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Best TV Episodes of 2017, So Far
This Is Us, “Memphis”
As Season 1 of NBC’s hit drama came to a close, William’s death became an inevitability, but the show handled his passing with a wonderful balance of sentimentality and humor. Full of heart, but never overly saccharine, the episode melded flashbacks from William’s life with his present-day road trip to Memphis with Randall — and the result was a beautiful, bittersweet farewell to one of This Is Us‘ richest characters.
Big Little Lies, “You Get What You Need”
Yes, the finale of HBO’s fascinating miniseries finally gave us an answer to the season-long murder mystery — but it was so much more than a simple reveal. It was a masterfully tense hour, as all of the Monterey moms’ bottled-up issues spilled out during a fancy fundraiser, capped by a virtually wordless epilogue where artful images of the women’s inner strength and resilience spoke for themselves. There’s still talk of a Season 2, but we’d almost prefer Lies went out on this fantastically satisfying note.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, “Kimmy’s Roommate Lemonades!”
Even Queen Bey would have to tip her crown in appreciation of the works of tart that were a “betrayed” Titus’ VMA-worthy parodies of her Lemonade clips. Not only were they gorgeously shot, and performed by Tituss Burgess with a commitment that screamed, “I’m not playing with you, meatball,” the installment itself allowed the diva’s heart to grow even as it broke.
The Handmaid’s Tale, “Late”
We just can’t get those flashback snapshots of Gilead’s takeover out of our heads. The menacing, armed men while June and her female co-workers cleared out their desks. The violence during a peaceful protest of the impending insanity. The slow, agonizing death of women’s civil rights. Add in Ofglen’s harrowing journey from trial to punishment at the end of the hour — and Alexis Bledel’s powerful, mostly silent performance — and you’ve got an agonizingly great episode that’s emblematic of the dystopian drama’s stellar first season.
Better Call Saul, “Chicanery”
This pivotal Season 3 installment of AMC’s Breaking Bad spinoff borrowed from the great tradition of classic courtroom dramas, with Jimmy McGill facing off against his domineering older brother Chuck at his disbarment hearing. The hopelessly tangled history between the two brothers, though, gave Chuck’s epic meltdown on the witness stand an extra layer of poignancy. And Michael McKean, long revered for his comedic work, delivered a superbly crafted dramatic performance, equal parts pompous bluster and wounded vulnerability.
The Good Place, “Michael’s Gambit”
See that look on Kristen Bell’s face? That was us, basically, after the season finale of NBC’s wacky afterlife comedy flipped the script, revealing that Ted Danson’s kindly architect Michael was actually a demon subjecting Eleanor and her friends to an elaborately constructed hell. The twist was so devilishly clever, it made us reconsider the whole season, and it gave Danson a chance to add an evil glint to that ageless smile of his. Now we’re dying to see Season 2… well, not literally.
The Leftovers, “The Book of Nora”
As if it wasn’t enough that the HBO drama’s third and last season finale allowed the tag team of Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon to prove once again that they shouldn’t just be Dream Emmy nominees, they should be actual nominees, the breathtakingly romantic episode gave us the one thing we wanted from the show even more than answers — a happy ending.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “Goodbye, Cruel World!”
It’s hard to choose one episode from the Framework arc, but Season 4’s antepenultimate hour ekes out the win for being no less than damn thrilling. As if the heroes’ race to the molten metal-covered “back door” wasn’t edge-of-your-seat enough, it also set the stage for Jemma’s mission to bring “evil” Fitz with them (for which he thanked her with a bullet). Add in Mac’s heartbreaking decision to stay behind with Hope, and you have an episode that played with every emotion.
Veep, “Judge”
Were there an Emmy for Outstanding Balancing Act, this episode would have it in the bag. First, it did a mind-blowing job of juggling the hilarity of Selina’s visit to birthday boy Gary’s Alabama hometown with the poignancy of his reaction to her spotlight-stealing (and story-stealing) betrayal at the party. Then it took the accomplishment a step further, by miraculously playing at once the comedy and drama of Gary angrily outing his father as a flaming… bully.
FEUD: Bette and Joan, “And the Winner Is…”
As impressive as Ryan Murphy’s picture-perfect recreation of the 1963 Academy Awards was, even more stunning was his rendering of Davis and Crawford’s need — the former, for the validation of a record-breaking third Oscar; the latter, to not only deny her rival the prize, but to viciously rub salt in the wound. Rarely has tarnished gold shone more brightly.
