Board 8 > RySenkari Ranks His Top 100 Television Episodes Of All Time

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#68: Thanks To Them
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Show: The Owl House
Original airdate: October 15, 2022

"You know what I'd like, Belos? I'd like to leave the Emperor's Coven and never step foot in that throne room again. I'd like to study wild magic, and learn how to carve palismen. I'd like to attend Hexide as a regular student and play flyer derby with my friends. But most of all, I'd like to make sure you never hurt anyone again!"

The most recent entry in this top 100 ranking, Thanks To Them is the third season premiere and most recent episode of The Owl House, continuing after the second season's finale, with Luz and her friends ending up on Earth and trying to find a way to get back to the Boiling Isles. After the finale of season 2, I was so excited to see what would become of everyone... not just Luz, but Amity, Gus, Willow, and Hunter, all new to Earth... and this episode didn't disappoint, even if most of season 3 ended up on the cutting room floor thanks to some terrible decisions at Disney. A montage and small clips throughout the episode filled in some of the gaps, while fans have been eagerly filling in the rest. Meanwhile, we got this amazing episode, in which we get to see just how much Luz's mom Camila has come to care for all the kids, while Luz struggles with her guilt at getting everyone trapped. The opening montage alone would've made this a top 100 episode, but we got so many tear-jerking moments, plenty of laughs, and an epic battle at the climax, everything I wanted to see in an Owl House episode, this one delivered. I loved how much Vee had acclimated to Earth, and how close Hunter had become, he's like an older brother to Luz now and it was great to see, even with everything this episode put him through. I can't wait for the next two specials to close out the series... something tells me they'll both end up being candidates for my top 100 in the future, and in the meantime, Thanks To Them was one awesome hour of television for this Owl House superfan.

#67: Crawl Space
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Show: Breaking Bad
Original airdate: September 25, 2011

"If you try to interfere, this becomes a much simpler matter. I will kill your wife. I will kill your son. I will kill your infant daughter."

That shot, that iconic shot of Walter White at his lowest point (so far), in that crawl space, laughing and then... dying? The camera, panning up, looking down, into that crawl space, with Walt laying in what looks like an open grave. I actually didn't start watching Breaking Bad until after season 4, so I can only imagine the agonizing cliffhanger it must've been after this episode, with Gus threatening the lives of Walt's family, Hank in danger, and seemingly no way out. Bryan Cranston and Anna Gunn both acting their asses off in that ending scene, as Walt had his nervous breakdown and Skyler was left helpless to watch. So many other things happened, things that now seem like afterthoughts... Walt wrecking his car to prevent Hank from finding the laundromat in another tense scene, Ted Beneke attempting to flee from Saul's goons to get out of paying taxes, only to slip and fall and break his neck... things that might've been the pivotal events of earlier episodes, but here, they're both just part of the background as the conflict between Walt and Gus reaches its climax. Walter White crawled into that hole, but as so many fans have noted before, Heisenberg crawled out, setting the stage for a truly epic final showdown.

#66: Toads And Tiaras
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Show: The Loud House
Original airdate: July 21, 2016

"I don't care about them anymore. Go be yourself."

The Loud House really is at its best when the siblings are being kind to one another, and the adorable season 1 episode Toads and Tiaras was a perfect example of how good this show can be when it wears its heart on its sleeve. The premise is that Lola, the resident pageant princess of the family, is rehearsing for a pageant with Dairyland tickets at stake, but is injured and forced to pull out of the competition. Determined to go to Dairyland, Lincoln recruits Lola's identical twin Lana, but he'll need to change his sister's tomboyish ways if she's to have any hope of winning. Surprisingly enough, Lana ends up doing quite well, and has the potential to win, but she can't keep herself from making armpit farts and letting her pet frog Hops out on stage. Lincoln takes Lana backstage for a peptalk, where she promises to do better, but Lincoln, realizing he needs to let his sister be herself, tells her to go out there and do just that, even if, as Lana reminds him (in a line expertly delivered by Grey Delisle), they'll have to kiss those Dairyland tickets goodbye. Lincoln doesn't care, and Lana is able to just go out there and have fun. Surprisingly, she wins anyway, and even though Lola shows up at the end to beat up the two for impersonating her, she backs off when she learns they managed to win. While I know this episode wouldn't make anyone else's list (it doesn't even rank in the top of Loud House episodes in fan polls), it really hit a soft spot for me, showing the strength of Lincoln's relationship with his little sister, and Lana's ability to buckle down and get things done even it's something not in her wheelhouse.

crawl space is amazing, worthy pick here. for my money it might be better than the finale of that season

#65: The Painted Lady
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Show: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Original airdate: October 5, 2007

"I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me!"

The Painted Lady is definitely a polarizing episode in the Avatar fandom, often ranking toward the bottom of a lot of fans' lists. It's not hugely important toward the overall plot, but why I loved it is more closely related to the development it gives one character in particular: Katara. When the Gaang arrives at a village under the heel of the Fire Nation, Katara learns of the village's guardian spirit, known as the Painted Lady, and disguises herself as this spirit in order to remove the Fire Nation's presence and the pollution from the river. The villagers are reluctant to help at first, fearing reprisal, but it's through Katara's example and Aang's encouragement that they're able to find the courage to liberate themselves. Katara's conviction to aid the villagers is put on full display, and we're able to see just how strong she's become, both in terms of her waterbending and also in terms of her spirit. Mae Whitman gets to demonstrate her voice acting chops in excellent fashion, doing some of her best work as Katara here, while there's also some fun comic relief in the form of Dock, a villager who continuously changes his job and his appearance to sell items and help the group. Again, this is one of those episodes that struck a really personal chord for me, being a great individual episode for one of my favorite characters, and whatever the fandom thinks of it, it'll go down as one of my favorite episodes in Avatar history.

#64: The Final Four
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Show: Survivor: Borneo
Original airdate: August 23, 2000

"I plead to the jury tonight to think a little bit of the island we have been on. This island is full of pretty much only two things: snakes and rats. And in the end of Mother Nature, we have Richard the snake, who knowingly went after prey; and Kelly, who turned into the rat that ran around like rats do on this island, trying to run from the snake. I believe we owe it to the island spirits we have come to know to let it end in the way that Mother Nature intended: for the snake to eat the rat."

I look back at this episode, and man, Survivor used to be a lot different, huh? Barely any focus on strategy, just these four people after 36 days looking thin and pale and exhausted and just barely making it to the finish, and yet there's still more of a climactic, event feel to this than there was to almost any other finale in the series. It was the most watched Survivor episode ever, and for good reason: by this point, the show had become a bonafide phenomenon, and everyone was desperate to know which of these four would win. And boy, did the fireworks fly. Kelly and Susan's alliance had a complete meltdown, and nothing exemplified that more than in the final tribal council, when Kelly had a chance to win the million against the original strategic player, Richard Hatch. Susan's speech was so nasty, so full of vitriol, that my mom got worried that the two would get into a physical fight at the reunion! Meanwhile, poor Rudy, who probably should've ended up winning the million dollars, fell short at the final Immunity Challenge when his hand slipped, leaving it to a close 4-3 vote between Richard and Kelly, with Susan's Richard vote being the difference. Damn if that first season of Survivor doesn't hit so differently today, like the difference between Gen 1 and Gen 9 of Pokemon. The game has evolved, but sometimes there really is nothing like that first season.

