Top 10 Most Re-Watched TV Episodes of All Time
#10: "Bad News" "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-14)
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Some of the best sitcoms of all time have balanced out memorable moments of drama within their comedic narrative. "How I Met Your Mother" handed this quite well throughout its nearly decade-long run, such as this episode from its sixth season. "Bad News" uses a subtle countdown of sorts, as numbers run down from fifty to one, after which Jason Segel's Marshall receives some devastating news. The episode actually uses a side plot of Lily and Marshall trying to conceive to fake the audience into believing that there isn't going to be any bad news. As a result, the devastating reveal of Marshall's dad suffering a fatal heart attack is as shocking now as it was the first time the episode aired back in 2011.
#9: "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" "The Walking Dead" (2010-)
The sixth season finale of "The Walking Dead" was a merciless tease, a fit-inducing bait-and-switch that left fans dying to know which member of Rick Grimes' group was going to meet their demise. It wasn't until the seventh season opener where fans finally got the payoff as to who was on the business end of Negan’s baseball bat, Lucille. To be fair, however, it was sort of worth the wait, with Glenn's death basically being a near-perfect, panel-to-screen adaptation from the comics. Additionally, the bonus shock of Abraham getting the boot was a surprising and gruesome deviation from the source material, making this episode one of the best of the entire series.
#8: "Remedial Chaos Theory" "Community" (2009-15)
Who says you can't take daring structural risks in a sitcom? "Remedial Chaos Theory" did just that during the third season of "Community," an episode where something as innocuous as grabbing pizza turns into one epic narrative. Seven different timelines are offered, all depending on which character goes down to grab the pizza. Some end happily, while others end very dark, but in the end, it's the journey that we care about as the audience. The episode was inspired by classic films such as Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon," and it shows, with its wit and variety shining through in a tight script from Chris McKenna. "Remedial Chaos Theory" is just an episode that keeps us coming back again and again.
#7: "Dinner Party" "The Office" (2005-13)
Okay, so who loves a little bit of cringe in their life? If so, then may we direct your attention to this episode from the fourth season of "The Office?" In the world of hot messes, it's simply a perfect storm, as a dinner party thrown by Michael Scott and Jan Levinson goes horribly awry. The jokes, sight gags, and awkwardness reach a fever pitch as Jan tries to pawn her candle business on Michael's people, dances strangely to a mix CD, and argues with Michael loudly as everyone is forced to watch. It's a meltdown of hilarious proportions and an episode that's truly beloved by fans. It may make you want to melt in your seat a little, but trust us, it's worth it!
#6: "One for the Road" "Cheers" (1982-93)
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There's just something bittersweet about series finales. On one hand, it's important to say goodbye to characters you've grown to love, especially if their stories have come to a natural end. Yet, we're also selfish about our media, wanting to hold it close in our hearts forever. Luckily, we have this picture-perfect sendoff from one of television's finest comedies. Every character in the bar receives attention, but it's the return of Shelley Long that helped make this one of the most-viewed television finales ever. We won't spoil whether or not Sam and Diane make a go of it, but one thing's for sure: when Sam straightens Coach's Geronimo painting, says "we're closed," and turns the lights out? There isn't a dry eye in the house.
#5: "The Last One" "Friends" (1994-2004)
Top 20 BEST TV Episodes of All Time
Speaking of series finales, "Friends" is – in many ways – the “Cheers” of its generation and accumulated to an equally satisfying conclusion. "The Last One" possesses all of the ingredients for a classic sitcom sendoff, with all of the cast getting their respective storylines fulfilled with respect and dignity. Whether it's Ross and Rachel finally going the distance or Chandler and Monica moving out to start a family, we're reminded of why we like these people in the first place, and why we care about their fictional well-being. "Friends" made its fans want to see these people succeed and be happy, and what more could you want from quality television storytelling?
#4: "Pine Barrens" "The Sopranos" (1999-2007)
Here's a question: are fans entitled to every bit of information? This is, in part, what makes "Pine Barrens" so rewatchable, as it ends with one very loose thread. Part of the episode's plot finds Paulie and Christopher dealing with a Russian named Valery. The latter escapes from Chris and Paulie by hiding in the woods, after the pair presume he's doomed, and we the audience never get an answer as to Valery's fate. In addition to being refreshingly funny for a drama series, people couldn’t stop talking about this episode after it aired due to the lingering mystery. Fans have speculated wildly about what happened to the Russian, although creator David Chase claims a boy scout troop found him after he suffered brain damage.
#3: "The Contest" "Seinfeld" (1989-98)
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So, we'd love to cheat here and just say that every episode of "Seinfeld" is rewatchable, but we'd be here all day. For this entry, we're going with "The Contest," as it's simply one of the best examples of how this "show about nothing" made something this silly so compelling. The plot? Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer make a bet as to who can go the longest without… um, losing control of their domain. That's it. It's more the execution of this simple-yet-brilliant idea that keeps us coming back. Maybe it's the euphemisms and catchphrases that get us or just the sheer ridiculousness of it all, but "The Contest" just makes us remember why "Seinfeld" was just the best.
#2: "Battle of the Bastards" "Game of Thrones" (2011-19)
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If there was ever any doubt that "prestige television" was a thing, let us point a clear path to this sixth season episode of "Game of Thrones." Titled "Battle of the Bastards," the episode shows how grand a scale and epic a narrative television can create when the attention and budget are properly in place. The Battles of Winterfell and Meereen spare no expense when it comes to staging fight choreography and spectacle that rivals any big-budget Hollywood blockbuster. The main difference here, however, is that the television medium raises the stakes, possessing enough backstory and history to make us hang on every hurled insult and sword swing, as if our lives depended on it. And we discover something new every time.
#1: "Ozymandias" "Breaking Bad" (2008-13)
For many, “Breaking Bad” was THE show of its time, appointment television that took Hollywood to task with its evocative visual style, award-winning acting, and enthralling scripts. Similarly, "Ozymandias" always seems to rise to the top for "Breaking Bad" fans when it comes to the series' best episodes. Characters and actors alike bare their souls for the camera, tying into the titular poem from Percy Bysshe Shelley with themes of loss, power, and grief. Be warned: "Ozymandias" is heavy-duty stuff, and not for those with weak constitutions for tragic drama. Still, it's near perfection makes us return, like gluttons for punishment, every single time.
