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Post by Captain Hygiene on Feb 20, 2010 19:39:27 GMT -5
The SimpsonsCape Feare There are so many classics, too many to name “Homer: Bad Man”, “A Streetcar Named Marge”, “Homer the Great”…. And on and on – but this was the first one that popped into my head so I’ll go with it. Bart vs Sideshow Bob in one of their best film parodies. Ha, I was actually going to put this one in as well. I always thought it was funny that some of the greatest moments were apparently thrown in as padding to lengthen a short episode.
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Post by solgroupie on Feb 20, 2010 21:31:40 GMT -5
that's like when they use kang and kodos in the halloween episodes - in one that i know of, they laugh a lot longer than they usually do. matt (i think) said it was just to fill some time.
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Post by The Mad Plumber on Feb 21, 2010 6:23:30 GMT -5
X-Men What this show suffers from is a real lack of continuity. Characters and situations seem to disappear between episodes. Thus, it's my hypothesis that the show's primary purpose is to condense 30 years of comic book stories into 22-minute episodes, and to thus avoid creating its own plot line that trumps the official comic book canon.
"The Cure" This is the episode that I would probably call my favorite, and also being one of the best well-rounded. The animation is crisp, the story is good, and the dialogue is excellent. In this episode, Rogue learns of a scientist on Muir Island that can supposedly neutralize mutant powers. Since Rogue is unable to control her powers and it makes her life a living hell, the temptation is too great for her and she ventures to Scotland to find this reclusive scientist.
X-Men has a knack for short and simple dialogue that cuts to the point. I enjoy things like the tough words between Gambit and Wolverine, Gambit's bantering with Rogue, and even lines delivered by the John Wayne stand-in Cable. I felt the late John Colicos did a nice and subtle job voicing Apocalypse. Probably the episode's biggest downfall is its follow-up "Come the Apocalypse"; this episode would have been better off just leaving the cliffhanger and never addressing it.
For some other honorable mentions ...
"Days of Future Past (Part 1)" Obviously, this episode is a big Terminator rip-off; hell, Wolverine even calls Bishop "Mr. Terminator" during the episode. I can't comment on the comic book "Days of Future Past" storyline since I haven't read those issues yet, though I know they have nothing to do with Bishop. What I feel the gives this episode some worthwhile mentioning is the interesting animation during the future scenes from the beginning. It's pretty neat watching Wolverine thrash huge chunks out of a Sentinel's torso. Again, this episode has a good cliffhanger, but its follow-up isn't that interesting.
"Slave Island" Gambit is my favorite character from the X-Men franchise, and so an episode that puts him in the spotlight and questions his loyalty is going to count as great watching for me. This episode's portrayal of Genosha is very watered-down from its comic book counterpart. In the comic books, enslavement of mutants was a far bigger dilemma and also involved permanently mutilating their bodies. In this episode, the enslavement is pretty much restricted to one isolated facility in Genosha and mutants are kept at bay by The Running Man exploding collars. I'm intrigued by the voice they cast for Cameron Hodge, but it really seems to contrast with his personality that I observed in the "X-Tinction Agenda" stories that I read.
"Deadly Reunions" Here's a plot hole: how did Wolverine get past the metal detector at the court house? "Deadly Reunions" is another of the few episodes that features crisp animation. The Magneto-Xavier dialogue is okay, but the real highlight of this episode is the feud between Wolverine and Sabretooth. Cal Dodd had great energy playing this character and this episode features one of my favorite lines by Wolverine: "You always liked pushing around people smaller than you. Well, I'm smaller! Try pushing me!"
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Post by Gripweed on Feb 21, 2010 8:01:33 GMT -5
Top Gear: Episodes with the long races, like the one to Blackpool, or the one to Verbier where Clarkson overtakes Hammond and May as they're walking to the lodge, but of those may favorite is the Japanese bullet train one. Then there are the epic film ones, like the trip to the US where they get attacked by Alabamans, or the Botswana and Bolivia episodes. I also like episodes where they set bizarre challenges, even for them, like when they build the people carrier and Geoff the electric car.
