# The 100 Best TV Episodes of the Century **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823 "2018-11-19T22:04:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/21 "2018-11-20T17:31:43Z")
I was glad to see \*House \*made the list, but they picked the wrong episode. They should have gone with “Three Stories” rather than “House’s Head.” (although that was a good one, too.) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/22 "2018-11-21T04:10:34Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I like Bill Simmons and I like his site, the Ringer. However, some months ago they ranked [the 100 best TV episodes of the 2000’s](http://besttv.theringer.com/) and I hate it. They imposed a one episode per show rule, which is fine because otherwise you get the entire run of the Sopranos. But the rankings, wow. They are awful. > > While I can appreciate there is an episode of Jeopardy!, there are entirely way too many reality TV shows included. And honestly, they didn’t even get the best reality TV episodes. The Joe Schmo Show season one finale and the series premier of Tool Academy are the greatest episodes of reality TV, no question. Neither is on the list. > > The Walking Dead episode is #100. Futurama “The Devil’s Hands are Idle Play Things” is ludicrously low on the list. There are so many problems, these are just a couple. I also have a big problem with the #1 episode on their list. > > Anyway, check it out for yourself and gripe about it or agree with it here. So, let me ask you a simple question. This is the same website which [voted Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries as the number 1 fast food item _of all time_.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=820546) The question: Is “The Constant” being the best TV show of this century a lesser or greater travesty than Chic-fil-A waffle fries being voted the best fast food item of all time? Regardless, the Ringer isn’t very good at making pop-culture lists, that’s for sure. [Vulture.com](http://Vulture.com), imho, does a better job. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/23 "2018-11-21T04:22:37Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I don’t know which _Buffy_ I would pick as best of the series (since they picked _Once More With Feeling_) but I’m leaning more towards _The Body_. I could see that, but for me, **Hush** was just perfect. > [@](#): > > They got the _Firefly_ episode right. Yup. If you’ve not heard Whedon’s commentary, and if you can put up with a director talking about sci-fi TV like high art or something, it’s super worth listening to. He made some really interesting decisions with that episode. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/24 "2018-11-21T04:31:55Z")
Oh boy, I can already tell im going to suck at this since i usually keep up on only two series a year. Also…I heard him lament the other day that he forgot The Shield. Ok… Kardashians are on this list. I swear to fucking God if 30 Rock and Parks and Rec arnt here…Ok they got Community right…They got Rick and Morty wrong…Park and Rec is ok. SNL…Jesus seriously? If you’re not gonna pick ‘33’ (THE SECOND EP!!) on BSG then i agree about Daybreak. Eh, 30 Rocks finale is better then what they picked. WHERE THE FUCK IS WESTWORLD??? Edit: and the aforementioned Archer and Drunk History …And Harvey Birdman. You know something, Ill make my own Westworld Season 2, ep 8 I cant spell the title. Archer the Rampage Episode styled after a Magnum PI ep Drunk History the Hamilton ep Harvey Birdman…Plaid Watch ep? ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/25 "2018-11-21T05:41:44Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > “Devil’s Hands” isn’t even the best Futurama episode. I glanced at the rest. Another ho hum clickbait list, though at least the author does try to defend the choices. I’ll give 'em that. There’s at least a half dozen episodes I think are better: “Jurassic Bark” “The Late Philip J. Fry” “Lethal Inspection” “Overclockwise” “Benderama” "Mobius Dick’ Though had to pick my favorite it probably be the finale: “Meanwhile” ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/26 "2018-11-21T05:51:05Z")
I’m disappointed they didn’t any episodes of Law & Order or Law & Order: Criminal Intent because both shows had some really great episodes. I think the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles episode “What He Beheld” deserves to be on there as well. (It’s the episode where the terminator Cromartie takes out 21 members of a FBI SWAT while Johnny Cash’s “When the Man come around” plays on the soundtrack.) I’m also kind of disappointed they had an episode of Rick and Morty on the list. I actually enjoy watching the show but it’s incredibly overrated and over-hyped by a lot of its fan base. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2018, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/27 "2018-11-21T05:58:14Z")
