My friend Liam, who I went to school with, suggested that I write a post about my favourite episodes of TV ever. It’s been something that I’ve gone over in my head for a few weeks, and I’ve put my selection together. Before we start, there will be spoilers so if you haven’t seen these shows and plan to, probably skip this one. They’re not in any order, because I couldn’t figure out which was my all-time favourite. All these episodes have left a lasting impression on me and have stayed in my mind since I first watched them.

The X Files – Squeeze

For me, ‘Squeeze’, is the ultimate X Files episode. It was the third episode of the first season, and I feel like it was where the show really got into its groove. It isn’t about aliens and instead is the first ‘monster of the week’ about Tooms, who can squeeze into smaller places and lives off human livers. It’s a genuinely scary episode and has in it everything I love about The X Files. It’s my favourite episode of the series and the one that never gets boring, no matter how many times I’ve seen it.

Cobra Kai – No Mercy

The most recent episode on this list. I came to Cobra Kai after it joined Netflix. I only watched it because Kevin Smith raved about it, and I trust his opinions. I’m so glad I did. It’s quickly become one of my favourite shows. The whole of season 2 builds toward ‘No Mercy’ perfectly. There’s so much growing tension, and it leads to an epic fight sequence in the school, that is incredibly well shot and exciting. I remember being like a little kid on the edge of my seat the first time watching it. Then towards the end, with Miguel falling, simply heart breaking. With hints of what’s to come that left me so excited for the third season. I really connected with this show, in a way that I haven’t for a long time. I’m so invested in it, and I can’t overstate how much I love it. Season 4 is out this month, so I’ll probably be binging 1-3 again before watching 4 in one sitting.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – The Body

This isn’t my favourite episode of Buffy, so maybe this doesn’t belong on this list, but at the same time I really think it does. My top episode is a tie between the musical episode, ‘Once More with Feeling’, and ‘Buffy Vs. Dracula’. The reason why I’ve included The Body here instead of one of them is because it’s probably the best episode objectively. It follows on from ‘I Was Made to Love You’ which is a really silly episode about a robot made to love someone who wants to forget about the robot. That episode is incredibly silly and light-hearted and right at the end Buffy comes home to find that her mother, Joyce, has died, something that even though it was hinted at happening throughout the season up to that point, it’s still a massive surprise. ‘The Body’ picks up right from that moment and shows the grieving processes. There’s a lot of silence in the episode which was a massive shift from the show’s usual loud and energetic tone. There’s no supernatural villain, it’s just facing the reality of life. It’s also very emotional Anya not quite understanding what death is, but just knowing that Joyce won’t ever be able to drink fruit punch again makes her very sad and confused. It’s an impactful moment. The whole cast is on top form throughout the episode with some powerful performances. It was a risky episode that really paid off, and one that has stayed with me since I first watched it.

Star Trek – The City on the Edge of Forever

McCoy accidently takes a dangerous drug and escapes from the Enterprise onto a strange planet. He jumps through a portal in an archway which transports him back in time to 1930s New York. Something in the present has changed massively so Kirk and Spock follow him to try and correct the timeline. It’s the quintessential time travel story, where order has to be restored because one tiny incident changes the fate of the entire universe. Edith Keeler must die for history not to be changed, and Kirk and McCoy must let her die. It’s a really emotional episode that was written by Harlan Ellison, at least the original script was, it went through revisions before the episode was actually made. It’s my favourite episode of Star Trek ever, from any of the incarnations. William Shatner is really great in it and doesn’t get the credit he deserves. It’s a really well written, and acted, sci-fi story that is completely stand alone from the rest of the series. Kirk falls in love with Keeler and it’s a true tragedy with no punches held back. It’s almost 55 years old but it’s one of my favourite episodes ever made.

Community – Digital Estate Planning

There had to be a Community episode somewhere in this list. This episode shows Pierce and the gang having to play a video game, so Pierce can win his inheritance. It’s a custom-made game that was designed for this very purpose. It’s one of the funniest episodes of the whole series. Most of it is set within the game with some great animation. Abed having a second life within the game is brilliant. It also inspired some fans to make their own game, which was really fun to play. I love Community, and there are so many episodes to choose from that are equally as great, this is just one that’s stayed with me for a very long time.

So those are some of my favourite episodes of TV ever. What are yours?

Thanks for reading, and until next time,

Ashley