These episodes defined modern television. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best television episodes of the modern age.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 "He's good. Very good."
00:02 Welcome to MizMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best television episodes
00:09 of the modern age.
00:10 "I built this, me, me alone, nobody else!"
00:13 "You're right."
00:14 Watch out for spoilers ahead.
00:16 Number 10, Everyone's Waiting, Six Feet Under
00:20 There are series finales, but then there's Everyone's Waiting. Six Feet Under was a
00:26 special show all along, but its finale is considered one of the best of all time.
00:32 "Can you say to daddy?"
00:33 "To daddy."
00:34 "To Nate."
00:38 Unlike every other episode in the show's history, the show begins with not a death,
00:43 but a birth. Brenda gives birth to her daughter Willa at the beginning of the episode,
00:48 while still struggling with her partner Nate's death.
00:51 "When can I see her?"
00:52 "As soon as she's ready. I promise you. Someone will come, take you to her."
00:56 The show offers healing for both of them and all the Fisher clan,
01:00 but it's the final montage that gets us.
01:03 We get to see what the future has in store for everybody in the Fisher family,
01:08 including their deaths.
01:10 It's a gorgeously bittersweet way to end the show.
01:26 Number 9. Happy Ending - Schitt's Creek
01:29 When it came to ending this show, Schitt's Creek decided to go with a classic - a wedding.
01:35 "Regardless of how that happens or where that happens, at the end of the day,
01:39 I'm gonna kiss that worried-looking face of yours and call you my husband."
01:42 But there's a lot more to be said about the finale of this beloved sitcom.
01:47 Even if David and Patrick's wedding is one of the most beautiful we've ever seen,
01:52 the episode gives closure to all of our favorite characters,
01:56 whether it be Alexis moving on from Ted or Johnny and Moira moving back to California.
02:02 "Love you."
02:03 The episode centers around the wedding between our two favorite boys,
02:09 but the wedding is also a way to bring all of our favorite characters together for one last time.
02:16 Plus, it made us wish that Moira was real so she could officiate our wedding.
02:21 "It is all but impossible to explain why things happen the way they do.
02:26 Our lives are like little baby crows."
02:32 Number 8. Teddy Perkins - Atlanta
02:35 From the moment it started in 2016, Atlanta was one of the most interesting shows to hit
02:41 television. But Teddy Perkins might be its most outrageous episode ever.
02:46 "I choose you. You're my sacrifice."
02:50 The episode takes a sharp turn from Atlanta's more comic sensibilities
02:55 and turns into something more horror-adjacent.
02:58 In the episode, Darius, played by Lakeith Stanfield, goes to a stranger's house to
03:03 pick up a prized piano once owned by a famous musician. He meets a strange man
03:09 named Teddy Perkins, played by Donald Glover, in pasty makeup.
03:13 "I got you your water."
03:14 "Oh, yes, thank you."
03:18 What unfolds from there is frightening, a little funny, and exhilarating.
03:23 We don't know what goes on in Glover's mind, but we'd like to find out.
03:28 "It's a very hard thing. I can imagine."
03:34 "No, you can't!"
03:35 Number 7. The Suitcase - Mad Men
03:38 Who knew that coming up with an advertising campaign for a suitcase company could make
03:43 such riveting television?
03:45 "As they fall, the competitors will bust open clothing flying out. Touchdown Samsonite!"
03:50 "I got it, honey."
03:51 "You sure do, Joe."
03:52 This episode of Mad Men is widely considered one of the show's best,
03:56 and one of the best episodes of television ever. It centres around the two most important
04:03 characters on the show, Don and Peggy, as they struggle to meet a deadline for an important
04:08 client.
04:09 "I gave you more responsibility and you didn't do anything."
04:12 "That you like. We did work a lot."
04:15 "I don't care if you work ten seconds. If you bring me something, I like."
04:18 What starts out as a professional endeavour, however, ends up becoming personal.