#63: No More Rules
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Show: Dragonball Z
Original airdate (US): December 4, 2000

"I am tired of being confined to that ring, anyway. Oh, and... you might wanna tell your friends to clear the area."

Goku vs. Cell in the Cell Games was always one of my favorite fights in all of Dragonball Z. Goku, at pretty much the peak of what the SSJ1 form can achieve, vs. Perfect Cell in a knock down, drag out fight full of tricks, quick moves, and excellent animation... and so evenly matched, even if Cell was pretty much assured to win. No More Rules contains my favorite segments of the fight, and is just absolutely relentless in its pacing, with the two powerful fighters absolutely knocking the crap out of each other. At one point, Cell gets sick of the small confines of the ring, and blows it up, which is pretty much what we all expected would happen anyway... and now we knew it would be a fight to the finish. And... damn, what a finish, or at least, what we thought would be a finish! Goku begins charging up a Kamehameha, aimed directly at Cell... and at the planet, which would surely be destroyed by the power of the attack... everyone's panicking, even CELL is panicking... and at the last moment, Goku uses Instant Transmission to get right in front of Cell, and one of the most epic blasts in the entire series takes place. I was SCREAMING when Goku actually pulled this off, even though I knew exactly what was going to happen, I still suspended my disbelief, that's how awesome this moment was. And yes, Cell regenerated from the blast, but wow... from Cell's scream of horror to the absolute power of the blast itself, this was one of the peak moments in all of Dragonball Z. I loved the Cell vs. Goku fight, and this episode was the best of the bunch, giving us some of the most amazing action of the series.

#62: The Real Folk Blues (Part 1 and 2)
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Show: Cowboy Bebop
Original airdate (US): November 19 and November 26, 2001

I'm not going there to die. I'm going to find out if I'm really alive."

All good things must come to an end, and Cowboy Bebop was certainly no exception. The final two episodes see Spike reunited with Julia, the Red Dragon syndicate making its final move, and Jet and Faye caught up in it all. It's tragic because the previous few episodes, as well as the movie which takes place amongst them, saw the crew of the Bebop become closer than ever, like a real family, but Ed and Ein had left in the previous episode, and now it's just Spike, Faye, and Jet, and the syndicate, and events come to a head quickly. Vicious is captured by his fellow syndicate members, but uses this turn of events to orchestrate his takeover of the organization, setting the stage for his final confrontation with Spike. Spike and Julia try to get away, but it's not to be... Julia is tragically killed, and Spike realizes there's just one thing left to do. This episode shattered me, I didn't want the Bebop crew to be broken up, I wanted Spike to be okay, and even during that final sequence with "See You Space Cowboy" playing in the background, I still had hope... but the episodes were full of allusions to the inevitability of death, to Spike's star fading, and of course, the message "You're Gonna Carry That Weight" at the end to hammer it all home... but really, there's no other way this show could've ended, at least not in any way that fit with the thematics of the series. For those wanting Spike to survive, there's always fanfiction, but these final two episodes were crafted so perfectly that there's really no substitute for the real thing.

#61: Sworn To The Sword
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Show: Steven Universe
Original airdate: June 15, 2015

"When you live for someone, you're prepared to die."

Connie Maheswaran is my favorite Steven Universe character. She doesn't have superpowers, or, at the very least, she doesn't have magical superpowers. What superpower she does have is her indomitable spirit, her willpower, her desire to protect the people and things she holds dear, and that willpower is first truly tested in Sworn To The Sword, the episode where Pearl teaches Connie swordfighting so that she can protect Steven. Connie takes to it well, perhaps a bit too well, and soon, she sees herself as nothing but an expendable shield to sacrifice herself for Steven, something that worries him greatly. What I love about this episode is just how brave Connie truly is, and how that bravery needs to be refined, so that she can protect Steven but also herself as well. She truly is willing to die for Steven, even after Pearl's overzealous training is moderated, but Steven wants to protect her too, and I absolutely love a couple that's determined to protect one another and not limited to one being the protector and one being helpless. Despite her lack of powers, Connie's intelligence and willpower make her a worthy protector for Steven and a worthy fighter for humanity, and she'd get many chances to prove herself later on in the series. The episode that started Connie down the path to being a true warrior gets extremely high marks from me, and the songs aren't bad either, with "Do It For Her" being one of my favorites in the whole series.

yeah i don't know that painted lady would crack my top 35 avatar episodes much less my top 70 episodes of any show

i didn't get that involved with the characters in bebop my first time through but my second incomolete watchthrough this year i gained more appreciation for spike as a character. haven't reached TRFB yet but i am sad about it now. and yeah, good shout to the music; see you space cowboy is likely the GOAT anime ED

i would never think to include individual DBZ episodes on a ranked list as about half of them i powerwatched with nothing happening in any single episode, but the one you picked is definitely one of the best action ones.

#60: The Banagic Incident
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Show: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Original airdate: August 17, 2015

"Designed by leading freeze-ologists, the Banagic Wand uses state-of-the-art molecular ice-stronomy to frostulate your sizzle zones and CHILL YOU OUT!!!"

There's a lot of "fish out of water" shows out there, but rarely has an episode taken the concept and run with it as much as Star vs. The Forces Of Evil did with The Banagic Incident, perhaps my favorite early episode of the show. When Star gets bored and sees a strange "as seen on TV' product advertised, she wants to go buy it immediately, but is forced to do so on her own because Marco's busy with karate lessons. To say that "hilarity ensues" would be an absolute understatement: what follows is one of the funniest ten minutes of television I've ever seen. Star gets into all kinds of crazy shenanigans, particularly at a pirate-themed restaurant, where she ends up thinking everyone there is a real pirate and attacks them, leading to an insane chase through town. I love this episode for how absolutely wild Star gets, she's so full of energy and at this point she knows almost nothing about Earth, so she's bouncing all over the place while Marco is doing his own thing at the dojo. The Banagic Wand itself is a ludicrous item that's basically just a fancy way to freeze a banana into an ice cream-like substance, but Star, believing it to be a magical friendship wand, is willing to do anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to get her hands on it, which, eventually, she does. A great early character development episode for Star, filled with lots of laughs and craziness, it reaches comedic heights that the show would struggle to reach in later seasons.

#59: Super Saiyan 3?!
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Show: Dragonball Z
Original airdate (US): September 26, 2002

"And this is to go... even FURTHER BEYOND!"

