029. Noel (The West Wing)

"...The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out." 

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 20th December 2000
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 10
WRITTEN BY: Aaron Sorkin & Peter Parnell

Noel is a quiet, unassuming episode of The West Wing. It doesn't have any exciting crises or major events. But there is a certain intimacy about it. It's definitely one of the best character studies of the show, and a showcase for great acting.

As hard as it is to pick favorites in the West Wing cast, I've always been a big fan of Bradley Whitford. This was the season he won the Emmy, and it's not really a surprise. He's really the central role here, as we see him in therapy coming to terms with the aftermath of the shooting. Any detractors that storyline had for being too unrealistic should be satisfied with how real and humane Josh's trauma is.

It is rather unusual for the show to focus on one character, but in this case it's worth it. The show tries other things it doesn't normally do, such as play with time, and even showing us altered memories (it takes a while for us to find out the real reason Josh hurt his hand).

At first, Josh does not want to admit he needs help. And the intrigue in deciphering the reasons for Josh's breakdowns keep the episode interesting throughout. Throw in one of the greatest monologues in the show's entire run, courtesy of Leo, and you have an outstanding episode. I didn't even need to mention that Yo-Yo Ma was in it. Has a show ever had such a random, cultured guest star?

028. Ice (The X Files)

"I just want to make sure we are who we say we are"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 5th November 1995
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 8
WRITTEN BY: Glen Morgan & James Wong

The story may be familiar to anyone who has seen The Thing. Mulder, Scully, a group of scientists and their pilot go up to an Arctic base and get isolated in close quarters with a deadly parasite. Paranoia and suspicion sets in as the group know that any one of the could really be infected.

Ice is perfect in its simplicity. It tells a focused story and creates a tone that sets the intensity for the episode. The monster of the week is not the worm, but the people - how they turn on eachother and the lengths they go to to stay alive when put in extreme circumstances.

Mulder and Scully's final stand-off where Mulder has to talk Scully out of shooting him is the best scene. Of course, the audience knows deep down that Mulder was never really a suspect, but that's not the point. This is the episode where Scully learned to trust Mulder implicitly.

027. Afternoon Delight (Arrested Development)

"Yeah, like the guy wearing the $4,000 suit is going to hold the elevator for the guy that doesn't make that in a month. Come on!"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 19th December 2004
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 6
WRITTEN BY: Abraham Higginbotham & Chuck Martin

I'm sure you've heard the wonderful news by now - Arrested Development is coming back! To celebrate the occasion, I'm choosing to induct one of my favorite Bluth adventures onto the list, and it also happens to be vaguely Christmas-themed.

This is an episode where GOB really shines. Most of the episode revolves around GOB alienating the Bluth company employees and being completely oblivious to how much they dislike him. The suits montage is one of the show's most famous moments, and where his catchphrase "come on!" was born. He gets his comeuppance where he tries to hold the traditional office roast at the Christmas party, not realizing people wouldn't be saying flattering things, but instead making fun of him.

GOB is far from the only Arrested Development character with poor self-awareness. The episode's title comes partially from Michael's duet with his niece, where he realises only too late how inappropriate the song choice is. The scene has a perfect Curb-style awkwardness, even for a show that's not afraid to shy away from talking about incest.

 The writers are particularly cruel to Tobias this episode, first making him lose his hearing (causing him to spout off more hilariopus Tobias-isms about how he "got blown"), having the characters show little regard for his safety, and then have Lucille run him over with her car whilst on drugs. Jessica Walters' performance in particular needs to be praised.

GOB in the banana costume is a great visual gag, and Buster dropping him in the water with the crane was another hilarious visual moment. Whether GOB likes it or not, there's a lot of laughs to be had at his expense.

026. Contemporary American Poultry (Community)

"If God were edible - not that I'm Catholic - but if it were cool to eat God, he'd be a chicken finger"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 22nd April 2010
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 21
WRITTEN BY: Emily Cutler & Karey Dornetto

The most film-savvy sitcom on TV, this was the episode that Community graduated from sly references to full-blown parody. The plot of the episode takes its cues from Goodfellas, as Abed imagines the operation to take over control of the school kitchen and controls the production of chicken fingers as being similar to a mafia movie. The parody doesn't detract from the story, and Abed's narration creates a fast-paced episode with an epic feel.

The episode mixed up the dynamics of the group, which was interesting, as Jeff reacts badly to not being the head guy in charge. Danny Pudi also proved he could carry an episode that centered on him. The group turning into divas was amusing to watch.

If you want more than just gangster jokes in this episode, you'll get it. The monkey named Annie's Boobs was funny enough to earn several reappearances, and the "streets ahead" running gag is one of the highlights. The joke was actually the result of fan interaction, again proving what a meta experience the show is. It's such a shame to hear this show is not doing well, but I'd rather it stayed true to its audience with gems like this than pander to the masses.

