From Breaking Bad’s “Ozymandias” to Seinfeld’s “The Contest,” the greatest TV episodes ever made are untouchable masterpieces of the medium. Solid episodes of television appear on the airwaves every week, but it takes something truly special to stand the test of time and become renowned as an all-time classic; it needs a big twist or a clever conceit.
Sometimes, a bottle episode can earn a reputation as a standalone masterpiece, like The Sopranos’ “Pine Barrens.” Sometimes, the best parts of a show come together in one perfect installment, like Frasier’s “Ham Radio.” Sometimes, they turn a show from good to great, like Better Call Saul’s “Chicanery.” These are the best TV episodes of all time.
20 The Constant
Lost Season 4, Episode 5
The best sci-fi stories use their far-fetched sci-fi elements to enhance the real emotions of a dramatic storyline. Lost’s masterfully crafted season 4 episode “The Constant” is a perfect example of that. As Desmond Hume’s consciousness jumps all over the timeline of his life, the one constant that grounds him in reality is his undying love for Penny — it’s beautiful.
19 Teddy Perkins
Atlanta Season 2, Episode 6
Although it started off as a traditional TV comedy about the hip-hop scene with some surreal elements, Atlanta morphed into something entirely unique in its later seasons, with bizarre standalone episodes pushing the boundaries of television. The first such episode, “Teddy Perkins,” is an unsettling, totally bonkers reimagining of Get Out starring Donald Glover as an eccentric white man.
18 Scott Tenorman Must Die
South Park Season 5, Episode 4
South Park was a show full of inappropriate humor that had parents concerned from the get-go, but it didn’t establish its idiosyncratic brand of pure pitch-black comedy until it turned Eric Cartman into a sociopathic monster in season 5’s “Scott Tenorman Must Die.” This episode culminates in Cartman feeding a kid his own parents — and it’s hilarious, because he’s eight.
17 The Rains Of Castamere
Game Of Thrones Season 3, Episode 9
Game of Thrones reached the infamous Red Wedding sequence in season 3’s “The Rains of Castamere,” and it was just as brutal and horrifying as George R.R. Martin had described it on the page. This was a major turning point for Game of Thrones; it proved there was no line that the show wouldn’t cross.
16 Chicanery
Better Call Saul Season 3, Episode 5
“Chicanery” is the episode that turned Better Call Saul from a really great TV show to an all-time classic deserving of a place alongside its predecessor, Breaking Bad. It highlights the spinoff’s true genius: it’s just as intense and exhilarating as anything in Breaking Bad, but it’s just people talking in a courtroom.
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It showcases Jimmy McGill’s unorthodox trickery, as he sneaks a cell phone battery into his electrosensitive brother’s pocket to prove his condition is psychosomatic, and Chuck’s disturbing climactic meltdown is a masterclass in acting by the great Michael McKean.
15 Ham Radio
Frasier Season 4, Episode 18
At its best, Frasier had god-tier writing brought to life by a phenomenal cast, and no episode exemplifies that better than season 4’s “Ham Radio.” Frasier’s attempt to mount a radio drama gave the actors a chance to play characters within their characters, derail the broadcast to spite Frasier, and tell a wild, unpredictable story without leaving the sound booth.
14 Sozin's Comet
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episodes 18-21
All throughout its run, Avatar: The Last Airbender explored heavy subject matter rarely seen in children’s entertainment, and in its four-part series finale, “Sozin’s Comet,” it tackled a profound philosophical debate. The finale concerns Aang’s hesitation to kill Fire Lord Ozai, and its attempt to reconcile religion and violence is beautifully handled, and deeply thought-provoking.
13 Days Gone Bye
The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 1
The Walking Dead had one of the most cinematic pilot episodes ever produced. It has scope and spectacle worthy of the big screen. “Days Gone Bye” opens in media res, with Rick Grimes reluctantly shooting and killing a zombified child, and it maintains that sense of eeriness and intensity to the very end.
The Walking Dead had one of the most cinematic pilot episodes ever produced. It has scope and spectacle worthy of the big screen.
“Days Gone Bye” starts with the chilling revelation of Rick awakening from a coma in a post-apocalyptic world, and it builds to a horde of the undead barricading Rick in a tank. But no matter how terrifying or action-packed it gets, The Walking Dead’s pilot episode keeps its focus on Rick’s emotional drive to reunite with his wife and son.
12 The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
The Twilight Zone Season 1, Episode 22
Rod Serling initially created The Twilight Zone so he could slip politically charged narratives past the strict censors and sensitive advertisers on network television in the 1960s. If he allegorized his socially conscious stories through science fiction and horror, then he could explore timely issues without ruffling any feathers at the network.
