The 30 best TV episodes of 2019

"ronny/lilly" — Barry (HBO)

(Written by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, directed by Bill Hader)

A departure from the standard hijinks of Barry (Bill Hader) sweating through acting class while being harassed about returning to the murder business, this episode takes the “one last job concept” and sidekicks it onto its head. Hader, who directed the episode, was tipped off to the stunt prowess of young Jessie Giacomazzi (who plays the titular Lily) and wrote a whole showcase for her that has John Wick-level action set pieces, and a sight gag that made viewers laugh so hard they nearly choked. —Marcus Jones

"Shake the Cocktail" — Better Things (FX)

(Written and directed by Pamela Adlon)

Questions about what Pamela Adlon’s acclaimed FX series would look like after the exit of its co-creator, Louis C.K., were put to rest by its season 3 premiere, a dreamy and heartbreaking half-hour about Sam (Adlon) sending her eldest daughter off to college. Fast forward to “Shake the Cocktail,” the season finale, which affirmed the show only soared to new heights under Adlon’s sole vision. (She directed every episode of the season.) Her semi-autobiographical portrait of acting, aging, and motherhood felt haunted and especially personal this year, culminating in the wrenching saga of Sam’s tense relationship with her middle child, Frankie, reaching a breaking point. And yet while Adlon’s expression could get deeply sad, it was always awash with humanity. The finale’s last sequence, which finds Sam reunited with her daughters for her birthday, feels appropriately bittersweet, a moment of joy amid change and loss. It’s gorgeously poetic. —David Canfield

"Honeymoon" — Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)

(Written by Neil Campbell, directed by Giovani Lampassi)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine made its jump from original network Fox to new home NBC with a splash, kicking off their sixth season with an episode centered on Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy’s (Melissa Fumero) honeymoon, which is hilariously interrupted by Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) when he happens to be vacationing at the same resort. The show was firing on all cylinders, balancing its absurdist extremes (Holt wallowing in a spa mask! Amy role playing as Die Hard’s Holly Gennero!) with a whole lot of heart, as Amy and Jake have to convince the captain why his commitment to justice and equality still matter. It can feel increasingly hard in our polarizing world to find joy and humor in something as rife with space for dramatic tension as a police precinct, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine proves again and again that it’s unlike any other comedy on TV — funny, real, earnest, and optimistic. Noice! —Maureen Lee Lenker

"The Laughing Place" — Castle Rock (Hulu)

Warning: This contains spoilers from Castle Rock season 2, which aired last week.

(Written by Vince Calandra and Daria Polatin, directed by Anne Sewitsky)

How did Annie Wilkes become Annie Wilkes? The second season of Hulu’s Stephen King anthology offered a modern-day reimagining of Misery’s maniacal nurse, and the twisted roots of Annie’s origins were revealed in this gripping flashback episode. The vivid portrait of Annie’s troubled childhood — where she copes with a crippling learning disability and a mother (Robin Weigert) who thinks people are either good or evil “dirty birds” — features a stunning final twist that reveals the moment everything went wrong for Miss Wilkes…and her “daughter.” —Kristen Baldwin

"1:23:45" — Chernobyl (HBO)

(Written by Craig Mazin, directed by Johan Renck)

Chernobyl is one of the year’s toughest sits, but you can’t say they didn’t warn you. From the opening moments of the show’s first episode, titled “1:23:45” for the exact moment at which the titular nuclear disaster occurred in April 1986, the series reveals itself to be relentlessly brutal, but completely human. In fact, the true horror of the show lies not in the catastrophe itself, but in how easily and quickly it happened, and how relevant those mistakes still are today. “1:23:45” sets all of this up in a way that is equal parts haunting, horrifying, and tragic — and it’s terrific television. —Lauren Huff

"The President" — Derry Girls (Netflix)

(Written by Lisa McGee, directed by Michael Lennox)

An episode of the Northern Ireland-set sitcom is never not hilarious and the season 2 finale obviously delivered on that front, but what made it stand out was the raw emotion that found its way into the mix. The half hour centers around Bill Clinton’s presidential visit to Derry in 1995, one which sends the whole city and family into a frenzy as Mary panics her mugs aren’t white enough, nor her skirting boards clean enough should Hillary take the notion to stop by. Yes, there’s plenty of ridiculousness in there (the girls earnestly inviting Chelsea to the local pool to see the “cracker” wave machine springs to mind), but in the end the memorable moment was when James (Dylan Llewellyn) — a.k.a. the Wee English Fella — decided not to return to London and repeatedly bellowed to his friends, “I am a Derry girl” over the cheers of the president’s crowd. Add to that the reminder of the importance of the Good Friday agreement in the present Brexit era, and you have a truly powerful 22 minutes of television. Pretty sure we’re all Derry girls now — it’s more of a state of mind anyway. —Ruth Kinane

"Original Cast Album: Co-Op" — Documentary Now!