025. Treehouse Of Horror VI (The Simpsons)

"There's no mystery about Willie. Why, he just simply disappeared. Now let's have no more curiousity about this bizarre cover-up"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 29th October 1995
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 7, Episode 6
WRITTEN BY: John Swartzwelder, Steve Tompkins & David S. Cohen

The Simpsons' annual Halloween episode is as famous as the show itself. The three stories format allows the show to be as experimental and creative as they like, allowing for fast-paced stories. The first story is a fun romp full of rampaging monsters, as billboards start coming to life. The satire is still as sharp as ever, as the way the advertisements die are when people stop looking at them.

The second segment is a great parody of Nightmare On Elm Street, which again plays with horror conventions and humour (the introduction of the 13th month, Smarch, is a classic joke). But it's also pretty creepy in places and Groundskeeper Willie makes a great bad guy.

"Homer 3" takes the show to a whole different medium when Homer discovers a dimension where he is 3D behind his bookcase, resulting in some very meta in-jokes and allowing the show to try new things that it's never done before or since. There's something slightly unsettling about seeing Homer in the real world at the end, and the whole episode maintains those same vibes.

Treehouse Of Horror VI is a strong contender, not just for best Halloween episode ever, but for best episode of The Simpsons ever.

024. Long Term Parking (The Sopranos)

"The highway was jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 23rd May 2004

EPISODE NUMBER: Season 5, Episode 12

WRITTEN BY: Terence Winter

As The Sopranos built towards the climax of its fifth season, Long Term Parking ramped up the tension on several plotlines, providing shocking new developments, and did something only one other episode had done at the time: kill a main character that had been part of the show since season 1.

The episode begins with Johnny Sack and Tony Soprano discussing the aftermath of Tony's cousin killing Phil's brother, and Johnny issues an ultimatum that he must hand his cousin over before things get ugly. This is not why everyone loves the episode so much: the really gripping parts are about Adriana, an FBI informant, revealing her secret to Christopher. And boy, does he take it badly.

This was to be Drea De Matteo's last performance as a regular but it was a worthy one to go out on, and some of her best work. Her death scene is perfectly set up - driven to the hospital to see Chris by Silvio, it gradually dawns on her that it's just a ruse, and is shot in the woods as she tries to escape. It's a brutal, dramatic high point of the show as Christopher is forced to demonstrate his loyalty to the family truly has no exceptions.

023. Zen (Twin Peaks)

"I've got good news. That gum you like is going to come back in style"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 19th April 1990
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1 Episode 3
WRITTEN BY: Mark Frost & David Lynch

The twisted mind of David Lynch has been confusing people on cinema screens for years, and when he tried his hand at television, the result was no less surreal. Zen is the definitive episode of Twin Peaks and contains the show's most iconic scene.

The dream sequence, where Cooper is in a red room with Laura Palmer and a midget, is one of the most amazing and absurd things ever put to the small screen. It's a hypnotizing, unforgettable scene that leaves the viewer transfixed. This was the first completely "out there" moment of the series, and it made viewers wonder just what kind of show they were watching. It captured the audience's imagination and people analysed and dissected every line looking for hidden meaning. If people weren't hooked on the mystery of who killed Laura Palmer before, they certainly were after it.

There's another standout scene in Zen that less people remember. It's the part where Cooper is throwing rocks at a bucket as Lucy reads out names of suspects, as part of a technique he apparently picked up in Tibet. We knew right then and there that Cooper was not a by-the-book detective and was willing to use less conventional methods in his investigation. With that in mind why should we be surprised that he takes a dream so seriously?

Both these scenes demonstrate the eccentric and quirky nature of the show assuring Twin Peaks a place in pop culture history for life (once The Simpsons has parodied you, you know you've made it). Other shows were inspired by it (e.g. Lost) but there has still been nothing quite like it ever since and there never will be.

022. Smile Time (Angel)

"Yeah, I'm a puppet! Doesn't mean you don't have work to do"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 18th February 2004

EPISODE NUMBER: Season 5, Episode 14

WRITTEN BY: Ben Edlund & Joss Whedon

Smile Time is an absolutely bonkers premise, but brilliant because of its absurdity. It started with the writers wanting to do an evil Sesame Street, by having a group of evil puppets sucking the brain power out of children (like all TV shows, amirite?). That's weird enough but then Angel later becomes a puppet himself. It's an episode that really has to be seen to be believed.

It's a genius idea that proved how inventive the show could be, as many laughs come from the situation - not least a hysterical slapstick fight between Spike and puppet Angel. Typical action tropes are subverted, such as Angel's badass walk in the scene above, which loses a lot of its intimidation for obvious reasons. A lot of the time, Angel is accused of being much darker than Buffy, but this episode showed a softer, lighter side to the series. It's the kind of bizarre humour that only Joss could pull off.

The final battle where Gunn starts using a shovel on the puppet is a riot, and the whole episode is just so much fun. I don't know how they found the time to fit in a romantic subplot between Wesley and Fred who finally become an item, but it doesn't detract from the felt-flinging fun.

Despite being really silly, Smile Time is an all-time favorite of mine, just because it's all so much fun.

