The 2020s have seen the rise and fall of many iconic TV shows, but what’s stood out this decade isn’t just the series themselves, but their best episodes. While not all of these series are thebest TV shows of all time,they’ve put out groundbreaking additions to the television landscape,taking already great seasons to the next level with the writing, performances, and payoff of these stories.
Thebest TV episodes of all timecome from every decade of television, but the 2020s have already been an interesting era for TV, and it’s only halfway over. Coming from all kinds of genres and chronicling stories about everything from high-stakes adventures to everyday family drama,these episodes suck the audience in from start to finish,and it will be a long time before we forget about them.
20"Fishes"
The Bear Season 2, Episode 6
Anyone who has heard or said “Yes, chef” since 2022 has either actively or passively engaged with the cultural influence of the acclaimed dramedy,The Bear. Knocking audiences out with a high-octane and deeply stressful first season,The Bearhit its stride in season 2, with questions about Carmy’s past and the trauma that haunts him finally being answered in “Fishes.”
A flashback to a Berzatto family holiday dinner,“Fishes” has everything from fantastic guest stars to some of the most viscerally uncomfortable family drama ever put to screen. However, forThe Bear, this is quite a compliment, as the show thrives on this never-ending tension, and the audience gets a vital insight into Carmy’s home life.
“Fishes” set a high bar forThe Bearmoving into seasons 3 and 4.
“Fishes” set a high bar forThe Bearmoving into seasons 3 and 4. While the series is quick to rehash the familiar themes of this episode, since “Fishes” became such an instant hit for the show, it will be important forThe Bearto evolve. Its characters have come a long way since the events of the episode.
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19"Gganbu"
Squid Game Season 1, Episode 6
From the moment it premiered on Netflix,Squid Gamewas heralded not just as a fun spectacle to watch unfold onscreen but as an intricately crafted piece of television.Anchored by Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun,season 1, episode 6, “Gganbu” raises the already high stakes of the terrifying physical and mental games the characters are put through.
Squid Gameseason 1 didn’t struggle to connect with audiences, and the way “Gganbu” opened the door to the other characters, and pushes them to their limits without violence. It’s the mind games through the marbles challenges that end up breaking many of the characters, especially after the events of the episodes leading up to this point.
Deeper questions surrounding the character’s morality, what they’ll do, and who they’ll sacrifice to win become crystallized throughout “Gganbu,” tugging on the viewer’s heartstrings. Most audiences who watch “Gganbu” don’t finish the episode without crying, and it’s easy to see why.Squid Game’s empathy and tough moral compromises are some of the hardest and best parts of the show to watch.
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18"Plan And Execution"
Better Call Saul Season 6, Episode 7
ThoughBetter Call Saulis a spinoff of one of thebest crime drama TV shows,Breaking Bad, there’s an argument to be made that the prequel series is even better in some ways.“Plan and Execution,” the midpoint of the final season,is considered one of the best episodes not only of the series or the 2020s, but of the franchise.
Bob Odenkirk’s work inBetter Call Saulis some of the finest of his career, and there’s no better example of this than in “Plan and Execution,” but Rhea Seehorn’s Kim and Patrick Fabian’s Howard are no less mesmerizing as the trio battles onscreen.The shocking, violent ending is the culmination of a near-flawless conthat keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat.
WatchingBetter Call Saulcatch up with the timeline ofBreaking Badand manage to balance the conflicting storylines is one of the most brilliant examples of television in the past few years. In “Plan and Execution,” Jimmy and Kim are forced to confront the reality of what they’ve been doing and who they’re involved with, setting the series on a thrilling trajectory in the final episodes.
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Poker Face Season 1, Episode 1
After making his name on the atmospheric mystery movie,Knives Out, Rian Johnson took his talents to television, partnering with Natasha Lyonne onPoker Face. WhilePoker Facequickly hits its stride as it mines classic shows and films of the genre, subverting their tropes,it’s in the pilot, “Dead Man’s Hand,” thatPoker Faceshines.
Getting to know Lyonne’s Charlie and learning the rules of the world is one of the most fun parts ofPoker Face, and the series becomes more episodic after the pilot until the finale. Some of the most personally emotional moments for Charlie and her arc happen in “Dead Man’s Hand,” kicking off the events of the entire series.
A pilot is one of the most difficult parts of any series to get right, and it can make or break the rest of the show. This is what makes it so impressive that"Dead Man’s Hand" achieves so much in its tight runtime.It helps that Lyonne and the colorful cast of characters she interacts with are just as vivid as the central mystery.
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16"How To Cook The Perfect Risotto"
How To With John Wilson Season 1, Episode 6
Documentarian John Wilson had already struck gold with his docuseriesHow to With John Wilsonfrom the series' premiere, but the season 1 finale, “How to Cook the Perfect Risotto,” captured something magical. Inadvertently chronicling the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as it spread throughout New York City,Wilson takes the audience on an emotional odyssey.
As he does in each episode, Wilson begins the story by attempting to achieve a goal, in this case, making risotto, and he lets himself be drawn down every path that unfolds throughout his journey. In “How to Cook the Perfect Risotto,” Wilson is self-aware to make his encounters with early pandemic life feel vivid and relevant, even through today’s lens.
