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BY ALEXANDRA ISRAEL

In print | Published April 7, 2011

Well, we’re getting close to the end here, loyal readers. I have only a few columns left, and I thought it was about time that I start wrapping things up. Recently, I started thinking about my favorite episodes of television, and about what exactly makes an episode great. So here, in no particular order, I present my favorite television episodes of all time. Many are from shows that I love, but some are great episodes of otherwise mediocre shows. Without any further ado, I present to you, Alex’s list of the best television episodes of all time. (WARNING: Spoilers abound, so read at your own risk if you plan on watching any of these shows.)

“Doctor Who”: ‘Human Nature’ and ‘The Family of Blood’
I’ve discussed these two episodes before in this column, and to me they represent a perfect confluence of storytelling and acting. This two-part episode is beautifully written, but the real stand out quality here is the performances. The guest stars, in particular Jessica Hynes of “Spaced” and Thomas Sangster of “Love, Actually,” are brilliantly cast, and Freema Agyeman wonderfully portrays how the lost, but still brave, Martha acts when she is forced to act by herself without the help of the Doctor. However, David Tennant’s performance is what transforms the episode from merely well-written and well-acted to one of the most amazing stories I’ve ever seen on television or anywhere else. This is the first time that Tennant really breaks out of the goofy persona with which he had previously imbued the Tenth Doctor, and showcases both the deep sorrow and the icy rage that lie beneath the surface. After watching this episode, it becomes clear that his magnificent performance as Hamlet was no fluke.

“Lost”: ‘The Constant’
It should be noted that I was incredibly displeased with the ending of “Lost,” but that does nothing to mitigate the achievement of this episode of season four. Even though “The Constant” only peripherally included the original castaways of Oceanic 815, and helped begin the time-travel storyline that so memorably ran off the rails, nothing mattered for the 40 minutes of “The Constant” but Desmond, Penny, their grief over their lost love and their incredible joy at reuniting after so many years. Anyone who didn’t cry along with Henry Ian Cusick and Sonya Walger during their beautiful, heartfelt and tearful reunion has a heart of stone.

“The Vampire Diaries”: ‘Founder’s Day’
Throughout its first season, “The Vampire Diaries” proved that it was much more than a mere silly teenage vampire show with its solid acting, breakneck pace and the smoldering Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore. The first season finale sustained the quality while ramping up both the pace and the action. This episode featured several deaths, hints that certain characters could be werewolves, a surprising kiss and a monster twist that established even more greatness for the second season. Not to mention that the final twist allowed viewers to witness the crazy badassery embodied by Nina Dobrev’s Katherine Pierce (and Elena Gilbert, for that matter). “Vampire Diaries,” for showing us Nina Dobrev is a B.A.M.F., we are eternally grateful.

“Community”: ‘Modern Warfare’
“Community” began with a rocky start, relying on archetypal characters and somewhat clichéd sitcom situations for laughs. However, the show quickly pulled itself together, and by the end of its first season, “Community” had given the world ‘Modern Warfare,’ one of the best half-hours on TV. The episode centered around a paintball battle that spiraled out of control, and quickly turned into a quick-witted, action-packed send-up of action movies that was as brilliant as it was surreal. From Abed (Danny Pudi) solemnly intoning “Come with me if you don’t want paint on your clothes” to Señor Chang (Ken Jeong) launching a “Scarface”-style paintball attack, to the characters throwing a few pointed insults at “Glee,” it was non-stop laughs. Now, if only the promised two-part sequel (featuring Josh Holloway!) can live up to the precedent …

“Fringe”: ‘There’s More Than One of Everything’
I know that I’ve rambled on and on about “Fringe” in this column (and it got renewed! Yay! The TV gods have smiled upon us), and thus, I’ll be brief. This episode is great for two reasons: William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) summoning Olivia to the Other Side, which is revealed in the most absolutely jaw-dropping way possible, and Walter Bishop standing in front of Peter’s grave, thus revealing that Peter was, in fact, stolen from the other universe. Consider everyone’s mind officially blown.

“House”: ‘Three Stories’
“House” disintegrated into a boring, formulaic medical procedural fairly quickly, but this first-season episode is absolutely top-notch. The episode plays with the series’ usual formula in a rewarding way, offering us both the laughter-inducing sight of Carmen Electra dressed as a farmer and chewing on a piece of straw, and a truly moving flashback that shows how House (Hugh Laurie) lost both his girlfriend and the use of his leg, and in return gained a painkiller addiction. Plus, the episode’s medical-school format allowed for quite a bit of House’s patented snark at a time when it was hilarious, rather than annoying.

“Glee”: ‘Pilot’
I am the first to admit that the majority of “Glee” is wildly uneven, oscillating between high-school farce and preachy after-school special. However, the pilot was an absolutely wonderful hour of television, snarky without being over-the-top and earnest without being preachy. The final musical number, “Don’t Stop Believing,” was catchy and danceable, and for the last time in the show’s history the characters actually behaved in a consistent fashion. If only the next two seasons could have been anywhere near as heartwarming and crowd-pleasing as that first glorious episode.

“The Wire”: ‘Final Grades’
I saved the best for last. Now, you could argue that you could simply take any episode out of “The Wire’s” masterful fourth season and it would probably be better than any other episode of any other show, and you would be right. I picked “Final Grades” simply because, in ending the season, it perfectly embodies the show’s balance of absolute hopelessness and teeth-gritted perseverance. We meet Tristan Wilds’ Michael, who has dropped out of school and turned to dealing drugs on the corner, and even more heartbreakingly, we meet Jermaine Crawford’s smart, neglected Dukie who has left to pursue the same fate after presenting his favorite teacher with a parting gift. In the Major Crimes unit, we see Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters) finally demonstrate that murder victims are being hidden in boarded-up row houses, along with the frustration that the case could have been solved months ago if the city had continued to fund the department’s wiretaps. The final, heartbreaking storyline follows heroine addict Bubbles (Andre Royo, who can now be seen on “Fringe”) as he is arrested and attempts suicide. This episode summed up the frustration, hope, and desolation of a broken city perfectly; it simply has no equal.

Alex is a senior. You can reach her at aisrael1@swarthmore.edu.

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