We Are Family: Best TV Ensembles

Many of my favorite TV shows happen to have a strong ensemble cast of characters. (Not all of them; The X-Files for example is really all about Mulder and Scully, no matter how much I love Skinner, the Lone Gunmen, and others.) This aspect of these shows often makes me love them more, since I love stories about family, and about diverse groups of people who come together to become a family. With that in mind, here's my list of favorite ensemble shows. It's hard for me to even number it, because I would want to place so many of these at number one. So once again, please consider that the order doesn't necessarily mean I like one better than the others.

1. Firefly

This is usually the one that occurs to me first, I will admit. Making family out of a highly diverse group of people whom you wouldn't think would ever get along and love each other is kind of a specialty of Joss Whedon's (one of the many things I love about his writing!) - and Firefly is a prime example of this. We have Mal and Zoe, two veterans of the losing side of a war, Wash, who's an expert pilot and describes himself as “the funny one”, Kaylee, the sunny, optimistic ship's mechanic, Book, the shepherd with a mysterious past, Simon and River, siblings on the run from the Alliance, Jayne the mercenary who would say he only cares about his own wellbeing, and Inara, the elegant Companion. Somehow, all these people end up knit together as a family, although Mal would prefer to call it his crew. It makes me love them all even more when behind the scenes footage, photos, Twitter accounts, and interviews from the cast make it clear that they're friends in real life, too. Sigh. I love this show.

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Another quintessential Whedon ensemble. At the beginning of the show, it's just the Core Four members of the Scooby Gang: Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles. By the end of the show, the family has grown and shrunk and grown again, with the Core Four still at the heart of it all. Through all the changes, it's made clear in so many ways that Buffy wouldn't be able to succeed at her calling – and wouldn't want to try – without the love and support of her friends and family. They keep her sane, grounded, and allow her to have fun. They save her life many times. They'll see her through. It's what they're always meant to do. What can't they face if they're together? What's in this place that they can't weather? There's nothing they can't face … except for bunnies. (Okay, done with the OMWF lyrics now. I guess.)

3. The West Wing

I LOVE this cast so much that I cannot even put it into words. I mean, seriously. With the exception of a character who disappears after the first season (to no one's sadness), every single cast member is amazing, even the recurring guest stars like Stockard Channing, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Kathryn Joosten, and many others. Note: I count Josh Malina in this because, when his character isn't being written as making a hugely foolish decision, I like Will Bailey a lot. But I will admit I prefer the Sam seasons. (Because of Rob Lowe, and because of Sorkin's writing, and also because of Rob Lowe. Ahem.) This is another ensemble where it's clear that the actors enjoy each other off-screen as well, which makes me happy. For such a large group, their chemistry is nothing short of amazing. Plus, the writers generally do a good job of balancing everyone's screentime from episode to episode. Also, the family element is even made pretty explicit a few times during the show's run. The group is centered around and grounded by Martin Sheen's Bartlet. In the words of John Spencer's Leo, “He [President Bartlet] likes teams. I love him so much.” So much, indeed.

4. Sports Night

Okay, so Dan and Casey may be the central relationship of this show (and I've written about my love for it already), but it's still an ensemble. And everyone gels amazingly, once again. From Isaac, the wise, sarcastic father figure whom everyone else clearly respects and loves, to Dana, the woman who puts all of herself into her show but loves her people even more, to the idealistic young Jeremy, to the sweet Natalie, and all of the secondary characters (and great guest stars, like William H. Macy and Clark Gregg!), this is one fantastic bunch. And as with The West Wing, everyone has perfect comedic timing. That's an essential element in any Sorkin show, for sure.

5. NCIS

It may not be one of my can't-miss favorite shows (or at least not anymore), but I cannot and would not deny that NCIS has a wonderful ensemble cast. In fact, that (and the father/daughter relationships I have already mentioned) is what keeps me coming back. Mark Harmon is a highlight, of course, but it's not just him. Each member of the cast – except a certain former director whom I do not miss at all – adds a great deal to it. All of the characters care about each other and would do just about anything for each other. And once again it's clear that the cast members enjoy spending time together both on and off-screen … which is a good thing, since it's been on TV for approximately a billion years at this point.

6. Bones

Another one that's no longer as much of a favorite as it used to be for me, but I still enjoy it, largely because of the excellence of its ensemble. I remember being initially skeptical of Cam when she came on the scene, but she quickly made herself as crucial a part of the team as Booth, Brennan, Hodgins, Angela, or Zach (oh, Zach. Sigh.). Caroline is great, as well – I like seeing her whenever she shows up. Despite some really stupid plotlines in recent seasons, I still find pleasure in watching this show, mostly because of the interplay between all the characters. I hope those actors that weren't particularly well-known before their roles here will go on to other awesome things after Bones is over.

