By archetypal, I mean the episode that to your mind best embodies what is wonderful about the series in question. It doesn’t have to be the first episode you saw, or the episode that convinced you to watch the show regularly, or even the episode that you consider the best overall of the series. Rather, it’s the episode (or two-parter) that best embodies the things you love about the series.
Here’s what I mean. I think there’s a good argument to be made that either “Blink” or “Midnight” is the best episode of the revival Doctor Who Series. And the NuWho episodes that I love best is “Vincent & the Doctor.” But none of those three are my archetypal favorites. That would be the two-parter “The Impossible Astronaut”/“Day of the Moon.” It’s got my favorite Doctor; it’s got Amy, Rory, & River; it’s integral to a story arc but nevertheless understandable on its own; it’s got River Song; it’s set on Earth rather than on alien world; it’s goddamn terrifying monsters with an interesting twist; and it’s got River freaking Song. All the things that I love best about Doctor Who. Even though I actually like three episodes I mentioned above more (and probably “The Snowman” as well), TIA/DofM best captures why I have come to love DW.
But that’s just me. What are the archetypal episodes of your favorite shows?
Well, in this case I’d say it’s both my favorite and the archetypal episode, but “Three Stories” pretty much embodies everything that’s good about House. Does a great job of getting into House’s head and helping the viewer understand a lot about why he’s the way he is, while telling a very entertaining and unconventionally structured story. I love it.
For CSI, I think I’d nominate the furry episode. It embodies a lot of the quirky charm the show had when it was at its best, as well as its acceptance and fascination with odd lifestyles. Grissom was great for that (though D. B. on the current show is getting to be close).’
BTW, my favorite show is actually Doctor Who, but you beat me to it. I don’t agree with your archetypal choice (I think I’d go with “The Christmas Invasion” if I can’t pick “Blink” or “Midnight”) but yeah.
When someone hasn’t seen It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, I always show them the episode “Dennis and Dee Go On Welfare”. It’s got every character at their absolute worst, which is pretty much the gist of the show – they’re all terrible (hilarious) human beings.
Dennis and Dee decide to become crackheads so they can go on welfare and “pursue their dreams”. Frank finds out the government will pay businesses to hire poor people and so starts rounding up “slaves” at the welfare office. Charlie and Mac steal Frank’s money and you get to see their twisted idea of wealth, including dressing up like the monopoly man and picking up back alley hookers in a limousine.
It’s a great introduction to how hilariously over-the-top horrible everyone is in “the gang”. Don’t show it to people who like wholesome television.
From Babylon 5, for me it’s the episode from the third season “Passing Through Gethsemane” The main plot concerns a monk who finds out he was once mind-wiped, as punishment for being a serial killer. Now he worries about the state of his soul, and can he be forgiven. We also learn how some other characters think about crime, and/or what they will do to help someone in distress.
I’ll throw in “Human Nature/Family of Blood”, from Doctor Who. Plenty o’ baddie monsters, but the story was really about the relationship between the Doctor/John Smith and Joan, and the unavoidable hurt he causes her. As bad as he punishes the MOTW, the deepest cut he inflicts is in that last scene, where John and Joan part. And she to him, as well. That whole dialog between David Tennant and Jessica Hynes is one of the most poignant, well-done pieces of drama I have ever seen on the small screen. And one of the most painful scenes in DW history.
To me, the beating heart of speculative fiction is the ability to examine the human condition from a new or unusual angle; and show new perspectives on the drama of human existence.
Midnight also meets that criteria, with the Doctor himself robbed of his usual ability to rally noble humanity. Humanity is the MOW, in this one.
Showing my age… Necessary Evils from Deep Space Nine. It’s everything that made the show good, for me. Character development. Emotions. Politics. Okay, the politics storylines got a lot better in the last two seasons, but for pure compelling characterization, Necessary Evils wins the series.
I’ve never seen Dr. Who, Deep Space Nine, Battlestar Galactica, or any of the Star Trek spinoffs.
I think Northern Exposure had an episode where Joel’s uncle Manny died, back in NY, and Joel wanted to sit shiva for him . He needed 12 Jewish mourners. Maurice set out to find, in the wilds of Alaska, 12 Jewish men. He called a town meeting and made a presentation of what they should all be looking for, insofar as Jewish men! And he found them, and they all gathered at the end at a religious ceremony, the whole town and the 12 Jews participating…Now, the show is not about Jews, but about this odd community. I am not Jewish, but I was crying buckets at the end. And it was awkward, and touching, and hilarious, and showed what this odd, semi-mystical community was all about.
Beverly Hillbillies when the Dodgers want to sign Jethro after seeing him throw a deadly accurate 110 mph heater, only to find out he can’t do it without possum fat on the ball. And it’s doubly ironic when they find out Ellie Mae is even better.
I’ve never seen Dr. Who, Deep Space Nine, Battlestar Galactica, or any of the Star Trek spinoffs.
I think Northern Exposure had an episode where Joel’s uncle Manny died, back in NY, and Joel wanted to sit shiva for him . He needed 12 Jewish mourners. Maurice set out to find, in the wilds of Alaska, 12 Jewish men. He called a town meeting and made a presentation of what they should all be looking for, insofar as Jewish men! And they found them, out in the middle of nowhere. They all gathered at the end, at a religious ceremony, the whole town and the 12 Jews participating. Joel said he was deeply touched, but fellow Jewish people were not necessary - he had his friends of the town to mourn with him…Now, the show is not about Jews per se, but about this odd community and their whimsical odd ways. I am not Jewish, but I was crying buckets at the end. And it was awkward, and touching, and hilarious, and showed what this odd, semi-mystical community was all about.
Another good one was Everybody Loves Raymond, the final show, where they all thought for a few minutes Ray died during an operation. Deborah later told Ray how she had a long list of things to do, everyday life, errands and shopping…and she began to cry because what if Ray HAD died, life still had to go on… It was sad, and hilarious, and at the end you knew how much they all really loved each other, and life went on for the Barones as always.
So, this is kind of a weird coincidence. We are re-watchng DS9 on Netflix currently, and not a half hour after reading your contribution here, went to continue the watch… and Necessary Evils was the next episode on slate.
I agree it was a good episode. I love Odo so I’m super biased.
I think I will finish watching the series before submitting my own nomination for archetypal DS9 episode, but it will probably involve Dax, because I heart Dax.
I second this choice. Not only is it an archetypal episode and one of the best episodes, I’d say it’s also the episode where the show entirely found its legs.
The archetypal episode of MAS*H has to be the “Captain Tuttle” epi. Followed closely by the “long johns (soft as a baby’s bottom)” episode. As a matter of fact, I’m going to drag out the VCR and watch both of 'em.
Lots of people like to hate on Everybody Loves Raymond, but the show had some great moments. In the episode “Bad Moon Rising”, Deborah is making Ray’s life miserable during what they call her “lady’s days”. When Ray says he’ll just ride it out, Frank lets go with the great monologue here at :48.
The archetypical BtVS episode would probably be the two-parter “Surprise/Innocence.” It has the central characters, themes, metaphors, Angelus - all laid out and accessible.
For DS9, I liked In The Pale Moonlight, in which Sisko engages in a series of increasingly unsavory dealings in order to secure a Romulan alliance.
For STTNG, I liked The Inner Light. Picard’s mind is hijacked by a mysterious space probe, rendering him unconscious. In the space of half an hour of real time, he experiences an entire adult life as a member of a long-dead culture; the probe was that culture’s way of transmitting their history to whomever found it.