021. The Man Behind The Curtain (Lost)

"I'm sorry that you're too limited to see"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 9th May 2008
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 3, Episode 20
WRITTEN BY: Elizabeth Sarnoff & Drew Goddard

Having arguably hit a slump at the beginning of season 3, Lost surprised everyone with a quality batch of episodes to close out the year. This is the first episode to centre on Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson), the show's breakout character that was rewritten from small bit-part to major player. One of TV's ultimate villains, the episode proves just how much of a cold bastard he really is, with a very unsettling scene involving him gassing his dad, and another shocking ending where he tries to kill Locke. It's also an episode full of mythological relevance.

The show has teased about the all-powerful Jacob before, but now was the first time we were going to see him. Or were we? The cabin scene is the most unexpected and unpredictable moment in Lost and that's what makes it so amazing. With lesser actors, the scene would've fallen flat, but Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn give some of the best acting they've ever given.

Even though the show has ended, it's still not entirely clear what we saw in that scene, and the mystery lives on. Has this episode suffered on rewatch? Perhaps. You could argue that at this point the writers were in the same position as Ben: pretending to understand the Island, and desperately trying to buy more time before people expose their lies. But it was certainly an unforgettable experience at the time, and got people talking.

020. Milf Island (30 Rock)

"If you decide to sue, I know a good Lawyer. Took me to the cleaners last year"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 10th April 2008
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 11
WRITTEN BY: Tina Fey & Matt Hubbard

What started out as a throwaway joke becomes a backdrop for an entire episode. Show-within-a-show "MILF Island" is a clever parody of Survivor that's almost trashy enough to exist one day, and the brief scenes it shows up in are all very funny. But the best part is that it's used as a way to parallel the events of the episode.

It starts off as a mystery about who made the anonymous comment about Jack, with the show staff held hostage until the culprit confesses. Later, when they reveal it was Liz, it focuses on her reluctance to admit it despite her increasing guilt.

Tracy is used only in moderation, but his scenes are all great. Liz mimicking a Kathy cartoon is a perfect example of the show's absurd humour. Pete Hornberger also has an amusing subplot where he's trapped in a vending machine and there's no-one around to free him.

In the end, Jack uses his master manipulation skills to get Liz to own up and write a show for a "MILF Island" contestant, even though he already knew it was her. MILF Island is a clever, funny, interesting and even quite tense episode of comedy, and demonstrates Tina Fey's ability to take a small joke and just run with it, tapping its unseen potential.

019. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Six Feet Under)

"I'm looking for clothes so expensive only an idiot would buy them"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 21st April 2001
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 8
WRITTEN BY: Scott Buck

Christmas is a special time for the Fisher family, not just because it's a holiday, but because it marks the anniversary of major events at the start of the show, such as the death of Nathaniel Sr and the first meeting of Nate and Brenda.

The stiff-of-the-week is a biker named Jesse, who hits a truck dressed as Santa Claus, no doubt traumatising the onlooking children. It's a darkly funny scene up there with Six Feet Under's best openings. The Bikers were pretty awesome in this episode, creating many comic moments as the eccentric group take over the house for an extravagant Christmas day funeral in order to send their buddy out in style.

It was good to see Nathaniel Sr reappear in flashbacks, as every character remembers their last interaction with him. None of the scenes are particularly spectacular on their own, but that's the point that the episode was trying to make - we never know when our last moments with people will be, and so we take them for granted. David brushed off the chance to have a real conversation with his dad. Claire opted out of accompanying him to the airport, but in doing so avoided the car crash that killed him. Little moments like this that seem insignificant have such a dramatic effect on the rest of our lives.

Brenda's crazy brother Billy also returns for an awkward Christmas reunion where he finds out about Nate and Brenda's engagement. Nikolai becomes an unwanted guest in the Fisher household following his injury. It was nice to see so many people at the Christmas dinner - it's the biggest the family has been in a long time.

Ending this episode with Nate going for a ride on the dead biker's motorcycle was great, and could not have made a better song choice than "Don't Fear The Reaper".

018. A Lie Agreed Upon (Deadwood)

"Welcome to fucking Deadwood! Can be combative!"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 6th/13th March 2005
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 1
WRITTEN BY: David Milch & Jody Worth

No disrespect to the rest of the brilliant Deadwood cast, but Ian McShane is in a league of his own. Al Swearengen is one of TV's all-time best villians. Seeing him finally go head-to-head with good guy Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) is a moment we'd been waiting for for a long time.

Al being beaten up by Bullock is the first time we've seen him humbled. He's such a dignified character, so for him to confront the reality that he's not untouchable is interesting. This later becomes a bigger theme with the storyline of Al's kidney stones over the next few episodes. It's also interesting how Al chooses not to kill Bullock when he had the choice after seeing a child and getting an attack of conscience.

The child belongs to Bullock's wife, and their arrival this episode is a game-changer for Bullock. It leads to him breaking off his relationship with Alma in order to take care of his family. Other storylines include Joanie Stubbs opening her own brothel (much to Cy Tolliver's dismay), Calamity Jane returning to camp (she begins the season with an amusing scene where she drunkenly yells "cocksuckers!" at the new arrivals), and Sol Star taking a bullet for Seth.

