I'm a television and movie nerd, but I don't watch everything. There are plenty of series that I have never watched that may deserve to be on this list. But for now, this list is television that I love and have seen.
10. ER "The Show Must Go On"
Even with a series that ran for 15 seasons, it was easy for me to pick the one stand out episode for me. After 11 years in the County ER in Chicago, it is Dr. Carter's last day on the job. He is leaving for Africa and makes his rounds in saying goodbye. On the other hand, it is Abby, Ray and Neela's last day as interns. They are officially residents, and each has to make the decision if they want to remain doctors. And when every attending is at the bar around the corner celebrating Carter's life at County, Ray brings in 8 traumas from a party he was a member of. All on their own, Ray, Neela and Abby run the ER. This episode is epic for me because I watched this series from the beginning, and Carter has always been my favorite. To see him leave and other doctors take his place was a memorable moment in "ER" history. Carter's last moments in the ER, hearing the voices of his past, and passing on the knowledge that Dr. Green gave him so many years ago is one of the most emotional scenes of television I can remember.
9. Farscape "The Peacekeeper Wars"
This may be a mini series that ended the series forever (except in comics), however, this is the story that would have stretched into season 5. So let's just think of it as one damn good episode. After four years of wishing and yearning for John and Aeryn to finally be happy, they are. Time and time again, they are happy for just a fleeting moment before everything breaks apart, again. But not this time. With their help, the Peacekeepers and the Saracens make peace in the aftermath of the destruction of the wormhole weapon. And finally, they are married, Aeryn gives birth to their son D'Argo, and all is well.
8. Stargate SG-1 "200"
Not only an epic moment for the series as they celebrate their 200th episode, but it is also the most hilarious episode ever, paying homage to many other great science fiction and fantasy series. Not only do we get to finally see the Furlings, but also get to see zombies, a great wizard, the return of Jack, and the SG-1 team gets to fantasize themselves as someone else. Anyone else. The writers pulled out every inside joke in the book, creating some of the greatest spoofs in science fiction history. Cam gets to fight zombies, Teal'c gets to be a detective, the team travels through Oz, takes a ride on the Enterprise, and the greatest spoof of all: the team transforms into the characters of "Farscape" and take a ride on Moya. Basically, I spent the entire episode rolling on the floor laughing.
7. Third Watch "After Time"
I still think it's the best investigation show ever created. A series about one precinct of cops, firefighters and paramedics in New York City. Just before season 3 began, came September 11, 2001. In a very brave a courageous decision, the creators decided to rewrite the first 3 episodes of the season, which would start in only a month, and center them around the event. The first was a documentary and memorandum to firefighters, cops and paramedics that died. The first official episode of the season "September 10th" is exactly what it's titled. The day before. The last few moments, one-by-one, each character finds out what happened, and head to Ground Zero. The next episode is "After Time", fast forwarding a couple weeks, dealing with the aftermath of 9/11. We see how the city reacts, and how the characters we have spent 2 seasons falling in love with are dealing with the emotional and physical strain. Only a month after the event, this episode confronts the loss, grief, and anger that the whole country was going through. It forced us to focus on the people that were affected, not taking out our anger on those responsible.
6. Battlestar Galactica "Maelstrom"
One of the greatest written series of all time, it's hard to say one episode is more epic than another. So why did I pick this one? Probably because we come to a major realization in the destiny of one character that we have been confused about since the beginning. Starbuck faces the conflicts she has with her mother with the help of Leoben, and accepts her fate. She will lead all the survivors to Earth, and her death, is a stepping stone to that destiny. And there is no better way for Kara to die, than in a Viper, beside Lee. It was heartbreaking, yes, but groundbreaking and memorable. This episode was the set up for the the crazy cliffhanger of Kara suddenly returning alive and well, knowing the location of Earth.
5. Stargate Atlantis "The Shrine"
Not only one of the most emotional episode of "Stargate" on record, but one of the best written as well. This story was so surprising, and groundbreaking on the acting front, that you can't help but remember it above the rest. Rodney is infected with a virus that deteriorates his mind, and there is nothing the team can do to stop it. The team can do nothing but watch as he crumbles before them. Eventually, they bring his sister back to Atlantis to say their goodbyes. However, Ronon has an idea, a place that helped his grandfather before he passed. They take Rodney to the place that Ronon remembers and it gives them the chance to save him. Each character is forced to realize how much they love Rodney, and that it is not going to be easy to say goodbye. It's a fantastic episode in a fabulous last season.
