The perfect TV episode
Creating a perfect episode of TV isn't easy. It requires a delicate balance of comedy, drama, plot development, character interactions and some sort of "wow" factor that's difficult to articulate. There are a lot of episodes of TV I love, but here are some that go above and beyond to reach true perfection.
Fleabag, season two - episode one: I have watched this episode of TV over and over again. It's a masterclass in how much you can pack into 20 minutes. Within moments we're in the middle of a chaotic, nose bleeding mess, told the theme of the season ("this is a love story") and caught up on everything that has transpired since the season one finale. All the main players are reintroduced AND a certain new character is quickly folded into the mix ("no idea who this guy is"). Throughout the rest of the episode, old conflicts are revisited, new conflicts arise, character dynamics are established and introduced. And all of it takes place during one awkward family dinner.
Girls, season three - episode seven: Beach House: This episode of the HBO series tackles a question audience members have been asking since the show's premiere: Should these four girls even be friends? Everything comes to a head when Marnie invites Hannah, Jessa and Shoshanna to the Hamptons for the weekend for some very scheduled "healing." Immediately upon arrival, Hannah and Jessa throw chaos into Marnie's plans by changing the schedule, arguing about bedrooms, resisting heart-to-heart conversations and inviting Elijah and his friends to join them at Marnie's house. The episode builds on the tension in Marnie and Hannah's relationship that has been a focal point since the show's first season and miraculously uses a dance from Kinky Boots as a way to spark a come-to-Jesus moment between friends. Pure brilliance. The episode ends on a perfect, quiet note with the girls coming together to clean up the house.
Gilmore Girls, season four - episode 22: Raincoats and Recipes: After a carefully crafted fourth season, moments that have been in the works since the show's premiere come together in the season four finale. It features the perfect mix of comedy and drama and tons and tons of plot and character development. This episode contains the momentous opening of the Dragonfly Inn, all the townies packed together in one place, an Emily/Richard/Lorelai fight for the ages, Luke and Lorelai's first kiss, Rory and Dean's misguided hook-up, some well executed physical comedy and a naked Kirk. It's my favorite episode of the show and one of my favorite TV episodes ever!
Community, season one - episode 23: Modern Warfare: AKA the first paintball episode. Modern Warfare is a perfect example of Community at its best. After Jeff takes a nap, he wakes up to a completely different college campus consumed by a game of paintball. Members of the study group work together and against each other in order to win priority registration. It's a truly unique episode of TV, unlike anything I've seen before, infused with humor, creative movie homages and clever plot twists.
Scandal, season one - episode one: Sweet Baby: I still remember the feeling of shock that washed over me (spoiler alert...) when Olivia & Fitz's affair is revealed at the end of this episode. TV pilots don't usually contain anything to truly surprise viewers, because we're all still learning about the world and the characters and don't have a clear barometer of what will surprise us in the context of the show. And yet Scandal pulls it off masterfully. Other highlights? Olivia's impressive negotiation skills during a tension-building opener and scenarios that prompt you to start asking Scandal's eternal question -- how good or bad are each of these characters?
New Girl, season two - episode 15: Cooler: The first Nick/Jess kiss could have easily been a disaster, but New Girl's writers not only made it one of the best TV kisses ever but also placed it at the very end of a perfect episode. Filled with New Girl classics, like a game of True American, and hilarious bits, like Nick's obsession with a trench coat that gives him confidence, each beat of this episode is a delight.
The West Wing, season one - episode 22: What Kind of Day Has It Been: The season one finale of The West Wing is packed with highs and lows for our characters and it's this tension-filled balance that creates a steady drumbeat of momentum throughout the episode. There are moments of levity (a hand signal to spread good news, a misinterpreted hug) and a series of life or death scenarios that take us through to the final moments of the finale. At the heart of it, The West Wing is about a group of people who love their jobs and try to do the best they can in difficult situations and What Kind of Day Has It Been expertly demonstrates all aspects of this core theme.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, season one - episode one: Pilot: What a way to start a show. This pilot episode is not only one of the strongest episodes of Maisel, it's one of the best pilots I've ever seen. It's packed with Amy Sherman-Palladino classics -- a strong and fast-talking brunette lead, parental tension, pitch perfect dialogue -- but it all feels fresh and new and unlike anything we've seen before.