(Written by John Mulaney and Seth Meyers, directed by Alex Buono)

The best parodies spring from love, as evidenced by John Mulaney and Seth Meyers’ meticulous send-up of Original Cast Album: Company, D.A. Pennebaker’s 1970 doc about the Stephen Sondheim classic. The episode chronicles one disastrous late-night recording session for the fake musical Co-Op, complete with Mulaney as a nitpicky Sondheim caricature and music so catchy it belongs on Broadway. —Devan Coggan

"Jane Patrol" — Doom Patrol

(Written by Marcus Dalzine, directed by Harry Jierjian)

Doom Patrol was never afraid to get weird. Nazi puppets, a stampede of butts, and a sentient genderqueer street block are just a few items on the list of “things that happened in Doom Patrol season 1.” Some of those were absurd for the sake of it, but not Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), a woman with 64 personalities who each have their own superpower. Her focus episode dived deep into her subterranean psyche (literally known as “the Underground”) to reveal the central abuse at the heart of her psychic split. Getting at real ideas in the most absurd fashion possible is the central idea of Doom Patrol, never done better than here. —Christian Holub

“What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!” — DuckTales (Disney XD)

(Story by Francisco Angones, Madison Bateman, Colleen Evanson, Christian Magalhaes, and Bob Snow; teleplay by Madison Bateman and Colleen Evanson, directed by Tanner Johnson)

This whole time, DuckTales had been hiding its best character off screen. But this episode finally showed us what Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s mom has been doing on the moon for the past 10 years. It’s heartbreaking to watch Della (voiced by Paget Brewster) reckon with how her love of adventuring has kept her away from her family— and her lullaby for her sons might break you — but the hope of reunion is powerful too. —CH

"Episode 1" — Fleabag (Amazon)

(Written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, directed by Harry Bradbeer)

Need we say more than "Hot Priest intro" and "the jumpsuit"? Okay, fine. The second season of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s dark comedy was pretty much television perfection and the first episode set that tone. The entire installment takes place over the course of one truly hellish dinner when Fleabag’s family gathers at a restaurant to celebrate the engagement of Dad (Bill Paterson) and the delightfully dastardly Godmother (Olivia Coleman), who’s brought along a priest she’s collected as her new trinket to show off to them. The episode is a chaotic whirlwind of fast-paced conversation. There’s barely veiled insults from the villainous Godmother and Martin (Brett Gelman), endearing (for the most part) oversharing from the Priest (Andrew Scott) — his brother’s a pedophile and yes, he’s aware of the irony — and persistent offers of service from an overeager waitress, all of which culminates in the tragic moment Claire (Sian Clifford) realizes she’s miscarried and Fleabag punches Martin in the face. Sound like a lot? It is, and the episode undoubtedly leaves the audience reeling, but also ready for so much more from this highly dysfunctional family and the unwitting priest who stumbled into their holy mess. —RK

“Nowadays” — Fosse/Verdon

(Written by Joel Fields and Steven Levenson, directed by Thomas Kail)

This penultimate episode marked a series high note, digging into Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams) and Bob Fosse’s (Sam Rockwell) co-dependent relationship through the lens of their final original stage collaboration, Chicago. At its best when giving Verdon equal due in creating the Fosse legend, this episode doubled down, with Gwen finally laying claim to her contributions and her Pyrrhic victory as Roxie Hart. While some TV musicals give us the flim flam flummox, Williams truly razzle-dazzled. —MLL

"A Very GLOW Christmas" — GLOW (Netflix)

(Written by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, directed by Lynn Shelton)

