As series renewals and cancellations are announced and pilot pickups are determined, it is always fun to look back at the year and see what episodes stood out. Some are great because you get to know a character in a way you never knew them before, others are great because of the momentum they give the series. The quality of a series as a whole is not a factor here, though in some cases my favorite episodes come from my favorite shows, sometimes a mediocre show has a truly great episode that deserves acknowledgement.
Here’s a look at numbers 20-10 of my top episodes (and honorable mentions), compiled with the help of my fellow Common Roomies:
BEWARE OF SPOILERS BELOW
#20: The Fosters – “Padre” –
This show has so many interesting and unique facets to it that make it a standout series. Being an ABC Family show, it often gets overlooked, but it doesn’t deserve the neglect. A lot happens in this episode, which deals primarily with the death of a character’s father. But the reason I love it is because, for one of the first times that I can recall on a teen-focused show, the main characters made a decision to actively end their relationship. It wasn’t that they didn’t love each other (teen love is eternal and all-encompassing, after all), but rather that they realized that Callie needed a family more than she needed a boyfriend. If she dated Brandon, she could not get adopted. It is so rare that teens are portrayed making these mature, self-aware decisions, as though teens are all so hormone-driven and illogical that they can’t see that sometimes there’s something bigger than a boyfriend. It took Callie a long time to get to this realization, but it was the difficult journey that made this decision all the more emotional and impressive.
[Honorable Mention: “Adoption Day”]
#19: Shameless – “Emily” –
While this season of Shameless was decidedly uneven, “Emily” stood out. For 3 years we have watched Fiona be her siblings’ rock. Sure, she made mistakes, but those were offset by how much she looked out for them, how much she gave up to look after them. And though they loved her, they never really appreciated all she did for them. It is easy to forget that she is in her early 20s and is raising 5 kids. But Season 4 has seen Fiona come apart at the seams after a careless mistake puts the youngest Gallagher’s life in danger. This incident sends her spiraling and ultimately lands her in prison. Fiona’s utter despair is so palpable. Emmy Rossum is fantastic here. Meanwhile, Lip finally has stepped up to help out, a big step up from the more callous, lazy teen he has long been. What Fiona doesn’t get to see is the way he helps out a group of homeless kids despite the risk to his family and despite the lack of money and space. It is this, perhaps more than anything, that shows what a good job Fiona did with raising her siblings.
#18: Melissa & Joey – “Accidents Will Happen” –
Part of the charm of Melissa & Joey is that in a lot of ways it’s a throwback to the comedies of the 90s. To start with, it stars Melissa Joan Hart of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Joey Lawrence of Blossom. The family unit is not the most typical. (Melissa plays Mel, a former party girl turned local politician who takes in her niece and nephew after her sister and brother-in-law end up in jail for running a ponzi scheme. Joe, who worked for the parents, but was unaware of the scheme, ends up being their live in nanny.) Despite this, it has a lot of the feel-good stories that made us love Full House, Boy Meets World, and so many more. In this episode, Mel takes a pregnancy test that comes up positive. The incident, and how it plays out, allows each actor to hit the elements where they are strongest—Mel as a wine lover who always means well, Joe as the overprotective big brother/father figure, Rider as the totally clueless but lovable airhead, and Lennox as the overly sarcastic but always willing to lend a hand older sibling. Also, anyone recognize Mel’s doctor?!
#17: Trophy Wife – “There’s No Guy in Team” –
Trophy Wife has never been appreciated the way it deserved to be. Part of that was likely due to the totally inaccurate and off-putting title. The creators may have been going for the subversion of the idea of “trophy wives” but it still made viewers uninterested. Unsurprisingly, the series was not renewed for a second season, despite its winning cast and ever-excellent plot lines. This episode gives a chance for everyone to shine, including introducing some new dynamics we have not seen before. Most notable was Hilary’s storyline, in which the overachieving daughter of Pete and Diane received a “C” in art and asked Jackie for help improve her work. It was so great to see just how much Jackie cared about her, despite no longer being married to Pete. Pete spent the episode trying and failing to teach the always adorable Bert the valuable of a dollar. Meanwhile, Kate encourages Warren to join a sports only to find his selection—an all girls field hockey team—disappointing. The only thing missing in this episode was more Diane, the ever-fantastic Marcia Gay-Harden.
[Honorable Mentions: “Cold File” and “Mother’s Day”]
#16: How I Met Your Mother – “The Locket” –
In an uneven final season that left many fans upset after seeing the finale (you can see my take on the finale in my post It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye), for me one of the highlights of the season, and in a way the series, was the season premiere. Although I was just as weary as Lily of Ted and all his issues, I was thrilled to finally get to know The Mother, whose face had only been revealed at the end of Season 8. Lily ends up riding the train to get to Farhampton on the same train as Tracy McConnell and the two end up having some great bonding moments as Lily frets over whether or not to look at the photo her mother in law sent her. (This might seem like a strange thing to worry about in the first place, but given that the pictures were all photos of Lily’s son and were attempts to guilt Lily out of moving the family abroad, it made sense.) I loved every moment of their interactions and this is what really sold me on Cristin Millioti. She was smart, witty, and tough. It was easy to see her fitting in with the gang because of the way she so easily clicked with Lily. You have to be able to hold your own in a conversation, not be afraid to be silly, and be blunt when necessary. Millioti’s portrayal of The Mother showed a woman capable of all of this and more. This was a Mother worthy of Ted and the long years of searching and waiting.
NEXT: Favorite episodes of the year 15 through 11.
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