This was, simply put, one of my most anticipated scenes of all time. We had to wait a whole year for this because of the way the Buu saga was aired on Toonami, so by the time this episode finally came around, my anticipation was at a fever pitch, and holy crap, it did NOT disappoint. The previous transformations, SSJ and SSJ2, were certainly iconic (and may well show up further up on the list), but Super Saiyan 3 was the only one that had its own North American theme, and it went perfectly with the transformation itself, which was... I mean, wow. The entire Earth shook, Sean Schemmel was wrecking his vocal cords, everyone in the world was trembling in fear... the SSJ3 transformation lived up to the hype and then some, lasting five minutes and reaching an epic fever pitch, even flashing back to showing Goku as a baby, really cementing this as the ultimate SSJ transformation. We even got to see Goku pummel Majin Buu for a bit with his new power, though it was an all too short tease of his capabilities before that familiar next episode music began to play. While the episode pretty much just cracks the list for the five minute SSJ3 transformation sequence alone (which is why the episode isn't higher up), what an incredible transformation, and worth waiting an entire year for.

#58: Racing Hearts
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Show: The Loud House
Original airdate: March 5, 2019

"Well, we didn't win, but I had a lot of fun today. I think I was wrong before, I know we don't have a lot in common, but maybe we can discover new things we both like, you know, like, together."

When the episode L Is For Love originally aired in 2017, revealing that Luna Loud had a crush on her female classmate Sam, it was obviously an iconic and surprising moment and a benchmark for kids' animation. However, we'd have to wait almost two years to see Sam again, at least in a speaking role, but when she returned, she and Luna gave The Loud House some of its sweetest and most heartfelt moments, even if it took a little while to get there. The episode focuses on Luna's first date with Sam, at a scavenger hunt-like event featuring a variety of fun games and activities. Only... the games and activities are things that one girl enjoys and the other girl doesn't, leading to some pretty embarrassing moments, and by the time the final event, a baking contest, rolls around, the two are in dead last and haven't had any fun together. However, they both realize they hate baking, and end up making a huge mess, which makes them both laugh and realize something else: they both still like each other a lot and want to keep trying to discover new things they both like. I love how the episode made a point to show that while Sam is a rocker girl like Luna, they do both have a lot of differences... she's an outdoors type, whereas Luna prefers the indoors. Sam loves animals, Luna's clumsy and awkward around them. Sam is an absolute sweetheart (and perfectly voiced by Alyson Stoner), and it was great to see that despite her differences with Luna, she still has a big and open heart and was ready to begin a relationship anyway. This episode was an absolute joy, and thanks to the Scoots and Lynn B-plot, it also had plenty of laughs to keep me entertained throughout.

#57: Cartmanland
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Show: South Park
Original airdate: July 25, 2001

"But it's okay, Stan, because I finally figured it out. You see, if someone like Cartman can get a million dollars and his own theme park, then there is no God. There's no God, dude."

Airing right on the heels of Scott Tenorman Must Die (two weeks later, in fact), is this classic South Park episode in which Cartman inherits his own theme park, causing Kyle to lose his faith in God and develop a dangerous infected hemorrhoid. This episode is not only ludicrously funny, but also touches on philosophy through the concept of theodicy and the "just world" hypothesis, blending deep philosophical questions with the series' trademark toilet humor. The result is a brilliant series of increasingly funny scenes in which Cartman realizes just how difficult it is to run a theme park (anyone who's played Roller Coaster Tycoon will feel Cartman's pain), while Kyle continues to deteriorate after seeing how successful the park becomes thanks to Cartman's "you can't come" strategy. After seeing the depths of Cartman's evil played out in the Scott Tenorman episode, it's so satisfying seeing him get his just desserts here, topped off in a well-deserved humiliation conga line at the end of the episode, which sees Kyle's faith restored and Cartman booted from his own theme park. Episodes like Cartmanland prove that South Park can tell a morality tale with the very best of them, even disguised under layers of vulgarity and grossout humor, and I love rewatching this classic any time it comes on.

Eeeww Painted Lady. Definitely right that this doesn't rank high on many people's list. Some DBZ stuff is great, I thought the Cell fight was stellar myself and is still my favorite fight and saga in the series.

#56: Birthmark
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Show: Teen Titans
Original airdate: February 5, 2005

"This is the future. Your future. It began the day you were born, and nothing can stop it. This will come to pass. I will make sure of it. You're going to destroy the world, Raven. It's written all over your face."

This dark, horrifying episode of Teen Titans saw the return of Slade and the beginning of the Trigon arc, perhaps the show's greatest, and one with the highest stakes, as the demonic entity threatened nothing less than the complete destruction of the world. It delves deep into Raven's past, as we learn it's her birthday, but that there's nothing to celebrate as it means the activation of her birthmark, symbolizing the return of Trigon as told by his new harbinger, Slade, who was thought to be killed by Terra but who has returned to deliver the message. The episode features a ferocious battle between the Titans and Slade, who is now imbued with brand new powers, but the centerpiece of the episode comes after time is frozen and we see Raven forced to view the future, the world she's destined to bring about. There's some wonderful moments between Robin and Raven as he tries his best to reassure her, and we get to see just how much Raven truly cares for everyone, even if she tries her best not to show it. This episode is filled with stunning imagery that one might not expect to see in a show like Teen Titans, kicking off the show's darkest arc in style and setting the tone for what will be a culmination of everything that's taken place in the show so far. I was shocked by so many things when this originally came out, from just how far they went with Slade and his scenes with Raven, to the images of the destroyed world itself, and its images still stick with me all these years later. Props to Teen Titans for going there, and producing one of the show's most iconic episodes.

#55: Bow To The Prince
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Show: Dragonball Z
Original airdate (US): October 26, 2000

"The power comes in response to a need, not a desire. You have to create that need."

Two awesome things happened in this episode of Dragonball Z that elevated it to becoming one of my favorites. The first was seeing Vegeta putting an absolute beatdown on Semi-Perfect Cell. The last time we saw Vegeta fight, he had gotten his ass handed to him by Android 18, so to see that he'd become so strong in a short amount of time (relatively, at least, as he'd been training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for over a year) was incredible, and it's always fun to see a cocky Vegeta putting a beatdown on a villain who has it coming. Cell had no clue what had hit him, and Vegeta was absolutely dominating, having so much fun whipping Cell's ass. Though we know how the fight ended, it was still fun to see Vegeta at his best, and Cell taking a beatdown after everything he'd done before. Then, of course, we have Gohan's first transformation into a Super Saiyan, such an emotional moment for the boy who'd been through so much. Imagining his friends dying was enough to push him over the edge, and though it only lasted a few seconds, it was fantastic all the same, and Goku's proud reaction was heartwarming as well. Normally, not much happens in the average episode of Dragonball Z, but this half hour moved at a fast and furious pace, setting the stage for the action to come.

#54: It's Only Pretendo
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Show: Muppet Babies
Original airdate: December 2, 1989

"Don't let these adorable little critters fool ya, Piggy! They're worth 200 points a piece!"

The original Muppet Babies was one of my favorite shows when I was young. So much fun, all within the confines of a nursery using the power of make-believe to transform mundane toys and games into epic adventures. The video game based episode, It's Only Pretendo, gave this treatment to the video games of the day, mostly NES with some Atari, Master System, and TurboGrafx titles thrown in. Some of the references are obvious (Piggy and Gonzo play "The Legend Of Imelda", a clear sendup of The Legend Of Zelda), others are obscure (the Fantasy Zone footage thrown in at random times, for example), but this was easily my favorite episode of the show, actually somewhat respecting the games it parodied while showing that the games can be a fun and healthy part of play and can help to open up the imagination (back in the days when NES and Atari games were dominant and you had to fill in the blanks somewhat). The Muppet Babies 2018 reboot actually touched on video games as well, but wasn't nearly as affectionate as this super fun, super cute episode. It's still a lot of fun to go back with more knowledge of games and try to spot all the references, even if the games are now incredibly dated.