The final confrontation between Bullock and Swearengen, where Al finally swallows his pride and gives Bullock his badge back, is brilliantly tense. The intensifying of the rivalry between two great characters is what makes this particular two-parter worthy of representing the show on the list.

017. Top Banana (Arrested Development)

"There's always money in the banana stand"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 9th November 2003
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 2
WRITTEN BY: Mitchell Hurwitz & Jon Levenstein

Some people aren't sold on Arrested Development at first. I was not one of those people. To me, the first two episodes are two of the strongest of the show's entire run and I loved them straight away. Let me remind you of all the classic moments in Top Banana.

Many characters have some of their best moments. From Tobias' fire sale audition, to GOB killing a Dove, to George Michael's incorrect usage of the word "Mr Manager". GOB feeling useless and asking his brother for jobs that he doesn't even want is a great subplot, and similarly a lot of gags come from Tobias' insecurity over his failure to find an acting job. Both are down to nuanced writing and dedicated performances from the actors.

With so much of the show's humour revolving around running gags and callbacks, the first few episodes had to stand on their own, and that they do. Although they do still find room for callback jokes within the episode itself. Who knew that "there's always money in the banana stand" could be such a great punchline?

At the end of the day, despite the Bluth family's wacky antics, the show still has a heart. Michael realises what's important: his relationship with his son.

016. Final Grades (The Wire)

"This game is rigged, man"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 10th December 2006
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 4, Episode 13
WRITTEN BY: David Simon

The season 4 finale to The Wire clocks in at a 72 minute running time, second only to the season 5 finale as the longest episode. That gives you a sense of just how large the show's ensemble has grown, and how complex the storylines have become, that it takes over an hour to wrap everything up satisfactorily.

One thing to love about this episode is that it features Omar at his most audacious. After stealing a stash from Marlo as an act of revenge, he quickly realizes he has no use for the merchandise, so decides to sell it back to Prop Joe, the guy he stole it from. It's a classic Omar move that only he would have the chutzpah to pull off. The entire scene is hilarious, not least for Cheese's livid reaction.

McNulty and Bodie's last conversation is an outstanding scene. It's amazing how far he's come from the little punk on the corner in season 1. You can tell that McNulty kind of respects Bodie, and it's Bodie's death that motivates McNulty to get back to real policework. Bodie goes out on a high note, defiantly standing his ground and going down fighting.

If McNulty and Bodie seemed on odd pairing, there's another great and extremely underrated scene between and even more unlikely couple. It's the scene where Colvin convinces Wee-Bey to let him adopt his son, talking about how the two of them come from the same world, and that's not where Namond belongs. It's a great scene, detailing the brutality of Baltimore street life and humanizing the so-called "bad guys".

There are many other plots I haven't mentioned: Bubbles' suicide attempt, Carver's attempts to get Randy on the adoption list, the reappearance of the Greek, and Michael becoming a killer. The small scene where Marlo notices the ring Michael has, assuming he took it from Omar, is great. The ring had changed hands many times across the season, representing the circular nature of life. And now, a new generation of drug dealers are being born, repeating that process too.

The musical montage (Paul Weller's "I Walk On Gilded Splinters"), a trademark of The Wire, wraps up the season and starts setting up the next one. Few shows can do finales as effectively as The Wire can.

015. Fly (Breaking Bad)

"If I had just lived right up to that moment, and not one second more, that would've been perfect"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 23rd May 2010
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 3, Episode 10
WRITTEN BY: Sam Catlin & Moira Walley-Beckett

Some people didn't like this episode. I almost don't blame them. 40 minutes of two people in one location trying to catch a fly? Sounds terrible. But this was definitely one of, if not the, best episodes to date. There wasn't much action, and there wasn't much plot. But that didn't stop it being amazing television.

Rian Johnson (Brick) directed this episode, and makes no effort to hide his style. The quick cuts and unique camera angles are definitely not like anything the show has ever done before. But this is fitting, considering the episode's entire concept is similarly fresh and unique.

There is more humour than usual in this episode, mainly derived from the absurdity of Walt scrambling around in a slapstick fashion trying to catch a fly, like Wile E. Coyote tries to catch the Road Runner. The amount of effort he spends on such a minor problem is obsessive, and it quickly becomes more about principle for Walt, rather than stopping the "contamination". The dialogue is also more humourous than usual. Jesse's observation about the word "Possum" changing to "Opossum" is a very subtly witty scene.

The dialogue has more to offer than just humour, however. Walt's monologues about his family and coincidences are great. For all the unrealistic slapstick, we also get Walt at his most human. We see the Walt/Jesse relationship at its best and at its worst. The climactic scene at the end is tense not just because Jesse is hanging precariously off a step ladder, but because Walt is on the verge of telling him what really happened during Jane's death.

I love the last shot, of the fly still tormenting Walt as he goes to bed. It's definitely not your typical Breaking Bad episode, but it's a rewarding experience that puts action aside and takes a look at what really makes the characters tick.

