This year comes with a lot of caveats. I've found myself watching an awful lot of television, but not much of it recent television. I also remain a genre fan, and haven't really been keeping up with most of the big prestige dramas like "Better Call Saul" or "Succession" lately. I've decided to institute a "Plus One" spot for the best episode of the previous year that I didn't see in time for the last list.
Again, I'm using Emmy rules for cutoff dates, which means that this list covers everything from the summer of 2019 to the spring of 2020. Entries are unranked, and I'm limiting myself to one episode per show or miniseries. Awfully difficult to tell the difference these days.
And here we go. I'll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum.
Black Mirror, "Striking Vipers" - The last season of "Black Mirror" wasn't well received by its usual fanbase, because it largely avoided the gut-wrenching cautionary tales it's known for. Instead, we got a hostage thriller, a Disney Channel Original spoof, and a very strange, very thoughtful romance. I appreciate that "Striking Vipers" handles mature themes and the use of technology in such an even-handed way, and the final resolution - while not happy - is an empathetic and open-minded one.
Stranger Things, "Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt" - I had absolutely no problem with "Stranger Things" hopping genres from horror to cheesy '80s action flick. The finale was so much fun, pitting all the kids against the giant Mind Flayer in the mall. There's the absurd "Never-ending Story" song break, the final standoff against Grigori the Russian terminator, and literal fireworks for the big battle. I wasn't so onboard with the season cliffhanger, but I also know that it's setting up bigger things to come next year. The Duffer brothers really need to get filming in a hurry, though - those kids are growing up quick.
Watchmen, "This Extraordinary Being" - Up until this episode, I was enjoying Damon Lindelof's take on the "Watchmen" universe, but not really invested in it. That changed when he filled in the backstory of Hooded Justice, the first superhero and one of the founders of the original superhero team, the Minutemen. This episode explored newly introduced themes about the African-American experience, and ongoing generational traumas, and tied them explicitly into the familiar structure of a superhero origin story. The drug-trip storytelling conceits are a bit much, but the substance is well worth it.
Tales From the Loop, "Transpose" - It's such a simple idea. Two boys are friends, and secretly jealous of each other. They have a chance to switch bodies, and in the process they learn more about themselves than they expected. However, "Tales From the Loop" breaks from form and delivers unexpected consequences - leading to tragedy, guilt, and and worse. The series is so unusual, and so precious because it takes a more contemplative attitude toward these existential, deeply upsetting situations and ideas. In that sense, it's one of the most human and humane genre shows that has come along in ages.
The Outsider, "Fish in a Barrel" - I had trouble deciding between this episode, and the episode immediately following it, "Roanoke." I decided to stick with the premiere, which presents a nightmare scenario where a small town sheriff, played by Ben Mendelsohn, discovers what he believes is irrefutable evidence that a terrible murder was carried out by the Little League coach, played by Jason Bateman. It's a stunning, bleak hour of television that sets up the characters and their community with such care and detail. It doesn't feel like a genre show at all, but like a somber, gripping true crime story.
Dracula, "The Rules of the Beast" - I adore Claes Bang as the newest incarnation of Count Dracula, and loved seeing him pitted against Dolly Wells' Sister Agatha in Steven Moffatt's miniseries. The reworking of the familiar "Dracula" narrative into this tense interrogation drama in the first episode is so much fun, especially if you're already familiar with all the old tropes and cliches of vampire media. My favorite scene of the year is easily the stand-off at the convent gates. It's bloody, and over-the-top, and a complete delight. Bang's Dracula is the first in a long time that has really made character fun again.
Legion, "Chapter 23" - Directed by Daniel Kwan of the DANIELS duo, this is the most technically and aesthetically impressive hour of television I've seen all year. This is the episode that introduces the Time Eaters, these demonic Cheshire Cat-like creatures who can only be seen in frozen poses, but move faster than light, accompanied by a terrible tick-tocking sound. They wreak havoc on our characters, trapping some in photographs, and others in drastically sped-up timelines. The way all these different time distortions are visualized with mixed media and unorthodox techniques is a real treat to see.
The Crown, "Aberfan" - This was a fairly miserable season of "The Crown," but it did an excellent job at dramatizing some more significant moments in British history. The heartbreaking highlight of the year is the recreation of the Aberfan mining disaster, which gives us a chance to see the more serious sides of characters like Margaret and Antony Armstrong. However, the hour really belongs to Olivia Colman as Elizabeth, trying to maintain a balance between tradition and compassion while questioning her own reaction to the national tragedy. Its a dark episode, both thematically and visually, but a moving one.
The Mandalorian, "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian" - The opening episode of the new "Star Wars" series sets the tone just right - this will be a straightforward old fashioned action adventure with a lot of fun little "Star Wars" details here and there to keep the fans happy. Having Werner Herzog appear as the mystery Client is so perfect, and the final reveal of the Child (nka Baby Yoda) is already an iconic moment. There are a few of the usual bumps in setting up the universe and getting the show on its feet, but "The Mandalorian" fulfills the promise of putting the "Star Wars" universe on the small screen.
Mr. Robot, "Hello, Elliot" - And finally, there have been few series finales as satisfying as the one for "Mr. Robot." It not only pulls off another major reveal that changes the nature of everything else that we've seen in the series, but it does so in such an emotionally thoughtful way. In the end the battle was always for Elliot Alderson's psyche, and it makes sense to go out on such a personal, small scale story about letting go and moving on. It brings the whole series back to earth and full circle in the best way.
Honorable Mentions:
The Great, "Meatballs at the Dacha"
Plus one:
Barry, "Ronny/Lily"
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