The Greatest 21 TV Episodes of the 21st Century (According To Daniel)

A little over a month ago, The Ringer-- or as I like to call it, "The Couch with a staff and a payroll" --embarked on the arduous task of compiling a ranking of the 100 greatest episodes of the 21st Century to date. So wide and inclusive was their list, it touched on just about every major and/or critically-acclaimed program of the 2000s. If you have any doubt about just how impressive pulling together such a varied project into a cohesive piece is, know that it took me an embarrassingly long amount of time just to settle on and rank 10 episodes for a response piece.

Such a long time, that I gave up on trying to whittle my favorite shows down to ten, and have now decided to instead extend that number to 21, in honor of the century we live in. Corny, I know, but the thought of leaving two of Arrested Development, The Good Place, and Parks and Recreation out of my list gave me anxiety.

Four disclaimers before we dive in: one, I copied The Ringer's "one-episode-per-show" rule. It might make for a disingenuous ranking, but otherwise this list would just be a duel between The Office and The West Wing. Second, this is in fact, a list compiled out of the shows I have watched, so before you scream "NO [insert award-winning TV show that I have never watched] ON THE LIST?!?", know that I probably don't have anything against [insert award-winning TV show that I have never watched], I likely just haven't seen it.

The final disclaimers perhaps go without saying, but are the most vital: considering the presence of HBO and other cable shows on this list, this article is probably rated R. Or at least PG-13.

And most importantly- if you come upon any of these shows, and you have not seen the episode but are interested in someday maybe watching it, SKIP IT FOR NOW. There's gonna be mad spoilers, yo.

All of that out of the way-- on the 6-week anniversary of The Ringer's Top 100, and in one-week antcipation of the 2018 Emmys, here are the 21 Greatest TV Episodes of the 2000s, to date:

21. "Kimmy's Roommate Lemonades!"

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

Season 3, Episode 2

May 19, 2017

Kimmy: You have to talk to Mikey. Give him a chance to explain!

Titus: I know what I saw!

Kimmy: Titus, Mikey's a good guy. Don't overreact.

Titus: I'm not overreacting! I'm doing what any rational person would do in my situation!

...

I'm Lemonade-ing.

I read an online comment on the most recent season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt that said something like "I never think of this show as one of my favorites, and then with the release of every new season, I'm reminded how glad I am it exists." That perfectly encapsulates how I feel. Kimmy Schmidt isn't the wittiest comedy in television, but it's so consistently wacky and delightful, that it deserves all the recognition it's gotten. None of its episodes, however, have contained the magic that was Titus Andromedon's personal take on Beyoncé's album/music video production Lemonade. The episode also featured some great laughs with Lillian instigating a "Lock her up!" chant against Jacqueline during the former's run for City Council, and Kimmy learning about the problem of Buridan's ass from Hamilton's Daveed Diggs. Yet, with all due respect to the wonderful Ellie Kemper and the always-hilarious Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane, this show is pretty much about Titus. And the flamboyant character has never shone brighter than during this episode, where in a suspicion that his boyfriend Mikey might be cheating inspires over-the-top, heartfelt, hilarious, and strangely touching recreations of "Hold Up," "Sorry" and "All Night."

20. "S03, E16"

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Season 3, Episode 16

June 19, 2016

John: So what [Boris Johnson's] bus should actually read is "We actually send the EU 190 million pounds a week, which as a proportion of our GDP makes fiscal sense; in fact, considering the benefits we reap in return...oh shit, we're running out of bus! Okay, bye-bye!"

Last Week Tonight has carved out a more unique niche than any other late-night talk show on television. Sure, John Oliver, who rose to fame as a correspondent on The Daily Show, has clearly drawn influence from his first show's style of comedy takes on current news. But unlike any other program, Oliver's style is essentially "news with a bit of comedy sprinkled in." Once a week, instead of every night, the comedian sits behind his desk and essentially covers, in-depth, one of the biggest news stories of the preceding week. The program nearly always foregoes celebrity guests in favor of this solitary format. The result, of course, is slyly tailor-made for the Internet era of viral "woke" videos, and Oliver's provided plenty of worthwhile content. One that stuck out to me, though, was his take on Brexit. It wasn't just the trademark factual takedown of the "Leave" supporters' fallacies; it was the host's eery prescience on what was about to happen, not just to Britain, but to the World in 2016. "All of this...and yet, polls suggest my homeland is on the edge of doing something insane." Yep. Ours too, John.