7. Babylon 5

Okay, I must add a proviso to this show's inclusion on my list, too: I'm really not a fan of Michael O'Hare's Sinclair. Sorry. I'm glad he's not around all that much after season 1. But even with some rough spots like that, this cast was fantastic. I've already posted about G'Kar and Londo, whose friendship is certainly one of the best ever to grace TV screens. But complex, interwoven relationships between the rest of the cast are also developed and explored in throughout the course of the show. All of the main characters and their stories are compelling, and I wish we'd gotten a chance to see more of them. Plus, the fact that a majority of the cast formed an honest-to-goodness band after the show was over speaks to a real friendship between them all!

8. Star Trek: The Next Generation

This show is probably the show to which I subconsciously compare all other ensemble shows. I mean, I grew up with it. I grew up with Captain Picard, Data, Geordi, Riker, Dr. Crusher, Troi, Worf, and yes, I'll even include Wesley. I loved this show before I was old enough to be able to tell what was bad acting and what was good acting, what was terrible special effects and what was awesome. When I went back and watched much of the first couple of seasons recently, I noticed things like less than stellar (heh, no pun intended) acting, and some awesomely cheesy “special” effects. But I also noticed that after a few eps, the cast really seemed to get into their roles, and their relationships quickly became at least as compelling as the show's plots. And if you're a TNG fan and you haven't seen any clips from the recent 25 year reunion of the entire main cast, you should check it out on Youtube. The real friendships between the actors are just plain awesome to watch. (It was also wonderful to get to see the friendship between Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes in person, at Emerald City Comicon last year. Those two guys are crazy, but in a delightful kind of way.)

9. Fringe

Honestly, I was a little bit unsure this show counted as an ensemble, since the core characters are only three in number. But there's also Astrid, and Broyles, and Nina, and the Red 'Verse team (and heck, even Gene the cow) – and together, they make a respectable sized ensemble and an extremely compelling bunch (Gene less so). I adore the interactions between them, and the depth each character has. And although I've already said it before in this list, the Fringe team really are a family. Considering the challenges and traumas various members of the group have endured and inflicted on each other in the past, it's even more amazing how close they are now. On a related note, these themes of forgiveness and redemption are another reason for me to love this show.

Honorable mentions:

-Angel: I wasn't sure whether this should be on my list, since in some ways I preferred the show when it was just Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle (much as I love Wesley, Lorne, Fred, and Gunn). But it certainly deserves an honorable mention. Like other Whedon shows, the team is made up of people who would under normal circumstances have nothing to do with one another, but through their shared goal of helping the helpless (“Our rats are low” *sniff*), they become a united front who care about each other even when that love is tested.

-Dollhouse: Part of the reason I didn't put this on my favorite list is because the central member of the ensemble is not the strongest actor of the group. But Enver Gjokaj, Dichen Lachmann, Reed Diamond, Olivia Williams, Fran Kranz, Amy Acker, Harry Lennix, Miracle Laurie, Tahmoh Penikett, and yes, Eliza Dushku do make a great ensemble. My favorite thing about this show, in fact, is the opportunity it gave many of these actors to shine – sometimes for the first time in a starring role.

-Veronica Mars: This show really is about Veronica and her dad. That said, the rest of the characters make it even more awesome. It wouldn't be the same without Wallace, Logan, Flashback Lilly and the Kane Family (which, btw, if it's not a band name already, it totally should be), and the other recurring guest stars. I should say, in fact, that the friendship between Wallace and Veronica is one of my favorite non-romantic male/female friendships on television.

So, did I leave anything off the list? What do you think?

*incoherent squeeing*

You know what else I like, though I have seen no actual footage as of yet?

THIS.

Much Ado About Nothing, from Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon + Whedonverse alums + Shakespeare? One of my favorite of Shakespeare's comedies? Plus more original songs from Mr. Whedon? How will this not be one of the most awesome things ever?!

Answer: it will have to be the most awesome things ever. No other possibility.

Special Features: Commentary With (Insert Name of Actor Here)

Question: how often do you take advantage of the option on DVD (or Blu-Ray, I suppose) special features to watch a favorite movie or TV episode with commentary?

I've been aware of this option for about as long as I've known about DVDs of things I like, but until recently I've never really taken advantage of it. There are a number of reasons for that, I think, which I'll get into here.

One of the first times I ever watched anything with actor commentary was Serenity, which was awesome because it has the entire cast (and Joss Whedon). Of course the quieter folk like Summer Glau hardly said anything, while chatterers like Nathan Fillion and Mr. Whedon talked a lot, but still, it was fun. I should say that I only watched the movie with commentary after I'd seen it without many times. Maybe that's why I haven't watched much actor commentary for TV shows, though: there aren't that many TV episodes that I've watched often enough to want to watch with actors and directors talking over pivotal lines and scenes.

