This list of the Best TV Episodes of 2020, we full admit, islengthy. That’s because 2020 was a truly exciting year of television, one where (even despite, y’know, a pandemic) there was so much great work done that it deserves to be highlighted in some way.
The below list celebrates comedy, drama, and the realms in between across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms — in a crappy year, we were once again so blessed to be united by so many great series that made us laugh/think/dream/believe/cry/all of the above. We have already namedour Top 10 shows of the year, and there’s plenty of overlap below. What matters is this: Hopefully, this list below, listed alphabetically, might expose you to some great shows you might take some time to discover.
The Amber Ruffin Show, Episode 1
Season 1, Episode 1
It’s hard to pick a standout episode from the new weekly Peacock late night seriesThe Amber Ruffin Show, but it’s absolutely worth noting that this series really seemed to premiere fully formed. That’s not something you may say about most late night shows – evenLate Night with Seth Meyerstook months to find its feet. Butright off the bat, Ruffin nailed this “Late Nightmeets Mister Rogers” tone as the show tackled everything from the coronaviruas to continued transgressions against Black people with a mix of comedy and abject frustration. But as justifiably angry asThe Amber Ruffin Showgot, there was always an air of empathy throughout, a “you matter” throughline that made a direct connection from host to viewer. For even the most seasoned of hosts this tight-rope walk would prove challenging, but it’s a testament to Ruffin’s talent, hard work, and charismatic personality that she pulls it off with ease.The Amber Ruffin Showis a gift. –Adam Chitwood
The Baby-Sitters Club, “Mary Anne Saves the Day”
Season 1, Episode 4
The Netflix original seriesThe Baby-Sitters Clubfelt like a very welcome breath of fresh air this year. While generally aimed at tween viewers,The Baby-Sitters Clubwas also a major dose of nostalgia for Millennials who grew up reading theAnn M. Martinbook series of the same name, watching the short-lived 1990Baby-Sitters ClubTV series, and/or indulging in repeat viewings of the 1995 movie. What makes this new generation ofThe Baby-SittersClubso darn enjoyable is the way it smartly injects modern ideals and storylines into its classic set-up. This is perhaps most evident in Episode 4, “Mary-Anne Saves the Day,” which sees the shy, sweet Mary-Anne Spier (Malia Baker) tested when she is forced to assert herself and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. In this case, it is Mary-Anne’s young transgender charge, Bailey, who needs her babysitter’s help. A trip to the emergency room while Mary-Anne is babysitting Bailey causes concern because both the doctor and the nurse treating Bailey misgender their patient — something Mary-Anne recognizes is wrong and needs to be corrected. Not only does the episode show how Mary-Anne can grow into a more assertive person, but it beautifully handles its depiction of Bailey as a trans girl. Bailey is shown to be loved and accepted by her parents, embraced by Mary-Anne, and defended by those who care for her when a situation arises.The Baby-Sitters Clubshines a light on a sensitive topic in a mature, compassionate manner that helps illustrate how to act in a situation like the one Mary-Anne and Bailey find themselves in without feeling like an after-school special. —Allie Gemmill
Better Call Saul, “Bagman”
Season 5, Episode 8
It’s been clear for some time now thatBetter Call Saulhas surpassed the brilliantBreaking Badin quality. That’s not a dig againstBreaking Bad, but a testament to how the team behindBCShave refined their craft so completely, resulting in something nearing perfection. And whileBetter Call Saulwrings more tension out of conversations between characters than shootouts, Season 5’s episode “Bagman” felt like a throwback to theBreaking Badera in the best way.Breaking BadcreatorVince Gilliganreturned to direct this installment ofBCS, which found Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) stranded in the desert, rescued by Mike (Jonathan Banks), only for both of them to then be stranded together under significant threat to their lives. It’s a largely wordless episode, but that’s never been a problem for this franchise – the visual storytelling in “Bagman” (and onBCSas a whole) is masterful, building to an emotional epiphany for Jimmy about his relationship to Kim (Rhea Seehorn). Perfection. –Adam Chitwood
Big Mouth, “Horrority House”
Season 4, Episode 9
Black Monday, “Lucky Shoes”
Season 2, Episode 8
The Showtime comedy is not afraid of dark subject matter, but the devastating final moments of this twisty episode, in which Blair Pfaff (Andrew Rannells) makes a big business play with massive repercussions for his relationship with Congressman Roger Harris (Tuc Watkins), ensures an unforgettable memory.Black Mondayis a very hard show to define, but it has a take on ’80s Wall Street culture that never overlooks the human cost. -Liz Shannon Miller
Central Park, “Skater’s Circle”
Season 1, Episode 2