Oh, and for good measure, John and co. rewrite Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" with verses alternating between singing the European Union's praises and cursing its existence.

19. "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers"

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Season 1, Episode 1

July 15, 2016

Chief Hopper: Joyce, ninety-nine out of a hundred times, a kid goes missing, the kid is with a parent or relative.

Joyce: What about the other time?

Hopper: What?

Joyce: You said 99 out of 100. What about the other time, the one?

In the young era of Netflix's original content, nothing has captured the mainstream like Stranger Things has. The kid-centric ode to 80s-era culture and thrillers has seen its fair share of awards recognition in its two-year run, as well. It's a testament to both its originality and quality that Stranger Things has become the cultural phenomenon that it has. There are many moments, particularly from its premiere season, that are memorable standouts. But what episode better exemplifies this show at its best than the pilot itself? From the creepy opening scene, through the introduction to each major character, we are hooked to the sentimentality and the pulsating fright from the very start.

18. "Meinertzhagen's Haversack"

Silicon Valley (HBO)

Season 3, Episode 3

May 8, 2016

Dinesh: Hey, at least we'll make a little money doing it!

Gilfoyle: Oh, great, so you can go back to the car wash and buy some more gold chains. Huh, Pakistani Mr. T?

Dinesh: Fuck you.

The HBO comedy about a troupe of oft-unfortunate tech whizzes with Silicon Valley aspirations is such a brilliant, nerdy brand of comedy that it's amazing it's been able to carve out the audience it has. It never fails to entertain, but legitimate guffaws are few and far between. That's why episodes like The Ringer-nominated "Optimal Tip-To-Tip Efficiency" and this one are gems: they bring the funny from start to finish. "Meinertzhagen's Haversack" is my personal favorite. Amidst the hilarity of the crew trying to figure out how to subtly get their boss fired is one of the best running gags the show has had: Dinesh's chain (or lack thereof). Jared's ultimate, immortal line to Dinesh was the first, and still only, instance in which I literally fell off of a couch laughing.

17. "We Just Decided To"

The Newsroom (HBO)

Season 1, Episode 1

June 24, 2012

Will: ...so when you ask what makes us the greatest country in the world, I don't know what the FUCK you're talking about! Yosemite?!?

...

We sure used to be. We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reasons, we passed and struck down laws for moral reasons. We waged wars on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were, and we never beat our chest.

The Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin's last go-round at a Television series, had a short and turbulent life. There were enough nuggets of Sorkin brilliance to keep the show worth watching, but far too much indulgence in the biggest flaws of his writing to render it anything but an entertaining, sometimes thoughtful mess. But, not many people know how to write a pilot like Sorkin does. The reason The Newsroom ultimately felt so disappointing is because of how brilliant its beginning was. All the signposts of its creator's style were present throughout the introduction to the newsroom staff, and of course, there was the iconic opening scene. Will McAvoy's rant ruled Facebook, I think, for over a year. Parts of it (namely the berating a young woman, and ranting about the "worst generation") feel dated now, but the impassioned cry for an America that believes in a greater good still rings true.

16. "Memphis"

This Is Us (NBC)

Season 1, Episode 16

February 21, 2017

William: You deserve everything, Randall. My beautiful boy. My son.

I haven't had a happy life. Bad breaks and bad choices. A life of almosts and could-haves. Some would call it sad, but I don't. 'Cause the two best things in my life were the person in the very beginning and the person at the very end. That's a pretty good thing to be able to say, I think.

Randall: I think so, too.