014. Crossroads (Battlestar Galactica)

"My name is Saul Tigh. I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. Whatever else I am, whatever else it means, that's the man I want to be. And if I die today, that's the man I'll be"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 18th/25th March 2007
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 3, Episode 19
WRITTEN BY: Michael Taylor & Mark Verheiden

Season 3 of Battlestar Galactica stalled in some places and spread the plot thin. However, Crossroads was a great end to the season and unexpectedly delivered some major, gamechanging plot twists.

One of the major mysteries throughout the show was the identity of the final 5 cylons. Knowing it could be anyone on the fleet created a lot of tension and paranoia and became a big talking point for fans, who loved to speculate who. Four of them discover their true nature towards the end of this episode. The machines stand by, stunned, unable to process such important information and unsure of how to proceed from here. The magnitude of the event is very powerful, it's hard to imagine having to deal with finding out everything you thought you knew about yourself was a lie. Michael Hogan is fantastic throughout the episode, as he starts off having a breakdown, and ends up proud of who he is.

One thing that sets Battlestar Galactica apart from other sci-fi shows is that it's a very relateable show at heart. It may have spaceships and robots, but it's about humans, and it deals with issues and problems that we deal with. Baltar's trial is a fantastic musing on the rights and wrongs of war conduct. This is a very important issue in the real world, and the show concludes that there are no easy answers. Mark Sheppard gives an amazing performance as Baltar's Lawyer, Romo Lampkin, and with the help of a great clsoing speech from Apollo about how all humans are flawed, does the seemingly impossible - clears the name of the most hated man in the Universe.

The ending is also great, where a supposedly dead Starbuck rises from the grave, claiming to know the way to Earth for one final shock. And the subtle, gradual implementation of the great song "All Along The Watchtower" (re-used in the series finale) is cool too.

013. Pie-Lette (Pushing Daisies)

"Murders are much easier to solve when you can ask the victim who killed them"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 2nd October 2007
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 1
WRITTEN BY: Bryan Fuller

This may seem like an odd choice to put on this list. This is not a well-known show. It wasn't on for very long, and was in fact cancelled in its second season. But we all know how hard it is to get a TV show off the ground. A show can fail for any number of reasons, and poor ratings and cancellation is not alway indicative of a lack of quality, so inevitably some gems slip through. This show holds a special place in my heart and I loved it during its all-too-brief run. If this entry convinces just one person to watching Pushing Daisies, I'll consider it a success.

This pilot episode was a great introduction of the show, and the only Pilot other than Lost to hook me immediately. Trust me, I don't give out praise like that often. Its task is to establish the quirky, eccentric fairy tale world it takes place in. The narrator outlines a lot of the idiosyncracies, such as the precise time-keeping, unusual names and verbose dialogue. And visually, it's a treat. The bright colours and gorgeous scenery are reminiscent of a Tim Burton movie.

The opening moments demonstrate a really original premise...a man has the power to bring things back from the dead with his touch, but touching them again will make them go back to being dead. For the dead thing to stay alive, something else must die in its place, which...oh, you'll figure out the rules. The narrator explains them better than I can.

Central to the plot is the piemaker’s relationship with recently-murdered beekeeper Charlotte, who he can never touch, adding an undercurrent of tragedy, as well as a certain purity. Chi McBride is probably the standout of the cast, as the wisecracking Private Eye Emerson Codd, but I have no real complaints with any of the characters. Lee Pace is adorably dorky, and Anna Friel is a vision of beauty, sweet enough to win your heart.

Pushing Daisies is a great blend of humour, mystery and romance. For showing so much promise, this episode makes it onto the list.

012. Cape Feare (The Simpsons)

"No-one who speaks German could be an evil man"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 7th October 1993
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 5, Episode 2
WRITTEN BY: Jon Vitti

With so many shows still unused, why am I repeating a show already? Because it's The Simpsons, duh. Expect it to feature a lot.

The Sideshow Bob episodes are often a highlight of the series. Kelsey Grammar has helped create a villain that's charming, intelligent, diabolical and, most importantly, hilarious. The plot for this one is pretty simple. There's no grand scheme, it's just about Bob getting out of prison and trying to kill Bart. Sideshow Bob's parole hearing is a brilliant scene, where Bob explains his "Die Bart Die" tattoo is German.

Everything to do with Chief Wiggum (whose idea of "persuasive" does not match up with expectations) and the witness protection program is also great. Homer's classic obliviousness is used to great effect when he fails to comprehend even the simplest task set to him by the FBI.

Sideshow Bob proves to be a fine source of physical comedy as well as wit. It's fun watching him be subjected to a cactus patch, and elephant stampede, and a barrage of rakes (the first thing any Simpsons fan thinks of when they think of Sideshow Bob). It's surprising to hear that they struggled to find enough material for this episode, as they packed in so many laughs.

The episode also parodies the psychological horror genre really well, from the series of fake-outs at the start of the episode involving Bart's anonymous death threats, to Homer accidentally scaring Bart to death with his chainsaw and hockey mask. It's not afraid to get silly, with Bob's inconvenient penchant for writing everything in blood played for laughs too.

It would take ages to list all the memorable moments, so let's just say pretty much everything. The Simpsons' high gag rate has never been higher.

