I begin the list with one of my all-time favorite episodes of science-fiction.  Joss Whedon won an Emmy for writing this nearly dialogue-free episode that sees Sunnydale residents lose their ability to speak when the mysterious Gentlemen come to town.  In a show not known for its performances, the actors really step up to communicate their ideas visually.  The ending is beautiful, with Buffy and Riley alone in their room, now able to speak, speechless.

The early seasons of Friends were so great, and this episode is my favorite from the entire series.  Joey gets his big break on Days of Our Lives and repays Chandler with a man bracelet to end all bracelets.  The group finds an old videotape from Monica and Rachel’s prom, revealing Monica’s former life as a fat kid.  Rachel’s date flakes on her, causing collegiate Ross to change into his tux in an effort to save the day.  Of course, Rachel’s date shows up, leaving Ross pathetically at the top of the stairs.  Present-day Rachel realizes what Ross tried to do, and silently walks up to him to deliver one of the best television kisses in sitcom history.

Famously banned from television, this penultimate episode of Seinfeld (the clip show doesn’t count) doesn’t get the credit is deserves.  The episode opens with Jerry cutting off “Maroon Golf” on the way back from a Mets game, and then getting stuck in traffic caused by the titular parade.  There are so many great subplots in this episode, beginning with George’s run-in with a rogue laser pointer.  “That’s gotta hurt!” Elaine ditches the group, and eventually leads some people under the bleachers to escape the parade.  “Hey, jackass! Get me a diet Dr. Pepper!” The highlight of the episode (and possibly the 9th season) is H. E. Pennypacker, Kal Varnsen, and Art Vandelay all running into each other at a local apartment that’s for sale.

“I'm glad I cut you off, because black Saab rules! So long, jackass!”

4. “Putting the "Gay" Back in Litigation”, The Larry Sanders Show
Season 6, Episode 9 (5/17/98)

This episode finally allows Scott Thompson to step out from the shadows and demonstrate his comedy chops.  Tired of the constant jesting from Phil, Brian thinks about suing the show for sexual harassment.  Phil is forced to stop his joking, causing Brian to kick the gayness into overdrive.  He shows up to work in hot pink short-shorts and flaunts his junk around the office in one of my favorite scenes.  There’s also Hank’s attempt to find celebrities to wish Larry farewell before the final show, and Larry’s utter disregard for his effort.  I love when we get to see the real side of Hank, especially in these last few episodes.  Larry’s subplot with girlfriend Illeana Douglas doesn’t take away from an otherwise brilliant episode.  Also, you may be interested to know that this was the first thing Judd Apatow ever directed!

5. "-30-", The Wire
Season 5, Episode 10 (3/9/08)

This series finale only aired a few weeks ago, but it left an immediate impression on me.  After watching it, I am convinced that The Wire is the best drama to ever air on television.  Each season was brilliant, and it was all summed up beautifully in this 93 minute episode.  The episode begins with the mayor’s reaction to the McNulty-Daniels crime drama and the resulting cover-up.  Ronnie tries to settle the Marlo case as a favor to Carcetti, and has an awesome sitdown with Levy in which they both give a little in order to protect their asses.  We find out that Herc has been reading his Machiavelli, and is really a bit smarter than anyone gave him credit for.  The Baltimore Sun continues to miss every major story that we see (Prop Joe, Omar, the whole damn cover-up). Bubbles gets more screen time, which I always approve of.  His whole struggle for recovery has been my favorite plotline this season, and it delivers the most satisfying conclusion.  Marlo gets out of the game, and the other dealers join together to buy his connection to the Greek.  Cheese takes a bullet mid sentence! The new Omar. Dukie and Prez. Marlo finally shows us why he’s king of the streets.  The final wake, and then McNulty stopping on the side of the highway.  The final musical montage reminds us that The Wire is ultimately about Baltimore, and the city keeps going despite everything we’ve seen.  It’s a perfect ending, and gives Six Feet Under a run for its money in the finale category. I’d love to write more, but I’ve already taken up too much space!

Phil Hartman is reason enough to watch NewsRadio, and this is his best episode.  Part of the episode follows the aftermath of the Dave/Lisa breakup and its effect on the workplace.  They become ultra-competitive, and the rest of the office takes advantage of it hilariously.  The yearly retreat to Mr. James’s office is great, and you can’t help but laugh when Bill says, “My ass hurts.”  The real greatness of this episode, however, lies in Bill’s subplot with his cane.  He begins to use it to do everything, much to the chagrin of fellow co-workers.  When the cane mysteriously disappears, he attempts to solve the case.  The final scene is the best scene in the entire series, and I rewatch it every few months.

7. “Pier Pressure”, Arrested Development
Season 1, Episode 10 (1/11/04)

This is one of the more perfect half hours in television history.  Buster goes to George Michael to buy marijuana from Gob, for Lucille 2.  Gob tells Michael, who decides to teach his son a lesson.  The flashbacks to Michael’s childhood, and J. Walter Weatherman. “And that’s why you always leave a note.” Maeby not knowing how to spell her mom’s name, and Lindsay calling her Megan. Buster’s nausea study. Maeby’s Sunshine Academy report card. George, Sr.’s conversion to Judaism. Stripper cops! George, Sr.’s last lesson from behind bars. This episode perfectly captures the unrivaled brilliance of Arrested Development, and it makes me sad that the show is gone.

Michael: I want the guy with the one arm and the fake blood. J. Walter Weatherman. How do I get a hold of him?
George Sr.: Well, he's, uh, dead. You killed him when you left the door open with the air conditioner on.

This is probably my favorite episode of The Sopranos and it focuses on Paulie and Christopher running through the snowy woods of Pine Barrens looking for a Russian mob associate who got away.  Meanwhile, Meadow exposes Jackie Jr. as the tool that he is, and Tony and Bobby travel to Pine Barrens to rescue the others.  This episode sees the beginning of many relationships that will be fleshed out over the remaining seasons, and the acting is expectedly great.  Steve Buscemi’s direction is beautiful, really showcasing his skills on the other side of the camera.

Who would have thought that a bum masturbating behind a dumpster would be the beginning of greatness?  In this episode, the gang goes to a junk yard looking for a junk yard dog, but instead decides to buy an older police car and a junk yard cat (born in gasoline).  Meanwhile, Mac and Sweet Dee take to the streets to fight the homeless in their “Rerun” costumes.  The scene where they pass up the nice old black man to ask the homeless white guy for directions is hilarious. Charlie’s Serpico is incredible, and I loved how he recorded his friends with a tape recorder and huge cord microphone.  Dennis tells Frank that Agent Bauer outranks him because he’s technically a Special Agent.  Charlie blows up the car.  The Sunny gang obviously knows their crime movies, and the whole episode feels like a labor of love.

"The streets are flooded with the ejaculate of the homeless!"

This was the episode of Sports Night that really hooked me. It’s also the type of episode that you can watch without any previous knowledge of the show and still understand. Jeremy narrates the entire episode through a letter he is writing to his deaf sister, Louise.  This device, though heavy-handed (from Aaron Sorkin? Never!), does a good job of reintroducing all of the characters and assuring that they have some screen time.  These subplots include Dan struggling with writer’s block, and Casey hating on Dana’s new boyfriend (Ted “Now Your Show Has Jumped the Shark” McGinley).  We also learn the back-stories of many characters, including the fact that Isaac won a Pulitzer and Dana’s brother plays for the Denver Broncos. My favorite thing about the episode, and the show in general, is the budding relationship between Jeremy and Natalie.