The Quintessential Episode

[Ionathus]

My question to kick off this thread is simple:

Which episode of a given TV series would best represent its identity (both good and bad) to an unfamiliar watcher?

Obviously, a fairly episodic show might have an edge here over more serialized shows, but not necessarily. I do think there are very plot-heavy shows that could still hook someone with a random episode if they're fairly self-contained.

I got to thinking about this because I want to introduce Star Trek: The Next Generation to somebody and I know that I've only got 1 shot at it: he's not going to indulge me for more than that. But I can't decide which episode to show him. The ones I consider TNG's "peak" probably wouldn't sell for him because he doesn't have the investment and the backstory of the characters. Sure, I could show him "Tapestry" or "Chain of Command" and he'd get the gist, but it might also be too much.

The only show I have an actual answer here for is the new Doctor Who era - Series 2, "The Impossible Planet"/"The Satan Pit". Maybe it's cheating to pick a two-parter but this one has it all, creepy space stuff, supernatural elements, the companion getting a bit freaked out by the scale of the adventure, some very somber existential bits as well (the Doctor rappelling down into that hole then letting go), a pretty decent mind control effect, goofy but still terrifying alien costume FX, the Doctor getting a snarly monologue. I think it's the perfect representation of the series as a whole.

I see "Blink" get floated a lot as a great "intro" to Doctor Who but that's the first one I ever showed my wife and she had a point -- there's barely any Doctor in it! She spent the whole time hoping for him to show up and command the scene and the "Doctor-lite" nature of the episode kinda only works if you already know what to expect.

I'll try to think of more. But do you have any other "quintessential episodes?" If so, let's hear 'em!

[tomandtish]

Hmmm...

For TNG I'd suggest "Measure of a Man". Does a good job at showing the type of social issues Trek liked to deal with.

For Dexter I'd actually say the very first episode does a good job of showing you the heart of the show. Someone who isn't interested after that probably isn't going to get interested later.

Babylon 5: I'd go with "The Coming of Shadows". It highlights the interstellar political aspect of the show.

[DavidSh]

For the original Star Trek series, I'd suggest "The Devil in the Dark". It's one of the better episodes, and shows off the main characters fairly well, without requiring much familiarity with them. There's none of the alternative universe versions of characters, or characters being possessed by alien entities, or shapeshifters impersonating characters, that would lead to confusion to a first-time viewer.

[warty goblin]

For Xena the answer is trivially " A Day In The Life" which feels almost custom built for this purpose.

Though I'd be maliciously tempted to go with The Bitter Suite just to utterly destroy somebody's brain. If you know, you know. If you don't, you have no idea.

[Trixie_One]

For Voyager it's absolutely Relativity. It's very light fare, you might even say it's kinda dumb, but it's more than fun enough that you don't mind in the slightest. There's also lots of Seven who was the show's breakout character.

For me it's Voyager being it's best self. Sure there's probably 'better' episodes, Scorpion, Timeless, The Thaw, etc, but when I think of having a good time with the show I think of Relativity.

[DavidSh]

...Xena...
Though I'd be maliciously tempted to go with The Bitter Suite just to utterly destroy somebody's brain. If you know, you know. If you don't, you have no idea.

That's one of the first Musical Episodes, even before the Buffy musical episode, isn't it?

[Buufreak]

For Full Metal Alchemist, both the original series and Brotherhood, without question, the episode that really brings things to a head - the strife of two brothers who have nothing else against the world, that there is some dark and twisted plot behind the scenes, that the government that everyone bends over for is corrupt as can be and is involved in so many atrocities against mankind both foreign and domestic - are the episodes involving the infiltration of the fifth lab. It is by no means a climax, but it sets the plot very into motion.

[Velaryon]

For Community, I'd go with the episode Modern Warfare, the first paintball episode. It does have some atypical qualities in that the episode is more action-focused than most, but it puts the insanity of Greendale Community College on full display. The episode itself is iconic enough that the show revisited the paintball gimmick two more times.