This Is Us has taken network television by storm, and it's not hard to see why. Nobody has mastered the art of the tearjerker like the writers of this show, magnifying every ounce of family drama, highlighting the beauty of the day-to-day within relationships. But This Is Us at its undisputed best was not when it was preoccupied with teasing Jack Pearson's death, but rather when it changed its scenery. In an episode whose narrative structure was unlike any that came before or after it, Randall Pearson took off on a long road trip with his recently-discovered birth father, William. William knew all along that his return to his birthplace would be his final trip, but the audience started to realize that truth about the same time Randall did. It's an episode full of beautiful, devastating personal moments, and none more than the hospital scene at the very end.

15. "PTV"

Family Guy (Fox)

Season 4, Episode 14

November 11, 2005

[sung]

Brian: They're as stuffy as the stuffiest of the special interest groups. Peter: Make a joke about your bowels and they order in the troops. Stewie: Any baby with a brain could tell them everybody poops! ALL: Take a tip, take a lesson! You'll never win by messin' Peter: With the fellas at the freakin' FCC!

I'll go ahead and get this out of the way: yes, Family Guy is on this list and The Simpsons is not. I'm not here to proclaim Quahog's Griffins "THE" wacky, lovable cartoon goof family over the iconic Simpsons of Springfield. But I think all non-haters of both shows would agree the former has had the better run in this century. The level of comedy Seth MacFarlane has been able to maintain, while doing nearly all the animation, many of the voices, and, you know, several other shows, is remarkable. Family Guy's illustrious run on network TV has included many iconic moments, but I'm not sure any one episode (no, not even the Star Wars parodies) tops "PTV," wherein Peter starts his own TV channel. Sick and tired of the FCC's overreaching censorship, the main character finds a following with such shows as "Tasteful Sideboob," and also enlists his infant and dog in one of the better musical numbers in the show. The episode would be funny enough, yet the reality that this essentially functioned as MacFarlane's middle finger to the real FCC multiplies the hilarity tenfold.

14. "Thanksgiving"

Master Of None (Netflix)

Season 2, Episode 8

May 12, 2017

Denise: You know, that wasn't the news. That was on WorldStar HipHop.

Nikki: That's the news. Hey, DD, let's take a selfie!

Denise: All right, let's do it quick though.

Nikki: Oh, this has to go on the 'Gram.

Dev: Hey Nikki, what's your username on there?

Nikki: "Nipplesandtoes23"!

Dev: Oh! Wait, what was it again?

Nikki: "Nipplesandtoes23"!

Dev: Okay. Well, I'm gonna add you really quick.

Master Of None is perhaps the best example of the modern trend of "dramedies," and no episode in its two seasons better exemplified that truth than "Thanksgiving." Aziz Ansari's brainchild blends friend-centered, sitcom-esque humor with examination of deeper questions and issues. Often times, the result is a well-intentioned but somewhat self-important hour of television. The brilliance of "Thanksgiving" is that it took the focus off of Ansari's protagonist Dev and focused instead on Lena Waithe's Denise, telling a very human, very necessary story. The central premise is heartwrenching at times, but is offset lovingly by the banter between Dev and Denise (as well as the former's banter with one or two of the girlfriends that come through Denise's home), and between Denise's more uptight mother, and her hysterical aunt Joyce.

13. "Moo Moo"

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

Season 4, Episode 16

May 2, 2017

Holt: I came to a realization after you stormed out last night.

Terry: I wouldn't say I stormed out. I shook hands with both you and Kevin before I left. Holt: And Kevin and I agreed that you squeezed significantly tighter than necessary.

Terry: I guess I was a little worked up.

Holt: With good reason. I thought a lot about our conversation. When I was a young police officer and things like this would happen to me, I felt very alone.