Since the Netflix pattern/curse of canceling shows after four seasons unfortunately rings true for GLOW (it’s already been renewed for its fourth and final season), at least we’re not left hanging after the season 3 finale signed off on a creative high note. So much happened in terms of plot and charting out the future of the series, yet we still managed to get many emotional and powerful character moments that hold the promise of much, much more. Debbie (Betty Gilpin) owned her agency and chose success as an executive over a comfy and easy life married to Tex, as she teamed up with Bash to buy a TV network and become its president. Plus, when Bash finally broke down — over Florian’s death, his struggles with his sexuality, the threesome he liked but regrets — it resulted in one of the most devastating scenes on the show so far thanks to the writing and Chris Lowell’s acting. And following that cliffhanger regarding Debbie and Ruth's (Alison Brie) friendship, thankfully our Christmas wish for more GLOW has already come true so we can see the actual fallout from Ruth’s decision to turn down Debbie’s offer to direct the new GLOW show so she can continue to pursue her acting dreams. It’s time to step into the ring for one more season that already promises to be the best yet. —Sydney Bucksbaum

“The One Where Diane and Liz Topple Democracy” — The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

(Written by Aurin Squire, directed by Brooke Kennedy)

On one side, we have Diane (Christine Baranski) and Liz (Audra McDonald), who are torn when their Trump resistance group suggests rigging voter machines to help win in 2020. Diane is horrified by the suggestion, but Liz can’t help but consider it because it would allow them to counter the ways in which the other side has disenfranchised black voters. In a moment, a ridiculous plot point suddenly feels urgent; Diane ends up giving her own impassioned speech about the sanctity of the right to vote. On the other side episode, though, we have a delightfully weird and light story about Lucca (Cush Jumbo) not recognizing actor Gary Carr, who is shadowing Roland Blum for an upcoming role, and believing he’s a real lawyer. In classic Good Fight fashion, the hour effortlessly juggles both of these very opposing tones. —Chancellor Agard

"They Did What?" — Gotham (Fox)

(Written by Tze Chun, directed by Carol Banker)

The villains become the heroes only to become the villains once more in the delightfully wacky penultimate episode of Gotham. The "No Man’s Land" arc comes to an epic conclusion when Penguin, the Riddler, and even the Joker become the keys to saving the city against Bane and Nyssa al Ghul. But since the people of Gotham don’t give them the thanks they so desire, it reinforces their mission to be the rulers of the city’s criminal underworld once more, setting the stage not only for the time jump finale but also an exciting potential future canon beyond that. Plus, we meet the future Batgirl, Gordon is named commissioner, and Bruce begins his true Batman training. This could have served as an incredibly satisfying series finale in its own right, but luckily we got a bonus mini Batman movie in the episode that came after. Did Gotham become the very best Batman property in its final season by going completely balls to the wall insane? Absolutely. And this episode is all the evidence you need. —SB

"Patisserie — Semifinals" — The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)

(Series producer Jenna Mansfield, series director Jeanette Goulbourn)

This Patisserie-themed semifinal saw beloved veterinarian Rosie serve up the highest highs and lowest lows of collection 7. Rosie’s typically unflappable demeanor began to crack in the technical challenge as she was faced with remaking a runny choux (panic!), which then turned out so good that it won first place (relief!). Technical win in hand, she was seemingly safe from elimination as she built a beautiful pastry clockface Showstopper (awe!). But alas, she committed a GBBO cardinal sin — “style over substance” — and the judges decided that despite her earlier triumph, the time had come to send her home (gasp!). —Anne Latini

"Silent All These Years" — Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

(Written by Elisabeth R. Finch, directed by Debbie Allen)

Two heartbreaking stories of sexual assault — including that of Jo Karev’s (Camilla Luddington) birth mother (Michelle Forbes) — are sensitively told in this masterful episode, which included the powerful image of Grey Sloan’s female employees (real-life Grey’s writers and staff) lining the hospital halls to support a traumatized rape victim. If you didn’t need tissues, call a cardiologist.—Jessica Derschowitz

“Circles” — Lodge49 (AMC)

(Written by Peter Ocko, directed by Alethea Jones)

The ultimate episode of an indescribable series, cutting across time and space to craft a mystical tale of war, romance, Antarctica, and open mic night. “Circles” crafts a fantasy of the everyday, set in the ruins of empty offices and the mythic tombs hidden in the walls of your local community center. —Darren Franich

"El Excorcismo" — Los Espookys (HBO)

(Written by Fred Armisen, Ana Fabrega, and Julio Torres, directed by Fernando Frias)