[Corlindale]

This is kind of the opposite, but when I had the show Phineas and Ferb recommended to me, I browsed around YouTube and found that "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted" was one of the most popular episodes there, so I figured it would be a good starting point. Except that particular episode breaks pretty much every single established trope in the series for comedy effect, and was therefore an utterly terrible and confusing place to start. So it just goes to show the importance of choosing carefully when getting into a new show (or just keeping it simple and starting from episode 1).

[Trixie_One]

For Community, I'd go with the episode Modern Warfare, the first paintball episode. It does have some atypical qualities in that the episode is more action-focused than most, but it puts the insanity of Greendale Community College on full display. The episode itself is iconic enough that the show revisited the paintball gimmick two more times.

For Spaced, I'd go with the episode Battles, the paintball episode. It does have some atypical qualities in that the episode is more action-focused than most, but it puts the excellent writing on full display, and it's also got the original Darth Maul's voice actor in it as the baddie. The episode itself is iconic enough that another show borrowed the paintball gimmick three times.

(:smallbiggrin:)

[Gnoman]

For the original Star Trek series, I'd suggest "The Devil in the Dark". It's one of the better episodes, and shows off the main characters fairly well, without requiring much familiarity with them. There's none of the alternative universe versions of characters, or characters being possessed by alien entities, or shapeshifters impersonating characters, that would lead to confusion to a first-time viewer.

I'd argue that City On The Edge Of Forever or Balance Of Terror are better, because they're even better at distilling down Who The Characters Are. Especially if you're dealing with somebody that is familiar with the pop-culture version of Kirk as a womanizing cowboy.



That said, I think it is a tall order to try finding a single episode of any show that fully encompasses the whole. Take, for example, M*A*S*H. You can pick multiple episodes that perfectly capture portions of the show's essence (The Longjohn Flap, Sometimes You Hear The Bullet, and Requiem for a Lightweight are good candidates), but even within the context of a single season (all of those are Season 1 episodes) the show is so many things.

[warty goblin]

That's one of the first Musical Episodes, even before the Buffy musical episode, isn't it?

I don't know if it's one of the first, but it beats Buffy's by about 3 years. It is also, even by Xena standards, absolutely bizarre.

[Trixie_One]

I'd argue that City On The Edge Of Forever or Balance Of Terror are better, because they're even better at distilling down Who The Characters Are.

Balance of Terror for sure would be my pick. I didn't watch any Trek until I was around 18-19 (my foundational sci-fi while growing up wasn't Star Wars either, it was Red Dwarf) and while I liked TNG and DS9 as my first point of entry when the BBC starting airring them in the evening, when they started doing TOS too I bounced off it hard.

That was until Balance of Terror though which thankfully turned up just I was about to give up and just blew my mind with how dang good it was.

[Bohandas]

for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I'd say either Monster, Dirtfoot, Universal Remonster, or if the rules allow it, Movie Film For Theaters

[Prime32]

For Avatar: The Last Airbender, probably "Bitter Work" (Book 2 Episode 9). Aka the episode where Aang learns Earthbending and Zuko learns how to redirect lightning. Has a bunch of talk about the Four Nations and the philosophies of the four elements, and shows the contrast between Aang and Zuko.

[Ionathus]

For Avatar: The Last Airbender, probably "Bitter Work" (Book 2 Episode 9). Aka the episode where Aang learns Earthbending and Zuko learns how to redirect lightning. Has a bunch of talk about the Four Nations and the philosophies of the four elements, and shows the contrast between Aang and Zuko.

I really like this one! I wouldn't have considered "Bitter Work" but you make very good points.

[Batcathat]

For Avatar: The Last Airbender, probably "Bitter Work" (Book 2 Episode 9). Aka the episode where Aang learns Earthbending and Zuko learns how to redirect lightning. Has a bunch of talk about the Four Nations and the philosophies of the four elements, and shows the contrast between Aang and Zuko.