04:23 Throughout the episode, Peggy and Don learn they have more in common than they realised,
04:28 bonding them together in a way they never expected.
04:31 "I saw my father die too. He was kicked by a horse."
04:35 "You're kidding."
04:38 It's not romantic, but something far more spiritual and intimate.
04:44 "Sorry if I embarrassed you."
04:45 Number 6, The One With the Embryos, Friends
04:50 It's rare you get a sitcom episode with one of the funniest storylines ever,
04:55 and also one of the most heartwarming.
04:57 "You guys, you're gonna have a baby. They're gonna have a baby!"
05:00 But Friends did that with The One With the Embryos.
05:07 The title comes from Phoebe's attempts to get pregnant so she can be a surrogate for her
05:12 brother and his wife. But the meat of the episode really has to do with an
05:17 unforgettable competition between the boys and the girls.
05:21 "The categories are fears and pet peeves, ancient history, literature, and it's all relative."
05:31 Monica and Rachel decide to go up against Chandler and Joey in a battle of who knows
05:36 each other best. The prize? Monica and Rachel's apartment.
05:41 The trivia game is an iconic part of Friends history.
05:45 "Rachel claims this is her favourite movie."
05:48 "Dangerous Liaisons."
05:48 "Correct. Her actual favourite movie is..."
05:51 "Weekend at Bernie's."
05:51 "Correct."
05:52 Number 5, Two Cathedrals, The West Wing
05:56 "What was Josh Lyman? A warning shot? That was my son.
06:02 What did I ever do to yours but praise his glory and praise his name?"
06:07 If there's one thing Aaron Sorkin knows how to do, it's write a memorable speech.
06:12 And President Bartlett's plea to God at the end of Two Cathedrals is one of the best.
06:17 "Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I've committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug?"
06:24 This episode of The West Wing follows Bartlett in the lead-up to the funeral of his personal
06:30 secretary, Mrs. Landingham. At the same time, Bartlett is dealing with questions about his
06:35 own health and the fact that he has multiple sclerosis. It's an incredibly emotional episode
06:41 in myriad ways and derives much of its power from an absolutely dynamite performance from
06:48 Martin Sheen.
06:49 "I'm sorry, Sandy, there was a bit of noise there. Could you repeat the question?"
06:54 "Can you tell us right now if you'll be seeking a second term?"
06:57 Number 4, The Constant, Lost
07:02 Time travel is always a tricky thing for any television show to get into.
07:06 "It's the matter of you. Did you not hear me?"
07:10 "I'm sorry, sir. I was having a dream, sir."
07:14 But Lost understood that as much as we care about the mechanics of everything,
07:18 that's not really the most important part. As long as you get the emotion right,
07:23 things will be fine.
07:25 "I'm in trouble. I think something's happened to me. I'm confused."
07:31 "I need to see you."
07:34 The Constant centers around Desmond Hume, who finds himself unstuck in time. As his mind
07:41 travels back and forth from 1996 to 2004, he struggles to find the one thing that can center
07:49 him - his constant. As it turns out, love is the strongest force, and Desmond's constant ends up
07:56 being his on-and-off-again partner, Penny. The final phone call between them is stunning.
08:02 "I don't know where I am, but I'll find you, Des."
08:05 "I promise."
08:05 "No matter what."
08:06 "I'll come back to you."
08:07 "I won't give up."
08:07 "I promise."
08:08 "I promise. I love you."
08:09 Number 3, Battle of the Bastards, Game of Thrones
08:13 When it comes to production values and budget,
08:16 there's no episode of television that has stunned quite like the Battle of the Bastards.
08:22 "Go, go! Follow your commander!"
08:26 By the time the sixth season of Game of Thrones rolled around, we knew to expect stunning visuals.
08:33 But the battle between Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton took our breath away.
08:38 "Now."
08:39 "Cavalry! Charge!"
08:43 The image of Jon Snow standing in front of a slew of charging horses alone was enough for us.
08:50 But the episode just grew from there.