011. The Gift (Buffy)

"The hardest thing in this world is to live in it"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 22nd May 2001
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 5, Episode 22
WRITTEN BY: Joss Whedon

As if the season five finale wasn't enough motivation to produce something good, The Gift was the last episode to air on the WB and also the 100th episode of the show overall.

The best word to describe it is epic. It follows Buffy's biggest battle yet, against the evil Goddess Glory (definitely one of the best Big Bads).  Many elements scattered throughout the season come back into play, such as the troll hammer and the Buffybot. Every character contributes something to the battle, too - demonstrating what a large ensemble the show has become.

The show still finds time to produce nice character moments, even in the midst of such a large-scale battle. Anya proposes to Xander, both a landmark event and a sweet character moment. Giles killing Ben was quite a shocking moment, as it was the most ruthless thing we've ever seen him do.

The last scene is one of the most emotional moments of the series. Buffy sacrificing herself for her sister is an admirably noble act, and feels like a natural and beautiful ending, which the show had been building to for a while ("death is your gift"). Still doesn't stop it from being sad, though. It even made Spike cry.

 The Gift feels like a series finale, and even though it's not, it would've made a great one.

010. Seinfeldvision (30 Rock)

"Oh no, did a Korean person die?"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 4th October 2007
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 1
WRITTEN BY: Tina Fey

Yeah, I'm a 30 Rock fan. What gave it away? The first season was a big hit, which, coupled with Tina Fey's connections, lead to the second season being able to attract a large number of celebrity guest stars. The show generally put them all to good use, but none better than Jerry Seinfeld.

"Seinfeldvision" is another one of Jack's wacky ideas, that involves inserting Jerry Seinfeld into other NBC shows like Heroes. And yes, they do make jokes about product placement later on, when Seinfeld advertises his Bee Movie. Jerry plays himself (as usual), and threatens to sue Jack over it. Alec Baldwin really gets to demonstrate his comedy chops as Jack is put into a mad panic as he rushes to find a solution ("#1. Kill Seinfeld, #2. - Kill Seinfeld then kill myself") Consistently one of the best characters, even great with little moments like sniffing the meat poster, Jack proves that not everyone on 30 Rock has to be goofy or quirky to be funny.

But speaking of quirky, Liz buying a wedding dress despite not even having a boyfriend elicits a lot of laughs, particularly from the rest of the writing team who enjoy making fun of it. The other main cast all get storylines - Tracy is using Kenneth to replace his wife, and Jenna has got fat. Svenborgia, the country only rich people know about, is another funny running joke throughout the episode.

Overall, this was a great opener and gave us more than enough to indicate season two was going to be even better than season one.

009. Our Mrs Reynolds (Firefly)

"If you take sexual advantage of that girl, you're going to a special level of Hell reserved for child molestors and people who talk at the theatre"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 4th October 2002
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 6
WRITTEN BY: Joss Whedon

I'm not going to make many promises on this list, but here's one I do feel confident of: Firefly will have the highest ratio of episodes featured. Joss Whedon's unfairly-cancelled space western only aired 14 episodes, but they were all pretty good, and you can expect quite a few of them to show up here.

Our Mrs Reynolds was the start of an excellent run. It combines action with humour really well, has some great one-liners, and an excellent guest star. Christina Hendricks really steals the show as the seductive femme fatale Saffron, whom Mal accidentally marries. A simple story about the awkwardness of Mal having a fish-out-of-water new bride would have sufficed, but the episode is elevated to the next level when Saffron's true nature as a con artist is revealed. Hendricks is completely convincing as good girl and bad girl.

But the whole crew are actually on top form, as they react to the bizarre predicament Mal finds himself in. Wash cracks jokes about it, Book offers a stern lecture and Jayne even tries to compete for her affections. Inara's face-off is the most interesting, as even she almost falls for her charms.

It's a shame that such a wonderful character was only in 2 episodes, but that's the problem with Firefly as a whole: there just isn't enough of it.

008. Beyond The Sea (The X Files)

"I'm afraid. I'm afraid to believe"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 7th January 1994
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 13
WRITTEN BY: Gleo Morgan & James Wong

At first glance, Beyond The Sea doesn't seem like a particularly unique episode of the show. The monster-of-the-week format is still present and notable, although the monster is less literal in this case, taking the form of a Death Row convict with psychic abilities, who claims he can help with a current case in exchange for release. But one of the things it's notable for is that it takes the usual X Files formula, and subverts it, with Scully ending up in the role of believer and Mulder as the skeptic.

Why the reason for this role reversal? The case comes at a particularly vulnerable time for Scully, who has just lost her father. The idea that the serial killer might be able to contact the deceased gives her hope. On the other hand, Mulder is too blinded by his disgust of the man to believe anything he says.

Brad Dourif is amazing as Boggs, exerting an unnerving creepiness, even without the aspect of his "gift". Boggs' rendition of the titular tune really stays with you. His relationship with Scully mirrors Clarice and Hannibal's. As with many of the best X Files episodes, the mystery is inconclusive, and there's evidence for multiple interpretations. The line between coincidence and paranormal blurs, leaving the audience and Scully at a crossroads, not knowing what to believe.