It makes some sense, then, that the first ep of TV I ever watched with commentary was "The Doctor Dances", one of my favorite Doctor Who eps about which I have already written. It had commentary from writer Steven Moffat, and actor John Barrowman. (I would have loved it even more if Christopher Eccleston had joined in, but I guess he doesn't do that much, which is too bad.) I had already seen the episode at least three times, and I like John Barrowman, so I gave it a shot. It was okay. Not earth-shattering, but there were some amusing and interesting things to be heard, especially from Mr. Barrowman. There was more interesting stuff in the commentary for "The Girl in the Fireplace" (also Doctor Who). Part of that was the dynamic between Sophia Myles and David Tennant, who were dating at that time, and a larger part of it was that David Tennant is just so charismatic and so much of a fan of the show.

So there's another criterion: the commentators have to be people from whom I'm interested in hearing more. I'm not usually all that excited about hearing just director or writer commentary, to be honest. Maybe that makes me some kind of a Philistine, but it's the truth. I think I'd make an exception for Joss Whedon, though - so when I go back and rewatch certain episodes of Buffy or Angel, if he does commentary, I'd give that a shot. He's usually very much worth listening to. But I haven't wanted to spend the time rewatching most of those yet, since there's so much new TV to watch. There's another factor in my decision, then: it has to be an awesome enough episode (or movie) that I feel like I can justify the time spent on rewatching it instead of moving on to some newer material. That was definitely the case for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which has the added draw of being the only thing I've ever heard of that has musical commentary from the cast, director, and writers. Seriously, if you liked Dr. Horrible and haven't watched it with commentary yet, you are missing out big time.

I'm disappointed that most if not all of the seasons of The X-Files don't have either Gillian Anderson or David Duchovny doing commentary. (I should go back and check to make certain no eps do have commentary with them.) I love to hear them interacting with each other in almost any circumstance, and to hear their musings on their show would be fantastic. It would probably be hilarious, too, especially since they say in interviews that they've forgotten so much of it. Heh. Unlike with Mr. Whedon, I really don't want to hear Chris Carter talk about his show, because I usually find him boring. Sorry, CC. As I said, I prefer actor commentary to any other kinds.

Now, as soon as my sister and I started to acquire seasons of The West Wing on DVD, we were eager to see which episodes might have commentary. I may have mentioned a few times that I love this cast and this show so very much. Any actor commentary would have to add another layer of awesome, right...?

...For the most part, so far, the answer is yes. I have watched every ep that has actor commentary on it of the DVDs that we own & have seen that is available. That means "In The Shadow of Two Gunmen", parts 1 & 2, "Noel", "Manchester" part 1, and "Bartlet For America." All of these have at least one of the main cast members as well as Aaron Sorkin (the writer) and Thomas Schlamme (the director) doing the commentary. I have to admit, sometimes Mr. Sorkin & Mr. Schlamme talk a little too much for my preferences, especially when they seem to drown out the cast member or members that's supposed to be doing it with them. That happened in ITSOTG part 2, which had Martin Sheen. He hardly ended up saying anything, and I highly doubt that was because he doesn't like to talk! That was disappointing. It felt like a missed opportunity.

Thankfully, though, that has been the exception rather than the rule. The others have been quite good, and they really added a lot to my enjoyment of the episodes. My favorite by far was the one I watched today: "Bartlet For America", with Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, and John Spencer. My sister and I literally squealed and jumped up and down when we got out the season 3 DVD set and saw that Mr. Spencer was participating in the commentary for this awesome, awesome episode. He was so utterly gripping and engrossing in his portrayal of Leo in this ep that it's absolutely no wonder at all that he won an Emmy for it. And he held his own with the other two commentators (which is to say, they all played off each other very well, not that they were actually competing). It was wonderful to hear about how much he enjoyed the episode, how much detail they put into the courtroom scenes and flashbacks, and how Mr. Spencer and Mr. Sorkin used their real-life experiences with addiction to inform the story. My sister and I also couldn't help being made very happy when we heard Mr. Spencer's thoughts on the relationship between the President and Leo - he agrees absolutely that it's the romance of the show. (Insert "awwwwww" here.)

By far the highlight of this wonderful commentary, though, is the very end. None of them say a word in the pivotal scene with Leo, the President, and the napkin. Then, as Leo cries at the end, it becomes very obvious that Mr. Spencer is crying as he watches, and the others are also deeply moved, if not crying themselves. Then the writer and director tell their star that he couldn't not get the Emmy after that, and their star turns around and tells them that every actor waits his whole career for material like that. And then I wipe the tears off my face, both from the scene and from their reactions to it.

That's how you do a commentary, folks. I hope the other TWW seasons' actor commentary episodes measure up at least most of the way to that level of greatness.

