Here are my top ten episodes of the 2002-2003 season, listed in no particular order. This was one of the tougher lists to put together because I wasn't watching a lot of television at this point in time, and there are some pretty noticeable omissions. I'll get to "The Shield" one of these days.
The Sopranos, "Whitecaps" - This is my favorite "Sopranos" episode. Tony and Carmella seem to be in such a good place at the start of this episode, making plans about the future and enjoying the Jersey Shore. Then the cracks appear, the revelations come, and then decades of marital tensions explode in absolutely spectacular fashion. James Gandolfini and Edie Falco go to war, and it's a work of art.
The Wire, "Old Cases" - Lots of good choices from this season but I'm picking "Old Cases" because it contains the crime scene investigation sequence where the only spoken dialogue is repeated invocations of the F-word. It was what really got me to sit up and pay attention to what "The Wire" was doing. This is also the episode where several members of the unit attempt to move a desk in the worst way possible.
Firefly, "War Stories" - It was a pretty close one between this and "Our Mrs. Reynolds," but "War Stories" remains my favorite "Firefly" episode. It has backstory, tons of memorable banter, a solid villain, some pyrotechnics, and most importantly it puts Wash and Zoe front and center for once. These two make up one of my favorite couples in science-fiction, and we don't get nearly enough time with them.
Futurama, "Jurassic Bark" - "Futurama" started out as a workplace comedy, but quickly started telling other genre stories that took advantage of its unique status as an animated series for grown-ups. It managed to create some uniquely human heartbreakers set in its oddball science-fiction sitcom universe, like the eons-spanning story of Seymour, one of the best boy-and-his-dog tales in any medium.
The Venture Bros. - The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay - It's the pilot episode. There are some differences here from the series proper - get a load of the early designs of The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend - but the bones of the show are here already, and looking very sturdy. The DNA of "Jonny Quest" is much more apparent, and the animation is a little rough, but the characters and the humor are very solid.
West Wing, "20 Hours in America" - I'm going to count the whole two-parter for this entry, because it works better that way. It's nice to get the characters out of the office, and in the fourth season premiere, Donna, Josh, and Toby end up stranded in the American heartland. The writing is great, with some monologues and one-liners that are all-timers. And is that Ron Silver? And Amy Adams?!
Haibane Renmei, "Cocoon — Dream of Falling from the Sky — Old Home" - This is the introductory episode to one of the most thoughtful, heartfelt fantasy shows I've ever seen. A girl awakens in an unfamiliar town, with no memory of her past life. She soon grows a pair of small wings, and then gets a halo too. It might be purgatory, or maybe a second chance, but to say more would be spoiling things.
Malcolm in the Middle, "Family Reunion" - I love it when the family bands together to use their powers of chaos in defense of each other, and the climactic golf cart rampage is so richly deserved here. As much as I appreciate "Malcolm" for its subversiveness, I secretly enjoy the rare wins and moments of solidarity best. Runner up from this season is the gender swap "what if" episode, "If Boys Were Girls."
Everybody Loves Raymond, "Baggage" - "Raymond" had its own famous suitcase episode, about an undone chore and petty disagreement blowing up until it becomes part of a multi-generational spite match and eventually biological warfare. This episode has been much discussed by the show's creators over the years, one of these prime examples of how their real life domestic issues influence their writing.
Chapelle's Show, "PopCopy and Clayton Bigsby" - I still can't get over how fully formed the show's biting, wily, race-conscious, sensibility was from the very start. The Clayton Bigsby segment was in the premiere! Parts of the episode have not aged well, as is the case with most sketch comedy, but the barbs being aimed at MTV, corporatespeak, and the idiocy of bigots hits as hard as ever.
---
No comments:
Post a Comment