The Best TV Episodes of the Season…So Far

This list only includes show that I watch (and not even all of those shows–I love Modern Family and The Event, but neither have singular episodes that apart from the rest). Feel free to add your favorites to other shows (or these shows) in the comments section.

Mad Men: Mad Men has moments of humor, but usually it’s a pretty serious show. And yet the episode in which Don Draper’s secretary passes away is one of the funniest episodes on TV this season.

Community: Community’s best episode ever–and one of the best 22 minutes I’ve ever seen on TV–is the apocalypse/paint ball episode from last season. The KFC space shuttle simulator episode came close to that one. It’s that good.

30 Rock: The episode in which Jack tries to pitch a perfect game, a day in which every decision he makes is the best possible decision.

Fringe: It’s been an awesome season all around for Fringe, but the episode in which Olivia shoots a gun two inches from each of Peter’s ears to temporarily shield him from an auditory killer is simply awesome.

The Office: The premiere, in which Dwight wears a waterbottle backpack the entire episode and later urinates in the corner when he gets stuck in the elevator, is pure hilarity. It’s funny from the very beginning, a song-and-dance routine that’s almost as good as the one my interns filmed last year.

How I Met Your Mother: The episode in which the gang races across the city to see Woody Allen is fantastic. Barney steals the show, of course.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: It’s funny when the gang buys a boat, but it’s even funnier when Dee learns to dance from a giant inflatable tube man. I laughed so hard I cried. Fortunately, so can you. Click here and watch the second video (it’s about a minute).

Survivor: Yes, I still watch Survivor. Yes, it’s still awesome. The best episode so far is the one with the two tribal councils.

South Park: If you haven’t seen Inception, you should watch it just so you can watch–and laugh at–the South Park episode entitled, “Insheeption.”

The League: There’s a great episode with Taco getting addicted to his toilet seat and a woman trying to understand why a sex addict isn’t interested in her.

Saturday Night Live: Emma Stone’s episode was the most consistently funny episode so far. I loved the French dance skit, the “I Love It” segment of Weekend Update, and a weird but funny sex instructor skit later on in the episode. Plus, Kings of Leon were the musical guests (Kanye took the prize for most elaborate and entrancing musical numbers earlier in the season).

Rubicon: There’s a speech in an episode midway through the season where a manager tries to explain to the U.S. government why they need third-party security analysts. That may sound dry, but it was absolutely riveting.

What do you think?

9 thoughts on “The Best TV Episodes of the Season…So Far”

  1. You watch a LOT of television. Although, this is on par with the average american as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
    https://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm

    Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time
    (2.8 hours per day), accounting for about half of leisure time,
    on average, for those age 15 and over.

    Of course, watching tv is only bad for kids, right?
    https://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html

    Reply
  2. It may seem like a lot, but I technically only watch an hour a day. I watch TV only while I eat dinner (otherwise I don’t watch it) or other meals on the weekends. I’m just a slow eater!

    Reply
  3. Definitely agree with you on Mad Men, 30 Rock and SNL! Some of the other shows we do watch but haven’t had a chance to catch up with them yet.

    The woman who plays Don’s older secretary in Mad Men was actually the mother from the first Karate Kid. She just decided to get back into acting and that was the role she landed! Just as the search numbers went up for her on the internet (as people were discovering who she was) her character met her unfortunate end. Hopefully she will be able to show off some of her talent in other humorous roles!

    What did you think of the 30 Rock Live episode? The Digital Short from the Emma Stone episode got stuck in our heads last night…I made friends watch it. Tomorrow at work I have a feeling everyone will be singing it there too with a little encouragement in the morning. “Now sign my cast, sign my cast…ooops…I’m the girl who broke both of her arms…”

    Reply
    • Huh, I didn’t know that about the Mad Men secretary. I wonder which one she’ll be more famous for.

      I liked the 30 Rock live episode! I thought the best humor came from them doing things to make the live episode work, like having Elaine fill in for Liz for flashbacks. So, still quirky humor, but a little different than other episodes. Definitely gutsy, though.

      Reply
  4. It will be interesting to see which role she gets higher marks for.

    The flashbacks of the live 30 Rock were the best part. Especially Jack’s line, “Liz how come you’re much better looking in your flashbacks?” Definitely loved the episode where Jack has to “fix” everything though. Can you imagine having to live like that? Stressful, but looking back it would probably be hilarious.

    Reply
  5. We are so not compatible on a tv watching level!! 🙂 What about Vampire Diaries??? Or Private Practice?? House?? Greys??? (You see a medical/blood pattern forming??) No 90210???? Not even Modern Family????

    Reply
    • I mentioned Modern Family in the first sentence!

      Otherwise my defense is that I only watch well written shows. 😉

      Really, I just don’t get into prime-time soap operas. Too much drama for me.

      Reply
      • Sorry friend – missed that!

        I love the drama. The more drama, the better!! And they are well written – especially Greys and Private Practice – Shondra went to my high school and let me tell you the Woodells (husband and wife – were senior year English teachers)were tough cookies!! 🙂 hehe…

        Reply
        • I don’t know who Shondra is, but that’s awesome! 🙂

          I’ve watched a few episodes of Grey’s…maybe I should say that I don’t it realistically written. But that’s a very small sample size.

          Reply

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