Most memorable TV series episode (1 Viewer)

[Tom_Tagliente19]

NEWHART Finale: When Dick woke up in the bedroom set of the original Bob Newhart Show with Emily lying beside him and he told her he dreamt about a being an innkeeper in Vermont and that he was a married to a beautiful blonde was so funny and a perfect way to end the series. The line, "Emily, you really should wear more sweaters." was timeless.

Classy way to end this series. Can't wait for the DVD's.

Other NEWHART winners:

The pudding George loved as a kid and got tired of.
The original owners haunting the inn to scare Dick and Joanna into selling it back to them.
Dick selling Cyllendrick Dymnacron on TV like Looney Lenny with Stephanie as his co-host.
And Joanna trying to teach Larry and the Darryl's how to run a classy Minute Man Cafe with etiquette.

 

[Kevin Segura]

Not really part of an episodic series, but if we're talking about great TV moments, I thought these programs deserved mention:

"Our World" - the 1967 worldwide live broadcast-- this is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of television history. Not only for the content (though that too, is at times simply astounding), but also for its understated elegance, optimism and sense of purpose, which permeate the entire production. When you consider just the technological limitations that had to be overcome-- there were only three satellite transponders that could relay signals up and down to all of the participating nations-- the finished production seems all the more impressive.

"An Evening with Fred Astaire" (1958) - The first of his three television "comeback" specials, and one of the finest variety hours ever produced for the small screen. From the opening dance number to the final medley of Fred's signature songs, the entire show crackles with incredible energy. And although Fred himself has enough to do in the course of the hour, he is ably assisted by the luscious Barrie Chase, and the music of the Jonah Jones Quartet and David Rose's orchestra.

"Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall" (1962) - Ms. Andrews was already a Broadway star, having appeared in "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot", and Ms. Burnett was regularly demonstrating her comedic range on the wildly popular "Garry Moore Show". So after a successful teaming of the two ladies on the Moore program, it was decided to expand their act to the concert hall, and this delightful hour of music and comedy is the result. Although both shine as expected in their solo turns, with Burnett displaying much more musical talent than she's usually given credit for, the ensemble numbers really steal the show-- with the highlights being "The Nausiev Dancers" ("... direct from an unsuccessful engagement on "The Ed Sullivan Show.") and "The Pratt Family Singers"-- a sharp poke at the "The Sound of Music" (the film of which would star Andrews, some 3 years later).

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956) - Even with the persistent interruptions for TV ads, and what author Rod Serling considered a "Hollywood-ized" ending, the writing and performances featured in this "Playhouse 90" production are truly deserving of the Emmys that the show would go on to win. All of the leads are note-perfect in their casting, and both Jack Palance and Keenan Wynn would go on to long careers after this broadcast. The presentation of this show on home video, as part of the "Golden Age of Television" series gives a nice set of background interviews with the stars, with some surprisingly candid observations about the atmosphere leading up to the live broadcast.

Additionally, honorable mention should go to these programs, as well:

"Playhouse 90 - "Helen Morgan"" (1957) a marvelous biographical performance of the singer by Polly Bergen, ably assisted by Hoagy Carmichael and Sylvia Sidney.

"The Missiles of October" (syndicated) - A taut, well-scripted telling of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, with William Devane (JFK), Martin Sheen (RFK) and Howard Da Silva (Khrushchev) each giving memorable performances as their historic counterparts.

"Seven Lively Arts - The Sound of Jazz" (1957) - the first (and some would argue, the best), of the network jazz specials of the late 50's. Sterling performances from all involved; and as a bonus, a sublime rendition of "Fine and Mellow" by Billie Holiday, featuring Lester Young's achingly beautiful solo work. Possibly the purest transference of emotion into music that's ever been recorded.

And there are others, of course, but these are the shows that immediately come to mind... and criminally, only two of the shows listed above have been released on home video!!

-Kevin

 

[Travis Brashear]

I'm not sure I can adhere to the true sense of what this post is about--I don't recall recall any instances where a specific episode made me a fan--but I will say that the two most powerful (excluding the superb "City on the Edge of Forever" pick) TV moments for me, the two times I felt gutted as a viewer were the last two minutes of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION's "The Best of Both Worlds, Pt. 1" and the murder scene from the episode of TWIN PEAKS where we, the audience, finally learn who Laura Palmer's killer is.

 

[alan halvorson]

Yes, she did recognize herself. I don't recall her name, but she has since died. There's a statue of this moment in downtown Minneapolis, but it is of Mary only, tossing her hat.

