Upworthy's book GOOD PEOPLE, now available - take a look!

Shop
 Explore 

house

Pop Culture

Someone asked 'What's the single best episode of TV you've seen?' Here are the top 20 responses.

What's the best TV episode you've ever seen?

via Marques Kaspbrak /Unsplash

A TV set on the Disney+ streaming channel

It’s often said that we live in the "Golden Age of Television," also known as “Peak TV” or “Prestige TV.” Although some say this era goes back to the turn of the millennium, since 2010, we have had the joy of watching shows such as “Game of Thrones,” “Girls,” Better Call Saul," “Ted Lasso,” “Orange is the New Black” and “Stranger Things,” just to name a few.

Over the past decade, there has been so much good TV that people’s biggest complaint is that they don’t have enough time to get to it all.

A viral Reddit thread started by a user named Head_Hauncho may give you some ideas to choose the next show you’d like to binge. He asked the online forum, “What is the single best episode of television you’ve ever seen?” There were responses from shows as old as the ‘80s, but most of the responses were from the past 20 years.

What criteria does one use to choose the best TV series episode? It gets complicated when one considers how much television is produced yearly. A record 599 original scripted drama, comedy, and limited TV shows were aired in 2022 and Americans have produced regular content for broadcast television shows since 1939.

How do we choose one episode of one show?

To rank the responses on the Reddit post, I looked at the number of upvotes each suggestion received on the Reddit thread and then ranked them in order. It’s not the most scientific way of doing things, but it gives us a pretty good idea about who people think should make it to the monument.

Here are the top 20 most popular responses to the burning question: “What is the single best episode of television you’ve ever seen?”

1. Chernobyl - “Vichnaya Pamyat” (Memory Eternal)

“When the truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there, but it is still there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies.” — KinmdaQuixotic

2. Band Of Brothers — "Bastogne"

"It came out the weekend before 9/11. I had never been looking forward to a TV series like that. There was football (the Saints beat the Bills), then Band of Brothers, then high school the next day, and all the guys hyped over BoB. Then 9/11 on Tuesday... and I remember watching the rest of the episodes but it wasn't really the same." — TheresA_LobsterLoose

3. The Simpsons — "You Only Move Twice"

"You Only Move Twice had the best Simpson one-off, Hank Scorpio." — Graehaus

4. The IT Crowd — "The Work Outing"

"When Jen turns around to Moss. I know it's coming every time and it breaks me." — Bi_gone_era

5. Doctor Who — "Blink"

"I'm not a fan of the series, I haven't watched all episodes, I've seen this very episode accidentally, years ago and it is stuck in my head ever since. It is based on one of the most creative, original, and disturbing ideas I have ever seen in my life." — Canred

6. Haunting of Hill House — "The Bent-Neck Lady"

"This absolutely gets my vote. It’s an example I use all the time when talking about excellent television. No explosions, no action, no insane stakes…Just a family sitting in a room confronting their trauma. The tail end of that episode had me in tears." — Vengeance2All

7. Community — "Remedial Chaos Theory"

"ROOOOOXXAAAANNNEEE." — Nathan Collier14

8. Arrested Development — "Top Banana"

"First non-pilot episode nails so many of the characters down and introduces an inside joke I repeat in nearly every scene." — Stuebbins

9. Scrubs — "My Lunch"

"Bill Lawrence said something that really stuck with me and that's that the guiding principle of the show was that everything could be goofy aside from the medical side. Made for a show that could do some great tone shifts on a dime." — Patrickwithtraffic

10. The Sopranos — "Pine Barrens"

"Mayonnaise! MAYONNAISE!" — PrincessBucketFeet

11. The Simpsons — "Marge vs. The Monorail"

"It’s probably been almost 20 years since I saw it last, but I can still remember the entire 'See My Vest' song." — Racer_24_4evr

12. Star Trek: Deep Space 9 — "In the Pale Moonlight"

"I can live with it... I can live with it." — Coffeehousebum

13. Firefly — "Out of Gas"

"Some of the love for Firefly on Reddit is a little overblown, but this episode, in particular, was spectacular television." — whitedevilwhitedevil

14. BoJack Horseman — "The View from Halfway Down"

"BoJack Horseman is, I can confidently say, the only cartoon about talking animals that can make me absolutely inconsolable. Seriously, seriously amazing show." — Poopiverse

15. Severance — "The We We Are"

"Unbelievably suspenseful the entire duration. So good." — the_pain_train24

16. M*A*S*H* — "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen"

"Honestly this show ended almost a decade before I was even born and yet it’s single-handedly the best show I’ve ever watched." — rebelxghost