Or as Toph memorably summarized it some 80 years later: "I threw some rocks at the Avatar, he got all whiny, and Sokka fell in a hole." :smallwink:

[Bundin]

For House, I'd go with Three Stories (s1e21). He's snarky, he's vulnerable, he messes with students and their preconceptions, and poses a bunch of interesing medical mysteries. There is some solid backstory as well.

It's no typical patient of the week episode, but it has it all if you ask me.

[Buufreak]

For House, I'd go with Three Stories (s1e21). He's snarky, he's vulnerable, he messes with students and their preconceptions, and poses a bunch of interesing medical mysteries. There is some solid backstory as well.

It's no typical patient of the week episode, but it has it all if you ask me.

I love that episode. But I would struggle picking a top episode for House. The chess prodigy. The kid born immune to testosterone. Crashing through Cuddy's house. Even the finale.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by tomandtish
For TNG I'd suggest "Measure of a Man".

One of my very favorites, and one of the best examples of what the OP is asking for.

But I would probably go with “Darmok,” since it’s an outstanding first-contact episode, and involves what one commentator at the time called a “mental special effect,” which draws you into the struggle of understanding an alien mind. It encapsulates the enigma and the difficulties of establishing communication across cultural and species boundaries—even when both parties are making a good-faith effort—and that for me is the essence of Trek.


Originally Posted by Ionathus
But do you have any other "quintessential episodes?" If so, let's hear 'em!

For Firefly—well, as Mal might say, I’m a fan of all of them. But “Ariel” is the quintessence of Firefly—a heist for a good cause, clues to River’s history, hands in blue, betrayal and consequences, plus a really touching moment with River and Simon and great character moments for everyone else, all with a slightly zany, freewheeling vibe.

For BSG, really difficult to narrow it to just one, but I love the concept and execution of “Final Cut,” with a Colonial reporter telling a slice-of-life story about Galactica’s crew, adding greater depth to many characters we thought we already knew. And their use of the original show’s theme gets me every time.

As runner-up, I’d go with “Hand of God,” a pure military-ops episode with some excellent father-son moments between Lee and Adama, or “Scar,” a story of fighter-jock rivalry that shows Kara’s depth right when she’s at her shallowest.

[Bohandas]

for The Heart, She Holler, either "Begend The Endginning" or "Come Unity"

for Sealab 2021 I'd suggest either "Chickmate", "Murphy Murph and the Feng Shui Bunch", "Neptunati", or "Let 'Em Eat Corn"

[Trixie_One]

For BSG, really difficult to narrow it to just one, but I love the concept and execution of “Final Cut,”

33 would be the easy choice for me. Talk about getting off to a good start in selling the sheer bloody desperation, atmosphere, and the choices that are putting the characters in a vice that just will not relent. Hell one of the problems I had with that show is I'm not sure that they ever truly topped that episode.

[Ionathus]

One of my very favorites, and one of the best examples of what the OP is asking for.

But I would probably go with “Darmok,” since it’s an outstanding first-contact episode, and involves what one commentator at the time called a “mental special effect,” which draws you into the struggle of understanding an alien mind. It encapsulates the enigma and the difficulties of establishing communication across cultural and species boundaries—even when both parties are making a good-faith effort—and that for me is the essence of Trek.

Oooh, this is a good one. It's unique and memorable, and it's a clever storytelling device, and going off what you said, it captures that feel-good nature of TNG where you can tell everyone is trying their best but it's still tricky at the best of times.

[Peelee]

For Community, I'd go with the episode Modern Warfare, the first paintball episode. It does have some atypical qualities in that the episode is more action-focused than most, but it puts the insanity of Greendale Community College on full display. The episode itself is iconic enough that the show revisited the paintball gimmick two more times.

I dunno about that, Modern Warfare was glorious but there's a YouTube video that makes a very strong case for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.