#53: Fall
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Show: Once Upon A Time
Original airdate: November 30, 2014

"Elsa's gonna get out of that urn, and when she does, she's gonna take back the kingdom and kick you and your brothers back to the Southern Isles, which sounds lovelier than I bet it actually is!"

As much as I loved the movie Frozen, I was somewhat skeptical about Once Upon A Time bringing in the characters, especially so quickly after the movie came out. My fears were a bit assuaged when I learned that it was the showrunners who wanted to bring in Frozen and not Disney, but even then, I was skeptical... until I saw Elsa and Anna, played perfectly by Georgina Haig and Elizabeth Lail. Lail's performance as Anna was especially fantastic, it was as if she leaped right out of the screen, and following her adventures throughout the season provided some much needed fun inbetween the fairly serious happenings back in Storybrooke with Elsa and Emma. Indeed, I desperately wanted Anna to reunite with her sister, and at one point the show even implied that Anna might be dead, but thankfully, that was not the case, and in Fall, their long awaited reunion became a reality! And yes, it did involve Anna and Kristoff getting kidnapped and locked in a treasure chest, and Elsa and Anna's magic bringing the chest to Storybrooke, but it was as touching a reunion as it promised to be... unfortunately, it was cut somewhat short by the evil Snow Queen activating the Spell of Shattered Sight (one of the more dramatic and terrifying curses in the series), but this episode proved to be both intense and heartwarming, leading into the thrilling conclusion of the show's surprisingly fun Frozen arc.

#52: The Tainting Of The Screw
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Show: Kenan And Kel
Original airdate: August 17, 1996

"I DROPPED THE SCREW IN THE TUNA!"

Kenan and Kel is another of my favorite shows from way back in the day. It was a fairly formulaic comedy about two teenagers, one of them clever, one of them rather eccentic and unhinged, who attempt various get rich quick schemes or other endeavors, but the plans always get messed up, usually by the orange soda loving Kel. In a way, the show's sort of like Pinky and the Brain, but a bit more grounded and realistic. It was hilarious to see what these two would do every week, and rarely have their antics ever been more funny than in this early season 1 episode, The Tainting Of The Screw. In it, Kenan makes himself a tuna sandwich, nearly choking to death on a screw he found in the tuna. Believing he can sue the company for millions, he does so, exaggerating his pain, suffering, and trauma in the sincere belief that the company had carelessly allowed a screw to get packed into the can... but when Kel has to take the stand to testify under oath, he confesses that he accidentally dropped the screw, and the ensuing meltdown has to be seen to be believed, as he tearfully confesses to the mistake while throwing himself all over the courtroom in a masterful display of physical comedy. When I originally saw this episode, I was literally on the floor laughing, that's how hilarious Kel's meltdown was, and even now, it makes me smile to see the episode's climactic scene. So much of the show's comedy was just Kenan being the straight man to Kel's antics, a role he's parlayed to perfection, becoming one of SNL's best cast members ever. After Power Rangers but before Pokemon, Kenan and Kel was probably my favorite show (along with Rugrats), and episodes like this were a big reason why.

#51: Self Control
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Show: Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Original airdate: February 21, 2017

"This is not a sacrifice play. You know why? Because I will beat them, you hear me? I know it, if for no other reason than this: through all the insane crap we have gone through, the one thing I've known without a doubt, the whole time, is that you and Fitz belong together."

This episode was filled with so much tension and emotion, the culmination of the LMD saga so far, with nearly every SHIELD agent replaced with LMD robots, and Simmons left in a fight for her life as she tried to find the people she could trust. At first, she believed Fitz was the only one left with her, but he turned out to be an LMD as well, and her reunion with Daisy, who she initially believed was an LMD but turned out to be the only agent left besides her, is one of my favorite moments in the series, with Daisy bringing Simmons back from the brink of a near breakdown. I'll be honest, as cute as Fitz and Simmons were as a couple, I actually wanted Daisy and Simmons together, even if I knew it wasn't going to happen. Perhaps the closest thing we ever got to a Skimmons (Skye/Simmons, Skye being Daisy's name before) scene was that reunion/breakdown as the two hid from their LMD pursuers, a scene so tense and emotional I honestly wanted to believe Daisy was going to grab her and kiss her right there, even if, again, Simmons was in a couple with Fitz (and as the quote indicated, Daisy was always their biggest shipper). Still, this episode was awesome, Daisy and Simmons were both so strong, and the episode ended with the incredible scene of the two women putting themselves into the simulation to rescue their trapped friends. I loved the LMD saga of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it had one of the most amazing villains in AIDA and some of the most intense episodes of the series, with Self Control being the most intense of them all.

Great pick; Agents of SHIELD season 4 is incredibly good. It is almost a shame to have to pick one episode or even one arc out of it because the Ghost Rider stuff and the Framework stuff was also amazing.

RySenkari posted...

So much of the show's comedy was just Kenan being the straight man to Kel's antics, a role he's parlayed to perfection, becoming one of SNL's best cast members ever.

Appropriately enough, this happened Saturday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvmOEzlZnVk

Also, Self Control is so f'ing good. I was out of Agents of SHIELD after the Ghost Rider stuff, just not having time when it came back on. But when this episode happened, I was glued to the screen and never missed an episode again.

#50: Day 6: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Show: 24
Original airdate: January 15, 2007

"Tell the President I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore."

Jack Bauer quit for just five minutes, and a nuclear bomb went off. This episode, the conclusion of the four hour, two night season 6 premiere event, featured pretty much the biggest and most successful terrorist attack ever depicted on 24, and was probably the climax of my fandom of the show. It was the culmination of an already shocking series of events, in which Jack was assigned to protect a former terrorist with information about a dangerous new plot, only to be forced to shoot his old partner Curtis when he tried to kill him out of revenge. When I saw that nuke go off, my jaw was on the floor. I was stunned, and I immediately ran to tell my mom "holy shit did you know they set off a nuke on 24 holy shit!" Yeah... it was absolutely one of the biggest "holy shit" moments in the history of television for me, and I was hyped as hell for the rest of the season. Of course, everyone knows how the rest of season 6 went: it was a confusing and disappointing mess that brought in Jack's family for some reason, absolutely squandered the "Bluetooth Mafia" storyline by having the leader end up being Jack's wimpy brother, then squandered a potentially excellent character in the former terrorist leader Assad by having him get randomly killed in an attack on Wayne Palmer... so yeah, as awesome as this episode was, it also represents the high water mark of the show. Seasons 7 and 8 were excellent and redeemed season 6's failure, but it's a shame that this moment really was as good as it got for season 6.