17. WKRP in Cincinnati — "Turkeys Away"

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." — Silent-Revolution105

18. Mindhunter — "The Lone Wolf"

"That Ed Kemper hug scene." — westzod

"The beauty of that scene is that Kemper hadn't really shown himself. Sure, he talked about his crimes. He was crazy. He performed theatrics. They knew his history. But, in that moment, Kemper was making him aware of the Pantheon and his sister wives. He was showing how incredibly, batshit crazy he was. He was being intimate the only way he knew how." — Canterbury Terrier

19. Buffy the Vampire Slayer — "The Body"

"'But I don't understand! I don't understand how this all happens, how we go through this. I mean, I knew her, and then she's...There's just a body, and I don't understand why she just can't get back in it and not be dead anymore." — Campmoore

20. House — "Three Stories"

"It’s so good...I love when they delve into the who/why of House, it really helps make him more than pill-popping Sherlock with a doctorate." — Deathsblade2002

From Your Site Articles

television

Lawyers' Committee

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

Family

The 7 most terrifying things about the Trumpcare bill that could pass today.

The American Health Care Act could pass the House today — and people are scared.

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.

With the addition of a last-minute amendment, Republican leaders are confident just enough moderate Republicans are on board to push the bill through to the Senate.

Despite the ostensibly moderating changes, the bill remains as potentially destructive as before.

As a result, thousands of citizens are hurriedly telling their representatives in no uncertain terms that they'll be voted out of a job if they pass it.

Here's why they're not waiting:

1. The Congressional Budget Office hasn't scored the current version of the bill, so we don't know how many people will lose coverage or how much it will cost.

A running congressman works to pass a bill very few people have even seen. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.

When the CBO scored the old draft of the bill that was tabled back in March, it found that, under its provisions, up to 24 million people could lose insurance coverage by 2026. The new version of the bill has been amended several times, but the score hasn't been reissued yet.

The updated law could cover more people. It could cover fewer. It could be less expensive. It could be more expensive. The problem is — nobody knows.

The House still plans to vote on it.

That's terrifying.

2. If you have any number of common pre-existing conditions, the bill could massively spike your premiums.

Despite Republican assurances that the proposed law "protects" people with pre-existing conditions, a recent amendment allows states to choose which health benefits they require insurers to cover — meaning maternity, mental health care, and more could be out depending on where you live — and to permit insurance companies to charge based on health status rather than age.

— (@)

A Center for American Progress analysis concluded that this amendment would raise premiums by thousands — and in some case tens of thousands — of dollars for individuals with asthma, pregnancy, autism, kidney disease, cancer, and more.

3. Rape and sexual assault could be considered pre-existing conditions under the new law.

Prior to the ACA, insurers were largely free to deny health coverage to those who had suffered sexual violence.

Under the new law, insurance companies in some states could charge survivors much more than they're currently paying.

— (@)

That's shockingly cruel.

4. Lifetime limits could make a comeback.

Before Obamacare, insurance companies could cap the amount they agreed to pay out over a customer's lifetime, forcing even insured people with expensive medical conditions to go deep into debt or go without care.

Allowing states to apply for waivers for essential health benefits could mean that insurance companies start setting those limits again, which would be devastating for people with chronic, lifelong illnesses.

5. The bill could cut funding for special education programs.

As if the heretofore illustrated level of cartoon villainy wasn't enough, the bill's giant Medicaid cuts would probably spell the end of many school services for disabled children who rely on that funding.

— (@)

Clearly on a roll, the bill's architects figured they might as well throw in gutting care for poor, sick old people too while they're at it.

6. It could even mess with the health coverage you get through your employer, like most Americans do.

If you work for a big company with a presence in many states, your boss could choose to set up shop in the one with the skimpiest essential benefits standards, saving the company some money and gutting your coverage in the process.

— (@)

That could mean you lose your mental health care, your mammograms, your vaccinations, or even your prescription drug coverage.

7. It could cause massive, unknown damage to the U.S. economy.

Over 12 million Americans work in health care. It's our country's fourth largest industry by GDP. No one knows for sure what impact the bill might have on all those jobs and all that market value because the bill has yet to be released publicly in its final form.

— (@)

And the House seems like it's just going to roll the dice with it.

The vote is dangerously close.

— (@)

Representatives leaning no as of now seem to include Mario Diaz-Balart, David Joyce, and Michael Turner.

Still undecided representatives presently may include Justin Amash, Paul Cook, Carlos Curbelo, John Faso, Darrell Issa, Steve Knight, Erik Paulsen, Bruce Poliquin, Peter Roskam, Ed Royce, Elisa Stefanik, Rob Wittman, Kevin Yoder, and Don Young.

If any of these people represent you, and this bill freaks you out, do yourself and your fellow Americans a favor, light up their phones this morning.

Emotionally, spiritually, and — perhaps most crucially — physically, we might all feel a lot better if this thing goes down.