An important episode for Scully's character, and one of the most memorable of the series.

007. The Playbook (How I Met Your Mother)

"Why would she be inconsolable? Lorenzo's balloon won't disappear over the Arctic for another week"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 16th November 2009
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 5, Episode 8
WRITTEN BY: Craig Thomas & Carter Bays

It's pretty undeniable that Neil Patrick Harris is the star of How I Met Your Mother. His hilariously shallow life philosophy makes every guy wish they were Barney Stinson. Usually relegated to a few choice words, this episode brings Barney's words of wisdom to the forefront as we are introduced to the playbook, a list of ways Barney picks up chicks.

The playbook segments are reminsicient of short sketches, and an episode full of them would be hilarious in its own right. The more ourageous the lie, the better. And seeing Barney dress up in various costumes, such as Scuba gear, will never get old. Lily plays the role of the voice of reason, scolding Barney about the wrongs of such manipulation.

The point of the episode was to demonstrate that Barney hides his insecurities about himself by constantly pretending to be somebody else. NPH even got to flex his acting muscles and explore a different side to Barney we hadn't seen before, when Barney open up in the finale and admits the break-up with Robin has been tougher on him than he's admitted. It doesn't even matter that it turned out to be a ruse, because the con was impressive and made a punchline.

In the end, Barney is so endearing we don't mind that he has the last laugh.

006. Pine Barrens (The Sopranos)

"You're not gonna believe this. He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 6th May 2001
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 3, Episode 11
WRITTEN BY: Terence Winter

Another one of the big guns out early. Fans of the mob drama frequently mention this among the show's best and it's not hard to see why. It's always a delight to me when I go into an episode with no hype and it blows me away, and then I find out everyone else agrees with me. And for the record, it's complete coincidence this aired on the same day 9 years ago as #5, Modern Warfare.

It's one of the most interesting concepts the show has had. Paulie and Chris have always provided some of the shows funniest moments when they were playing off eachother, so what better way to maximize that than to put them alone in the woods together? By putting the odd couple in a stressful and frustrating situation, you're basically guaranteeing more drama.

One thing goes wrong after another for Chris and Paulie, who start a fight with a Russian they're collecting cash from, try to kill him, let him get away, and get lost in the woods. Watching the episode descend deeper and deeper into farce is a riot. The Sopranos has never been short in the humour department, and this episode definitely delivers. There's great dialogue, great slapstick and many moments that are funny just because of how absurd they are. However, the biggest laugh is probably Tony's reaction to Bobby's winter jacket. It becomes even funnier once you've read what James Gandolfini was really laughing at, too. Look it up.

Once the fun and games are over, the cold and unwelcoming pine barrens starts to become a life and death situation for Chris Paulie. Eventually realising they'll have to work together to survive, the two put aside their differences and stop playing the blame game. It becomes quite a bonding experience for them, showing great character growth.

The episode also leaves you with an unanswered question as to whether the Russian got away or not, but David Chase is good at that.

005. Modern Warfare (Community)

"Come with me if you don't want paint on your clothes"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 6th May 2010
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 23
WRITTEN BY: Emily Cutler

On a show with a reputation for its sharp movie parodies, of which there are many in this episode, Modern Warfare has become a remarkable achievement in its own right, and would come to be known as "the paintball episode". It was so popular it even inspired a sequel of sorts.

The episode begins with Jeff waking up in the middle of a warzone, 28 Days Later-style. A paintball game has turned into a survival horror experience after the announcement of the prize, priority registration. The action movie box is soon checked, with Jeff taking his look from Die Hard's John McClane, also referenced at the end. Senor Chang's look resembles a character from Hard Boiled. The fight scenes resemble The Matrix and the plot is Battle Royale. That's a lot of different elements, but it's a cocktail that works.

Modern Warfare is not only great entertainment, but it creates a tense, absorbing atmosphere. The paintball game was a genius concept. Previous rules were now gone, giving the show a freedom it had never had before. They created a warzone environment that was new, exciting and fun.

Oh, and the Jeff/Britta sexual tension was also advanced, with the couple doing it for the first time. It recieved just the right amount of prominence: Acknowledged, but without taking over the show.

Modern Warfare is a modern classic.

004. Blink (Doctor Who)

"This is my timey-wimey detector. It goes 'ding' when there's stuff"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 9th June 2007
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 3, Episode 10
WRITTEN BY: Steven Moffat

Blink owes much of its existence to the considerably less popular Love And Monsters, from season 2. The episode may have had many flaws but introduced an interesting idea...the concept of a non-Doctor centric had potential. Coming in between a wave of formulaic episodes, it felt very fresh. Blink took the early promise and ironed out the creases to present one of the best episodes of the series.

The lead role goes to Carey Mulligan, a fantastic young actress who has now gone over to Hollywood and is receiving Oscar nominations. The plot is also a nice change of pace, as Sally Sparrow tries to piece together the nature of the Angels, the mysterious Doctor and how she fits into their plans. And Moffat's writing shows just why he was given the job as showrunner after season 4.

