# What shows have never had Very Special Episodes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956 "2004-07-20T05:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/21 "2004-07-21T15:00:53Z")
Law & Order has never had a VSE. It’s had an episode that broke from its usual format, (_Aftershock_, the episode in which Claire Kincaid, Jill Hennesey’s character is killed) but there was no moral lesson involved except in the broadest sense. The lack of VSE’s continues to the various L&O franchises. _ER_ has had a number of episodes with really big happenings and even theme shows (actually most of the shows’ various interwearving storylines follow a very subtle theme) but no specific VSE’s. Have there been any VSE’s in the _CSI_ franchise yet? I don’t think so. Nor _NYPD Blue_. Would the gripping episodes of _The West Wing_ or _Third Watch_ be VSE’s or are they just powerful shows? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/22 "2004-07-21T15:24:37Z")
This is weak, but… What about the last episode of Seinfeld. It was sort of a mockery of VSE’s by being a very lame one… but one none the less! I’m on to you Larry David!!! Or not. I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/23 "2004-07-21T15:42:13Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > But if another sitcom had a fire that was started by a kid smoking or playing with matches, that’s a classic VSE episode. > [@interface2x](#): > > The Simpsons? Bart accidently burns down the family’s Christmas tree and attempts to bury the truth in the front yard, but when the truth is discovered the family becomes town pariahs. > [@](#): > > Uh, the original Star Trek? I love lucy? Crank Yankers? The Twilight Zone? Monster Garage? Iron Chef? Maybe I don’t understand the question. Monster Garage and Iron Chef are not fictional shows with scripts or characters. Well, you know what I mean. 😉 Crank Yankers has “characters” and is scripted, to some extent, but has zero continuity or “plot” between episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/24 "2004-07-21T15:53:32Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > “City on the Edge of Forever” might qualify. > The good of the many outweigh the good of the few or the one. I would think the VSE would have been “A Taste of Armageddon.” And for _Buffy_, what about “Beer Bad?” It’s all right there in the title. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/25 "2004-07-21T16:50:28Z")
I agree that BtVS **The Body** was more of a _tour de force_ than a VSE, but I’d nominate **New Moon Rising**. It’s an afterschool special smarm-fest with maturity and weepy morality. **slinkydink** , dude! Post more! (And welcome) ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/26 "2004-07-21T17:34:17Z")
MASH? By the way, just how many VSE’s did Blossom have, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956/27 "2004-07-21T17:38:33Z")
I think MASH practically pioneered the VSE, but they usually did it well enough that it didn’t seem cheesy. Can anyone remember any pre-1970 VSEs? Not including every episode of _Dragnet_. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-never-had-very-special-episodes/255956.md?page=1)