#49: Dude, We're Getting The Band Back Together!
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Show: Phineas and Ferb
Original airdate: March 7, 2008

"Curse you, Perry the Plat Wait, is that Love Hndel?"

This was the episode that really got me into Phineas and Ferb, a show I'd sort of dismissed before as being stupid and formulaic, before Dude, We're Getting The Band Back Together! showed me how sweet that formula was. It's structured around Phineas and Ferb trying to reunite their parents' favorite 90s era band Love Handel, because their parents had exchanged their first kiss at one of their concerts. Even Candace, who's normally trying to bust Phineas and Ferb, is actually working with them to help this time around, actually trying to keep their mom from finding out. Meanwhile, Dr. Doofenshmirtz wants to set up a party for his daughter's 16th birthday, but his daughter isn't the sweet girly girl she used to be, and his efforts to throw her a party flop spectacularly. What I love about this episode is how it really plays to its characters' strengths and their relationships with one another, and it also helps that all the music (there were a lot more songs than usual) is quite catchy, among the show's best. Of course, it all comes together when the band eventually does reunite, throwing a huge concert to help Phineas, Ferb, and Candace's mom and dad celebrate their anniversary, and it's quite heartwarming to see their kiss set to a very heartwarming (but still somewhat funny) song called "You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart". The concert scene remains one of my lasting memories of the show, and helped to make me a huge Phineas and Ferb fan all the way through its run.

#48: Sailor Mouth
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Show: Spongebob Squarepants
Original airdate: September 21, 2001

"Yes, sirree, that's bad word number 11. In fact, there are 13 bad words you should never use."
"Don't you mean there are only seven?"
"Not if you're a sailor."

The idea of Spongebob Squarepants, one of the most wholesome cartoon characters ever, and his buddy Patrick launching into a torrent of profanities is just plain funny, so it really didn't take much to elevate Sailor Mouth into becoming one of my favorite television episodes of all time. It's nonstop laughs, from the moment the two learn about swear words at the dumpster (calling them "sentence enhancers"), to when they start using them in the Krusty Krab ("Hi, Squidward, how the (dolphin chirp) are ya?"), to when the two play Eels and Escalators and Spongebob can't resist swearing when he loses... call me immature, but I just can't stop busting a gut at Spongebob swearing. This became my favorite Spongebob episode immediately, even moreso than Band Geeks (which is awesome in its own right, and pretty funny too, but not funnier than Sailor Mouth). The idea that humor is primarily derived from the unexpected is put to the test here, a test that Sailor Mouth passes with flying colors: I was laughing every time Spongebob and Patrick cussed, and by the time Mr. Krabs started doing it after stubbing his toe, I was losing my mind. Sometimes, it really doesn't take a lot to make an episode special.

#47: Last Exit To Springfield
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Show: The Simpsons
Original airdate: March 10, 1993

"So we'll march day and night by the big cooling tower
They have the plant, but we have the power"

Frequently cited as one of the best Simpsons episodes of all time, it's one of my favorites as well for its blend of humor and heart, representing some of the best satire to ever appear on an American TV show. It's got some of the show's most memorable quotes ("LISA NEEDS BRACES!" and "house of lies" come to mind), and sees Homer at his absolute best, becoming leader of the plant workers' union and being too stupid to be corrupted, misinterpreting Mr. Burns' attempts to bribe him as being attempts to hit on him. I remember being at a very funny comedy movie one time, and before the movie, FXX was advertising its Simpsons marathon, and the "where's my burrito?" clip got more laughs than the movie itself, that's how funny this episode is on repeat viewings. It sees Mr. Burns in one of his most evil moments, shutting down power to Springfield in an effort to break the town, only for the people to come together and sing in a callback to "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". That's the thing about this episode, Lisa provides one of the show's most powerful musical moments despite the episode not even being about her, she's just there to support her dad, even wearing those hideous braces she's been forced to wear because Homer lost his dental plan. There's just so much to love here, and being the son of a union man myself, I definitely appreciated the episode's pro-worker stance, but even without the personal connection to the political satire, I'd probably still rank it among my favorite Simpsons episodes regardless.

#46: The Crossroads Of Destiny
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Show: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Original airdate: December 1, 2006

"It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

The second season finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender saw the climax of everything that had been building up so far, and it certainly didn't disappoint, even if it did shock me to my core. I expected the final villains of the season to be Long Feng and the Dai Li, but, as Azula so astutely put it, he was never even a player, and ultimately this episode hinged on Zuko, who'd been leaning toward the side of good with the help of Katara. We truly believed he might actually begin helping the heroes here, after all, it was the end of the second season and Zuko's entire arc had been taking him to this very point... and so when Azula led the Dai Li to challenge the Gaang, we thought it might be Zuko that would save the day. However, he turned on Aang and Katara, forcing Aang to go into the Avatar State... but that wasn't to be either, as a well-timed electric attack from Azula put him out of commission, seemingly for good. Everything that could go wrong for the good guys did go wrong, but in retrospect, it made sense that they wouldn't win this one... we still had one more season to go, after all. This brilliantly written, brilliantly crafted season finale saw the heroes at their lowest point, with betrayals and even a fakeout death, much like True Colors was for Amphibia. Things truly were darkest before the dawn, and it would be a painfully long wait to see how this story concluded.

crossroads of destiny is good stuff. i actually would still have quite a few ATLA episodes above it, but at least it's not painted lady

ssj3 goku is a great moment but this is a great example of how a lot of DBZ's best stuff isn't necessarily its full episodes. it's like one fun scene. vegeta's beatdown of SPC is more in line with a great episode; it extends what's effectively one scene to a full episode and it's glorious

9am-10am is also not the day 6 episode of 24 i'd have here - it might also have been the peak of my 24 fandom (love how it closed the four part season premiere) but but actually feels more like a "one scene" episode as well.

Choosing favorite episodes is tooouuugh. Only three shows in and I'm already staring out at difficulties to come. Just here for two comments:

1. In case Muppet Babies doesn't make my list, and I forget this whole thing later, my favorite episode was The Daily Muppet, when they ruin the newspaper and make it up to Nanny by making their own. The music is excellent, every character gets solid time to shine, and the various parts of the newspaper split between them all is wonderful. Animal and Fozzie's entire stint is etched into my brain. "BALLOOOOOON!"

2. 24 Season 6... to be honest, with how much I loved 24 at the time after Season 5 and binging the first four seasons, I was out after this episode and I still rankle at it. I hated the way they removed Curtis from the show, hated the nuclear explosion that had less effect on the world than the one in Season 2 despite happening in a populated city, and just felt general malaise with the entire four-hour event. And things were only downhill from there.

#45: Crack The Whip
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Show: Steven Universe
Original airdate: August 2, 2016

"I don't wanna hear anything you say, unless it's 'sorry'."