[Bohandas]

For Metalocalypse I'd go wih Birthdayklok

[Bundin]

Oooh, this is a good one. It's unique and memorable, and it's a clever storytelling device, and going off what you said, it captures that feel-good nature of TNG where you can tell everyone is trying their best but it's still tricky at the best of times.

I think this one, and Measure of a Man, and The Inner Light for that matter are all top 5 episodes that truly show (TNG) trek. But for me, they don't fit as answer to the question from the OP. Those are excellent episodes when you know the series, the characters, the backstory. Show them to someone new to TNG and they're probably slow, maybe even boring. Would Measure... have the same impact if you haven't seen Data try to experience humanity for over a season, like his relationship with Tasha? Would Darmok work if you don't know the first thing about Picard or the Federation?

I'd suggest something like Who Watches the Watchers. First contact mission, some tech, lots of prime directive. It explains quite a lot about what the federation and the crew are all about.


I love that episode. But I would struggle picking a top episode for House. The chess prodigy. The kid born immune to testosterone. Crashing through Cuddy's house. Even the finale.
The question in the OP isn't about the top episode, but about which episode represdents the show best to someone who has not seen any episodes. That's why I went with this one over several of the more interesting patients :)

[Ionathus]

I think this one, and Measure of a Man, and The Inner Light for that matter are all top 5 episodes that truly show (TNG) trek. But for me, they don't fit as answer to the question from the OP. Those are excellent episodes when you know the series, the characters, the backstory. Show them to someone new to TNG and they're probably slow, maybe even boring. Would Measure... have the same impact if you haven't seen Data try to experience humanity for over a season, like his relationship with Tasha? Would Darmok work if you don't know the first thing about Picard or the Federation?

I'd suggest something like Who Watches the Watchers. First contact mission, some tech, lots of prime directive. It explains quite a lot about what the federation and the crew are all about.

I agree with you about Measure of a Man, but IMO "Dharmok" feels at least equal to Who Watches the Watchers in terms of its "jump-right-in" level. WWtW contains a lot of talk about the Prime Directive, which can work but is something that it really helps to have experienced before. While the characters and story in WWtW is excellent and it's really cool to see Picard try real hard not to become A God to these people, I feel like the conflict & context is toeing the line of too multilayered for a good first-timer episode.

"Dharmok" is relatively simple, when you get right down to it. You don't need to know anything about The Federation beyond "they're trying to make friendly contact with an alien race." You don't need to know anything about Picard beyond "he's a good captain and a clever thinker who's trying to do his best at diplomacy." And you don't need to know anything about the crew beyond "they're trying their best to get their captain back from a supposedly dangerous situation." It's a pretty neatly self-contained premise.

But on thinking about it further, I'd say WWtW could also easily work. They do a pretty good job of spelling out the Prime Directive, and Picard even gets a lot of scenes of explaining himself to members of that culture, so the episode does wind up being pretty accessible. It was the first episode where I actually saw the logical consequences of breaking the Prime Directive! Usually it's just a vague complication in the background rather than an actual consequence.

[Rater202]

Bob's Burgers: The Hauntening.

It's a Halloween episode, but the entire cast is on their A-game and you get a good look at their family dynamic.

[Bohandas]

for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I'd say either Monster, Dirtfoot, Universal Remonster, or if the rules allow it, Movie Film For Theaters

Ok so explaining my rationale for these, they all feature all three main characters a decent amount. "Monster" and "Dirtfoot" both feature Carl, "Universal Remonster" has the Plutonians in it, and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For theaters" prominently features every major character in the show (except for Paul, Markula, and Dr.Wongburger who IIRC were introduced after the film came out and MC Peepants who only has one short scene). They all have a ridiculous weird monster of the week.