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No episode captures that approach better than season 1’s “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.” This episode ingeniously uses the story of a neighborhood trying to identify an alien impostor as a commentary on McCarthy-era paranoia and the Red Scare.
11 Final Grades
The Wire Season 4, Episode 13
Season 4 was the best season of The Wire, showing how the broken public school system creates criminals, and it reached the perfect conclusion in its finale, “Final Grades.” We see where all the kids end up, and it’s heartbreaking. This is The Wire’s greatest episode, which is saying a lot, because the series as a whole is a masterpiece.
10 The View From Halfway Down
BoJack Horseman Season 6, Episode 15
The penultimate episode of BoJack Horseman is both one of the darkest half-hours of animation you’ll ever watch, and a perfect culmination of the title character’s arc. The episode sees BoJack attending a dinner party with everyone who’s died throughout the series, only to realize he’s in limbo after falling in his pool. It’s as unsettling as it is profound.
9 Connor's Wedding
Succession Season 4, Episode 3
Succession delivered the moment it was building to from the beginning — the death of Logan Roy — when the audience was least expecting it. Season 4’s “Connor’s Wedding” might be the most accurate portrayal of sudden loss ever captured on-screen. Director Mark Mylod shoots with a documentary-like realism, and the actors each play totally different but equally authentic reactions to grief.
8 The Suitcase 《手提箱》
Mad Men Season 4, Episode 7
《广告狂人》第四季，第七集
Everything that makes Mad Men great can be found in the season 4 episode “The Suitcase.” It puts the focus squarely on the show’s most interesting relationship, Don and Peggy, as they stay after hours to work on a campaign. It also perfects the series’ balance of nuanced, introspective character drama and subversively wacky humor, like a drunken brawl.
《广告狂人》第四季的剧集《The Suitcase》集中展现了这部剧的所有精彩之处。它将焦点完全放在剧中最有趣的关系上，即 Don 和 Peggy，他们在下班后继续加班处理一个广告活动。这一集也完美地平衡了剧集细腻、内省的角色剧情和颠覆性古怪幽默，比如醉酒斗殴。
7
Last Exit To Springfield
最后的出口到斯普林菲尔德
The Simpsons Season 4, Episode 17
辛普森一家 第四季，第 17 集
TV doesn’t get much better than the golden age of The Simpsons. At its best, the show combined Pythonesque absurdist humor, razor-sharp satire, and relatable family situations. This is encapsulated in arguably The Simpsons’ all-time greatest episode, “Last Exit to Springfield.”
电视节目很难超越《辛普森一家》的黄金时代。在最佳状态下，这部剧集结合了蒙提·派森式的荒诞幽默、犀利的讽刺和贴近生活的家庭情境。这些都体现在可以说是《辛普森一家》有史以来最伟大的一集中，“最后的出口到斯普林菲尔德”。
At its best, the show combined Pythonesque absurdist humor, razor-sharp satire, and relatable family situations.
在最佳状态下，这部剧集结合了蒙提·派森式的荒诞幽默、犀利的讽刺和贴近生活的家庭情境。
It has plenty of the absurdist humor (“Dental plan! Lisa needs braces!”), it satirizes labor unions with genuine insight, and it all comes back to Homer trying to do right by his daughter. This is peak Simpsons, and peak Simpsons is peak TV.
它充满了荒诞的幽默（“牙科计划！Lisa 需要牙套！”），以真正的洞察力讽刺了工会，而这一切都回归到 Homer 试图为女儿做好事。这是《辛普森一家》的巅峰，而《辛普森一家》的巅峰就是电视的巅峰。
6
The City On The Edge Of Forever
永恒边缘的城市
Star Trek Season 1, Episode 28
《星际迷航》第一季，第 28 集
Star Trek perfected its uniquely quirky, outside-the-box style of sci-fi storytelling in season 1’s penultimate episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever.” Kirk and Spock follow a drug-fueled Bones through a time portal to Depression-era New York. This episode epitomizes Star Trek’s genius: what starts off as a goofy time-travel adventure becomes a harrowing romantic drama with a tragic ending.
《星际迷航》在第一季倒数第二集《永恒之城》中完美展现了其独特的、超乎寻常的科幻叙事风格。Kirk 和 Spock 通过一个时间门户追随因药物影响的 Bones 来到大萧条时期的纽约。这一集体现了《星际迷航》的天才之处：一开始是一个滑稽的时间旅行冒险，最终却演变成一个扣人心弦的浪漫剧，并以悲剧收尾。
5 Forks 分叉
The Bear Season 2, Episode 7
《The Bear》第二季，第 7 集
The second season of The Bear is all about each character unlocking their hidden superpower. The most inspiring chapter is “Forks,” in which Richie discovers he’s a superstar when it comes to table service and tailoring the perfect customer experience. It’s heartwarming to see this deeply insecure character realize he’s amazing at something, and love doing it. Cue Taylor Swift.