Requim for a Heavyweight was the best moment on television I've ever seen. I saw it when it was first broadcast and several times since and it always moves me like no other television show.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

I would have to go with Episode 2 of Twin Peaks.
The show is progressing normally - albeit with a few more odd quirks than normal (Cooper's stone throwing investigative technique). And then, with seven minutes to go, Cooper goes to bed, and has a dream. And in that dream, David Lynch seems to revel in showing just how strange, disturbing, eerie, shocking, and brilliant television can actually be.

Another pick: "The Garage Door" from Freaks And Geeks.
One of the most heartbreaking episodes of television I have ever seen. Neal discovers that his father may be having an affair. After his initial denial "It can't be", he discovers a garage door opener that doesn't belong to his house, and goes to ride around town to try and the house that the opener relates to. It's a pitch-perfect episode that brilliantly explores the impact of a parent's actions on their child. His fear about what this could mean for his parent's marriage, his determination to find the garage opener's house, his venting at Sam and Bill when they have to leave, all moments that really have an impact.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

Her name is Hazel Frederick.

Who can turn the world on with her scowl?
Who can step into the shot
And make the MTM audience howl?
Well, it’s you, Hazel, you should know it.
With glasses and scarf and great big hair you can show it !
Hazel’s all around, don’t need no reasons
Hazel was a legend for seven seasons
She really made it, after all!

Lyrics by Sandy McLendon

Here's the link to her story:
The Mary and Rhoda Magazine: Hazel Frederick, the woman behind Mary Tyler Moore during The Mary Tyler Moore Show's hat toss

 

[alan halvorson]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Body from Season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

[Mary_P]

I was going to -- you beat me to it! A very affecting hour of television, and the most honest depiction of the death of a loved one I've ever seen in any medium.

In a similar vein, I also wanted to mention the "Homicide: Life on the Street" episode "Crosetti" (although I could also nominate several other HLOTS episodes such as "A Doll's Eyes"). It deals with the death of a fellow detective; the coroner rules it suicide, which the victim's partner won't accept, and will not give up his efforts to prove it was anything but suicide -- although every bit of evidence supports the coroner's finding. His final acceptance at the end of the episode, as well as another detective's formal show of respect for a fallen officer (denied by the department to Crosetti because it was a suicide), leaves me in tears every time.

Some great eps here -- the "Dream Sequence" episode of "Moonlighting" runs neck and neck with "Big Man on Mulberry Street" (with its Stanley Donen - directed dance sequence) for my favorite episode of the entire series.

 

[TravisR]

It might not have changed the way that I looked at television but one moment that made me a fan of Lost was in an episode called Walkabout. At the end of the episode, there's an amazing reveal that is triumphant, uplifting and shocking all at once.

And needless to say, many of the episodes that others have mentioned are great stuff too.

 

[Chris Roberts]

Firefly - Jaynestown

"I wanna go to the crappy planet where I'm a hero!"

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - "Call to Arms"

So many things happened in this episode from the start of the Dominion War to the evacuation of DS9. It is one of the best season finales I've seen.

 

[Theodore J. Mooney]

I think these would fit the bill easily:

* "Job Switching" (aka Candy Factory) from I Love Lucy
* "Lucy Does a TV Commercial (aka Vitameatavegamin) from I Love Lucy
* "Lucy's Italian Movie" (aka Stomping Grapes) from I Love Lucy
* "L.A At Last!" (aka Nose on Fire) from I Love Lucy
* "Up in the Air" from Three's Company
* "Her Sister's Shadow (aka "Marcia!, Marcia!, Marcia!") from The Brady Bunch
* "The Subject Was Noses" (Marcia's nose getting hit by a football) from The Brady Bunch
* The Trip to Hawaii from The Brady Bunch
* "Opie, the Birdman" from The Andy Griffith Show
* "Sammy's Visit" from All in the Family
* "Chuckle Bites the Dust" from The Mary Tyler Moore Show
* "The Last Show" from The Mary Tyler Moore Show
* "The Last Newhart" from Newhart
* "Over the River and Through the Woods" (aka Moo Goo Gai Pan) from The Bob Newhart Show
* "Coast to Coast Big Mouth" from The Dick Van Dyke Show
* "It May Look Like a Walnut" from The Dick Van Dyke Show
* "Lucy & Viv Install a Shower" from The Lucy Show
* "Lucy Meets the Burtons" from Here's Lucy
* "The Giant Jackrabbit" from The Beverly Hillbillies
* "A Star Named Arnold Is Born" from Green Acres
* "The Producer" from Gilligan's Island
* "Zombo" from The Munsters
* "Fearless Fonzarelli" from Happy Days
* "Rhoda's Wedding" from Rhoda
* "Turkey's Away" ("my god, I thought Turkeys could fly") from WKRP In Cincinnatti"
* "Mork's Mixed Emotions" from Mork and Mindy
* "And Then There Were Three" (Tabitha's birth) from Bewitched
* "The Wedding" (Jeannie finally weds Tony) from I Dream of Jeannie
* "Leo Durocher Meets Mister Ed" from Mister Ed
* "Maude's Dilemma" (the abortion episode) from Maude
* "The Big Move" ("DAMN, DAMN, DAMN") from Good Times
* "Goodbye" from 8 Simple Rules
* "In the Soup" from Leave it to Beaver
* "The Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld
* "The Puppy Episode" (the coming out episode) from Ellen