The entire first season of HBO’s bilingual comedy is a delight, but the stellar pilot episode, “El Exorcismo,” is the perfect introduction to the series’ blend of otherworldly insanity. Bernardo Velasco, Julio Torres, Cassandra Ciangherotti, and Ana Fabrega star as amateur horror enthusiasts who launch an on-demand service for all things creepy and kooky, and their first assignment is to stage an exorcism. It’s exactly as bonkers as it sounds — and that’s not even including the chocolate empire drama, the hypnotized newscaster, or the disarmingly hot priest with the shiny lips. (Take that, Fleabag.) —DC

"The Side Effect" — The Magicians (SYFY)

(Written by Elle Lipson, directed by Salli Richardson-Whitfield)

Since it premiered, The Magicians has always been about the pains of entering early adulthood, and “The Side Effect” beautifully illustrates one of the most important lessons of that process: learning to see other’s perspectives. In the anthology-like hour, Underworld librarian Penny (Arjun Gupta) tries to disabuse Derek, someone he believes is an underling, of their “white male protagonism.” Using three stories about characters other shows would cast aside as sidekicks or plot devices — Kady (Jade Tailor), Fen (Brittany Curran), and Zelda (Mageina Tovah) — Penny explains the dangers of ignoring perspectives that either don’t match your own or what you believe a hero should like. The lesson works in the context of the episode, showing Penny himself has grown since dying, and as commentary on television storytelling as a whole. Plus, it reveals that beneath all of the sarcasm and salty pop culture references, The Magicians is a warm and generous show that sees value in every character that appears on screen. —CA

"405 Method Not Allowed" — Mr. Robot (USA)

(Written and directed by Sam Esmail)

“We don’t have to talk.” For “Method Not Allowed,” Mr. Robot took Darlene’s opening message very literally, considering no dialogue would be spoken again until Vera popped up in the closing scene to declare, “It’s time we talk.” But like season 3’s big single-take episode, creator-writer-director Sam Esmail delivered a gripping installment that was intense, anxiety-inducing, and much more than a gimmick. —Derek Lawrence

“Wild Things” — Pen15 (Hulu)

(Written by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman, directed by Sam Zvibleman)

Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine’s Hulu comedy series quickly took off this year because of how well it nailed life in the aughts as a preteen, warts (or more likely zits) and all. Everyone who’s been through it can understand how adolescent horniness verges on chaotic, but only the real ones know what a specific moment it was to sneakily view and take note of the 1998 erotic thriller Wild Things. —MJ

"Strawberries" — Ramy (Hulu)

(Written and directed by Ramy Youssef)

Flashing back to a day that no one will ever forget, especially a young Muslim-American, “Strawberries” finds 12-year-old Ramy (Elisha Henig) attempting to navigate the fallout from 9/11. Things soon take an unexpected turn when he encounters Osama Bin Laden (Christopher Tramantana) in his kitchen. Of course, the surreal scene is a dream, but the confidence to pull this off was very real. —DL

"LaLaPaRUza" — RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4 (VH1)

(Directed by Nick Murray)

When mother suspends All-Stars rules “until further notice,” you know she means business. RuPaul did just that on the most jaw-dropping episode of Drag Race to date, which saw the drag superstar welcome four eliminated queens — Latrice Royale, Farrah Moan, Gia Gunn, and Jasmine Masters — back into the competition to lip-sync against remaining competitors in an effort to steal their spot in the race for the crown. Filled with more tension than Trinity The Tuck’s forehead after a new injection, the episode’s standout face-off occurred when the supermodelesque Naomi Smalls — who’d thus far flown largely under the radar — proved her iconic might by bending her 6’5’’ body over backwards to touch the floor behind her in a swift move that sent darling Gia Gunn packing for a second time (and our wigs into outer space). —Joey Nolfi

"This Is Not for Tears" — Succession (HBO)

(Written by Jesse Armstrong, directed by Mark Mylod)

Succession's sophomore year was a perfect season of television. Whether it was with Boar on the Floor, Roman and Gerri’s sweet-weird romance, or “L to the OG,” the HBO drama delivered gold to viewers — and the internet. And creator Jesse Armstrong managed to cap it off with the best episode of the bunch. Essentially a bottle episode on a yacht off the Italian coast, “This Is Not for Tears” was far from a vacation for the Roys, with the tension mounting as everyone prepared to be on the chopping block. In the end, Kendall was the pick, and he broke our heart when he asked his dad if he could have ever been the CEO, only to then have us cheering (and Logan smirking) when he turned the tables on the OG. He’s a killer, indeed. —DL