《The Bear》第二季的主题是每个角色解锁他们隐藏的超能力。最鼓舞人心的一章是“Forks”，在这一集中，Richie 发现自己在餐桌服务和量身定制完美的客户体验方面是个超级明星。看到这个深感不安的角色意识到自己在某件事上很出色，并且热爱这件事，真是令人感动。背景音乐响起 Taylor Swift 的歌曲。
4 Everyone's Waiting 每个人都在等待
Six Feet Under Season 5, Episode 12
《六尺之下》第五季，第十二集
Six Feet Under’s series finale might be the most satisfying ending a TV show has ever had. After the entire series had been mired in death and mortality, the finale breaks away from the usual formula and opens with a birth instead of a death.
《六尺之下》的系列大结局可能是电视剧中最令人满意的结局。在整个系列都沉浸在死亡和生命终结的主题中后，大结局打破了常规，以一个出生而不是死亡作为开篇。
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A poignant montage jumps forward to show how each character will die before starting a new chapter in their lives. Six Feet Under’s final episode provides all the closure that fans could ask for, and does so beautifully.
一个感人的蒙太奇向前跳跃，展示了每个角色将如何死去，然后开始他们生活的新篇章。《六尺之下》的最后一集为观众提供了他们所期望的所有结局，并且做得非常出色。
3 Pine Barrens 松林
The Sopranos Season 3, Episode 11
《黑道家族》第三季，第十一集
“Pine Barrens” starts out like any other Sopranos episode, with Paulie and Christopher driving into the woods to dispose of a corpse. But it breaks away into its own realm when the body turns out to still be alive. Flitting between slapstick farce and existential reflection, “Pine Barrens” feels like a two-man play — it’s like Waiting for Godot with gangsters.
《Pine Barrens》像其他《黑道家族》剧集一样开始，保利和克里斯托弗开车进入树林处理尸体。但当尸体竟然还活着时，剧情进入了自己的领域。在滑稽闹剧和存在主义反思之间游走，《Pine Barrens》感觉像是一出双人戏剧——就像有黑帮的《等待戈多》。
2 The Contest 比赛
Seinfeld Season 4, Episode 11
《宋飞正传》第四季，第十一集
Seinfeld was always renowned for its razor-sharp writing, but season 4’s “The Contest” takes the cake. Larry David’s Emmy-winning script manages to tell an entire story about masturbation without using the word “masturbation” once. What makes this episode an all-time classic is its use of comic euphemisms to make an unpalatable subject completely safe for primetime TV.
《宋飞正传》一直以其犀利的写作而闻名，但第四季的“比赛”更是出类拔萃。Larry David 凭借这部艾美奖获奖剧本，成功地讲述了一个关于手淫的完整故事，却一次都没有使用“手淫”这个词。使这一集成为经典之作的是其使用喜剧委婉语，将一个令人不快的话题变得完全适合黄金时段电视播放。
1 Ozymandias 奥兹曼迪亚斯
Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 14
《绝命毒师》第五季，第十四集
Breaking Bad’s “Ozymandias” is widely regarded to be the best TV episode ever made; it’s the only one with a perfect 10/10 score on IMDb, and it’s easy to see why. Breaking Bad had spent its entire near-flawless run building to this episode; it was the climax of the entire series, and it did not disappoint.
《绝命毒师》的“Ozymandias”被广泛认为是有史以来最好的电视剧集；它是唯一一个在 IMDb 上获得满分 10/10 的剧集，这一点不难理解。《绝命毒师》在其几乎完美的整个剧集中都在为这一集做铺垫；这是整个系列的高潮，并且没有让人失望。
Breaking Bad had spent its entire near-flawless run building to this episode; it was the climax of the entire series, and it did not disappoint.
《绝命毒师》在其几乎完美的整个剧集中一直在为这一集做铺垫；这是整个系列的高潮，绝对没有让人失望。
Walter White’s two worlds come crashing together as his brother-in-law is killed by his partners-in-crime and his son finds out about his drug empire. Walt spent the whole series dreading this moment, and when it finally arrived, it was just as intense, explosive, and heartbreaking as we’d both feared and anticipated.
沃尔特·怀特的两个世界在他的姐夫被犯罪伙伴杀害以及他的儿子发现他的毒品帝国时崩溃了。沃尔特在整个系列中都在担心这一刻，当它最终到来时，正如我们所担心和预料的那样，既紧张、爆炸性又令人心碎。