Doctor Who: Tooth & Claw, that Series 2 (or Season 28) episode in 1879 Scotland with the werewolf.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Feb 25, 2010 0:23:47 GMT -5
A hearty seconding of Meyer Dolinsky's "Nightmare" script for Outer Limits, my personal top episode of a great series. The scene of Culp's psychotic episode in the lab was primal; indeed an image from it was my avatar for a while. "All around the town, crying for their LOX, 'Are the children in their beds? Now it's eight o'clock.' . . . Stay back." In addition to those already named I'd add honourable mentions for "Nightmare" and "The Inheritors" as well. For The Prisoner my favorite is "Dance of the Dead," with Mary Morris as No.2. I love the interchange with McGoohan on the beach, No. 6 having just been looking at something out to sea: No. 6: Something from my world. No. 2: This is your world. I am your world. . . . If you persist in living a dream then you risk being taken for mad. No. 6: I like my dream. No.2: Then you are mad. Later, the scene in which "the court passes sentence in the name of the people, and the people carry it out in the name of justice" is a masterful bit of timing. Another show with a clear favorite (though I don't remember the episode title) was the Babylon 5 in which a monk discovers that he is actually a serial-killer brain-wiped by the state for his crimes. At one point he asks, "How can I ask God to forgive my sins when I don't even know what they are?" I'm personally an atheist, but I loved how that script made me feel an anguish not contained in my normal world-view. Edit: When I first posted, I tried to think of my favourite Twilight Zone episode, but that seemed such a difficult choice I gave up. But once I quit trying too hard the obvious answer leapt out . . . "Deaths-Head Revisted" www.imdb.com/video/cbs/vi222625817/
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Post by Ratso on Feb 25, 2010 1:47:33 GMT -5
I'm tired so I'm keeping this post short.
WKRP
Fish story. The entire episode is hilarious.
Star Trek TOS
City On The Edge Forever. One of the best tv episodes ever.
Justice League unlimited
Destroyer. This episode is full of win.
Twilight Zone
A Stop At Willoughby.
Also my favorite Simpsons episode is the Mr. Plow one. Damn, that episode is funny.
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Post by solgroupie on Feb 25, 2010 16:31:48 GMT -5
i could never narrow down my favorite simpsons episode, ever. but three of my favorites are: three men and a comic book - probably my favorite early (season 2) simpsons. homer at the bat - i'm no baseball fan by any stretch of the imagination, but this episode is gold from start to finish. and it has a killer song during the end credits. itchy & scratchy land - the way i&s land is compared to disney is just too funny. i thought the whole thing was hilarious. and any episode that features ralph wiggum - even if it's just one of his one liners. malcolm in the middle i think too few appreciate this show. it had great writing and every actor was perfect for their role. again, it would be hard to pick just one, but if i had to i think i'd have to go with the one where hal teaches malcolm to roller skate. if anything, just to see hal skate is awesome. there are so many other good ones - but again - any episode that features cloris leachman as ida is a winner. absolutely fabulous - i used to have a video tape full of shows when abfab was on CC. i could never put it in and watch just one or two shows - i always ended up watching the whole damn thing. and i call everyone "sweetie dahlin" for days, unfortunately. the france episode is terribly funny - it could be eddie and patsy at their drunkest, but probably not. my favorite moment is when patsy simply collapses before she can get into the car to leave the winery. morocco - could be my favorite. that part where they sell poor saffie into slavery is just too awful. awful funny! sex - when patsy talks eddie into having an orgy with a couple of paid escorts and the dirty tape they plan on watching gets mixed up with saffie's video of DNA she plans to show to a group at her school. the mad race through the school at the end is unbelievable. friends - okay, i like friends. i admit it! i prefer early friends, but even so, my favorite one is when rachel steals monica's thunder after she and chandler get engaged. my name is earl - i haven't seen all of the episodes from this one yet, but so far my favorite ones have to be inside probe (1 & 2) and witch lady, because betty white is so freaking hilarious. the office - another tough one to choose just one episode since i love about all of them, but i think my most favorite is the one where michael burns his foot in his george foreman grill. 'nuff said. and m*a*s*h - but only the ones with the original cast. i grew up watching those and though i've about memorized every line, i still love watching them. the only thing i wish they did not do back then was use that godawful laugh track. but off the top of my head, i'd have to pick deal me out, the one where the officers play poker all night.
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Post by The Mad Plumber on Feb 25, 2010 17:52:26 GMT -5
m*a*s*h ... the only thing i wish they did not do back then was use that godawful laugh track. Of the four DVD collections that I own, the episodes have an option to play without the laugh track.