Though this episode is on this list primarily for one particular fight scene, there's a lot going on besides that that really solidifies its high spot on this list. First off, it's a Connverse episode, and a damn good one! Not only do they get some training time in, showing just how far Connie has come along, but they get to have a fun day at the beach with Amethyst, and I love seeing Amethyst's interactions with both Steven and Connie, as she's really in her element helping them out but also having fun. Of course, then Jasper shows up, and what follows is one of my favorite fights in the entire series... before this, fans had been hyping up how good of a fighter Stevonnie might be with both Steven's shield and Rose's sword, and they did NOT disappoint, beating down Jasper and saving Amethyst at the same time! Stevonnie was incredible, with Steven and Connie's skills perfectly complimenting each other, and when I first saw this, I really thought it would be the start of something awesome, with Stevonnie kicking ass the rest of the series. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be: this was pretty much the pinnacle of Stevonnie's fighting for the entire rest of the series, which I feel was somewhat a waste of their potential... but even so, the one truly awesome fight we got with Stevonnie was still fantastic, and it also continued Amethyst's character development arc which would ultimately culminate in a battle with Jasper later on when she'd get another chance to prove herself. I loved every aspect of Crack The Whip, it's one of my favorite Steven Universe episodes and might rank even higher if not for the wasted potential of Stevonnie's fighting skills.

#44: What They Become
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Show: Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Original airdate: December 9, 2014

"You got it all wrong. Whitehall, everyone has got it all wrong. This doesn't destroy. It gives life - new life. We finally get to find out what we become."

I know it's cliche to say that an episode of a TV show "changes everything", but for Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., this really was one of a number of episodes that changed everything (which is part of what made the show so damn good). We'd been getting hints that there was something special about Daisy, who at this point we still knew as Skye. She'd been shot, and got healed with the same technique that was used to bring Coulson back from the dead, but her reaction was different from Phil's, indicating that she had some kind of alien trait in her DNA... but it wasn't until this episode, the second season finale, that we got to see just how amazing she truly was. Of course, before that, we had to deal with the ongoing battle between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, and learn what relationship the new baddie Calvin Zabo had with Hydra and Whitehall. Yeah... there was a lot going on here, and plenty of badass stuff happened even before the climactic transformation. Skye shot Ward! She finally got a chance to get some revenge on Ward! He lived, of course, but it was still awesome to see her shoot him without hesitation. But finally, that transformation scene, in which the Terrigen mist dispersed around Skye, Raina, and Triplett. Triplett, unfortunately, didn't survive, while we'd have to wait a while to see what became of Raina... but Skye, in one glorious moment, shed her Terrigen cocoon to become the Inhuman known as Quake, gaining incredible sonic vibration powers and taking her place among the beings known as the Inhumans. While we wouldn't get to see a true demonstration of her incredible powers until later on, we all knew... things truly would never be the same for Skye, who was now Quake and who would later become Daisy, but we knew she had just become one of the most badass characters in the Marvel universe. As a massive fan of her ever since the series began, I was overjoyed to see her acquire her new powers, and there was lots in store for her afterward...

#43: Aftershock (Part 1 and 2)
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Show: Teen Titans
Original airdate: August 14 and 21, 2004

"You were the best friend I ever had."

First off, I already know the irony of ranking an episode about a young heroine with earthquake powers getting transformed into stone immediately after an episode about a young heroine with earthquake powers busting out of being turned into stone, I swear that's just how the rankings came out :p As far as episodes of Teen Titans go, Aftershock was so intense, with tons of incredible fight scenes, action, tragedy, arguably Slade's finest hour as a villain, some insanely good voice acting performances from Ashley Johnson, Greg Cipes, Tara Strong, and Ron Perlman... even though the episode's emotional impact was slightly muted by the fact that Terra really wasn't with the Titans a long time before betraying them, the impact came through just the same, particularly in Terra's fights with Robin, Raven, and Beast Boy in Part 1. Seeing Robin's rage, Raven and Terra's absolute emotional turmoil, and Beast Boy's sadness as the three fights played out was a whirlwind of whiplash, and that doesn't even include Part 2, when the Titans managed to defeat Terra and Slade revealed that he was just using her, beating her viciously the first time she failed. She turns on him, but then he reveals that he controls her physical body in a horrifying scene... seeing Terra struggle with her emotions and to resist Slade's control was agonizing, adding to the later tragedy when her powers activate a volcano and she's forced to sacrifice herself to save the city. Aftershock brought a tragic end to Terra's saga (not a true end, as we'd later get to see, but I have a lot of problems with that episode), and remains one of the heaviest episodes not just of Teen Titans, but in all of animation.

#42: Computer School Blues
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Show: Sailor Moon
Original airdate (US): September 15, 1995

"Studying should be done on your own! Using the disc was like cheating, you jerk!"

So, yeah... there are lots of objectively great Sailor Moon episodes that I imagine would rank higher than this on most people's lists... the first season finale, the series finale, great episodes that definitely rank among the top anime episodes of all time... but this is a favorites list, and I can't possibly rank any episode higher among my favorites than the one that introduced my beloved Ami Mizuno, AKA Sailor Mercury. Initially, Luna believes that she's an agent of evil, and Usagi investigates the cram school with that in mind, while we learn that poor Ami has trouble making friends because of her intelligence, but that she's quite sweet with Luna and also a natural at video games, traits I can definitely appreciate in a character. Of course, it's revealed in dramatic fashion that Ami isn't evil at all, it's the cram school teacher who's the real bad guy, but even after she grabs Ami and attacks Usagi, Ami remains defiant and refuses to surrender any of her power... and through this courage and strength, she's revealed as Sailor Mercury, at which point she helps Sailor Moon thrash the villain. I love how quickly Ami and Usagi became friends despite their vastly different attitudes toward school, and of course, Usagi's emotional reactions to everything were quite funny, including the revelation that she's going to have to work a lot harder at being a superhero now that Ami's around! So yeah, there are better episodes of Sailor Moon, but for my money, this is the one I go back to over and over again, Ami becomes Usagi's first friend and ally, and the episode really does show so much of what makes her one of my all time favorites.

#41: Weirdmageddon (Parts 1, 2, and 3)
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Show: Gravity Falls
Original airdate: October 26 and November 23, 2015, and February 15, 2016

"This party never stops! Time is dead and meaning has no meaning! Existence is upside-down and I reign supreme! WELCOME, ONE AND ALL, TO WEIRDMAGEDDON!"

The epic three part conclusion to Gravity Falls played out over four months and had everything that made the show so great: horror, action, comedy, mysteries, and most of all, great character moments from heroes and villains alike. It raised the stakes to multiversal heights, with Bill Cipher taking over all of Gravity Falls after the events of the previous episode, transforming it into his own personal evil playground. Dipper and Mabel were separated from one another physically and emotionally after those same events, leaving Dipper to fend for himself and find whatever allies he could to save everyone from the evil triangle. Dipper teams up with Wendy (who has turned into a proper post-apocalyptic butt-kicking badass), clashes with Gideon (before offering him a chance for redemption), but eventually realizes that saving Mabel is the key to saving everyone, leading into part 2 and a journey into Mabel's mind. But even once Mabel is saved, it takes everyone's combined efforts to stop Bill, and I didn't know WHAT was going to happen, if someone (particularly Ford or Stan) was going to die, who was going to end up together SPOILERS: no one, leaving it up to the fanfic writers :p or even if Bill was going to be stopped (I mean, obviously yes, but I was still in doubt at certain points). Weirdmageddon was the perfect way to end Gravity Falls, and even though we did lose some character development episodes when Alex Hirsch refused to do a third season (which I assume Weirdmageddon still would've been at the end of), the finale wrapped up most of the loose ends, leaving just enough scraps for the fanfic writers to fight over, and leaving fans, myself included, with a warm and fuzzy feeling. I loved Gravity Falls, it wasn't quite one of my very favorite shows, but it was great just the same, earning Weirdmageddon a prominent place on my top 100 ranking.