Very likely my favorite fan video of all time

If you're a Firefly fan (or Browncoat, as we're proudly known), you've probably already seen this video:

It's set to a song that I probably wouldn't count among one of my favorites, if it weren't for this vid: "All These Things That I've Done", by the Killers. But it so perfectly encapsulates the incredible show that is Firefly that since I first saw the vid (I believe linked to in Television Without Pity's Firefly forum), I've loved it. The creator of the vid beautifully shows us each beloved member of the cast, and moments to remind fans of what makes them awesome. It still has the power to give me chills - and sometimes even bring tears to my eyes - whenever I watch it now. That ending... "We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty." ::sniff::

This show hasn't been on the air since 2002 (and all too briefly then, of course!), and it's been more than five years since the movie Serenity was in theaters. Still, it lives on. You can't stop the signal.

I love you, random person in the parking garage.

If you're a fan of anything Whedon-related, you'll know why I had to take a picture of this vanity plate when we went past it in the parking garage outside the local movie theater today:



It pleased me greatly.

My top favorite TV episodes of all time... so far

There aren't that many episodes of television that have left me feeling awed, amazed, and generally stuck around in my memory for a long time afterward – but there are a few. I've been thinking about the best TV episodes I've ever seen in my life, the ones that are as close to perfect as I think is possible. These thoughts led to my decision to write down a list of them, what I love about them, and what struck me about them.

Here's that list, in no particular order. I'm also including one photo for each that I feel helps encapsulate what makes each episode stand out. WARNING: there will be spoilers for House, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alias, Firefly, Fringe, The X-Files, Life, Angel, Doctor Who, Veronica Mars, The West Wing, Twin Peaks, and Quantum Leap contained within.

1. House, season 1: “Three Stories”
This is one of the first that comes to mind when I think about episodes that left me stunned with how great they are. Back when this show was good – which it used to be, and if you don't believe me, you should go back and watch the first couple of seasons – this was the best of all of the best episodes. It still gets to me when I watch it now. Not only do we finally get to see the whole story behind what happened to House's leg (and based on what we see, that would have been a phenomenal episode by itself), but the way House goes about telling the story to his roomful of medical students is just plain awesome. It's a perfect blend of hilarity, action, drama, and phenomenal acting from Hugh Laurie and the rest of the cast. The style of storytelling has been imitated, even by House in later episodes, but in my opinion its level of brilliance has not been duplicated.



2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 4: “Hush”
There are a lot of really excellent episodes of this show, and not a few of those stand out above the rest. “Hush” was one of several that I'd heard about before I started watching the show on DVD, and honestly I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Unlike at least one other episode I can think of, which unfortunately did suffer from the hype,* this one surpassed all my expectations. It's both one of the scariest and one of most well-crafted episodes of the show. Written by Joss Whedon in response to critics stating that he relied on his witty dialogue to gain acclaim, “Hush” is 99% dialogue-free, for a reason that fits in awesomely to the storyline, and the Gentlemen, the monsters of the week, are SO CREEPY. Gah! Also, there is Giles with the slide projector – priceless. Plus, that final scene between Buffy and Riley? Words fail (which is actually kind of the point) to describe how spot-on it is.



3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 6: “Once More, With Feeling”
This may be one of my favorite episodes of anything ever. It's another one that I had heard about beforehand and was worried wouldn't live up to my expectations – and it's another one that blew all of my expectations out of the water. Once again, Joss Whedon wrote it. He wrote all the music and lyrics for all the songs in the episode … and though it was his first attempt at writing music, he absolutely nailed it. Also, what I was not expecting when I watched this episode was how perfectly it fits in with the overarching plot of the season, and how much it furthers it. That's something that other shows' musical episodes can't usually claim to do. (For instance, while I'm very fond of Fringe's “Brown Betty”, it doesn't move the characters forward very much.) On top of all of that, all the regular cast members who sing (and/or dance) are so wonderfully entertaining. I don't know if you'd like this episode as much if you weren't a fan of musicals, but that's definitely not an issue for me. It defines the TV musical episode for me. Now I want to go listen to the soundtrack, which is what always happens when I even think about “Once More, With Feeling.”



4. Doctor Who, season 1 (of the new series): “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances”
So, yeah, these are two episodes, but it's a two-parter, and both halves are so very excellent. Sorry if that seems like cheating to include them both. This season marked my reintroduction to Doctor Who after having seen a few episodes on PBS when I was younger, and it didn't take me long at all to fall in love with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor. And while I was already in love with Nine and with the show by the time this two-parter rolled around, this was the first one that really terrified me! I think I had to go to bed after “The Empty Child”, and let me tell you, I did not fall asleep quickly after that. The image of the child in the gas mask, the cliffhanger ending setting up the second half, and then the wonderful resolution of the story, with the Doctor getting to experience a moment of pure joy after all he's been through in this incarnation – oh, so fantastic. And yes, I used that word on purpose. Plus, it does an excellent job of introducing Captain Jack Harkness, whom I feel is a much more compelling character on this show than on his spin-off, Torchwood.