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Post by spackle on Feb 25, 2010 19:58:14 GMT -5
my favorite moment is when patsy simply collapses before she can get into the car to leave the winery. I love that episode, and that moment... and then eddie gets in the right side of the car and says somebody's stolen the steering wheel. And when Patsy realizes she actually enjoyed ping pong. Joanna Lumley's delivery is so good. I have the same reaction to Ab Fab- can't watch just one.
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Post by Continuing Legend on Feb 26, 2010 10:34:14 GMT -5
The Simpsons: can't imagine picking one, but "Bart the Murderer" is up there. Fat Tony's thing about stealing truckloads of cigarettes is hilarious, and one of my favorite examples of ridiculous logic.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Again, can't pick just one. "Faith, Hope, & Trick," "Bad Girls," "Graduation Day" (Parts 1 & 2), "Hush," "Who Are You?" "Restless," "Fool for Love"
Angel: Maybe "Dead End," when Lindsey gets an evil hand? The show is very arc-y, so it's hard to pick out a single good episode. "Darla," the companion episode to Buffy's "Fool for Love," is great too.
Dollhouse: "Epitaph One" & "Epitaph Two: Return"
Firefly: "Out of Gas"
Twilight Zone: "The Howling Man"
The Middleman: "The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome"
Veronica Mars: again, too arc-y to really pick out a favorite, but "A Trip to the Dentist" comes to mind as a really well-done episode, though it's pretty disturbing for me to really think of it as a "favorite."
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Post by Mr. Atari on Feb 26, 2010 13:03:55 GMT -5
Twilight Zone- The Obsolete Man. Still probably my favorite 30 minutes of television ever. A wonderful script, effective proof of concept, and Burgess Meredith. "You can't erase God with an edict!"
The Simpsons- Last Exit to Springfield But really anything from seasons 2-5. Especially if it features Mr. Burns. See also the Bobo episode (Rosebud), or the one with the Germans and the Land of Chocolate. This one stands out to me for so many great reasons: "Is he coming on to me?" "Dental plan!...Lisa needs braces...Dental plan!...Lisa needs braces..." "It doesn't take a wiz to know you're looking out for number 1."
The Dick Van Dyke Show-The Curious Thing About Women One of the greatest overlooked sitcoms with one of the funniest episodes of anything ever. This is the one where Laura Petrie can't resist looking into the package delivered for Rob. I remember the first time I saw it as a kid on WGN reruns, I laughed until I was crying on the floor with a sore stomach.
Newsradio- Super Karate Monkey Death Car Definitely the greatest overlooked sitcom. And while there are so many great individual moments throughout the series (like Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor "DAMN!") and even episodes that were, on the whole, funnier (like "Super Holiday Charity Talent Show"), this one is my favorite. Anything with Jimmy James is comedy gold, and this episode features the public reading of his book that was translated into Japanese, and then back again into English. ""The original title of this book was 'Jimmy James, Capitalist Lion Tamer' but I see now that it's... 'Jimmy James, Macho Business Donkey Wrestler'"
LOST- The Constant I love the sci-fi elements of LOST. I love the mysteries and the mythology, far more than I care about the characters or love triangles or pregnancies. However, this episode, where 90% of the cast regulars don't even appear, focuses on a love story, and it stands head and shoulders above the rest of the series. The heart-rending and heart-warming reunion of Desmond and Penny, coupled with his ultra-cool time jumps, makes this the best hour of TV I've seen in at least a decade. I'll admit it got kind of dusty in my room during the phone call scene.
Futurama- Time Keeps on Slipping Speaking of ultra-cool time jumps, this episode had one of the most clever time travel conventions I've ever seen. I love how they keep skipping to a spot in the future where everything's changed, but no one has any memory of how. Complete with a nice sad & romantic ending for Fry and Leela. Also at the top of my list would be Roswell That Ends Well.
There are so many more that come to mind. Like Moonlighting's Shakespeare episode. Or the Lee Harvey Oswald episodes of Quantum Leap. Or any of the Sports Night episodes. Or the SledgeHammer episode where he lost his gun. Or the South Park Scientology episode. Or any number of ST:TNG episodes; but probably, "THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" would win.