It's fitting that Brooklyn Nine-Nine is about cops, because it's a crime how underappreciated the sitcom is (see what I did there?), both by the masses and by the awards circuit. The show, recently cancelled by Fox and almost instantly snagged up by NBC, is the branch of comedy that doesn't need to be laugh-out-loud funny...it's just fun. However, as I've written about before, with as diverse a cast of actors AND characters as it has, Nine-Nine is not afraid to talk about some very real issues on occasion. That was never truer than this Season 4 episode, whose one storyline that wasn't hilarious was the central one, wherein Detective Terry Jeffords gets racially stereotyped by an unfamiliar (white) cop. I wrote this in May of last year: "Through all the John Olivers and SNLs of the world, a 25-minute episode named “Moo Moo” may have just been one of the most artful comedy takedowns of police brutality out there." Still true.

12. "S.O.Bs"

Arrested Development (Fox)

Season 3, Episode 9

January 2, 2006

Michael: Well, am I the only one that thinks that this family is finally starting to become sympathetic and relatable? I mean, that’s what people want to see!

Lucille: Oh, I forgot about [Lindsay taking care of the house]. Tell the “housewife” she’s not coming either.

Buster: If you don’t want her, you don’t want me either. She’s taking care of me. She glued my thumb back on. Sister’s my new mother, Mother. And is it just me, or is she looking hotter, too?

Lucille: Well, why don’t you marry her?

Buster: Maybe I will!!!

Michael: We’re veering away from relateability again.

Speaking of terrific comedies cancelled by Fox, Arrested Development, in its original seasons at least, not the shoddy revamp, is the most famous example of mind-numbing idiocy from the network. If you know Arrested Development, you know I don't need to waste time singing the praises of its wit to you, and if you don't know it, watch it. The show's run on mainstream television was cut tragically short, and as a result, the writers went all in on self-referential humor. The most blatant example of such was "S.O.Bs" (which naturally stood for "Save Our Bluths"); nearly every line, every scene in this episode breaks the fourth wall to essentially explain to the audience why they were being cancelled. It's enormously petty, and yet, brilliant comedy all the same.

11. "Michael's Gambit"

The Good Place (NBC)

Season 1, Episode 13

January 19, 2017

Eleanor: Janet, please, we have to go.

Janet: I won't start the train until my husband says it's okay. I'm sorry, Eleanor, but I engaged a ride-or-die protocol so I'm loyal to Jason forever.

Eleanor [to Jason]: Buddy... Come on, we gotta go.

Jason: I don't wanna go to the Bad Place! It's scary, like the movie Ratatouille.

Eleanor: What?

Jason: Yo, I ain't trying to have rats living in my hat and pulling my hair to get me to do stuff.

Continuing the trend of "undervalued comedies," The Good Place, whose two-year lack of Emmy nods astounds me, has quickly established itself as NBC's (and Michael Schur's) next great comedy show. In just 2 seasons, Schur and co. have examined increasingly interesting and refreshingly original plot devices, which naturally have resulted in some brilliant "dramatic comedy moments." Believe me when I tell you that there is not a weak episode of this show yet. But if you're looking for its peak brilliance, look no further than the finale of its first season, wherein Kristen Bell's Eleanor comes to a realization that changes everything we know about this show.

(Seriously, do not watch this clip if you haven't watched the show yet. Just watch the show, and enjoy this moment in real time.)

10. "The Comeback Kid"

Parks And Recreation (NBC)

Season 4, Episode 11

January 12, 2012

Leslie: Oh, really? So, my campaign ends and, just like that, you find someone else and run theirs?

Campaign Managers: Yes. That's our job.

Leslie: I know. Well, good luck, but, uh, I just had a big meeting with my new advisory board, and they're brilliant and amazing. They're real killers.

Andy [from down the hall]: Leslie? I tried to make ramen in the coffee pot and I broke everything.

Leslie: Thank you, Andy.

Many a friend and I have gotten into a tug-of-war over which was the superior NBC mockumentary comedy. Though Parks and Rec didn't have the sustained delight that The Office did, I will concede that Parks' best was as good as any of the other comedies I've loved. "The Comeback Kid" was right in the middle of what was probably the show's best stretch: Leslie Knope's campaign for City Council. This particular episode has so many standout moments, be it Depressed Ben's claymation film "Requiem For A Tuesday," Andy and April's adopting of Champion, the three-legged dog, or all the many ways Leslie's campaign reboot is going awry. But this episode makes my Top 10 for one reason. The best scene in the show's entirety, which made high-school me absolutely weep from laughter, despite watching all alone. I will say no more and instead let you watch it.

