From The Last of Us to BoJack Horseman: The Top 10 Single Episodes Ranked

Television as a medium is ideal for creative people to tell extended stories, often stretching storylines into episodes and even seasons. While movies have to finish everything in a couple of hours, TV shows can take a while to really develop their characters. This results in fans immersing themselves in their favorite shows, often feeling like they’re saying goodbye to some of their closest friends when the show eventually ends.

Although each episode usually contributes to the further development of the narrative, sometimes the series can divert attention and tell a separate story that is removed from the main plot of the show. They can feature regular actors or even brand new characters as they tell a story in their own right that brings everything together in one episode. Often, these episodes are the perfect introduction for new viewers to understand the main concepts of the show.

10 Avatar: The Last Airbender - Appa’s Lost Days (2006)

One of the most popular cartoons of the 21st century, Avatar: The Last Airbender loved by fans young and old alike, making it the perfect animated show for parents and kids. The series follows Aang, who has been chosen to protect the earth as the prophesied Avatar. Thus, Aang and his friends travel, learning new skills, finding new allies and enemies.

One of Aang’s closest friends is Appa, his loyal flying bison. Appa is kidnapped by animal dealers in the show’s second season and this episode catches up with him and shows the journey he goes on to escape captivity and reunite with his best friend. Appa’s Lost Days has been praised for its handling of the theme of animal cruelty in a children’s show, and remains one of the Avatarmost memorable episodes.

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9 The X-Files - The Final Rest of Clyde Brookman (1995)

One of the best approaches to police procedural format, Secret materials follows Skeptic Scully (Gillian Anderson) and believer Mulder (David Duchovny) as they investigate extraterrestrial phenomena. The episodes often alternate between those that build the show’s larger mythology and stand-alone “monster of the week” stories.

One such best standalone episode is Clyde Brookman’s Final Rest, in which Mulder and Scully join forces with psychic Brookman (Peter Boyle) when they hunt a serial killer who removes the eyes of his victim. This episode brings together the best of the series: deadpan humor and quirky mysteries.

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8 Batman: The Animated Series - Heart of Ice (1992)

Often hailed as the best adaptation of The Caped Crusader. Batman: The Animated Series retains its character’s trademark gloomy atmosphere, despite the animated format. The show follows Batman on his crusade against Gotham’s criminal underworld.

“Heart of Ice” is considered the best episode of the show and follows Batman’s first encounter with Mr. Freeze. The episode is credited with creating Freeze’s iconic backstory, as it reveals that he turned to a life of crime to save his beloved wife, who had been frozen to stop the disease that was killing her.

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7 “The Last of Us” - “Long, Long” (2023)

The hottest show on TV right now, the internet is filled with chatter after every new episode. Based on the popular video game, Last of us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), overcoming constant threats in search of refuge in a world invaded by a zombie virus.

The third episode moves away from Joel and Ellie to focus on Bill (Nick Offerman), preparing for doomsday, who falls in love with Frank (Murray Bartlett), a survivor who wanders into his walled city. The episode showcases every stage of their romance and has been called the best episode ever. TLoU still.

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6 Futurama - Sting (2003)

Since its debut, Futurama rose from the shadow of a sister series The Simpsons become a beloved classic in its own right. The show follows Fry’s exploits after he is accidentally frozen and sent 1,000 years into the future. There, he starts working for a delivery service called Planet Express and has countless bizarre adventures with his co-workers.

Futurama has some classic episodes, but one of the best is “The Sting”. After a mission to collect space honey results in Fry’s death, his love interest Leela is wracked with guilt. The episode follows her struggle with that feeling, exploring deeper themes than are typically found in half-hour animated comedies.

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5 “Lost” - “Ab Aeterno” (2010)

Before Game of Thrones And Last of us, Lost was the most discussed series on television, as viewers shared their predictions about the nature of the island after each new episode. This was done for TV specials, as the writers often added new curved balls to the mix every few episodes to keep fans guessing.

Richard (Nestor Carbonell) has always been one of the show’s most enigmatic cast members, and “Ab Aeterno” has finally given some answers to questions about the island’s immortal inhabitant. A famous episode that began as a devoted husband in 1867 shows how he got to the island and gained his powers.

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4 “Mythic Quest” - “Grim Silent Death” (2020)

A workplace comedy show focusing on the gaming industry. Mythic Quest The action takes place in the office of the studio working on the title MMORPG. The show follows the various employees of the company from selfish creator Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney) to tester Rachel (Ashly Burch), who yearns for her colleague.

Episode 5 moves away from that studio to focus on a husband and wife team trying to make their own game. As it emerges and becomes successful, they try to navigate this newfound success without sacrificing the heart of their creation. This creates an amazingly thoughtful storytelling hidden in such a wacky comedy.

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3 Doctor Who - “Blink” (2007)

James Bond television, Doctor Who usually changes lead actors as its protagonist goes on all sorts of wild journeys through time and space. While the series follows the Doctor and his friends on their journeys, one of Doctor WhoIn the best episodes of “Blink” they are almost absent.

Instead, this episode stars Carey Mulligan as Sally Sparrow, a woman living in 2007 who begins receiving mysterious messages from the Doctor in the past. This leads her to encounter weeping angels, unnerving creatures that sneak up on victims when they are not being watched. This makes for some of the show’s most tense moments, as even a single blink can give the monsters a chance to open up.

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2 “Community” - “Healing Chaos Theory” (2011)

One of the most beloved comedies to debut this century. Community revolves around a small study group at a local college. Comprised of characters from all ages and walks of life, the show draws laughter from both their personal lives and college adventures.

Healing Chaos Theory is one of the Communityof the best episodes and explores six different timelines, speculating about what will happen when each of the group members leaves for housewarming pizza. The results range from getting someone engaged to a pizza vendor to setting fire to a house, creating many hilarious scenarios.

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1 “BoJack Horseman” - “Fish Out of Water” (2016)

One of the most famous animated series of the last decade. BoJack Horseman represents a world in which humans and humanoid animals coexist. The series follows BoJackWill Arnet), a horse and former TV personality who struggles with substance abuse and other self-destructive tendencies while trying to stage a comeback.

After starring in the hit movie Secretariat, BoJack is instructed to attend an underwater film festival as part of his Oscar campaign. Unable to speak underwater, “Fish Out of Water” sees BoJack mired in several mishaps while trying to attend his film’s premiere, and this episode manages to impressively convey the show’s main themes of loneliness and guilt with almost no dialogue.

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