5. Doctor Who, season 1: “The Parting of the Ways”
Technically, since this the second half of another two-parter, I could include “Bad Wolf” in here as well – but as excellent as its first part was, it's “The Parting of the Ways” that really amazed me. As much as my grieving heart didn't want to say goodbye to the Ninth Doctor (I knew ahead of time that this would be his last outing), if ever there was a perfect sendoff episode, this might just be it. This was back when the Daleks still hadn't been overused – and knowing Nine's all too recent history with them, his confrontation with this latest fleet is amazing to behold. The Doctor's speech to Rose during Emergency Program One still has the power to make me tear up, as well. Also, not only does the episode wrap up the threads of the season expertly, but to me, there are few things more awesome than the TARDIS and Rose working together to save their Doctor and destroy the Daleks. “You are tiny. I can see the whole of time and space, all the atoms of your existence, and I divide them.” Aww yeah. And then the Doctor's farewell scene before he regenerates! Gah. It still hurts for him to go, but at least you know, as he knows finally, that he was fantastic.



6. Doctor Who, season 2: “School Reunion”
This is the kind of episode I had been wanting ever since the new series of Doctor Who started up: the story of what happens when the Doctor and one of his former companions from the classic series run into each other. I remembered Sarah Jane fondly from the classic series, and I loved David Tennant's Doctor as well (and they brought back K9, too!). I got chills when Sarah Jane first sees the TARDIS again and recognizes the Doctor for who he is, after all those years. Tennant and Elisabeth Sladen do a wonderful, wonderful job throughout the whole episode. You really believe how much Sarah Jane's time with the Doctor has changed her, and how much she's missed him even as she's continued to be brilliant on her own, of course. And then the interactions between Rose and Sarah Jane! So awesome. I think Rose gets a chance to grow a lot in this episode. Whether or not that character growth stays around for the rest of her time on the show is another question, but anyway. Basically, I can't gush about “School Reunion” enough.



7. Doctor Who, season 3: “Blink”
Another game-changer of an episode. Despite the fact that there isn't a lot of the Doctor in it, it is utterly gripping and terrifying – another one you don't want to watch right before bed, unless you'd rather not sleep. Ever again. As we follow the story of Sally Sparrow and the mysterious, nightmare-inducing Weeping Angels, it hardly matters that we don't see the Doctor and Martha much at all. The scenes with them are used very well. Sally Sparrow herself is a very compelling character, so much so that although her story is wrapped up well by the end, I wouldn't mind seeing her again. I have my issues with Steven Moffat now, but “Blink” remains an incredible feat of storytelling. The fact that it's still so often quoted and referenced in the fandom, and even in the show itself, is testament to just how good it was. Other evidence of how it lingers in my mind: whenever I see a statue of an angel, I cannot fail to be a bit creeped out, and to do my best not to blink.



8. Doctor Who, season 6: “The Doctor's Wife”
When I heard that Neil Gaiman was going to be writing an episode of Doctor Who for this most recent season, I got very excited. I've read several of his books (and, since this episode aired, seen him in person during his tour to promote the tenth anniversary edition of American Gods), and I loved them. I heard he was a big fan of the show, which only makes sense, and I hoped his episode would live up to my expectations. Once again, they were blown away. The character of the TARDIS – or Sexy, as we could call her as the Doctor does – in her new form was just wonderful. Of course she's the one who has loved the Doctor the longest, and the one the Doctor loves and relies on above all others. Of course she would think of him as her Thief, and would view herself as having stolen him just as much as he stole her. It could have easily come across as gimmicky to have the TARDIS be in a human body, but I never once got that feeling during the episode. Seeing her and watching the Doctor interact with her was a delight, from beginning to end. On top of that, the villain House was marvelously sadistic in his tormenting of Amy and Rory. I know some people object to having it clearly stated instead of implied that the TARDIS always takes the Doctor where he needs to go instead of where he was trying to go, and I can see where they're coming from, but to me it works, coming from Sexy herself. The episode as a whole comes across as Neil Gaiman's loving tribute to the show, and to the Doctor's frankly magnificent ship – who may not literally be his wife, but certainly is his closest Companion.



9. Firefly, “Out of Gas”
I love every single episode of this unfairly too-short-lived show. Even the one or two that are not as good as the rest are still awesome. However, out of all of these well-loved episodes, my favorite has to be “Out of Gas.” Through episode writer Tim Minear's expert crafting of the story, we learn in flashbacks how each member of the crew of Serenity got their start with the ship, even as the crew faces extreme peril in the 'present.' It also demonstrates even more than other episodes how much Mal loves his ship and his crew, and further establishes him as one of my all-time favorite characters in anything ever. As is usual with Joss Whedon shows, there is both drama and humor, with fantastically witty dialogue and one-liners that any Browncoat can rattle off at a moment's notice. Though it shouldn't have had to be the series finale, “Out of Gas” fulfills that role in a way that really couldn't be more perfect, ending as it does with the beginning of Mal's journey with his beloved Serenity, as a young man staring at her in wonder as she sits, abandoned and forgotten.



