FromBreaking Bad’s “Ozymandias” toSeinfeld’s “The Contest,”the greatest TV episodesever made are untouchable masterpieces of the medium. Solid episodes of television appear on the airwaves every week, but it takes something truly special to stand the test of time and become renowned as an all-time classic; it needs a big twist or a clever conceit.
Sometimes,a bottle episodecan earn a reputation as a standalone masterpiece, likeThe Sopranos’ “Pine Barrens.” Sometimes, the best parts of a show come together in one perfect installment, likeFrasier’s “Ham Radio.” Sometimes, they turn a show from good to great, likeBetter Call Saul’s “Chicanery.”These are the best TV episodes of all time.
20The Constant
Lost Season 4, Episode 5
The best sci-fi storiesuse their far-fetched sci-fi elements to enhance the real emotions of a dramatic storyline.Lost’s masterfully crafted season 4 episode “The Constant”is a perfect example of that. As Desmond Hume’s consciousness jumps all over the timeline of his life, the one constant that grounds him in reality is his undying love for Penny — it’s beautiful.
19Teddy Perkins
Atlanta Season 2, Episode 6
Although it started off as a traditional TV comedy about the hip-hop scene with some surreal elements,Atlantamorphed into something entirely uniquein its later seasons, with bizarre standalone episodes pushing the boundaries of television. The first such episode, “Teddy Perkins,” isan unsettling, totally bonkers reimagining ofGet Outstarring Donald Glover as an eccentric white man.
18Scott Tenorman Must Die
South Park Season 5, Episode 4
South Parkwas a show full of inappropriate humor that had parents concerned from the get-go, butit didn’t establish its idiosyncratic brand of pure pitch-black comedy until it turned Eric Cartman into a sociopathic monsterinseason 5’s “Scott Tenorman Must Die.”This episode culminates in Cartman feeding a kid his own parents — and it’s hilarious, because he’s eight.
17The Rains Of Castamere
Game Of Thrones Season 3, Episode 9
Game of Thronesreached the infamous Red Wedding sequence in season 3’s “The Rains of Castamere,” and it was just as brutal and horrifying asGeorge R.R. Martinhad described it on the page. This was a major turning point forGame of Thrones;it proved there was no line that the show wouldn’t cross.
16Chicanery
Better Call Saul Season 3, Episode 5
“Chicanery” is the episode that turnedBetter Call Saulfrom a really great TV show to an all-time classic deserving of a place alongside its predecessor,Breaking Bad. It highlights the spinoff’s true genius:it’s just as intense and exhilarating as anything inBreaking Bad, but it’s just people talking in a courtroom.
It showcases Jimmy McGill’s unorthodox trickery, as he sneaks a cell phone battery into his electrosensitive brother’s pocket to prove his condition is psychosomatic, and Chuck’s disturbing climactic meltdown is a masterclass in acting by the great Michael McKean.
15Ham Radio
Frasier Season 4, Episode 18
At its best,Frasierhad god-tier writing brought to life by a phenomenal cast, and no episode exemplifies that better than season 4’s “Ham Radio.” Frasier’s attempt to mount a radio drama gave the actors a chance to play characters within their characters, derail the broadcast to spite Frasier, and tell a wild, unpredictable story without leaving the sound booth.
14Sozin’s Comet
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episodes 18-21
All throughout its run,Avatar: The Last Airbenderexplored heavy subject matter rarely seen in children’s entertainment, and in its four-part series finale, “Sozin’s Comet,” it tackled a profound philosophical debate. The finale concerns Aang’s hesitation to kill Fire Lord Ozai, andits attempt to reconcile religion and violence is beautifully handled, and deeply thought-provoking.
13Days Gone Bye
The Walking Deadhad one of the most cinematic pilot episodes ever produced. It has scope and spectacle worthy of the big screen. “Days Gone Bye” opens in media res, with Rick Grimes reluctantly shooting and killing a zombified child, andit maintains that sense of eeriness and intensity to the very end.
The Walking Dead’s pilot episode keeps its focus on Rick’s emotional drive to reunite with his wife and son.
“Days Gone Bye” starts with the chilling revelation of Rick awakening from a coma in a post-apocalyptic world, and it builds to a horde of the undead barricading Rick in a tank. But no matter how terrifying or action-packed it gets,The Walking Dead’s pilot episodekeeps its focus on Rick’s emotional drive to reunite with his wife and son.
12The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
The Twilight Zone Season 1, Episode 22
Rod Serling initially createdThe Twilight Zoneso he could slip politically charged narratives past the strict censors and sensitive advertisers on network television in the 1960s.If he allegorized his socially conscious stories through science fiction and horror, then he could explore timely issues without ruffling any feathers at the network.
No episode captures that approach better than season 1’s “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.” This episode ingeniously uses the story of a neighborhood trying to identify an alien impostor asa commentary on McCarthy-era paranoia and the Red Scare.
11Final Grades
The Wire Season 4, Episode 13
Season 4 was the best season ofThe Wire,showing how the broken public school system creates criminals, and it reached the perfect conclusion in its finale, “Final Grades.” We see where all the kids end up, and it’s heartbreaking. This isThe Wire’s greatest episode, which is saying a lot, because the series as a whole is a masterpiece.