08:52 Besides the amazing look at the battle, Battle of the Bastards is also emotionally satisfying.
08:59 It gives Sansa her due and lets us finally return to Winterfell.
09:04 "Your words will disappear.
09:06 Your house will disappear.
09:12 Your name will disappear."
09:15 Number 2, Ozymandias, Breaking Bad
09:18 "You're the smartest guy I ever met.
09:20 And you're too stupid to see.
09:23 You made up his mind ten minutes ago."
09:29 Throughout Breaking Bad, Walter White never quite had the strength to admit to himself
09:34 just how badly he had broken. But in the third to last episode of the series, that all changed for
09:41 good. Ozymandias is a stunning piece of television, focusing not only on Walt's psyche,
09:48 but also the breakdown of all the important relationships in his life.
09:52 "I watched her overdose and choke to death.
09:56 I could have saved her.
10:00 But I didn't."
10:04 Whether it be Walt and Jesse, Walt and Skyler, or Walt and Hank, nearly every important dynamic
10:11 gets a moment to shine. And what ends up happening on our screens left us gobsmacked.
10:18 "You took my child."
10:20 "Because you need to learn."
10:22 "You bring her back."
10:24 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.
10:29 Long, long time, The Last of Us.
10:31 Sometimes a love story is all you need at the end of the world.
10:36 "I'm sorry."
10:37 "For what?"
10:39 "Getting older faster than you."
10:45 "Ah, I like you older."
10:47 "Older means we're still here."
10:51 Connor's Wedding, Succession.
10:53 The titan fell and we were riveted.
10:56 "Let's just, how about we just get some doctors in there, some proper doctors,
10:59 and then we'll know what actually happened, then we can talk about it."
11:00 "Sure, I mean, he has gone. I think he has died."
11:06 "Well, okay, but you don't know that, so."
11:08 "Sure, I get it, but like, I think they know."
11:11 "Okay."
11:12 Previously on WandaVision.
11:14 What is grief if not love persevering?
11:17 "I've never experienced loss because I've never had a loved one to lose.
11:22 But what is grief if not love persevering?"
11:31 Chicanery, Better Call Saul.
11:33 We couldn't turn our eyes away from Bob Odenkirk.
11:37 "You recognize that man in back? His name is Hewell Babineau. He's on our witness list.
11:41 You bumped into him in the stairway. He'll testify he planted this fully charged battery
11:46 on you over an hour and a half ago."
11:48 "Hour and forty-three minutes."
11:50 Stand still like the hummingbird. Euphoria.
11:53 This is Zendaya at her finest.
11:55 "You don't understand, mom, it's not my suitcase. It's not mine.
12:01 This is bad. This is really, really bad."
12:07 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get
12:11 notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos
12:16 or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
12:21 Number 1. Long Term Parking - The Sopranos
12:26 Listen, we could have filled this list up with episodes from The Sopranos.
12:30 Pine Barrens and Christopher and Paulie's antics very nearly took the top spot.
12:36 "You sure? Because I thought we kind of looped around.
12:39 Four years in the army, kid. We just follow our own footprints."
12:42 But our hearts were left shattered after the masterful devastation of long-term parking.
12:49 This far into The Sopranos' run, Adriana was really the only truly innocent character left.
12:56 That doesn't mean she hadn't made bad decisions,
12:59 but she was really the only person you could justify rooting for.
13:03 "They wanted to arrest you too, Christopher. I was just trying to protect you.
13:08 They said all they wanted was some information and they would leave us alone."
13:11 Watching her almost get away, only to be murdered by the people she had once called
13:17 friends, is one of the most terrible things we've ever seen on television.
13:22 But it's also the culmination of years of careful storytelling.
13:27 "That's the guy, Adriana. My Uncle Tony. The guy I'm going to hell for."
13:35 If we missed any of your favorite episodes in the modern television age,
13:40 let us know in the comments below.
13:42 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms Mojo.
13:53 And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
13:57 [MUSIC]