"Employee Appreciation Day" — Superstore

(Written by Justin Spitzer, directed by Jeffrey Blitz)

This season 4 Superstore finale effortlessly pinged between comedy, drama, and suspenseful action as the Cloud 9 employees banded together to protect Mateo (Nico Santos) from being captured by ICE, an unwelcome doorbuster. Somehow creator Justin Spitzer’s script and Jeffrey Blitz’s direction found humor in such a terrifying scenario without undercutting just how serious it was. —CA

"The Jelly Lakes" — Tuca & Bertie

(Written by Shauna McGarry, directed by Amy Winfrey)

Creator Lisa Hanawalt filled the backgrounds of Tuca & Bertie with even more complicated jokes than she did on BoJack Horseman — and also upped the ante on the simmering darkness beneath the artsy animal fun. This episode confronted that darkness head-on by revealing that Bertie (Ali Wong) had been sexually assaulted by a lifeguard at her childhood summer camp, with lasting consequences for her relationships with men. This backstory is conveyed with unforgettable visuals (a dark forest standing in for what it always used to stand in for, Bertie’s once-beloved red swimsuit floating away in the wind), but the episode doesn’t linger on sadness. With help from Tuca (Tiffany Haddish), Bertie is finally able to confront her problems. —CH

"This Extraordinary Being" — Watchmen (HBO)

(Written by Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson, directed by Stephen Williams)

Trauma is hereditary. Watchmen’s masterpiece of a sixth episode explores how pain and violence can ricochet through a generation, leaving scars on people who haven’t even been born yet. Filmed almost entirely in sharp, almost sterile black and white, “This Extraordinary Being” follows Tulsa cop Angela Abar (Regina King) as she literally relives the memories of her grandfather, Will Reeves (played in flashbacks by Jovan Adepo). The pills she swallows to access his memories are called “Nostalgia,” but Will’s experiences are anything but sentimental: Not only did Will survive the 1921 Tulsa massacre, but the episode reveals that he became one of New York City’s earliest black cops before turning to vigilantism, donning a mask and patrolling the streets as Hooded Justice. The revelation that the first-ever superhero was a black man is a bold, brilliant twist on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ original comic, and as Angela grapples with her grandfather’s past, the episode weaves a breathtaking tale of race, rage, and American legacy. —DC

"Veep" — Veep (HBO)

(Written and directed by David Mandel)

Veep didn’t go out with a bang — it went out with a nuclear blast. In the propulsive final episode of HBO’s barbarous government comedy, self-consumed politician Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) blew up everything and everyone around her with insidious acts of self-preservation on her way back to the White House. But victory came at a cost; the most powerful person in the world was left powerfully alone in the Oval Office. Years later, death would prove to be the great humbler, as coverage of her funeral was overshadowed by breaking news about the death of America’s true hero, Tom Hanks. “Veep” was a sad and savage sign-off, nasty and nihilistic, and utterly befitting of a most Machiavellian Madame President. —Dan Snierson

"Part 4" — When They See Us (Netflix)

(Story by Ava DuVernay, teleplay by Ava DuVernay and Michael Starrbury, and directed by Ava DuVernay)

With When They See Us, director Ava DuVernay delivered a devastatingly stunning story about the Exonerated Five as she chronicled their journey from innocent to guilty and back again. And in the fourth and final episode of the limited series, DuVernay chose to zero in on the journey of Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome). Almost serving as its own movie, episode 4 examined Korey’s experience in prison with excruciating detail, showing the many ways in which his experience changed him physically, mentally, and emotionally. Paired with a superb performance from Jerome, episode 4 was as painful as it was powerful, but more than anything, it was unforgettable. —Samantha Highfill

"Pancakes" — You're the Worst (FXX)

(Written and directed by Stephen Falk)

After five seasons of Sunday Fundays, trash juice, and dysfunctional relationships, Jimmy (Chris Geere) and Gretchen (Aya Cash) got their version of a happy ending with the delightful series finale of the FXX comedy, which perfectly paid off the final season’s flash-forward structure. Simply, it was the best. —DL