Master of None, “Amarsi Un Po”
Season 2 of Aziz Ansari’s Netflix comedy had more than one standout episode — “Religion” and “Thanksgiving” were in the running here, too — but we’re going with this extended chronicle of Dev’s almost-romance with his Italian friend Francesca. “Po” plays like a vintage Woody Allen rom-com, with Dev pursuing a romance with Francesca, even though he knows she’s dating someone else. Their hesitant courtship, including a visit to the picturesque Storm King art installment and an impromptu sleepover during a blizzard, was sweepingly romantic… and exquisitely bittersweet.
Legion, “Chapter 1”
Watching the pilot of FX’s stylish comic-book drama was like stepping into Willy Wonka’s candy factory. Creator Noah Hawley treated us to a dazzling carnival of surreal images and sounds, all to introduce troubled mutant David Haller and his complicated relationship with his formidable powers. After this exhilarating display of colorful visuals and inspired song choices — we’ll never hear the Rolling Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow” the same way again — we were ready to follow David anywhere.
Superstore, “Cheyenne’s Wedding”
Yanking primetime’s funniest retailers out of their big-box comfort zone was a recipe for beautiful disaster. Among the many highlights to come out of the trashiest nuptials of the year: the beatboxing wedding officiant who went by the name Reverend Funkacon, Bo asking Justine to quit hogging all the shrimp at the reception, and Jonah skirting around his feelings for Amy — until the moment he accidentally called her “sexy.” But perhaps best of all was when Sandra — who is low-key Superstore’s best character — got her happy ending with Jerry.
Bates Motel, “The Cord”
The A&E drama’s final episode isn’t on this list because it was gorgeously written, artfully directed and beautifully acted, in particular by the underrated Freddie Highmore as both Norman and “Mother.” (Although it was, in fact, all of those things.) Rather, the series’ swan song makes the cut because of the way it defied the odds to give its central psycho the “happy” ending for which he was only too willing to die.
Girls, “American Bitch”
A bottle episode that stands as one of the HBO comedy’s finest half-hours, this Season 6 installment found Hannah in the home of acclaimed novelist Chuck Palmer, played by The Americans‘ Matthew Rhys. Chuck had been accused of sexual misdeeds, and his debate with Hannah about the nature of consent was thoughtful and provocative — before a stunning (and hilarious) twist flipped every assumption we had on its head. Richly complex, beautifully filmed, laugh-out-loud funny… this was Girls at its absolute pinnacle.
American Gods, “Come to Jesus”
Look, any spring fling that features a bevy of Jesuses is bound to be a good time. And as it turns out, the Starz series’ introduction of Kristin Chenoweth’s Easter provided the perfect backdrop for the payoff of some season-long storylines. Plus, the finale gave us a taste of the joy that happens when the gods converge, and it set up Season 2 with Shadow’s divine a-ha moment. What’s the word we’re looking for? Amen!
Great News, “Snowmageddon of the Century”
The Breakdown crew was driven understandably crazy when a freak snowstorm trapped everyone at the office overnight. Fortunately, “crazy” is what the NBC comedy’s ensemble of functioning maniacs does best. Highlights included: Carol’s misguided attempts at bonding with the staff, Greg’s drunken stumble through a glass wall, and our personal favorite — the reveal that Katie’s fashionable green blouse was actually the top to a child’s Frankenstein Halloween costume. All that and a cameo from Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch as parodies of Kathie Lee and Hoda? Perfection.
Sweet/Vicious, “Fearless”
The gone-too-soon MTV drama delivered an emotionally potent episode when it mined a common storytelling trope — “We’re all stuck in a confined space together!” — to expose Jules’ buried feelings about her rapist amid a campus lockdown. The heartbreaking confrontation was a powerful reminder that TV is more than just entertainment; it can also move us with its humanity, in all its beauty and ugliness.
Catastrophe, “Episode 6”
Though it’s a comedy at heart, Catastrophe proved with its Season 3 finale that it’s also one of TV’s best dramas. As Sharon mourned her father and Rob struggled with a relapse of alcoholism, Episode 6 was at once moving, unsettling and chaotic, all leading up to one heckuva cliffhanger. (Plus, the episode served as a delightful final showcase for the late Carrie Fisher, who once again played Rob’s mom Mia with a profound wackiness that we’ll so miss.)
Brockmire, “Road Trip”
This was the outing that cemented Brockmire‘s status as one of TV’s most politically incorrect comedies. Need proof? Look no further than Jim inadvertently tooting one of Jules’ crushed-up abortion pills, mistaking its remnants for a line of coke. Chase that with Jules’ inability to down the other pill, before chewing it up with one side of her mouth and covering her nose just to get herself to swallow. We’re laughing just thinking about it all of these months later.
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