# Worst Single Episodes Of Otherwise Well Written Series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 22, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014 "2009-04-22T20:06:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/61 "2009-04-23T23:24:34Z")
A recent episode of **Supernatural** shattered the fourth wall in a pretty amusing way… They come across a writer who’s written a series of books called _Supernatural_ that’s chronicled the demon-hunting trials of two brothers named Sam and Dean. This naturally piques the guys’ interest, and they contact him and find out that whatever the guy writes will actually happen, because he’s actually a prophet of God. Anyhoo, through that character, …the writers of the show explicitly apologize for a couple of the worst episodes by name ( **Bugs** springs to mind). > [@tdn](#): > > Arrested Development was very funny, very consistantly. > But the episode with Martin Short was just plain annoying. If I get the show on DVD, I just skip that one. Agreed. The Theron episodes weren’t brilliant either, but they were a decent way of working a big star onto the show, which they needed to do. Uncle Jack was just goddamn annoying, though. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/62 "2009-04-23T23:35:48Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I’m also just seeing _Battlestar Galactica_ for the first time (saw “Razor” and the first four eps of season 4.0 last night–I’m gonna go through cold turkey after my next Netflix shipment until season 4.5 comes out). “Black Market” was pretty bad, and “The Woman King” was not great, but “Unfinished Business” was the absolute stinker of the series (so far, anyway). SF shows should not be allowed to do boxing episodes. Are you me? I’m at the exact same point in the series via Netflix, and I completely agree with you on “Unfinished Business.” Halfway through the episode I had to pause and text a friend who loves the series how much I hated the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/63 "2009-04-23T23:42:42Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > Are you me? I’m at the exact same point in the series via Netflix Funny thing is, when I started Season One, I had no idea that the show was just coming to an end that very week. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/64 "2009-04-23T23:49:22Z")
> [@cactus\_waltz](#): > > Really? HHRHGB is definitely in my top ten Futurama episodes. Granted, I’m a sucker for the bureaucracy gags, but there are tons of great lines still. > > I even liked the musical number. I am Bender, please insert girder? I’m a big fan of that one. The chorus of the song is great Simpsons/Futurama philosophy: “When push comes to shove, you gotta do what you love/Even if it’s not a good idea.” Among Futurama episodes, That’s Lobstertainment gets a lot of hate, but I think A Pharaoh to Remember is worse. As a supporting character Bender is a really entertaining jerk. As a leading character, he gets needy and whiny, psychotic in a bad way, and becomes so mean that you can’t understand why anybody would bother with him. He gets close to that threshhold in Jurassic Bark too, but I like that episode and it’s a very well told story. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/65 "2009-04-24T01:02:32Z")
All the Futurama hate, and none of it for “A Leela of their own”? I’m pretty sure I didn’t laugh once during that entire mess. If you want to talk bad Supernatural episodes, **Troy McClure,** it’s a toss up between the mind numbing stupidity of Sam and Dean vs the racist truck, and Hollywood Baybalon, an episode in which nothing happend, slowly, but at least it was cheap to film. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/66 "2009-04-24T02:15:37Z")
I’m surprised no one has said the Columbus Day episode of the Sopranos. It’s preachy and the only reason for it to exist is for David Chase to get back at all the people who accused him of smearing Italian-Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/67 "2009-04-24T03:06:11Z")
I guess all us Futurama fans have our own “worsts”… I really don’t like the Valentines episode. I thought it was unfunny and not poignant enough to illicit the “awwww” that some of the BEST Futurama’s do ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/68 "2009-04-24T04:22:30Z")
The episode of “The Office” (US) when Michael drove the rental car into the lake. Ridiculous and stupid. The episode of “The Simpsons” guest starring Michael Keaton as a convict that Marge helps out. That was the first complete “swing and a miss” I’d seen from that show in years. There had been some mediocre episodes, but at least they had a couple of good lines. This one was crap straight through and then had a couple of years of crap that followed it. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/69 "2009-04-24T04:51:39Z")
Regarding Simpons, **Saddlesore Galactica** is concidered the all-time worst, right? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/70 "2009-04-24T05:07:52Z")
> [@cactus\_waltz](#): > > Regarding Simpons, **Saddlesore Galactica** is concidered the all-time worst, right? I think the one where Homer has a midlife crisis and ends up going to Florida with the family is much worse (I believe it’s called “Kill the Alligator and Run”). At least “Saddlesore” had the scene where Homer is at the BTO concert going for it. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/71 "2009-04-24T08:31:48Z")
The episode of Bones where Booth is trapped on a boat with a bomb. To describe it, it sounds like an ideal episode, packed with a bunch of mytharc stuff like the buried alive serial killer from the previous season, and Booth’s brother’s ‘redemption’. But in execution it came across as fan fiction. And the ‘ghost’ part was horrendous. It might have been excusable as Booth’s hallucination which it was portrayed as for most of the episode, but the ‘very special’ ending in which Bones sees the ghost too without realizing it just shat on the entire premise of the series and Bones’ character. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/72 "2009-04-24T12:33:43Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > At least “Saddlesore” had the scene where Homer is at the BTO concert going for it. So we’re ignoring the Armen Tanzarian episode? I’m cool with that. I’m also going to disagree with whoever said the Evil Santa episode of Futurama (or at least one of them). I use “I’m going to buy you so many lizards” more often than I should. “Squawk!” ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/73 "2009-04-24T13:10:03Z")