For Metalocalypse I'd go wih Birthdayklok

My rationale for this one is primarily that in addition to the main cast doing characteristically absurd things it also features several of the other major recurring characters including Dr.Rockso and Jean Pierre


for The Heart, She Holler, either "Begend The Endginning" or "Come Unity"

"Begend the Endginning" has most of the main characters doing their schticks. "Come Unity" tours through all the main characters induvidually. Both have one of the show's typical weird endings



for Sealab 2021 I'd suggest either "Chickmate", "Murphy Murph and the Feng Shui Bunch", "Neptunati", or "Let 'Em Eat Corn"

"Chickmate" and "Let 'em Eat Corn" both have vignettes for every main character. "Murphy Murph and the Feng Shui Bunch" is quintessentially absurd. and "Neptunati" has a way of getting stuck in your head, in addition to having (IIRC) all the main characters appear at least briefly

[Gnoman]

For House, I'd go with Three Stories (s1e21). He's snarky, he's vulnerable, he messes with students and their preconceptions, and poses a bunch of interesing medical mysteries. There is some solid backstory as well.

It's no typical patient of the week episode, but it has it all if you ask me.

I'd say that The Softer Side (the episode where House completely eliminates his leg pain via methadone instead of his usual Vicodin) has stronger characterization moments.

[MCerberus]

I've got one: "Heart of Ice" from Batman: TAS.

This is the first Mr. Freeze episode where the animation studio that did it bankrupted itself making a one-of-a-kind visual effect that combines loss, betrayal, and dudes in Eskimo outfits firing freeze rays.

[Wintermoot]

I've got one: "Heart of Ice" from Batman: TAS.

This is the first Mr. Freeze episode where the animation studio that did it bankrupted itself making a one-of-a-kind visual effect that combines loss, betrayal, and dudes in Eskimo outfits firing freeze rays.

Fascinating. Thank you for that. It led me to do some research. I always wondered by the supreme quality of some of the early episodes (specifically Heart of Ice and On Leather Wings and Grey Ghost) was never paralleled later on. Now I know.

What a shame. Can you imagine an entire series with the same quality of those pristine episodes?

[MCerberus]

Fascinating. Thank you for that. It led me to do some research. I always wondered by the supreme quality of some of the early episodes (specifically Heart of Ice and On Leather Wings and Grey Ghost) was never paralleled later on. Now I know.

What a shame. Can you imagine an entire series with the same quality of those pristine episodes?

That's a monkey paw wish.
The art redesign from Batman: TAS was what lead to Superman:TAS and thus Justice League.

So we'd get more of the older art style in Batman, but we'd lose stuff like Flash vs Luthor/Brainiac and the around-the-world punch.

[Trixie_One]

One of my top picks for an iconic episode would be The Simpsons' "Marge vs. the Monorail". It displays the show's humour and satire perfectly.

Ooh that's a bit of a controversial one as it's often seen as the start of 'Wacky Simpsons' where the show first started to move away from the more grounded sensibility of the earlier seasons. The reason it gets a pass and jockey elves don't for one example is it's just that funny.

Voice actress for Lisa is also not a fan if I remember right.

I'd go with Last Exit to Springfield.

[Rater202]

If we're talking iconic Simpsons episodes I think that Raging Abe Simpson and his Grumbling Grandson in The Curse of The Flying Hellfish is a pretty good showing for Abe.

Shows off his kookiness and also that, for as senile as he's becoming, he was and to a degree still is a grade-A badass while also showcasing just how petty and evil Mr. Burns can be.

[MCerberus]

Would the Red Wedding count? That episode was pretty much distilled GoT until the series was known for... other things.

edit - but for the Simpsons I really would go with 22 Short Films about Springfield

[Trixie_One]

Would the Red Wedding count? That episode was pretty much distilled GoT until the series was known for... other things.

That's such culmination episode that it doesn't really mean much without all the setup of the seasons that came before.

For me the only ep of GoT it can be has to be the first episode. That epiosde does astoundingly good work in selling the setting, and also patiently explaining who is who so that even the most new of newbies can get the gist.