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Post by solgroupie on Feb 26, 2010 13:13:37 GMT -5
[ Newsradio- Super Karate Monkey Death CarDefinitely the greatest overlooked sitcom. And while there are so many great individual moments throughout the series (like Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor "DAMN!") and even episodes that were, on the whole, funnier (like "Super Holiday Charity Talent Show"), this one is my favorite. Anything with Jimmy James is comedy gold, and this episode features the public reading of his book that was translated into Japanese, and then back again into English. ""The original title of this book was 'Jimmy James, Capitalist Lion Tamer' but I see now that it's... 'Jimmy James, Macho Business Donkey Wrestler'" you are definitely right about it being an overlooked show - there are many episodes of newsradio i loved. i don't remember the name of it, but the one that stands out the most for me was the one where dave re-took the SATs with lisa and blew it (like he did the first time he took them) by staying up all night playing some video game. that one, and the one where dave tries to give up caffeine and bill tries to quit smoking. i loved the line when jimmy sees bill after smoking near a windy window (hair all over the place), when he says, "i thank god every day we're not a tv station." the show was never the same after phil hartman's death.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Feb 26, 2010 13:40:28 GMT -5
Yeah, the Stargate Defender episode was great. And one of my favorite lines from the series was in the episode where Bill quit smoking.
Dave: "Hey I have an idea. I'll give up coffee, if you give up cigarettes. Huh? We'll go through this together." Bill: "But you should have to give up something of equal difficulty...like going to the bathroom."
While I agree that Phil Hartman was the soul of that show, I'm one of the minority that enjoyed the Jon Lovitz episodes. The one where Jimmy builds the JJ Towers and Matthew goes through his punk phase is pretty hilarious. Ditto the "smart drink" episode ("You can call me Smimmy.") And the one where Jimmy and Matthew trade places for a day is one of my favorites.
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Post by Mod City on Feb 26, 2010 14:03:33 GMT -5
Newsradio- Super Karate Monkey Death CarDefinitely the greatest overlooked sitcom. And while there are so many great individual moments throughout the series (like Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor "DAMN!") and even episodes that were, on the whole, funnier (like "Super Holiday Charity Talent Show"), this one is my favorite. Anything with Jimmy James is comedy gold, and this episode features the public reading of his book that was translated into Japanese, and then back again into English. ""The original title of this book was 'Jimmy James, Capitalist Lion Tamer' but I see now that it's... 'Jimmy James, Macho Business Donkey Wrestler'" Mr. A, we will always have something to agree about when it comes to NewsRadio. Just a flat-out great show. I think my favorite episode, and I can't remember the name, has to do with Joe acting as Mr. James' attorney. "Tooblecane." Also the one with the white noise machine. Such good stuff. I wanted to include a LOST episode as well, but couldn't really decide. The phone call between Desmond and Penny may just be the most powerful scene in the series, though. The back-and-forth cuts to each one just as the phone call ends is enough to make anyone shed a tear. Good acting, great editing for that scene. If I had to choose another episode, I'd say Two For The Road, where Michael mysteriously shoots two prominent characters - and then himself - in one heck of a cliff-hanger. m*a*s*h ... the only thing i wish they did not do back then was use that godawful laugh track. Of the four DVD collections that I own, the episodes have an option to play without the laugh track. Good god, can they do something like that for the Sports Night DVD collection? Whoever thought to include a laugh track on the first season of that show should be drug over carpet tacks.
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Post by siamesesin on Feb 26, 2010 15:53:03 GMT -5
What a good idea! It's hard to narrow things down on series I really love, but I'll pick out some standouts. I'm also incredibly random in my viewing habits. Angel- "Smile Time"-I always liked the stand-alone, "monster of the week" episodes. It's got everything I like about the show, plus puppets. Buffy- "Teacher's Pet"-same for the stand-alone factor, and Xander-centric episodes were usually really different. Honorable mention would be "The Zeppo" for a similar bent. The Young Ones- "Bambi"-Motorhead playing "Ace of Spade", role switches, University Challenge, and guest apperances by Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson. I think this was the episode of television that ensured my addiction to BritComs when I was a kid. "Vegetable Rights And Peace!" Bottom-though nothing competes with the live shows, I think it's a tie between "Holy" and "Hole". Father Ted- "Competion Time"-it's all about the Three Ages of Elvis. Spaced-the whole darn thing, but I have special room in my heart for "Epiphanies" and "Gone" for the out-on-town fun. Transformers (G1)- "S.O.S. Dinobots"-the birth of the Dinobots. Goofy and fun. ME GRIMLOCK LIKE! G.I. Joe-the whole "Arise, Serpentor, Arise" saga. Weird science and silliness, but again it was really fun. I could do this all day, but I won't.
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