C-SPAN really heated up on May 19, 2016.

Did you catch the drama that unfolded in Washington last night?

GIF via C-SPAN.

The House of Representatives devolved into a chaotic shouting match on May 19, 2016.

Even more than usual.

GIF via C-SPAN.

It all boils down to an amendment to H.R. 4974.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York had introduced a proposal that would've protected LGBT employees of federal contractors from being fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The amendment was attached to H.R. 4974, which funds military construction projects and the Veterans Administration.

Although it appeared the measure would pass, a handful of legislators switched their votes at the (very) last minute.

Maloney, who said the legislation had at one point garnered enough "yes" votes to sail through, told CNN that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy encouraged lawmakers to change their votes in the final seconds (of an already extended voting session) to block the measure.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.

The bill was defeated 213 to 212.

At one point, many members started chanting "shame!" to state that the amendment had been blocked unfairly.

GIF via C-SPAN.

"They literally snatched discrimination out of the jaws of equality," Maloney told reporters after the session, accusing McCarthy of "twisting arms" for political gain. "We won this vote."

What happened on the House floor last night is just the latest edition in the backlash we've witnessed against LGBT rights. Judging from the internet's harsh reaction to those flip-flopping lawmakers, however, I certainly would not want to be them right now.

When lawmakers stand in the way of human rights, they usually learn the hard way that it's not OK.

Look at what happened in North Carolina.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

After legislators there passed the so-called "bathroom bill" — which forced people to use facilities that align with the gender they were assigned at birth, as opposed to the gender they identify as — the Justice Department stepped in to put them in their place. Most Americans agree: McCrory's "bathroom bill" is not the way to go.

And who could forget Indiana's infamous Religious Freedom Restoration Act?

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images.

When the state decided it was OK for businesses to discriminate against customers based on "religious freedoms," it — surprise! — didn't end well. Not only did massive pushback spur Gov. Mike Pence to scramble in "fixing" the legislation, but Indiana lost at least $60 million in tourism revenue because of it.

North Carolina and Indiana aren't alone, either. When lawmakers go against the grain of human progress, it's usually a losing effort.

Americans tend to prioritize human rights over politics — even when lawmakers haven't gotten the memo yet.

What happened on Thursday — the "twisting [of] arms," the extended voting session, oh, and the whole allowing discrimination thing — is not sitting well with plenty of constituents. Hopefully this time, like so many others, the American people will demand their representatives stand on the right side of history, too.

Watch C-SPAN's footage from the vote on May 19 below:

From Your Site Articles

Same-sex penguin parents Electra and Viola hatch a chick together and it's just adorable. - Upworthy ›

house

Someone asked 'What's the single best episode of TV you've seen?' Here are the top 20 responses.

What's the best TV episode you've ever seen?

The 7 most terrifying things about the Trumpcare bill that could pass today.

The American Health Care Act could pass the House today — and people are scared.

Despite the ostensibly moderating changes, the bill remains as potentially destructive as before.

1. The Congressional Budget Office hasn't scored the current version of the bill, so we don't know how many people will lose coverage or how much it will cost.

2. If you have any number of common pre-existing conditions, the bill could massively spike your premiums.

3. Rape and sexual assault could be considered pre-existing conditions under the new law.

4. Lifetime limits could make a comeback.

5. The bill could cut funding for special education programs.

6. It could even mess with the health coverage you get through your employer, like most Americans do.

7. It could cause massive, unknown damage to the U.S. economy.

The vote is dangerously close.

If any of these people represent you, and this bill freaks you out, do yourself and your fellow Americans a favor, light up their phones this morning.

Congress sneakily blocked an LGBT rights bill, and the House floor erupted.

C-SPAN really heated up on May 19, 2016.

Did you catch the drama that unfolded in Washington last night?

The House of Representatives devolved into a chaotic shouting match on May 19, 2016.

It all boils down to an amendment to H.R. 4974.

Although it appeared the measure would pass, a handful of legislators switched their votes at the (very) last minute.

At one point, many members started chanting "shame!" to state that the amendment had been blocked unfairly.

When lawmakers stand in the way of human rights, they usually learn the hard way that it's not OK.

Americans tend to prioritize human rights over politics — even when lawmakers haven't gotten the memo yet.

Watch C-SPAN's footage from the vote on May 19 below:

The 17 harsh truths about aging that people were never 'prepared' for

An OnlyFans star had sex with 101 men in a single day and shared how it affected her mental health

Woman with unfortunate initials warns parents to be more careful naming their kids

'Wicked' author reveals how one line in 'The Wizard of Oz' inspired Elphaba and Glinda's story

Richard Dreyfuss shared intimate photos of the moment he realized his son had a congenital disorder