9. "The Reichenbach Fall"

Sherlock (BBC One)

Season 2, Episode 3

May 20, 2012

Sherlock: You’re insane. Moriarty: You’re just getting that now? ... Okay, let me give you a little extra incentive.

...

Your friends will die if you don’t.

Sherlock: John. Moriarty: Not just John. Everyone. Sherlock: Mrs Hudson. Moriarty [smiling and in a whisper]: Everyone.

After much peer pressure, I finally caved to my family's requests to watch Sherlock-- and by watch, I mean "get hooked on." They convinced me by promising that "The Reichenbach Fall" was one of the finest episodes of television they'd seen...and begrudgingly, I had to admit they were right. The finale of the show's 2nd series takes many enthralling twists and turns from the jump, but it ends in the most climactic way possible: a much-anticipated showdown between Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes, and James Moriarty, who might just be the most captivating villain this side of Heath Ledger's Joker. The two stage an epic battle of the wits on the roof of St. Bart's Hospital, the conclusions of which might just be the best cliffhanger in modern television history.

8. "Basketball"

The Office (NBC)

Season 1, Episode 5

April 9, 2005

Michael: So let's put together a starting line-up, shall we? Stanley, of course-

Stanley: I'm sorry?

Michael: -what do you play, center?

Stanley: Why "of course"? What's that supposed to mean?

Michael: Uhhh. I don't know. I don't remember saying that.

Jim: I heard it.

Michael: Well, people hear a lot of things, man. Other starters.... Me, of course. Ah! Heard it that time!

If you know me, you know my love for The Office. I don't need to go on raving: its legacy speaks for itself. How rare is it to find a comedy with a massive AND devoted a fanbase as the Scranton bunch have. Though most mark the departure of Steve Carrell's legendary Michael Scott as the end of the show, it's a testament to how well-realized each character was that The Office actually was comical to the very end. Yet, a friend and I recently agreed on a strange truth: though the show struggled to find footing until about midway through Season 2, and though it was consistently terrific from about Season 3-6, the iconic Office episodes are some of the earliest. My submission for this piece is "Basketball"; for starters, it's a sentimental pick. This was the first episode I ever watched. But more importantly, this had all the elements we'd come to love about the show. Michael greatly overestimating himself and his qualities, Dwight being annoyingly effective, the oblivious racially and sexually offensive comments by the boss, the Jim-Pam-roy triangle...and it's just laugh-out-loud funny.

7. "The Constant"

Lost (ABC)

Season 4, Episode 5

February 28, 2008

Desmond: I love you, Penny. I've always loved you. I'm so sorry. I love you. Penny: I love you too. Desmond: I don't know where I am, but— Penny: I'll find you, Des— Desmond: —I promise— Penny: —no matter what— Desmond: —I'll come back to you— Penny: —I won't give up— BOTH: I promise. I love you.

Lost has such an interesting place in television history. It was so unlike any other major show, its plot development so fascinating and creative. Yet, the writing itself far too often got in its own way. Now, almost a decade removed from its conclusion, it is near-universally revered, but still deeply disliked in certain circles. I guess that's about all we can expect of a show whose every episode left us fluctuating wildly between sheer awestruck and head-scratching bemusement. All this to say, "The Constant" is one of those episodes that just got it right. As The Ringer put it, upon its bestowing the episode with the #1 crown, "The Desmond-centric time-travel yarn is a microcosm of everything Lost did expertly...it’s a pitch-perfect modern TV cocktail, one part sci-fi, one part romance, one part reimagining of The Odyssey." They're not wrong; in the grand scheme of the show's development, this was nowhere near the most crucial installment, but it had all the facets that we loved about the show working perfectly, and how could you not love the emotional payoff for the show's best character?