4. LOST "Through the Looking Glass"
This episode contains perhaps the most shocking and epic cliffhanger ever to grace the silver screen. We spend the entire episode trying to place these Jack flashbacks, only to realize in the end, that they are not flashbacks at all, but flashes into the future. As the Losties are trying desperately to get off the island, we realize that something has gone wrong. Some people were left behind, maybe even died. As all the viewers were frantic, trying to figure out how Jack and Kate were together in this apparent flashback, we all realized what was going on the moment Jack screamed at her back, "We have to go back!" I don't know about you, but I was freaking out, my mind already exploding at the idea of Charlie's death. I was speechless. Well, other than screaming in my head "OMG!" about a million times. I'm not sure how long it took me to form a single coherent thought in my head, but I can tell you this: no single episode of television has blown my mind more than this episode of "LOST".
3. Supernatural "The Real Ghostbusters"
Any convention nut, like myself, Tim and Stephanie, would think this is one of the most epic hours of television ever seen. Dean and Sam are tricked into attending the first "Supernatural" Convention at a hotel that ends up actually being haunted. With a couple dozen LARPing Sam and Dean's "poking" at the real ghosts, the real Sam and Dean have to save their fans from the very thing they obsess about. An episode that is a fantastic homage to the series' fans, and fans in general, "Supernatural" certainly knows how to make the most of their genre. Anyone need a new series to get obsessed about?? I recommend "Supernatural". I dare you to watch one episode, and not fall completely in love with it.
2. Angel "Not Fade Away"
Still, the only series that I can list every single episode title in perfect order. Yep, that's how many times I have watched it. At the end of a perfect and landmark season 5 as the owners of the LA branch of Wolfram & Hart, Angel has to fight enemies outside and from within, all while trying to find a way to bring down the Partners at their own game. But it's not that easy. No mere mortals can bring down the Partners, those responsible for every single evil on the Earth. But that doesn't mean they can't fight them. After all these years, the team makes their final sacrifices. Spending a final day doing something that matters before giving themselves to take out the Circle of the Black Thorn, the Partners minions on Earth. Even though I still don't think it was fair for this series to end as it did, Joss Whedon pulled out all the stops to make it the best ending possible. Everything seemed right. For our heroes sacrificing their lives to simply let the Partners know that we might not be able to kill you, but we can still fight you. In the end, meeting in the alley behind the hotel, in the pouring rain, they begin the real fight for their lives. And it's up to us whether we think they survived. Well, unless you read the comics...
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer "Once More with Feeling"
Yep, that's right, a musical episode. Let's be honest. This is probably the best and most epic hour of television ever. Can anyone really tell me that they were expecting this? I mean, being a fan of Joss Whedon since the beginning, we've all known that he is a brilliantly crazy, but this was different. Crazy and brilliant, yes, yet still beyond mouth dropping. Ask any Buffy fan, and I guarantee you this episode will be in their top 3 favorite of the series. This episode is like any other favorite song that you want to sing-along with. In fact, I am one of hundreds that come together for the screening of the episode at the end of Comic Con every year. And one of hundreds that don't need any lyrics to sing-along with every song. I don't care what series has done it since, or does it next. Nothing is as epic and memorable as this. Not even "Glee".
Honorable Mention:
Band of Brothers Part 7: "The Breaking Point" My favorite part of this award winning HBO miniseries, tells the story of the horrible winter in Bastogne and the taking of Foy, told by the voice over of Donnie Wahlberg's 2nd Lt. Carwood Lipton. Afterward, I learned that his voice over was actually taken from the transcript of the real Lt. Lipton telling the story to Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Third Watch "More Monsters" contains the most intense full episode shoot out I have ever watched! After the 55th precinct is attacked, it continues as men armed with AK-47s charge into the hospital.
The Vampire Diaries "The Return" One of the most shocking and most anticipated episodes on the CW network. The return of Katherine Pierce to Mystic Falls and the emotional downfall of Damon. Overall, an epic, shocking, and emotional roller coaster ride.
Friday Night Lights "The Son" It would be a lie if I told you that I didn't cry in every single episode in this series for one reason or another. But in this episode, as the team and the Taylor family rally around Matt after his father is killed in Iraq supersedes all the rest. An episode that tells the terrifying truth of how hard life can crash down on you.
Heroes "Genesis" Despite the fact that the rest of the series got worse after Season 1, the pilot episode of this series may be one of the best and most intriguing introductions to a series ever created.
No comments:
Post a Comment