10. The X-Files, season 2: “Duane Barry”
I knew going into this show that Scully was going to get abducted at some point in season 2, but thankfully I had not been spoiled as to when exactly that happened. So as I was watching along, fully invested in this excellently written episode about Scully (and especially Mulder) interacting with a crazy hostage-taker who believed he had been abducted and experimented on by aliens multiple times, I had no idea that it was going to end with Scully being dragged out of her house by the guy, screaming for Mulder to help her. Gah! Of course, you can't possibly watch this episode without going on to watch “Ascension”, and although that episode is also excellent, “Duane Barry” wins out on this list because of that shocker of an ending.



11. The X-Files, season 3: “Pusher”
Though I had heard some about this episode before seeing it – basically that it was almost universally beloved of Philes everywhere – I still didn't really know what to expect going into it. That was fine, though, since I had been enjoying nearly every episode of the show I'd seen. After sitting spellbound and on the edge of my seat through the opening sequence (“Cerulean blue is like a gentle breeze”, anyone?), and the cat-and-mouse game leading up to the climactic Russian roulette scene, it became very obvious to me why “Pusher” has gone down in X-Files history. It combines fantastic performances from Gillian Anderson, David Dochovny, and the main guest star who played Robert Patrick Modell, gripping and chilling moments as Pusher literally talks people into committing various horrible acts, including inducing a heart attack in poor Frank Burst – and last but definitely not least, it continued to showcase the strength of the bond between Mulder and Scully. I do not get in the least bit bored of watching this episode.



12. The X-Files, season 5: “Bad Blood”
This is yet another episode of which I had heard much, and only good things, before I saw it. Once again, I worried that I wouldn't find it as awesome as everyone was making it out to be – and once again, it was more awesome than I could have dreamed. No other TV episode that I have ever seen has done the showing-events-from-different-characters'-POVs thing as well as in “Bad Blood”. No other TV episode has made me laugh – and continues to make me laugh, every time I watch it again – as much as “Bad Blood”, either. Scully's version of Mulder, and Mulder's version of Scully, are both so hilariously exaggerated. Luke Wilson as the Sheriff is really the cherry on top of the awesomeness that is this episode, both the Mulder-exaggerated version of him and his 'real' self. And then the scene in Skinner's office at the end! I'm snickering just thinking about it. “That is essentially exactly the way it happened.” “Except for the part about the buck teeth.”



13. The West Wing, season 1: “Pilot”
This is one of those shows that is so well-loved on the internets that I really did want to see it. Unfortunately, I've still only seen about half of the first season, but unlike with some of the other shows I've started watching but not finished, I've already been blown away by the sheer brilliance of a few episodes that I can't wait until I'm done with the show to add them to my list of favorites. The pilot of this show, in fact, is such a perfect introduction (as far as I can tell from my perspective) to the plot, the characters, and the general mood of The West Wing that I couldn't help exclaiming, “This show is really, really good!” several times to the friends with whom I was watching it. And they could only agree, wholeheartedly. It also provides an excellent introduction to Aaron Sorkin's incredible dialogue. I really, really want to keep watching this show as much as possible. Also, I really wish Jed Bartlet could be my president.



14. The West Wing, season 1: “In Excelsis Deo”
This is one that our friend who owns the DVDs told us ahead of time was one of her favorites, and it only took one viewing for me to be convinced as to why. There are plenty of light, comedic moments between the characters as they prepare for the holidays. There are also more serious issues surrounding family and ongoing plot elements, including significant developments regarding Leo and his past drug use. But the star of the episode has got to be Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler, going far above and beyond the call of duty for the homeless Korean war hero who is found dead of exposure at the beginning of the episode. It's a moving, excellently done storyline, and not overly dramatic or manipulative. I am very pleased to read online that Richard Schiff won an Emmy for his performance here. Another highlight: the President's interactions with the kids are pretty adorable.



15. Life, season 2: “One”
This show was far too short, and it still pains me to think that we won't get to see any more of Charlie and Reese, but at least I can take some comfort from the awesomeness that is the season 2 and series finale. Not only does it wrap up a significant portion of the show's mystery, granting Charlie some answers as to who was behind his being framed for murder and sent to prison, but it illustrates the strength of the partnership between Charlie and Reese. The final few scenes, as Charlie trades himself for her and then kills Roman (in a fashion that I should probably not find as hot as I do – ahem), also reveal what we already knew: that Charlie loves his partner, and she loves him. How that love might have developed, unfortunately, we shall never find out in canon. “One” also illustrates the best of the rest of the cast, which is always nice to see. I miss Ted, Bobby, and even Charlie's new partner, as well as the ever-sinister and smirking Rayborn. But mostly I miss getting to see Damian Lewis as Charlie Crews every week.



