#20. The City on the Edge of Forever
Star Trek, Season 1, Episode 28 |
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The penultimate episode of the
first season of Star Trek (29 episodes that season!) is one of the best,
wherein Kirk and Spock jump through a time portal that takes them back
to the Depression where they must stop Dr. McCoy from doing whatever he
accidentally does that alters the timeline. Kirk meets a hospice
worker who houses them and finds them work, but soon enough, he falls in
love with her. Meanwhile, she also helps what appears to be a
sorely hungover McCoy, but more importantly, Spock discovers that they
must let the woman die in order to protect the timeline, leading to one
of the most tragic sacrifices at the hands of our trio.
Spock: Jim, Edith Keeler must die.
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#19. Everyone's Waiting
Six Feet Under, Season 5, Episode 12 |
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Doubtlessly one of the best
series finales ever, Six Feet Under ultimately kills off every one of
its characters in a glorious montage intercut with present day Claire
driving off to New York to pursue her art. But first, David gets
over his fears and he and Keith buy Federico out and take over Fisher
and Sons, while Federico and Vanessa open their own funeral home.
Most importantly, Claire has a vision of Nate, who tells her to move
away to New York even without a firm job prospect, so Claire finally
breaks out of her passionless life. This plot description is not
nearly as moving as the episode is, wonderfully directed and building up
to the aforementioned climactic montage.
Nate: Claire, you wanna know a secret?
I spent my whole life being scared, scared of not being ready and not
being right and not being who I should be. |
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#18. Three Stories
House, Season 1, Episode 21 |
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To date, this is the only
episode of House that transcends the procedural format, brilliantly
using the limitations of the field to enhance the serialization of the
show. House tells of three different cases to a class of interns,
including his assistants and Wilson, and gradually we realize that he is
describing his own case, the infarction that caused his leg problems and
subsequent vicodin addiction. The story is directed especially
well, with fantasy combining with reality in several of House's
hypothetical scenes until at last he is the patient lying on the bed and
Cuddy and his ex-wife discuss how to treat him. Hugh Laurie is
phenomenal in any old episode of House, but this one truly let him
shine.
House: Three guys walk into a clinic.
Their legs hurt. What's wrong with them? |
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#17. State
Friday Night Lights, Season 1, Episode 22 |
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What haven't I raved about in
this episode elsewhere? Basically, this episode knocks out of the
park everything I love about this show. The focus is on the
relationships, particularly the Taylors as Eric begins the episode
accepting a job coaching for TMU and Tami tries to figure out what
they'll do as a family. Tyra and Lyla sort of make up, Landry and
Tyra make some progress romance-wise, Saracen finally stands up for
himself to Coach, and the Panthers win state. It's funny, moving,
and exquisitely written, acted, and directed, and it all results in a
parade montage and a quasi-cliffhanger, two of the best season-ending
tools.
Grandma Saracen: Do you have the booze? |
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#16. In the Pale Moonlight
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6, Episode 19 |
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One of the darkest episodes
occurs in the midst of the Dominion War, where Captain Sisko, great
moralist of the 24th century, attempts to force the Romulans to join the
war. In order to do so, he manipulates my favorite supporting
character, Cardassian tailor and ex-spy Garak, into helping, and things
quickly escalate. He has a serial killer given a pardon, he bribes
a friend into keeping quiet, he funds the forgery of evidence with
biological weaponry, and he becomes an accessory to murder, all so the
Romulans will help fight the war. The story is movingly told in
flashback as Sisko opens up to his personal log, and at the end, he
deletes his confession. He says he can live with his crimes, but
we know that he can't.
Sisko: I lied. I cheated. I
bribed men to cover the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to
murder. But the most damning thing of all, I think I can live with
it, and if I had to do it all over again, I would. |
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#15. Nick of Time
The Twilight Zone, Season 2, Episode 7 |
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William Shatner and his special
lady friend show up in the Twilight Zone and wait for their car to get
fixed by spending time at a local diner. Shat starts playing with
a fortune-telling napkin holder and gradually gets sucked in, eventually
fearing its accuracy when it predicts their deaths. One of the few
positive episodes, the twist is Shat and his creeped out wife breaking
free from the hold of the fortunes, walking out of the diner and passing
another, old grey couple walking in to see the fortune teller, having
long ago allowed it to take control of their lives. The Shat is
good, the fortunes are great, and Serling and the writing are even
better.
Don: Does anything exciting ever happen
around here? "It is quite possible." |
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#14. The Soup Nazi
Seinfeld, Season 7, Episode 6 |
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My favorite of the four,
Elaine, is first banned from the Soup Nazi's, then she receives his
armoire after Kramer loses hers to (gay) "street toughs," and finally
she reveals her ownership of his recipes and the Soup Nazi closes his
store, to the misfortune of everyone. One of the most memorable
guest characters ever on television, the Soup Nazi is hilariously
strict, and every line that comes out of his mouth is comedy gold.
Meanwhile, we get some great George groveling, Kramer being crazy,
Elaine seeking vengeance, and Jerry being selfish. What more could
you ask for?
The Soup Nazi: You want bread?
Three dollar! |
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#13. Pittsburgh
Weeds, Season 2, Episode 12 |
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Essentially the second part of
a multiple episode arc, we open with Shane practicing his graduation
speech. Many of our characters are graduating today, Kat moving on
from Agrestic (with Shane in tow), Silas demanding a part in the
business, and Peter graduating from this plane of existence. A
palpable sense of impending doom haunts much of the episode, from
Peter's creepy notes to Celia's arrival with a gun to Shane's own speech
of warning to the talk of moving the family altogether. Meanwhile
we get the usual comedy, mostly from Kat and Celia, and a crazy
cliffhanger with Nancy in the sights of five guns without pot or money.
As always, the performances are wonderful, especially by Mary-Louise
Parker, telling her son what to say when people ask what she does and
dealing with the murder of her husband.
Shane: There are motherfucking snakes on
this motherfucking plane. |
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#12. Amalgamation and
Capital
Deadwood, Season 2, Episode 9 |
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Several of season 2's
storylines reach turning points here, with Jane and Joanie cozying up to
each other, Blazanov arriving and Charlie leaving, EB returning to Al's
side, Miss Isringhausen revealing her true colors, Wolcott and Tolliver
joining forces and baiting Mose Manuel to his death, and finally, a safe
of money for Alma's bank distracting Bullock from Hostetler and Nigger
General's wild horse which, in the midst of the ruckus surrounding Tom
Nutall's bicycle, tramples William to his death. The title comes
from a Charlie Utter line and beautifully illustrates a major theme of
the episode and even the entire season. As always, the show is
perfectly acted, complexly plotted and spiked with hilarity amongst the
tragedy. Al: Our moment
permits interest in one question only: will we of Deadwood be more
than just targets for ass-fucking? |
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#11. The Ties that Bind
The O.C., Season 1, Episode 27 |
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Season 1 of the OC built up to
a very memorable conclusion, with Julie and Cal getting hitched, Ryan
leaving for Chino to raise his baby with Theresa, Seth sailing off for
Tahiti, and Marissa being forced to leave her father for her evil
mother's mansion. Everything about it was phenomenal, from the
teaser (Seth: Yeah, everything's okay. Theresa: I'm
pregnant. Seth: Except that.) to the awesome clash of Julie
vs. Jimmy and Hailey to the wedding and reception to the fantastic
closing montage, another of the best montages in history, cutting
between Ryan driving away, Marissa waiting to be picked up, Kirsten
crying in the cabana, and Seth sailing away.
Julie: Why can't you be happy for me?
I am. |
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