6. "Modern Warfare"

Community (NBC)

Season 1, Episode 23

May 6, 2010

Britta: Oh, Shirley, I'm so sorry.

Shirley: I'm going home, Britta.

Britta [choking up]: I know, Shirley, I know.

Shirley: No, seriously, I'm going home. Can you help me up?

Britta: Oh. Yeah, sure.

...

Shirley, I'm gonna win for you and your boys.

Shirley: That's nice.

Jeff: Shirley, I'm gonna win that prize, but not for you and your boys.

Shirley: That's less nice.

I have said, typed, texted, and shouted to anyone who will listen to me that for a brief window in time, Community was the best comedy in television. The departures of cast members and writing staff shakeup made for an inconsistent last few seasons, but once it got rolling near the end of Season 1, it was the most quick-witted among an NBC lineup that had some heavy hitters. When "Modern Warfare" aired, I recall a friend (who, it should be known, was relatively new to Community) stating to me that it was perhaps the greatest episode of any comedy he had ever seen. That Community had episodes in ensuing seasons that arguably topped this episode in wit is a testament to just how good it was. Regardless, for me, the show starts and ends with paintball. "Modern Warfare" was a hysterical mashup of countless action movie tropes and plotlines, and not only put the show on the mainstream map, but also set the precedent for many phenomenal parody/concept episodes (including a 2nd take of paintball) to come.

5. "Chapter Eighty-One"

Jane The Virgin (The CW)

Season 4, Episode 17

April 20, 2018

Jane: I just need you to know, whatever Rose said, it doesn't matter. I love you unconditionally, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, no matter who your parents are.

U-Unless you're my brother.

Rafael: What?!

Jane: That would be, like, a telenovela thing.

Rafael: I am definitely not your brother.

Jane: Okay, good. So whatever it is, we'll deal with it, together. Because I love you. And you're it for me, forever.

Jane The Virgin is a show that has no equal in television right now. I don't say that to mean is head-and-shoulders above its peers in terms of quality, though it near the top; rather, there is simply no other show like it. An American telenovela, with all the ridiculous (but INTENSE) drama, romance, and absurd comedy that comes with it. Amidst a busy Spring, I fell weeks behind in my viewing of Jane, so much so that I hadn't realized the season ended. I knew when I was flooded with texts from friends ("DID YOU WATCH THE JANE THE VIRGIN FINALE?!") in a span of 2 nights that I had missed something major. Boy, that turned out to be an understatement. The season finale of what appears to be Jane The Virgin's penultimate season was one of the most exhilarating hours of television I can recall, the telenovela at its absolute best. "Chapter Eighty-One" included about 5 different storylines that saw rising action, leading me to believe at different points that this was going to be the storyline that had the jaw-dropping ending. Yet, none of that turned out to be true. Some brilliant directing and screenwriting (thanks, Narrator!) lured us into thinking Jane and Rafael were finally going to end up betrothed to one another before dropping the biggest shock the show has offered to date.

4. "Hillsborough"

30 For 30 (ESPN)

Season 2.5, Episode 1

April 15, 2014

Margaret: James was so excited he was going to the game. When he got to the front door, he just turned around, and looked at me, and he said "Mum, we're gonna win today!" And I just shut the door. Never knowing, that'd be the last time I see my son alive.

If this submission feels out of place, it somewhat is. "Hillsborough" is not an hour-long drama, nor a half-hour sitcom, it really is a feature-length documentary. Yet, it saw its debut as an episode of ESPN's 30 For 30 series, which are full seasons' worth of sports-related documentaries and mini-documentaries. 30 For 30 really does includes some marvelous stories, and, in between their 2nd and 3rd season, they released a special "Soccer Stories" series that saw their finest episode yet. "Hillsborough" is a breathtaking, thorough, and devastating look at the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster of 1989, which saw 96 Liverpool F.C. fans killed. The documentary focuses on the tragedy, but also examines the ensuing reaction from local police and media, and documents the fight of the deceased's families to have their loved ones' names cleared of wrongdoing.