RIP Trip

Weird top 100 list, but I dig it

#40: Jeri's Quest
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Show: Digimon Tamers
Original airdate (US): November 17, 2001

"You can't escape DESTINY, Mr. Leomon!"

I unexpectedly fell in love with this adorable Digimon Tamers episode that sees Jeri chasing after Leomon in an attempt to become a Digimon Tamer. In the meantime, there's plenty of cute Calumon antics, and even some exciting battles with one of the Devas, with Leomon fighting to take down the evil Kumbhiramon. It's the start of Jeri's journey toward becoming a proper Tamer, and we get some really good scenes of her sweet and happy nature (obviously this is before the latter part of the season, in which the writers seem to delight in torturing her). While nothing truly major happened in this episode, and it seems like a filler episode (which it's not, due to the defeat of one of the Devas, Leomon's appearance, and Jeri getting character development), sort of a Digimon-themed slice of life in which Jeri gets more focus than our usual main characters. As it turns out, it's quite entertaining to see Jeri and Calumon interacting so much, and Jeri and Leomon also contrast quite well, foreshadowing later events. I just found this episode incredibly charming, a true standout episode of Digimon Tamers, and one I happened to like a lot more than the more eventful and action packed episodes later on. Chalk it up to my weird tastes, I suppose.

#39: Snow Job
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Show: 6teen
Original airdate: December 21, 2006

"Just shut up for a second and let me say something! I was at the dance with this really hot girl and things should've been great, but all I could think about was you. Annoying, sarcastic, totally frustrating you! Nikki, you're the only girl I want to go out with. So I'm asking you. Will you go to the dance with me?"

This is actually the only episode on this list that's never officially aired in the United States! I had to watch it on a streaming service, and I'm glad I did because it's far and away the best episode of 6teen, and the one in which Jonesy and Nikki formally got back together. An hour long special, it focuses on a snowstorm and the upcoming school dance, in which Jonesy ends up finding a date with a girl named Tara, but can't keep his mind off Nikki, while Nikki is resistant to dating Jonesy because she doesn't want to screw up their friendship, but she's fallen for him and doesn't know what to do. The special has plenty of the series' classic character-based humor, with great plots for the main cast and even a number of side characters, even if the main focus is on Nikki and Jonesy. Their relationship has endured so many tribulations, that seeing them get back together (and in particular, seeing how emotional the normally stoic and sarcastic Nikki gets about Jonesy) is really rewarding for fans who have been invested in a relationship. I'm a sucker for these types of romance plots, so I have to admit I got a little bit misty eyed at their reunion at the skating rink, which was actually done really well, and voice acted excellently to boot. 6teen really got screwed over on Cartoon Network, which aired episodes out of order, censored some, and dropped some entirely, and it's a shame that this episode didn't get the US airing it deserved, because it truly stands out as the best of the bunch.

#38: Save The Cat
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Show: She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power
Original airdate: May 15, 2020

"You miscalculated."

Just the iconic image of a transformed She-Ra holding Catra in one arm is enough to make this an all-time great episode, but this thing was amazing all the way through, giving us so much in terms of Catra's character development and Adora's determination to save her. It picks up from where the previous episode left off, of Catra sacrificing herself to free Glimmer, and what does Adora do? She immediately goes to save Catra, despite everything that Catra has done to her and her friends. Catra's been brainwashed, of course, but she's fighting it, or at least trying to, and it's so heartbreaking to see Adora having to fight Catra now that we know Catra doesn't ever want to fight her again. It's even more heartbreaking when Catra breaks free for just a bit, only for her programming to return and Catra to fall from a platform, seemingly fatally... but Adora refused. Adora, who hasn't been able to transform into She-Ra for several episodes now, immediately transforms, blasts Horde Prime's minions, AND heals Catra... and this time, Catra is redeemed for good. It's a magnificent episode, a perfect setup for the final episodes of the show, and it's also so gratifying to actually see a villain redeemed BEFORE the final episode, and to get to see Catra team up with Adora and her friends. Like, we haven't seen that since Avatar: The Last Airbender, or at least it seems, so this whole episode clicked on every possible level for me. It's a brilliant episode of She-Ra and a brilliant episode of television.

#37: Cell Juniors Attack!
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Show: Dragonball Z
Original airdate (US): December 12, 2000

"Gohan, let it go. It is not a sin to fight for the right cause. There are those who words alone will not reach. Cell is such a being. I know how you feel, Gohan. You are gentle; you do not like to hurt. I know because I, too, have learned these feelings, but it is because you cherish life, that you must protect it. Please, drop your restraints. Protect the life I loved. You have the strength. My scanners sensed it. Just let it go."

So, while my first experience with this episode was the Funimation dub without the original music, I am grading it on my experience watching a clipped together version with Spirit vs. Spirit playing where it should be during the episode, i.e., Gohan's climactic Super Saiyan 2 transformation (I've also seen it with the Faulconer SSJ3 theme and the TFS "Day Of Fate" theme, and those are awesome as well). Either way, this is one of the most iconic scenes in all of Dragonball Z and in anime history, when Gohan finally drops his mental and emotional restraints and unleashes his true power to transform into a Super Saiyan 2. It's an incredible, brilliant, emotional scene, coming on the heels of Android 16's tragic death, and it has an amazing emotional impact after everything that's already happened, including the Cell Juniors pummeling Gohan's friends. Cell has been a complete asshole up to this point, beating down everything and everyone in his path, and finally, he pushed Gohan too far and it's time for him to get his just desserts. There's a reason everyone cites this as one of the iconic moments of Dragonball Z. Gohan's incredible transformation is a moment that'll stick with me for the rest of my life, and it lands this episode just inside my top 40.

gohan's inner monologue and the narrator's outro are also incredible here, probably the best DBZ outro of all time

#36: A Single Pale Rose
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Show: Steven Universe
Original airdate: May 7, 2018

"We can leave our old lives behind. If this is really my world, I want to give it to the Crystal Gems. I want to live here with human beings! I wanna live here with you! We'll both finally be free!"

The episode that revealed the truth behind Rose Quartz's heritage and how Pink Diamond was "shattered", I had actually expected the revelation that Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond all along was coming ever since the events of Jungle Moon, but it was no less shocking to actually see it happen, and it was incredible to learn just what kind of person Rose Quartz truly is. This incredible episode, full of so many different layers of emotion and morality, was told in brilliant fashion, with Steven going into Pearl's gem to retrieve her phone, which ended up being the only way Pearl could reveal the truth to him because of the promise she made so long ago. The episode was beautiful, particularly the voice acting from Deedee Magno Hall and Susan Egan, the emotional turmoil both characters were going through and the reason why both characters did what they did, as well as showing Steven's reaction to the revelation... and the ending that revealed that even Garnet and Amethyst didn't know (which would have repercussions for later episodes, as so many of these revelations would). A Single Pale Rose reveals perhaps the biggest secret of the series in the best possible way, using beautiful art and acting to convey the episode's message and set up the events of the show's final arc.