The Doctor is nothing without his enemies, and the monster design of the Angels was excellent. So many Doctor Who monsters look outdated...sorry, "classic". The Angels were refreshingly modern. They had an interesting and unique backstory - they don't kill people, but send them back in time. (Of course, the emotional impact from their victims isn't lost. The scene where Sally visits a Policeman as an old man is very moving, as they were never allowed to spend any time together.) They're also very scary.

The scares of the episode are mainly due to the expert direction of Hettie MacDonald, who manages to create the impression of the statues moving even when they're not. Close-up shots rack of the tension as the characters try to avoid blinking. The scene near the climax with the Angels getting closer and closer in the flickering light is a very effective scene.

You'll never look at a statue the same way again.

003. All Prologue (The Wire)

"I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 6th July 2003

EPISODE NUMBER: Season 2, Episode 6

WRITTEN BY: David Simon

I knew that I wanted to include The Wire on this list, but I wasn't sure which episodes to choose. It's not a very episodic show, to me. I prefer to think of each season as a whole, and the episodes are just chapters. Like Freamon says, "All the pieces matter". I think this is a solid pick, though.

There are major events that take place in it (spoiler paragraph!) In case you can't remember, I'm referring to the shocking death of D'Angelo at the end of the episode. It's especially ill-timed given what a great job the rest of the episode had done of making him likeable. He'd always been a favourite of mine, and I always knew he wasn't that bad at heart, but you really do start to believe that he is done with that part of his life and turning over a new leaf.

D'Angelo also gets the opening quote, taken from a speech he makes at a book club about how people can't escape their past, something he finds relatable. It also applies to McNulty's situation. Trying to turn over a new leaf, he is ultimately unsuccessful in convincing his wife to take him back.

This episode is also a defining moment for Omar Little. Omar on the stand is one of The Wire's best ever scenes, where he delivers an honest and charismatic performance that encapsulates everything people love about that character. His audacious comparison between himself and Levy wins over the Jury, and takes the Lawyer down a much-needed peg. His adorable tie, just sloppily looped on over his street clothes, is a mark of his eccentricity. 

Strong themes and memorable moments. What more could you ask of an episode of The Wire?

002. Pilot (Lost)

"Guys, where are we?"

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 22nd/29th September 2004
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 1
WRITTEN BY: J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof

You can expect Lost to show up a lot on this list. It's pretty much been my favorite show since the minute the first episode aired, and the Pilot had a lot to do with that. Six seasons and 120 episodes later, and the show still never quite topped the magic of its two-part opener for me.

It's rare for a Pilot to be anything other than just a passable episode of a show. Usually shows take a while to find their feet. But Lost gets going right from the very first scene - intense, frantic, dramatic no matter how many times you see it. It's a perfect introduction to all our characters, especially Jack - he's the hero, who wants to help and save everyone. There's plenty more action to come with a mysterious encounter in the night and an exploration of the cockpit. All of it is directed like a big-screen production. If this is J.J. Abrams' only contribution to the show, then it's a worthy one.

The small character moments are also present. Who can forget charming interactions like Jin's attempt to give Hurley and Claire some sea urchin? It's a large ensemble but every character gets something going for them, and putting several bodies on the one final trek uphill to get the transceiver working allowed us to get to know more people. It introduces several mysteries off the bat – polar bears, unseen monster, French signal. Even the one episode-long prisoner mystery is exciting, and a big shock once revealed.

The Pilot is a brilliant seminal episode that represents everything that is good about the show.

001. The Last Temptation Of Homer (The Simpsons)

"I won't bore you with the details of our miraculous escape, but we desperately need a REAL emergency exit."

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 9th December 1993
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 5, Episode 9
WRITTEN BY: Frank Mula

It's the first entry on the list, so I might as well address a few things. First of all, this list is not in order. I'm not claiming this is the best episode ever. That would be silly. Shame on you for even thinking there's an answer to that. This isn't necessarily my favorite episode, nor do I think it's the most deserving of making the list. I chose this to be the first one featured mainly due to nostalgia. This was one of the first episodes of real television I ever watched. Therefore, I feel it is as good a place as any to start.

The Last Temptation Of Homer is an episode with a lot of heart, and one of the first stories to test the strength of Homer and Marge's marriage (I'm aware that Colonel Homer came first, but this one is better). Michelle Pfeiffer is a great guest star. Mindy is a worthy object of desire, basically the female version of Homer. It becomes a dilemma for Homer - Mindy seems pretty perfect, plus his family is starting to look unattractive. Being a good guy at heart, Homer tries to do the right thing and distance himself from Mindy, but in true sitcom style, circumstances keep forcing them closer and closer together.

But it's not short on laughs either, oh no. The Simpsons has such a high gag rate, I will only go through the highlights - Burns employing a duck, Joey Jo-Jo, the giant hand guy, the Wizard Of Oz monkeys, the fortune cookies. The subplot of Bart becoming a nerd is also surprising funny too.

Tying it all together is the sweet ending where Homer makes his choice and sticks with his wife. A classic episode from one of the show's golden years.