3. "Dave Chappelle/A Tribe Called Quest"

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Season 42, Episode 6

November 12, 2016

Dave: Roosevelt was president, he had a black guy over and got so much flack from the media that he literally said, “I will never have a nigger in this house again.” I thought about that, and I looked at that black room, and saw all those black faces and Bradley [Cooper], and I saw how happy everybody was. These people who had been historically disenfranchised. It made me feel hopeful and it made me feel proud to be an American and it made me very happy about the prospects of our country. So, in that spirit, I’m wishing Donald Trump luck. And I’m going to give him a chance, and we, the historically disenfranchised, demand that he give us one too.

How to pick a single Saturday Night Live episode from this century? For someone who has watched SNL episodes and clips since he was in middle school, it's a tough ask. Instead of trying to go back through all the way back through the files of my mind to remember what I thought was the funniest one, I'm picking the one that was, at least in my lifetime of viewership, the most iconic. In the wake of the most ugly, divisive election our country has seen in years, the average viewer could not have asked for a better response from one of (if not THE) premier shows on television. I wrote on the magnificence of Dave Chappelle's hosting gig back in November of 2016, and I will harken back to it here: "The episode was simply a masterclass for how to respond to intense political times, how to validate people's deep-seated emotions, and how to get all laughing again. SNL showed again why it is a mainstay: because it has displayed its cultural importance time after time, but also because even after 42 years, damn it, the program is still funny."

2. "START"

The Americans (FX)

Season 6, Episode 10

May 30, 2018

Phillip: I never wanted to lie to you. Stan, what else could I do? You moved in next to me! I was terrified! And then we became friends.

Stan: Friends? You made my life a joke.

Phillip: You were my only friend in my entire, shitty life. My life was the joke, not yours.

I have discussed this subject on this blog before, but I did not instantly fall in love with The Americans the way its hype seemed to promise I would Such is the nature of the show, though; it doesn't want you to fall in love with it, it demands you watch its slow, devastating burn. By Season 6, I had come around, and then some, but was still unsure and, I'll be honest, skeptical of how they were going to conclude the show. It all felt as if it were building towards an abrupt, or worse, unsatisfying ending. Shame on me for ever doubting The Americans' ability to pull together a cohesive story. In a series that many labelled the best in television during its run, its sendoff episode might be (and should be) remembered as one of the greatest of all time. Every single character meets a fate that feels genuine and authentic, but is truly devastating. I will never forget: the way I felt when I watched the parking garage standoff with Stan, my heart pounding the whole time, my shirt in my mouth anxiously. The way I cried at the penultimate scene on (and off) the train, thanks in no small part to "With Or Without You" providing the score. The way I still felt profoundly impacted the entire next day, trying to comprehend the totality of what I had just watched.

1. "Two Cathedrals"

The West Wing (NBC)

Season 2, Episode 22

May 16, 2001

President Bartlett: I'm sorry, Sandy, there was a little bit of noise there, could you repeat the question?

Reporter: Can you tell us, right now, if you'll be seeking a 2nd term?

[dramatic pause]

...

Leo [wide-eyed, to nobody in particular]: Watch this.

And so, the winner of the century's sweepstakes is an episode from a show that long preceded "TV's golden era." Tis true, The West Wing may not have had behemoths like Game Of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Mad Men or House Of Cards as its peers, but nobody can convince me that it wasn't the greatest show on television in the 21st century. Lest you think this #1 ranking is just a "best episode from the best show" cop-out, though, let me assure you you're wrong. "Two Cathedrals" is atop this list because it's the best hour of television there is, bar none. I don't want to skimp on detail when I didn't for some other entries on this list, but I also don't want to ruin the episode's magic for any of you poor fools that are yet to watch it. Just know (because I may have been harsh on him earlier) this is peak Sorkin: every line of dialogue-- be it between President Barlett and his wife, Bartlett and his closest friend, amidst the President's staff, or even between Bartlett and God -- is simply note-perfect.