manos” which I heard to be infamous and hadn’t seen before. “Manos” is rough - not one for rookies! [Here’s “Space Mutiny”.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa42pxJyq64) You didn’t think to try YouTube? There’s a LOT of MST3K up there. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > 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.” Plus it had MONTY! The shows cancellation forever kept us from more MONTY! Monty’s last name was apparently, “Reynolds”, which makes me wonder if he was related to Mal. Not too many shows will have characters with the same last name and make them not related - it’s too confusing. Well, there’s a reason why so many people still love the show more than a decade after it was cancelled. I think a case could be made for maybe half of Firefly episodes to be the “best” episode. A third of them, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/133 "2014-01-09T05:00:57Z")
“Separate Vocations,” fourth season (in case anyone wants to go look for these). Yes, this is one of their best and most cynical episodes. One of many times that the Springfield Police Dept. led by Chief Wiggum had me in tears from laughing so hard! “Act II–Death Drives A Stick!” ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/134 "2014-01-09T05:03:57Z")
My husband and I reference that South Park episode quite frequently, but I’m not sure it’s our favorite. I think he used it tonight when we were watching Jeopardy and I made the mistake of saying ‘I don’t have a clue’. LOL! My wife and I will often text each other, and I will let her know that “I think I’m getting a CLUE…I mean a REALLY BIG CLUE!” ---
**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 9, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/135 "2014-01-09T05:16:00Z")
_ **Leave It to Beaver:** _ The very late one when Beaver tells everyone to watch him on TV without realizing the show is going to be aired on a different day. (Yes, this was a real episode!) _ **Family Guy:** _ The one where Brian brings Gillian home to meet the family. _ **The Beverly Hillbillies:** _ The one where Jethro wants to be a “double-naught” spy. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/136 "2014-01-09T05:32:53Z")
Kung-fu - the stolen chalice Kung-fu the Legend Continues - Kwai Chang Cain as a magician (the jazz pianist was also nice) Batman (Adam West) - bat girl doing the saber dance Superman (George Reeves) - the old timer with a silver mine Sigmund and the Sea Monster - (the only episode where the boy sang the ending song “you better run, you better hide…”) The Muppet Show - (for some reason, the one with Sandy Duncan as SGS) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/137 "2014-01-09T05:34:38Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > **Doctor** lady. Oi. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/138 "2014-01-09T17:36:15Z")
The good-bye scene between Rose and The Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/139 "2014-01-09T18:03:36Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Well, you all inspired me to look for “Space Mutiny”, but I didn’t see it on Amazon. So I watched “Manos” which I heard to be infamous and hadn’t seen before. [Here you go.](http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Science-Theater-3000-Collection/dp/B0000TAYWA) Space Mutiny and Overdrawn at the Memory Bank are both hilarious, so this may be my favorite MST3K set. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/140 "2014-01-09T18:07:12Z")
Ren & Stimpy - the one where Ren has [Space Madness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlt8Pvr2Gow). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171.md?page=8)