I firmly believe if they hadn't got that first episode as right as they did (helped by it being a second attempt) you certainly wouldn't have House of the Dragon now. A certainly better show than later seasons GoT but it only gets to be so as a lot of the heavy lifting has already been done in establishing the setting so they now don't have to.

[Peelee]

So I've given it some thought, and while all the best episodes rely on exposition from other episodes to really have their brilliance fully appreciated, I think for It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the episode that best represents is identity of an unfamiliar watcher would the The Gang Solves The Gas Crisis. You have both Mac and Dennis vying for the leadership of the gang without it dominating the episode, the rampant misogyny and racism showcases the gang's absolute lack of audience sympathy and that the purpose of the show is to laugh at these people instead of with them, Dee shows a good amount of agency and cunning because she's not getting mercilessly bullied by the guys, and Frank is, well, Frank. Imean that character is always firing on all cylinders. Plus, the ending with Charlie that delivers the inevitable culmination of his Wild Card status is one of the greatest moments in the series, which is really saying a lot.

Bonus points for Charlie's vocal warble in "hound" when he says "we're itchin' like a hound to fill you up" while pretending to be a Texan oil tycoon.

[tomandtish]

The Mary Sue released a list (https://www.themarysue.com/best-star-trek-episodes-of-all-time-ranked/) of what they (or this particular writer anyway) consider the 10 most quintessential Star trek episodes.

[Peelee]

Ok, so Law & Order. Love me some Law & Order. The OG, the mothership, can't get much better that that. But that's a tricky one to pick the single most emblematic episode, mostly due to the staff changes throughout. But what would be manageable is to pick one episode from each cast lineup! Since about half the show is not available on streaming (I have seasons 1 and 2 via Prime and 13-20 and 22 on Peacock), I'll have to dig into my physical media archives for the rest, so this will be a little slow going. Some changeovers happen between seasons, some happen in the middle of seasons, some have a handful of seasons without changes, so I'll try to list each lineup as i go, add what seasons they span.

Season: 1
Detectives: Max Greevey (senior), Mike Logan (junior)
Captain: Donald Cragen
ADAs: Ben Stone (EADA), Paul Robinette
DA: Adam Schiff
Synopsis: A gay man with AIDS is accused of murdering another gay man. However, he claims that the victim also had AIDS, and that it was a mercy killing.

Initial cast comprised Season 1, and the show started off strong. Several good contenders right off the bat, as the show was not afraid to go into current hot-button issues of the time, and almost immediately earned it's fame for ripped-from-the-headlines episodes. It's a tough call here, but I'd say The Reaper's Helper gets the prize. All the characters are in top form with a case that, while fairly clear-cut in terms of the specific facts and events that happened not being in dispute, also resonates on an emotional level differently in different people. This episode really puts the viewer in a similar position as the jury, where instead of thinking about whether the defendent will be convicted of not, whether we, the audience, think he should be. That exploration of the murkiness of issues was one of L&O's biggest strengths that many of its best episodes hit on and this episode was a fantastic introduction to it.

[gbaji]

For Firefly—well, as Mal might say, I’m a fan of all of them. But “Ariel” is the quintessence of Firefly—a heist for a good cause, clues to River’s history, hands in blue, betrayal and consequences, plus a really touching moment with River and Simon and great character moments for everyone else, all with a slightly zany, freewheeling vibe.

That's a great episode, but honestly, and this may seem too simple, but their backup pilot (which was the first aired episode) The Train Job is IMO absolutely perfect at introducing the show. The opening scene explains the setting. They cover River and Simon's situation, the "chain of command" (hillariously, which also establishes the warped sense of humor on the show), the roles of each character on the ship, and really clarifies for the audience what kind of people they are (returning the medicine they were hired to steal even knowing the cost to themselves for doing so). For a last minute rushed story when the studio chose not to air the pilot, it was a masterwork.