One Early M*A*S*H Episode Proved That Sitcoms Can Break Our Hearts
The season one M*A*S*H episode “Sometimes You Hear the Bullet” revealed the show’s bleeding heart, and gave voice to profound… Read More
September 16, 2022
Episodes
Episodes is a column in which senior contributor Valerie Ettenhofer digs into the singular chapters of television that make the medium great.
If you’re new to reading this column, we suggest starting with these:
- Atlanta, “Teddy Perkins”
- Bojack Horseman, “That’s Too Much, Man!”
- Justified, “Bloody Harlan”
- Seinfeld, “Junior Mint”
- The Leftovers, “I Live Here Now”
Explore the entire Episodes archive below
Revisiting The ‘House’ Bus Crash That Shocked Viewers
The penultimate episode of House’s fourth season sees the death wish-chasing doctor unravel the shocking mystery of his own head… Read More
August 26, 2022
Once Upon a Time, ‘Gilmore Girls’ Danced the Night Away
In season three’s “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” Rory and Lorelai get in over their heads at a 24-hour dance… Read More
June 30, 2022
Let’s Revisit That Cathartic ‘Jessica Jones’ Showdown
Jessica Jones’ first season is a brutal and powerful look at intimate partner violence that ends stronger than ever. Read More
May 17, 2022
Love and Creativity Die “A Dark Quiet Death” in Mythic Quest’s Standalone Episode
The tech comedy’s best episode is a decades-spanning story about selling out, breaking up, and making art. Read More
April 3, 2022
How ‘Sharp Objects’ Ended with a Perfect Dose of Poison
Prestige mystery series don't get much darker than 'Sharp Objects,' and 'Sharp Objects' doesn't get much better than its sickening… Read More
February 21, 2022
What the ‘Golden Girls’ Chronic Illness Episode Means to Me
Dorothy's traumatic and frustrating journey through the medical system hits close to home for people who live with chronic illnesses,… Read More
January 26, 2022
Remember When the Flight of the Conchords Got “Mugged”?
HBO's short-lived musical series was at its best when the protagonists wandered naively into strange situations, like in this Season… Read More
December 2, 2021
Re-entering the Void with the Best Episode of ‘True Detective’
The surreal HBO series' first-season midpoint -- "Who Goes There?" -- careens into epically cinematic chaos. Read More
October 30, 2021