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Wouldn't it be cool if the studios or multi-conglomerates or whatever entity now owns everything would release box sets like this? Where the set would feature the best episodes from a vast array of shows within a genre, like sit-coms, or one-hour medical, or one-hour crime, courtroom, and so on? Or it could be ... Best comedy episodes from the 60s, Best drama episodes from the 80s, whatever. I think there would be a wide market for it, but the licensing would probably present an unsurmountable challenge. Still, one can dream, right?

The Fan Collective for the Star Trek series sort of does this, but only within the Star Trek world.

Sometimes you just want a taste of a show instead of slogging through the entire season-long sets, both gems and turkeys. These best-of genre box sets would do that. Warner Bros. did sample sets for Maverick, F Troop and others, but why not sample sets of best episodes from all their series within that genre or from that time period?

Are any marketers listening?

 

[Roy Wall]

Most memorable from my favorite old shows...sometimes the finale...sometimes the pilot....most times something other

Twilight Zone - "Time Enough At Last"
The Fugitive - "The Last Judgment"
Star Trek - "The Menagerie"
Andy Griffith - "The Pickle Story"
Columbo - "Requiem For A Falling Star"
Mission Impossible - "Operation Rogosh"
The Wild Wild West - "The Night of the Puppeteer"
The Avengers - "Something Nasty in the Nursery"
The Outer Limits - "The Sixth Finger"
The Prisoner - "Arrival"
Have Gun Will Travel - "El Paso Stage"
Gunsmoke - "Mannon"
Bonanza - "The Crucible"
The Rifleman - "Gunfire"
The Adventures of Superman - "The Evil Three"
I Love Lucy - "Tennessee Ernie Visits"
Thriller - "Pigeons From Hell"
The Night Stalker - "Horror in the Heights"
The Honeymooners - "Kramden vs Norton"
Naked City - "Prime of Life"
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - "The Sky is Falling"
The Invaders - "Beach Head"
The Time Tunnel - "Rendezvous With Yesterday"

 

[Kevin Hewell]

I have to agree with the "Big Man on Mulberry Street" dance number on "Moonlighting." I'd never seen anything like that done on network TV drama/comedy before.

I also have to agree with "Two Cathedrals" from "The West Wing." When Bartlett was renouncing God in Latin in the National Cathedral, that was some of the best acting I've ever seen done by an actor on a TV show.

Also, the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episodes Far Beyond the Stars and In the Pale Moonlight are not just some of the best Sci-Fi but some of the best drama I've ever seen.

 

[Travis Brashear]

You guys still haven't nailed DEEP SPACE NINE's most shining moment--"The Visitor", the one and only TV episode of any show that moved me to tears.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

There were so many excellent episodes of DS9. "The Visitor" is one of the many good ones that I overlooked. I don't know the actor who played old Jake but, damn!, he deserved an Emmy for that performance.

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

The actor is Tony Todd, who also played Worf's brother Kurn in "Sons of Mogh" and "Redemption."

 

[Tony S]

DS9-Sacrifice of Angles --The sadness of the death of Ziayal combined with the joy of everyone on the promenade applauding when the Defiant crew came aboard the station. Very emotional.

Little House -- There's No Place Like Home-Part 2. This when they come back from Winoka and work to rebuild Walnut Grove. Lars Hanson dies in the episode (off screen) and the actor who played him also died shortly after that episode was filmed.

Cheers -- I don't know the name of the episode but it's the one where Sam gets the bar back.

Coach -- I don't the this episode title either, but Chrisine falling and landing on the wedding cake was priceless.

Married With Children -- You Better Watch Out -- I loved the early days of the Fox network. I was fascinated that after all those years of the big 3 that now there was a 4th network. And this new network was fresh and more daring than we were used to. The fact that M w/ C's Christmas episode had to have a parental advisory warning at the beginning was a testement to that. What other show or network in 1987 would have a drunken Santa Claus plumeting to his death in someone back yard? I loved it.

Seinfeld -- The Contest. No explanation necessary.

M*A*S*H -- The Party. This is the one were BJ organized a "reunion" for the families of the 4077th. A great episode

 

[Scott_F_S]

Back to "The Body," from BtVS: If I had to pick just one episode as the most memorable of any I've ever seen, that one is it. I'll never, ever forget that one. That one cut to the bone.