The word “subjective” comes to mind… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/28 "2018-11-21T05:59:08Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Archer the Rampage Episode styled after a Magnum PI ep “Placebo Effect”. That would be my choice too. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2018, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/29 "2018-11-21T06:13:59Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I’m disappointed they didn’t any episodes of Law & Order or Law & Order: Criminal Intent because both shows had some really great episodes. > > I think the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles episode “What He Beheld” deserves to be on there as well. (It’s the episode where the terminator Cromartie takes out 21 members of a FBI SWAT while Johnny Cash’s “When the Man come around” plays on the soundtrack.) > > I’m also kind of disappointed they had an episode of Rick and Morty on the list. I actually enjoy watching the show but it’s incredibly overrated and over-hyped by a lot of its fan base. I respect your opinion, but here’s my 2 cents…I love Rick and Morty for the 70’s sounding theme song and the solid, SOLID Sci-fi concepts. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/30 "2018-11-21T06:15:25Z")
" > [@terentii](#): > > The word “subjective” comes to mind… :dubious: Also the word “altimeter” for some reason. But maybe that is just me. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2018, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/31 "2018-11-21T08:29:56Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Also the word “altimeter” for some reason. But maybe that is just me. Okay then, “HIGHLY subjective”! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/32 "2018-11-21T15:48:28Z")
I think an episode of Family Guy (I don’t know which one, perhaps Blue Harvest if it counts as an episode) may be more deserving than the other cartoons they listed. There is no Simpsons episode, which is probably fine because that show lost its mojo by the end of the 90s. Also, Supernatural’s Mystery Spot absolutely deserves recognition. Too damn many reality TV shows on their list. Top Model? Project Runway? Real Housewives? Bah. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/33 "2018-11-21T17:32:47Z")
I’d think that at least one episode of “The Venture Bros.” should be on the list somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/34 "2018-11-21T17:57:31Z")
This might just be me, but there are several episodes of Person of Interest I’d put above 80% of that list. “The Devil’s Share”, maybe, or “If-Then-Else”, or the series finale. I’m not surprised they’re not there, though. The show never got nearly as much respect as it deserved. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/35 "2018-11-21T18:14:34Z")
doorvann: Are you a big fan of the second Futurama run, or do those simply come to mind because they were more recent? I loved the original run, but was only lukewarm toward the second, where it seemed that for every brilliant episode with a stand-alone plot there was a current events statement/pop culture parody that fell flat with me. Though I do agree that “Devil’s Hands”, which I like very much, isn’t the best Futurama episode ever. Some of the ones I’d nominate, aside from Jurassic Bark, which you’d mentioned: Luck of the Fryrish Roswell that Ends Well The Problem with Popplers The Series has Landed A Fishful of Dollars My Three Suns ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/36 "2018-11-21T18:58:45Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > The best episode of _The Sopranos_ was “College”. It was the first episode that really featured a head-on collision of Tony’s two worlds, and the lengths he had to go to keep them separate; it’s also about the internal struggles of Meadow and Carmela as well. It’s our first true glimpse into who these people really are. “Pine Barrens” was a good episode, but it was just a sideshow. I like the Test Dream episode best. It’s the one where Tony has a long dream, one scene in the dream has Annette Benning as the mother of Meadow’s fiance Finn. And Tony says to her “aren’t you Annette Benning ?” ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/37 "2018-11-22T00:19:07Z")
I was able to access the site, not sure what was up before. No Fringe? Not sure which episode I would pick. Brian ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/38 "2018-11-22T00:38:45Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > doorvann: > > Are you a big fan of the second Futurama run, or do those simply come to mind because they were more recent? I loved the original run, but was only lukewarm toward the second, where it seemed that for every brilliant episode with a stand-alone plot there was a current events statement/pop culture parody that fell flat with me. > > Though I do agree that “Devil’s Hands”, which I like very much, isn’t the best Futurama episode ever. Some of the ones I’d nominate, aside from Jurassic Bark, which you’d mentioned: > > Luck of the Fryrish > Roswell that Ends Well > The Problem with Popplers > The Series has Landed > A Fishful of Dollars > My Three Suns I’m a fan of pretty much the entire run of the show; they had a lot of high quality episodes that I think were better than “Devil’s Hands”. Come to think of it, “Roswell that Ends Well” is probably my favorite of the entire series. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/39 "2018-11-22T08:33:05Z")
If WKRP’s “Turkeys Away” isn’t on the list, ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823/40 "2018-11-22T09:11:12Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > No Fringe? Not sure which episode I would pick. > > Brian “White Tulip” is a popular choice, although there are plenty of excellent options. > [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > If WKRP’s “Turkeys Away” isn’t on the list, ignore it. Wrong century. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-best-tv-episodes-of-the-century/824823.md?page=1)