16. Angel, season 5: “Not Fade Away”
The first time I saw this episode, I was still dealing with the large amounts of bitterness I'd accrued from season 4 and certain storylines that I loathed (and still loathe) with a passion. I also knew some of what the cliffhanger ending was going to be like ahead of time … and frequently, I just can't enjoy that kind of a cliffhanger. So, while I liked certain parts of it, and was appropriately gutted by other parts of it, I was left with a difficult feeling to describe. It was dissatisfaction, I think – not because I thought the episode or writing was inferior, but because I guess I wanted it to end more happily. But of course, this is Angel, and this is a Joss Whedon show. After a second viewing, it really seemed to fit perfectly with this dark but rather epic show. Much as my romantic, happy-ending-loving heart would still prefer for certain things to be changed about the show in general (Wesley! ::sob::), that ending shot of the remaining band of fighters, standing undaunted in the rain as they prepare to meet the hordes of evil, is just plain awesome.



17. Fringe, season 2: “Grey Matters”
It's not easy for me to choose just a few episodes of Fringe to put on this list, because I love the show so very much, but “Grey Matters” has to be one of the best. Not only does it feature the first real appearance of the wonderfully sinister Sebastian Roche as Newton, but the opening sequence is one of the best opening scenes I've ever seen for this kind of show. I mean, their brain surgery on a mental patient gets interrupted, so Newton and his crew depart with a sincere apology to the poor guy – leaving his head open and his brain exposed! Dude! And then there are the amazing, amazing moments between Peter and Walter as the episode continues. Joshua Jackson and John Noble absolutely knock it out of the park with their beautiful portrayal of this very complex father-son dynamic. This reaches its peak with the scene where Olivia has to choose to save Walter and let Newton go free. You can see Peter's desperation to save his father's life, and his utter relief when Walter ends up safe in his arms. Additionally, this was one of the first complete episodes of Fringe that I saw, and even though I didn't want to let myself fall in love with another show, I could not help but be seriously impressed by John Noble as Walter.



18. Fringe season 3, “Entrada”
This was the episode I'd been waiting for all season: for Olivia to finally succeed in her quest to return to our universe, and for Peter to finally realize the terrible truth that the Olivia he was with was an imposter. And as has been a frequent refrain on this list, it was even more awesome than I expected. As much as I love it when the female member of the partnership is in peril and is rescued by the male partner, I love it even more when she rescues herself – and Olivia Dunham is very, very good at that particular skill. Of course, she has the aid of Alt!Broyles, the man who just plain rules whatever universe he might be in, but that's only because she is able to convince him to help her, despite the risks to him and to his universe. With his help, she breaks free of a top-secret government facility (again!), makes her way back to the alternate-universe Harvard, and then jumps back into our universe before finally passing out. I think anyone deserves a moment of unconsciousness after all of that. Also, although the episode is mostly focused on Olivia's awesomeness, Peter gets an honorable mention for his “Francie doesn't like coffee ice cream” moment with Fauxlivia, and then the way he helped track her down afterward. If only he'd noticed the signs a little earlier...



19. Alias, season 1: “Almost Thirty Years”
The first season finale of Alias was my introduction to the wonder that is J.J. Abrams season finales – and this show, in fact, was probably the first show about which I got more than a little obsessed and rather heavily invested. It went off the rails and disappointed me in later seasons, but its first two seasons are just plain excellent. Every main character is involved in the crucial storylines of the season one finale, and both Sydney and her father get a chance to show their complete awesomeness. But the cliffhanger! Oh, the cliffhanger. First, Vaughn doesn't make it through the blast door in time, and despite Sydney's heroic, persistent efforts to break the glass, we see him swept away. Then Sydney is captured. She finally meets The Man – but instead of any of the bad guys we've seen so far, it's ... her mother! Dun dun DUNNN! “I have waited almost thirty years for this.” And then we fade to black. And then my sister and I spend the entire summer wondering if Vaughn is dead, and if Sydney's mom is evil, and who will save Sydney. Oh, man. I loved this show.



20. Veronica Mars, season 1: “Leave it to Beaver”
It's hard to narrow down a favorite from this show, too. So many of them are really, really excellent – and once again, I grieve the fact that this show was canceled far too soon, though at least it got three seasons. I'll go with the fairly obvious choice and pick the season 1 finale to include here, in which we finally get the answer to the season-long question, “Who killed Lilly Kane?” We don't get that answer right away, though, and part of the appeal/wonderfully frustrating thing about the episode is how long it takes before we as the audience at last know who the murderer is. Meanwhile, there are significant developments between Veronica and Logan, whom I can't help loving even though he's seriously messed-up and probably not a good choice for Veronica (just as Veronica is probably not a good choice for Logan), and between Veronica and each of her parents. I'm going to say right now that Keith Mars is my top favorite TV dad, beating out such strong competition as Jack Bristow and Richard Castle. There's no way I can watch this show without cheering for Veronica and her dad, and their relationship is one of the driving forces of this season finale. I couldn't choose any other photo to include but the one that follows, for that reason.