In just its first season, in just its second episode,Central Parkfosters its own essential identity and delivers a blast of joyful, life-affirming, and inspiring half-hour television. Combining both the teenage doldrum-exploration of aBig Mouthwith the wholesome family-exploration of aBob’s Burgers(while adding elements of class, gentrification, and, oh yeah, being a freakin’ musical to its repertoire),Central Parkinvites you into its world efficiently, joyously, and buoyantly. “Skater’s Circle” tells two tales of not fitting in: Our daughterKristen Bellfeeling like an outsider from every element of adolescence, and our fatherLeslie Odom Jr.feeling like an outsider from, well, a cool roller-blader (Christopher Jackson, Odom’sHamiltoncastmate) who’s taken up a skating route in Central Park. Both characters have exquisite, beautiful, immensely catchy songs to explore these emotions, with Bell’s “Weirdos Make Great Superheroes” serving as the melancholy question, and Jackson and company’s “Do It While We Can” serving as the raucous answer. These songs will stop you in your tracks, these characters will make you feel and feel some more, and oh yeah, there’s a ton of jokes, too!- Gregory Lawrence
Corporate, “Pickles 4 Breakfast”
Season 3, Episode 1
The Comedy Central series' final season was packed with brilliance, but “Pickles 4 Breakfast” was one of the most brilliant satirizations yet of how streaming culture has affected television — on a multi-generational level. Between algorithmically-driven childrens' programming and the ways in which “prestige” TV can disappoint us,Corporatewas the best sort of comedy, one that highlighted the truth of our reality. -Liz Shannon Miller
The Crown, “Fagan”
Season 4, Episode 5
Season 4 ofThe Crownhas felt different in a lot of welcome ways. For me, I’m most impressed and intrigued by its different entry points into its central storylines. We’re no longer ceaselessly insulated within the Royal Family and their various problems; we’re attacking them from more easily-aligned vantage points, coming up with welcome criticisms and challenges along the way. Case in point: “Fagan,” an episode I have not been able to stop thinking about; an episode which demands not just its viewers but its Queen (Olivia Colman) to change the lens of how you view history and society immediately. Our title character, played with equal parts unpredictability and empathy byTom Brooke, is a man who broke into the Queen’s bedroom and spoke with her, mere inches away from her, for several unbroken minutes before being captured. Terrifying, right? Yes, but “Fagan” does one hell of a job explaining the socioeconomic prospects, the nightmarish web of tunnels that is “a government trying to make an actual difference”, and the endlessly frustrating gulf between performance and results that led him to this decision. Plus, we actually get to see the Queen’s reaction to this decision, and get to see how it may have even positively affected or changed her. 2020 was a year of protest, of rebellion, of government incompetence laid bare; somehow, a pretty show about a pretty royal family met this moment and then some in “Fagan."- Gregory Lawrence
The Crown, “The Hereditary Principle”
Season 4, Episode 7
One of the most touching and profound hours of Netflix’sThe Crownarrived in Season 4 with Episode 7, “The Hereditary Principle.” The episode puts its focus on Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter), who, in the grand scheme of the season,takes a more backseat roleto the rest of the drama unfolding in the royal family. Margaret is struggling on a variety of fronts in “The Hereditary Principle,” with her mental and physical health taking a massive hit. A constant smoking habit costs her a small piece of her lung before she’s 60 years old and a lifetime of being a relatively secondary member of the royal family begins to take a toll on her mental and emotional wellbeing, plunging her into deep depressive episodes. As Margaret seeks out therapy to discuss her depression, she also learns about cousins on her mother’s side who were born developmentally disabled and placed in facilities (somethingThe Crownimplies was done out of the family’s shame) before being declared dead. As a character onThe Crown, Margaret has grappled with her family’s streak of subduing anything that could be seen as a stain on their reputation as a whole, a move that has often led to heartache and alienation for her. In “The Hereditary Principle,” Margaret takes a stand for herself and for her cousins, questioning the Queen Mother and attempting to come to terms with her family’s uglier behavior while making peace with being an unwitting participant in it. —Allie Gemmill
Dave, “Hype Man”
Season 1, Episode 5
FXX’sDavewas a surprising treat of a new comedy series this year. The series is a mostly lighthearted look at a fictionalized version of the life of Dave, a.k.a. up-and-coming rapper Lil Dicky (Dave Burd), as he tries to find success in present-day Los Angeles. Just when it seemed likeDavehas established a comfortable comedy groove, the surprising and moving episode “Hype Man” arrived to adjust audience expectation. The main arc revolves around Dave preparing to open forMeek Mill— his biggest gig to date — while the B-story focuses on a fictional version of GaTa (Davionte Ganter), Dave’s ever-optimistic hype man. The prospect of rubbing shoulders with rap royalty sends GaTa down memory lane, taking the audience through a gallery of memories that reveal GaTa lives with bipolar disorder but has worked to mask that side of him from his friends.
“Hype Man” is a tonal reset forDave, adding new, welcome shades of emotional color that only enrich the show and make it a more rewarding watch the longer you spend time with these characters. “Hype Man” is also a necessary episode when it comes to how Black men living with mental health concerns try to get through the day. GaTa’s “Hype Man” arc is made all the more compelling by Ganter’s attention-grabbing, star-making performance. Expressing the highs and lows of bipolar disorder onscreen is no mean feat, and Ganter lays himself bare throughout the entire episode. By the time the credits roll on “Hype Man,” you’ll probably want to give GaTa a big hug. —Allie Gemmill
