# The best episode of the worst show

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\
**Created:** [January 11, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573 "2026-01-11T21:41:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/1 "2026-01-11T21:41:15Z")

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Galactica 1980 was a terrible show but the pilot episode showed the Cylons attacking Earth which is all any kid at the time wanted to see so it was a great episode.

What is the best episode of the worst show?

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/2 "2026-01-11T23:17:32Z")

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The best episode of _Galactica 80_ was the Starbuck stranded ep.

The best episode of the largely forgotten 80s detective action show _Riptide_ was the one where they parodied _Moonlighting._

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/3 "2026-01-11T23:43:17Z")

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> [@GuanoLad](#):
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> The best episode of the largely forgotten 80s detective action show _Riptide_

I’ll disagree. While that one was good, I’d put Season 3’s Home for Christmas, and Who Really Watches the Sunset.as as better.

For the OP, I’d suggest Voyager season four episode [Living Witness.](https://Voyager%20season%20four%20epsiode%20Living%20Witness.)

> [@GuanoLad](#):
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> The best episode of _Galactica 80_ was the Starbuck stranded ep.

By a light yahrn.

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**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/4 "2026-01-12T00:00:31Z")

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> [@GuanoLad](#):
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> The best episode of _Galactica 80_ was the Starbuck stranded ep.

I remember that. Wasn’t bad at all.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/5 "2026-01-12T00:08:59Z")

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I would not call “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” a bad show (far from it) but I recall the episode “Hush” being really good in an otherwise mediocre season.

12-13 year-old me loved Galactica. I even recognized it was cheesy at that age. Still liked it.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/6 "2026-01-12T04:47:14Z")

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Worst Show? That Dennis Leary crap _Going Dutch_. Best Episode? The one where they ‘accidentally’ kill the old Nazi.

It was terrible. But slightly less than the rest of the season.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-episode-of-the-worst-show/1026573/7 "2026-01-12T13:21:17Z")

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Best episode of _Lost in Space_ was the one with Michael J. Pollard behind a mirror.