# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/161 "2014-01-10T21:36:44Z")
_Frasier_ - “The Matchmaker”. A new station manager, who is gay, gets the impression that Frasier is into him, and hilarity ensues. Tom (the manager): “You mean your father’s not gay?” Frasier: “No, Tom, Dad’s not gay.” Tom: “But what about Niles. I mean, c’mon!” > **["Frasier" The Matchmaker (TV Episode 1994) - Quotes - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0582543/quotes/?ref_=tt_ql_3)** > > The Matchmaker: Directed by David Lee. With Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce, Peri Gilpin. Frasier's plan to "fix up" Daphne with his new boss goes awry when Frasier learns his secret. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/162 "2014-01-10T21:41:09Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > I can definitively state that the single greatest episode of “Heil Honey, I’m home” is the pilot episode. I can also definitively state that that same episode was the worst episode of the entire series. How many other shows can claim _that_ honor! At least one: [“Turn On.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn-On_%28TV_series%29) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/163 "2014-01-10T21:57:24Z")
> [@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. Dammit. I didn’t think anyone would bring up Homicide. But as soon as I thought of best episode of a series that immediately popped into my head. Amazing performance of Andre Braugher and D’Onofrio. I just looked it up, somehow John Larroquette beat out D’Onofrio for the Emmy that year. > [@njtt](#): > > Seinfeld: Soup Nazi. The Contest. > [@zamboniracer](#): > > _Magnum P.I._ - “Did you see the sun rise?” - sometimes the hero shoots first. Yes! Made even better after the homage in Archer. ---
**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 10, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/164 "2014-01-10T22:17:09Z")
Welcome Back Kotter- “GImme drugs, gimme drugs, gimme drugs.” The Waltons-When Jim-Bob discovered he had a dead twin. Battle of the Network Stars-Any time Robert Conrad lost it of course. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/165 "2014-01-10T22:38:28Z")
Best **Simpsons** of the last five seasons: **Holidays of Future Passed.** ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/166 "2014-01-10T23:14:45Z")
> [@threeorange](#): > > Best **Simpsons** of the last five seasons: > > **Holidays of Future Passed.** Fox has put up a paywall around all the Simpsons episodes on Youtube. Tsk. Two bucks is too much to pay to satisfy my idle curiousity. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/167 "2014-01-10T23:16:04Z")
I thought Hulu was free. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/168 "2014-01-11T00:08:37Z")
Star Trek TNG - “Darmok” Curb Your Enthusiasm - “Short Hair Judy” ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/169 "2014-01-11T00:38:59Z")
Not sure about episode but for a single line it is hard to beat Michael Scott: I DECLARE BANKRUPTCY! ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/170 "2014-01-11T01:11:39Z")
**All in the Family** - The one where Archie and Mike are trapped in a storeroom together. They find a bottle of liquor and gradually, as they get more sloshed, open up to each other. \*\*The Beverly Hillbillies \*\*- The one where Granny sees an escaped ostrich and thinks it’s a giant chicken. **The King of Queens** - The one where Doug shoots himself in the sack with a staple gun. **Barney Miller** - The hash brownies. Barney (to a stoned Harris): “Harris, go home and come back when you feel better”. Harris (with a stupid grin on his face): “Hey, I’ll go home, but I ain’t never gonna feel no better!” mmm ---
**Author:** ![citizenzen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a8b319/32.png) [@citizenzen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citizenzen)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/171 "2014-01-11T01:51:09Z")
“Who pooped the bed?” — Always Sunny in Philadelphia ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/172 "2014-01-11T02:13:28Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Just Shoot Me!: Season 3, Episode 11 > > David Cross as Donnie. > > [http://youtu.be/NMfbDPL1ths](http://youtu.be/NMfbDPL1ths) My pants are tight. Still cracks me up. ---
**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 11, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/173 "2014-01-11T15:54:58Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Just Shoot Me!: Season 3, Episode 11 > > David Cross as Donnie. > > [http://youtu.be/NMfbDPL1ths](http://youtu.be/NMfbDPL1ths) Compared to the usual episode of this insipid show, that episode was like finding a ruby in a mountain of rocks. As for Seinfeld, nothing is better than The Contest. TV history was made. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/174 "2014-01-11T19:49:54Z")
VITAMEATAVEGEMIN and a hearty “me too!” for > [@Quartz](#): > > “I wish to make a complaint.” > [@terentii](#): > > _ **Dick van Dyke:** _ The one where Rob is convinced he and Laura took the wrong baby home from the hospital. “and miss seeing the look on your face?” ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/175 "2014-01-11T22:32:06Z")
Seinfeld - “The Bottle Deposit”. Elaine bids against Sue-Ellen Mische for JFK’s golf clubs. Newman and Kramer take the Postal Van to Michigan for the extra 5 cent refund. Jerry’s car (with the golf clubs in the back) gets hijacked by Tony the mechanic. George is given a project by Mr. Wilhelm, but doesn’t have a clue what it is. “I didn’t realize the President had such a temper!” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/176 "2014-01-11T22:58:07Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Mad About You: The Finale > Six Feet Under: The Finale > > Northern Exposure: > > The episode where Chris can’t vote and they hold an election > The episode where Shelly attempts to duplicate the taste of very expensive wine > The episode where Fleishman’s uncle dies and he says Kaddish in front of everyone else > The episode where they show how Cicely was founded > > Basically any episode of the show before the Bubble Jerk pops in. Immediately Northern Exposure was what I thought of. I liked the uncle dying episode, with Maurice ‘rounding up every Jew’ he could find. The ending was SO touching, I always tear up, and I’m not even Jewish. The Christmas Pageant with Marilyn in native costume, dancing. The episode with Elijah, the gates of heaven closing and Joel running in slow motion. The Russian aristocracy escaping the revolution, finding brief haven in Cicely. How I miss that show. Once Upon A Time - Belle and Rumplestiltskin: they ARE ‘Beauty and the Beast’ 🙂 I thought the live-action recreation was cute. The Wonder Years - the last episode, the finale. TV at its finest. ---
**Author:** ![jmac755](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmac755](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmac755)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/177 "2014-01-12T03:31:53Z")
Star Trek TNG - “The Inner Light” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/178 "2014-01-12T21:44:23Z")
Mad Men: The Wheel ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/179 "2014-01-12T22:47:05Z")
Sopranos: gotta agree with the Pine Barrens episode Gilligan’s Island: the Hamlet episode (“I ask to be or not to be…”) Odd Couple: Felix thinks the apartment is haunted and calls an exorcist, played by Victor Buono Seinfeld: Bubble Boy Bullwinkle: Moose’s in the Cold, Cold Ground ---
**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 13, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171/180 "2014-01-13T14:24:34Z")
For Friends, I’d go with The One With Chandler’s Dad. After hearing about his transvesite father for years, it was amazing to see the role played by Kathleen Turner. Chandler: And there’s daddy. Monica, absolutely drop jawed: That cannot be your father. Chandler: Believe me, I’ve been saying that for decades. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-single-best-episode-of-a-series/678171.md?page=10)