#35: S Is For Self
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Show: W.I.T.C.H.
Original airdate: October 21, 2006

"Matt! Sweet! Where you been?"
"Finding my will to rock. Speaking of which, we're doin' 'The Will To Love'."
"But we didn't rehearse it..."
"Trust me. We'll nail it."

Just an absolutely fantastic all-around W.I.T.C.H. episode, taking place shortly after Nerissa managed to reunite her old team of Guardians under her evil thrall. Though things seemed hopeless for the W.I.T.C.H. girls, they refused to give up, and Will capitalized on an opportunity to rescue her boyfriend Matt, who'd been possessed by the evil demon Shagon. Did I mention this was also a musical episode? Four songs, two of them performed by Matt (whose voice actor, Jason Marsden, was EXCELLENT in this episode), one toward the beginning of the episode in which his inner psyche is in conflict with Shagon's influence ("The Demon In Me"), and then one at the end after Will saves him, the beautiful "The Will To Love", sung while Will looks on, teary-eyed with happiness. In addition to the fierce action and drama, there's also plenty of comedy as Uriah and the Dunnsters perform an... interesting cover of The Itsy Bitsy Spider... this episode really did have it all, and was my favorite episode of W.I.T.C.H., a true highlight of an overall excellent second season.

#34: Promise
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Show: She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power
Original airdate: November 13, 2018

"I wonder what I could've been if I'd gotten rid of you sooner..."

This early episode revealed so much about the connection between Catra, Adora, and Shadow Weaver, their tragic past and the cycle of abuse the two young girls had to endure, a cycle that has now resulted in a rift between them that culminates in Promise, which sees the two struggling to escape from a mysterious ruin known as the Crystal Castle. As they work together, their efforts are interspersed with flashbacks from their early childhood, and I really felt just how much they'd already been put through, with Adora clearly Shadow Weaver's favorite, and Catra the reject, left around only because she'd befriended Adora. Now, Catra is starting to realize that she doesn't need Adora at all, but she still feels as if she does need her, exemplified by a scene where she's trapped by a robot, she calls out to Adora, but Adora can't save her, and as Catra is being dragged to her doom, she's forced to save herself, giving her the last bit of confidence she needs to break away from Adora for good. At the same time that this is empowering for Catra, it's also heartbreaking, because Adora still wants Catra to come with her, back to the fold to aid in the battle against the Horde... but she doesn't understand just why Catra is hurting, while Catra interprets Adora's gestures as trying to make her helpless, to prove that she needs Adora... and she has none of it, sending Adora seemingly to her doom and breaking it off with her forever (well, at least seemingly forever). It's the first of many moments where Catra breaks away from Adora, and it won't be the last, but it's perhaps the most tragic, as it sets Catra down a path where she, Adora, and indeed, the entire universe are nearly destroyed... while this episode lays the groundwork for just how much work they have left to do.

#33: Into The Bunker
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Show: Gravity Falls
Original airdate: August 4, 2014

"Dude, don't be itchy man."

Another confession: I still ship Wendip despite the 2 1/2 year age gap between them, so even though Wendy did turn Dipper down in this episode, I still loved the sweet dialogue between them, and of course, all the funny and scary moments that come in a typical great Gravity Falls episode. The episode revolves around the group (Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and Soos) descending into a creepy hidden bunker in search of more secrets about Gravity Falls, particularly a lead on the author of Journal 3. As they descend, they encounter increasingly creepy and strange things, notably a shapeshifting monster who ends up taking Wendy's form, leading to misunderstandings, an accidental crush confession, and finally, an epic struggle between Wendy and, well, Wendy, or at the very least, the shapeshifter now disguised as her. I loved all the horror moments in the episode, particularly the shapeshifter taking on Dipper's form in its final moments (and Soos' hilarious remark), but my favorite stuff was of course between Dipper and Wendy, and yeah, even though Wendy turned Dipper down (maybe he can try again in college?), their friendship was maintained in a super sweet manner, with Wendy showing that she's not only a badass, but a really sweet girl too. All in all, Into The Bunker is probably my favorite Gravity Falls episode, even though it's not as climactic and dramatic as Weirdmageddon. It still has so much to love, plenty of character based humor and moments, and lots of disturbing stuff too, while still advancing the plot in small but meaningful ways.

#32: Deep Dive
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Show: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Original airdate: November 16, 2017

"Oh-ho-ho, check this out. Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? I can do it... at will!"

Another awesome episode from the amazing second half of Season 3 of Star vs. The Forces Of Evil (before it all went to shit), Deep Down sees Star enter the magical realm in an attempt to stop her dangerous sleep-portaling, and the things she sees when she gets there are almost beyond description. Add in some brilliant and hilarious Janna and Marco scenes, and you've got the recipe for an amazing episode of Star vs., not only one of the best episodes in terms of just imagery and character moments, but in terms of story development as well, with Star gaining full control over her Mewberty form, and learning quite a bit more about the magic realm. I just loved seeing all the bizarre things that Star witnessed in the realm, as she went down deeper and deeper to figure out the reason behind her sleep-portaling, and it was really sweet how Marco was able to pull her back, even using her wand (which assumed a new form in his hands), in another amazing scene. This episode was the setup for so much amazing stuff, which was unfortunately ruined by the direction the show took later on, but I can still appreciate it for what it was and what it is: one of the most mindblowing episodes of television I've ever seen.

#31: Face Off
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Show: Breaking Bad
Original airdate: October 9, 2011

"I won."

I think we all knew that Walter White's climactic showdown with Gustavo Fring was going to make my list at some point, and it ends up here at #31. It could've ended up higher, but this was actually the last episode of the show I watched knowing what was going to happen, so the effect of Gus emerging from Hector's room and adjusting his tie was somewhat lost on me... but it's truly a clever moment on the part of the show's writers to give viewers that last "holy shit no way he lived" moment before revealing the truth in gruesome fashion (which gave the episode its title, how clever!). So yeah.. this is absolutely one of the best Breaking Bad episodes, and I'm sure there's some viewers who think it certainly is the best! While it's remembered for Gus' last scene, this was a damn good episode all around, with so much intensity and drama at pretty much every turn, from Jesse being abducted by Gus' goons, to Walter's last conversation with Hector (I can only imagine how that must've went), to, of course, the huge reveal at the very end that shows just how low Walt will stoop to get ahead. This absolutely could've been the series finale, and it would've been satisfying enough, but of course, there would be 16 more excellent episodes to go (some of which may just make my top 30, stay tuned!)

from s4 of breaking bad i think i have crawl space > salud > face off. all incredible though

I definitely remember Face Off most for just that slow pan forward in the White backyard.