The halloween episode of **Dark Angel** is utterly rediculous. Sure, in the end it’s revealed that it was all just a dream, but that doesn’t help at all. Dream episodes are the worst.:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/74 "2009-04-24T13:14:28Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > If you want to talk bad Supernatural episodes, **Troy McClure,** it’s a toss up between the mind numbing stupidity of Sam and Dean vs the racist truck, and Hollywood Baybalon, an episode in which nothing happend, slowly, but at least it was cheap to film. Racist truck was the worst. Hollywood Babylon at least cracked me up a few times with the meta references, esp. the exchange about how demons could possibly hear a summoning when they’re in hell and we’re on earth. “They have super hearing!” I would say that Red Sky at Morning is a worse episode. Dean in a tux does not redeem the painfully bad “that old lady has a crush on Sam!” jokes. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/75 "2009-04-24T13:25:36Z")
> [@Nom\_de\_Plume](#): > > The show _Heroes_ had a couple of hit or miss seasons. I almost gave up on it. This year, however, it become good once again… and then there was _1961_. Ugggh. Makes me want to reconsider my decision to stick with the show. Agreed. This episode did NOTHING to advance the plot, unless… Storm…er, Angela’s sister comes along later and saves the day. Which would be even worse. The only part of the episode that even mattered was the TV broadcast at the end. And that was thirty seconds that could have been tacked on anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/76 "2009-04-24T14:29:19Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > The only part of the episode that even mattered was the TV broadcast at the end. And that was thirty seconds that could have been tacked on anywhere. In fact, it was. The next episode of Heroes began with the family at the diner, watching the TV Broadcast…negating any possible reason to have the episode at all. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/77 "2009-04-24T14:39:25Z")
> [@Nom\_de\_Plume](#): > > In fact, it was. The next episode of Heroes began with the family at the diner, watching the TV Broadcast…negating any possible reason to have the episode at all. This type of thing is partly what put me off Heroes in the first place. I was watching in on Netflix, so maybe it was more annoying to me since I was watching them back to back rather than one a week, but nearly every episode started with the last 5 minutes of the previous episode. I haven’t seen any of the third season yet, can’t decide if I want to bother or not. * * * Futurama: The Zoidberg-heavy episodes tend to be hated by fans, but That’s Lobstertainment has grown on me, and it used to be my least favorite. Maybe it’s because it’s also Calculon-heavy, which is always fun. Offhand, I’d say A Leela of Her Own is probably the worst, and I generally like Leela episodes. I just find it not as funny as other episodes, and kind of boring. The parts with Hank Aaron are pretty funny, though. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/78 "2009-04-24T14:51:20Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Racist truck was the worst. Hollywood Babylon at least cracked me up a few times with the meta references, esp. the exchange about how demons could possibly hear a summoning when they’re in hell and we’re on earth. “They have super hearing!” I would say that Red Sky at Morning is a worse episode. Dean in a tux does not redeem the painfully bad “that old lady has a crush on Sam!” jokes. I think I’m the only Supernatural fan in the universe who more or less likes Red Sky at Morning. Old lady with a crush on Sam ammused me - any time Sam gets his ass grabbed is a good time, IMO. I agree with you on racist truck, though. That was “I can’t even watch this again,” bad, and I rewatched _everything_. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/79 "2009-04-24T15:08:14Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > I think I’m the only Supernatural fan in the universe who more or less likes Red Sky at Morning. Old lady with a crush on Sam ammused me - any time Sam gets his ass grabbed is a good time, IMO. > > I agree with you on racist truck, though. That was “I can’t even watch this again,” bad, and I rewatched _everything_. Old lady with a crush on Sam would have been mildly amusing to me if Sam had taken it with a bit more grace. He was too grouchy and Dean was too mocking about it. That’s where the writing totally broke down, for me. My friend and I have been watching old episodes, and when we got to the racist truck episode, I made us skip it because…it’s terrible. But I guess my friend had been reading some fan site because she was like “wait, doesn’t Dean get naked in this episode?” I said, “NO…he has a sex, that’s it.” She wanted to watch it anyway, but I insisted. Then she went home and watched it alone, and the next day she was _mad at me_ because it’s a. terrible and b. Dean does not get naked. Apparently, wishful thinking on her part turned my “no” into “yes” in her mind. (She’s French and I think she still can’t believe that the CW will not give us _at least_ Dean’s ass, no matter how many times I point out that _Supernatural_ is not on HBO or Showtime.) ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014/80 "2009-04-24T17:31:50Z")
> [@cactus\_waltz](#): > > Regarding Simpons, **Saddlesore Galactica** is concidered the all-time worst, right? That one’s beyond terrible, but I believe the winner for most despised episode of the Simpsons goes to the panda rape episode. Someone on TV tropes suggested that the phrase Jump the Shark should be changed to Raped by the Panda. Having seen it, I’m inclined to agree. > [@](#): > > (She’s French and I think she still can’t believe that the CW will not give us at least Dean’s ass, no matter how many times I point out that Supernatural is not on HBO or Showtime.) Fox got away with Captain Tightpant’s butt on Firefly. CW could get away with a peek at Dean, if Jensen’s down for it (though I’m not sure he would be. He’s suposedly pretty shy. Jared, however…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-single-episodes-of-otherwise-well-written-series/494014.md?page=5)