21. Twin Peaks, season 2: “Lonely Souls”
If I had written this entire list right after finishing my marathon of this show, there wouldn't be a Twin Peaks episode on here. That's how upset the series finale made me! But after some time to cool down, I think it does deserve a spot on here. This isn't the episode where the inhabitants of Twin Peaks find out who killed Laura Palmer, but it's the one where that answer is revealed to the audience – in an incredibly shocking, terrifyingly perfect-for-this-show way. In the pivotal scene, poor Maddy Ferguson, who I thought was probably doomed as soon as she showed up since she looked just like her cousin Laura, meets her death at the hands of Laura's murderer. I am very glad that I managed to remain unspoiled as to who it was, because that reveal was truly astonishing. Also, Killer BOB will never not be really terrifying. There are other good moments in the episode, including further developments in the unfailingly bizarre story of Ed and Nadine, and Audrey being awesome. There's also another crazy vision sequence, and we as the audience wait in great frustration as our hero, Dale Cooper, hears that “It is happening again,” without realizing that what the Giant means is that another murder is happening right now.



22. Quantum Leap, season 3: “The Leap Home Part II: Vietnam”
I almost forgot to add this episode on here, but thankfully my sister helped me remember it. “The Leap Home Part I” is also excellent, but of the two, the second one struck me even more deeply than the first. In Part II, Sam leaps into a soldier who is in his brother Tom's squad in Vietnam. His immediate decision is that he's here to save his brother's life. The other main option might be to save Tom's commanding officer from being killed and make sure his squad's mission is successful. The ever-faithful Al tries to suggest another possible reason why he might be here, but Sam doesn't do a very good job of listening. In the end, Sam is able to save his brother's life and also prevent an ambush – but he isn't able to make it so the squad can rescue the American prisoners of war, which was their mission. The photojournalist who came along on the mission is killed, but not before she takes the photo that will win her a posthumous Pulitzer. Though the rest of the story is gripping enough, it's the end that is the real shocker: Tom's commanding officer comes in to show them the photos of the American POWs that the journalist took – one of which was Al himself. Sam is shocked and horrified that Al sacrificed the chance of being rescued years earlier to help him save his brother. But Al just points to his head and says, “I was free up here. I was always free.” And that's when I choke up, big time.



I think that's the lot! It's quite possible that I've forgotten some favorites that really should be on here, but these twenty-two make a pretty good start, I think. Now, for some ending notes.

As you may have gathered, I watch a fair amount of TV: shows that are currently airing, and shows that have been off the air for a while. In fact, right now I'm in the process of watching two shows that fall into the latter category. Neither Farscape nor Babylon 5 appear in my list of top episodes, because I haven't finished them yet. Unlike with The West Wing, there hasn't been an episode (or more than one) that I've seen that grabs my attention so much that it requires me to add it to the list before I finish the series – though with Babylon 5, I can say with pleasure that I have been impressed with how well-written the arcs for the show have been. It's just so nice to be watching a show where the showrunners obviously have the whole thing planned out at least most of the way before they run out of ideas (ahem, looking at you, Chris Carter). With Farscape, I've only seen about five episodes, but I'm confident that there will be some standout eps that I will be adding to my mental list of favorites after I see more.

Also, a note about Star Trek. While I enjoy watching every incarnation of Trek (except Enterprise, which was really pretty dismal despite Scott Bakula), and while I look forward to rewatching Deep Space Nine sometime since I'm pretty sure I missed significant portions of it the first time around, my all-time favorite Trek has to be The Next Generation. It was one of the first non-kids' shows that I ever watched, and I'm almost certain that Geordi La Forge was my first TV crush. That said, I don't know that I can pick out one or two favorite episodes to put on this list. Maybe Star Trek should just be understood to be in an entirely separate category of TV favorites for me.

*There is one Buffy episode that is almost universally loved and highly praised that, I think, suffered because of me having heard the hype beforehand: “The Body.” Let me quickly say that I still found this episode to be powerful and very well-done. But I really wish I hadn't heard about Anya's speech before watching it, and especially that I hadn't read part of it online before deciding that I should probably stop in case I ever decided to watch the show. Because of that, it just didn't hit me as hard as I know it did many Buffy fans. I have high hopes that when I get to this episode again in my rewatch, it will be more powerful rather than less so. Probably the fact that I will be watching it with my mom, who has never seen it before and is loving it so far, will help.