Tag Archives: 30 Rock

Presented in no particular order, our 15 favorite episodes of TV from 2010.

Mad Men – The Suitcase
If there was one episode of television that may have won its stars an Emmy, it was “The Suitcase,” a beautifully performed, perfectly written hour of television. Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Moss were extraordinary, their chemistry never better, as Peggy and Don spend a night battling and bonding in the SCDP offices. Mad Men has had several top notch episodes, but few can rival “The Suitcase.” (M)

Community – Modern Warfare
Community had several solid episodes leading up to “Modern Warfare,” but it was there that the show reached the creative peak of its first season. “Modern Warfare” is part parody, but there is also a lot of reverence to the source material thrown in. There are so many hilarious little details and references throughout the episode, which gets better and better with each viewing. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Lone Star – Pilot
The big comment most critics had regarding the pilot for Lone Star was that it was a great idea for a movie, but maybe not a TV show. Given the show’s swift demise, we’ll never know, but the first episode was about as entertaining as any TV show or film you’ll find. Great performances from Jon Voight and newcomer James Wolk drove a compelling, self contained episode that unfortunately will have to stand on its own as a great piece of TV. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Boardwalk Empire – Boardwalk Empire
When you hire Martin Scorsese to direct the first episode of your TV series, this is what you get. The extra-long series premiere of Boardwalk Empire was jam-packed with gangland violence, political intrigue, and fascinating historical tidbits, all administered at such a quick pace that viewers understandably got whiplash once the show settled into a slightly more sedate weekly pace. From the apocalyptic ringing-in of Prohibition to the staccato, rim-shot scored stick-up sequence, “Boardwalk Empire” was a tense, exciting glimpse into a world that I couldn’t wait to spend more time inside. (J)
Read Jonah’s original review here.

The Walking Dead – Days Gone By
One of the most anticipated new shows of the fall, The Walking Dead delivered a chilling, highly entertaining first episode that instantly won it a legion of fans. Functioning just as well as a standalone story as it did a pilot, “Days Gone By” is about as cinematic as you can get on television. If nothing else, “Days Gone By” did a fantastic job of quickly luring in a loyal fanbase that made the show one of basic cable’s biggest. (M)

Party Down – Party Down Company Picnic
“Party Down Company Picnic” takes the show’s cast out of their bowties only to find that there is no escape from the tedious cycle of boredom that is their lives. Henry breaks up with Uda and steps down as Team Leader, Ron’s attempts at climbing the ladder put him right back where he started – occupying the now vacant Team Leader job – and Party Down gets their asses kicked by Valhalla. In an inspired second (and tragically, final) season, few episodes wrung as much laughter out of as much pain as this one did. (J)
Read Michael’s original review here.

30 Rock – Brooklyn Without Limits
People (like myself) who were ready to give up on 30 Rock after a substandard season were jumping the gun, as the show has come roaring back in 2010. Nowhere was the resurgence clearer than “Brooklyn Without Limits,” a piece of vintage 30 Rock mayhem, complete with a guest star (John Slattery) who feels put to use well without dominating the episode. Add to that Lemon’s new jeans and Jenna’s insecurities and “Brooklyn Without Limits” was another worthwhile addition to the series. (J)

Better Off Ted – Lust in Translation
We decided that there weren’t really enough Better Off Ted episodes in 2010 for us to put it on the series list, so this will have to stand as our tribute to one of our favorite fallen shows. “Lust in Translation” featured a premise that was classic Better Off Ted, complete with an angry-voiced multi-translator, a talking frying pan, and a panoply of Three Stooges references. From Phil and Lem’s realization that they are evil scientists to the triumph and heartbreak of Lindabagel, “Lust in Translation” is a reminded of how sharp and funny Better Off Ted could be and how sad it is that its gone. (J)
Read Jonah’s original review here.

Lost – Happily Ever After
The joy of Lost is the joy of discovery and adventure, the feeling that the boundries of the show’s world are limitless and ever-expanding. Every time a new piece of mythology was introduced or a new question asked, viewers’ minds started racing, imagining all the possibilities that existed. It is not shocking that the best episodes of the show, then, are the ones that asked questions, not the ones that answered them. So “Happily Ever After” gets our vote over the still-terrific-no-matter-what-anybody-says finale because it was vintage Lost: Desmond and the audience stranded in a strange world whose very existence was a mystery to us. And by grounding that mystery in the show’s sweetest love story, Lost made “Happily Ever After” as moving as it was intriguing. (J)
Read Jonah’s original review here.

Parks and Recreation – Telethon
“Telethon” worked in everything from a harrowing look into Jerry’s sex life (shudder) to ex Indiana Pacer small forward Detlef Schrempf while maintaining its focus on classic P&R elements like Leslie’s boundless enthusiasm and Ann and Mark’s relationship. The series of callbacks (Pawnee Today, Sweetums, Mouse Rat) and the endless parade of one-liners (“there are two kinds of diabetes but only one kind of caring: type one caring”) make “Telethon” feel like a summation of everything that made season two so special. (J)
Read Michael’s original review here.

The Office – Niagra
Jim and Pam have always been at the emotional center of The Office, so it’s not a huge surprise that their wedding would be the best episode in a season of the show that was less than stellar. It was a sweet, funny episode that was reminiscent of the show’s peak, and helped remind us why we fell in love with The Office in the first place. (M)

Breaking Bad – One Minute
Breaking Bad does tension like no other show currently on TV. So when the twin assassins who seemed to be the season’s main concern turned their attention to DEA agent Hank, all while Hank’s life is collapsing around him. From his violent confrontation with Jesse to his heartbreaking confession to his wife, Hank finds himself coming to the sad realization that he can no longer be a cop anymore, which only makes it that much more tense that two reapers are coming for him. Then a mysterious phone call and a Breaking Bad-style chain of causation turn the tables on the cousins. The fact that, while all this is going on, the show still manages to find time to take Jesse and Walt’s relationship to a new place and work in some vintage Saul Goodman smarm is icing on the cake of what may be the most tense episode of television ever. (J)

How I Met Your Mother – Rabbit or Duck
With a plethora of call backs and references and classic HIMYM troupes throughout, “Rabbit or Duck” was a classic episode of the show that helped salvage a lackluster season. The main story of Robin falling in love with co-worker Don bringing the emotional thread and the b-story of Barney and his always ringing cell phone bringing the laughs, “Rabbit or Duck” is a complete episode, one that can be enjoyed from all angles. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Modern Family – Truth Be Told
Modern Family deserved all the praise it got for its first season, as highlighted by “Truth Be Told,” an episode in which all of the show’s strengths are put on display. There aren’t many weak links, and the physical comedy of Phil evading his ex-girlfriend while Claire remains oblivious was one of the funniest bits the show did. Coming in the second half of the season, “Truth Be Told” solidified Modern Family as the best new comedy of they year. (M)
Read Michael’s original review here.

Justified – Pilot
More pilots should be like Justified’s zippy and thrilling introduction. Of course, most pilots don’t have the benefit of being adapted from Elmore Leonard short stories. Portraying US Marshall Raylan Givens gives Timothy Olyphant a character right in his wheelhouse, an easy-going man of righteousness and violence with a seething anger burning underneath the surface. Raylan returns home and quickly butts heads with Boyd Crowder, an old coal-mining buddy of his played perfectly by Walton Goggins. The pair’s cat-and-mouse game unfolds over the course of the hour and comes to an exciting conclusion that wisely keeps both men around to antagonize each other for the remainder of the season. As an introduction to Justified’s world or just as an hour of TV, “Pilot” works on just about every level. (J)