Each season ofHow to With John Wilsonis a near-perfect installment of television, but this episode will always stand out.
There’s little question that most audiences would rather forget this period. However,Wilson transforms discussions of isolation and anxiety into a much deeper interrogationof himself and his purpose as a documentarian. Each season ofHow to With John Wilsonis a near-perfect installment of television, but this episode will always stand out.
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15"My Controls"
The Rehearsal Season 2, Episode 6
After gaining notoriety for his iconic comedy seriesNathan For You, Nathan Fielder returned to television with an even more outlandish concept in mind forThe Rehearsal. WhileThe Rehearsalseason 1 explored the ethics of child acting,The Rehearsalseason 2 digs into the realities of the aviation industry,culminating in the groundbreaking episode of television, “My Controls.”
As the series finale of season 2, “My Controls” is the kind of television that comedians, documentarians, and any TV writer at all will be wishing they thought of for years to come. Just offbeat and bizarre enough to be relentlessly compelling,The Rehearsalis as hilarious as it is jaw-dropping, and we can’t wait to see what Fielder does next.
If viewers weren’t sure thatThe Rehearsalwas real, watching Fielder become a pilot and successfully fly a plane would be even more unbelievable than it already is.“My Controls” is a testament to Fielder’s ability to commitfully to his projects and expose the flaws built into the fabric of our society, even if he risks his life to do it.
14"Crimson Sky"
Shōgun Season 1, Episode 9
It soon became clear that a reimagining of the iconic novelShōgunwas exactly what television needed, as the limited series quickly became one of the most popular and critically acclaimed of 2024. ThoughShōgunhad been brought to life for the screen before,the 2024 adaptation is a far more vivid, sweeping take on the story, with “Crimson Sky” cementing its legacy.
Shōgundoesn’t shy away from tragedy in “Crimson Sky.”
While the ensemble as a whole makesShōguna gripping drama, Anna Sawai shines in “Crimson Sky” as Toda Mariko, giving a moving performance that will shock audiences. After watching Mariko and Blackthorne’s relationship grow throughout the season,Shōgundoesn’t shy away from tragedy in “Crimson Sky,” which speaks to the quality of the storytelling.
Shōgun’s breadth of thematic and tonal importance takes shape in “Crimson Sky"as Mariko challenges the world around her, even if it comes at a high cost. It’s not uncommon for the penultimate episode of a series to be even more riveting than the finale, and this was the case forShōgun, as the show gave its all to “Crimson Sky.”
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13"Infinite Largesse”
Industry Season 3, Episode 8
ThoughIndustryis too often compared toSuccession, it’s a very different series, and has made a name for itself in recent years thanks to episodes like “Infinite Largesse.” The season 3 finale provides everythingIndustryis known for, with extravagant displays of wealth, plenty of scheming and backstabbing, and a shocking twist that threatens to separate the characters indefinitely.
TheIndustryseason 3 finale paves the way for a very different fourth season that will shake up both the viewers' and characters' preconceived notions about the show.Harper’s morally grey arc is one of the most exciting developmentsin “Infinite Largesse,” as she completes her rise and comes out of the episode as one of the winners.
It can be risky to craft a season finale that could also be read as a series finale; however,“Infinite Largesse” is exactly whatIndustryneeded to keep the story fresh.With Pierpont’s future looking very different as the next season approaches, the season 3 finale will be a touchpoint for the show to remindIndustryof what it does best.
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12Holiday Hookah
Abbott Elementary Season 2, Episode 10
Arguably the best sitcom of the 2020s,Abbott Elementaryfinds a perfect juxtaposition between self-aware humor and heartfelt emotional arcs while never crossing the line into mean-spirited behavior.Holiday episodes are always special additions to a series,and “Holiday Hookah” adheres to this tradition, with each of the characters confronting their hang-ups about the season and each other.
Though it’s a more episodic show,Abbottdigs into its characters and their budding romances brilliantly in “Holiday Hookah.” It’s Janine and Gregory, the couple audiences have been rooting for since the beginning, who take center stage in the episode. Meeting by chance at a club with their friends,the chemistry between the characters nearly boils over,but leaves us hoping for more.
Abbott Elementarydraws out the tension and builds a romantic arc between Janine and Gregory a little longer in the wake of “Holiday Hookah.” However, it’s episodes like this that lay the groundwork for a classic yet fresh will-they-won’t-they relationship. However, “Holiday Hookah” doesn’t forget about the others, finding a balance between important character work and the show’s trademark hilarity.
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11"One Way Out"
Andor Season 1, Episode 10
It would have been easy for critics and audiences who aren’t as invested in theStar Warsuniverse to write off a show likeAndor, but the action-packed and ideologically nuanced series refused to be ignored. In season 1’s “One Way Out,” Cassian, played by Diego Luna, makes a bold move for the Rebellion and his freedom.
“One Way Out” stands out among the many iconic episodes ofAndornot only for its action but for its plotting and the way Cassian’s character development is furthered by his role in the story. Interweaving several connected stories of the Rebellion and the Empire throughout its run,“One Way Out” is a benchmark for all franchise television.
Andorunderstands the shape and arc of true rebellion,rooting the characters and universe ofStar Warsin our reality in a way that hasn’t been done before. Andy Serkis also gives a disarming performance in “One Way Out,” asAndorbalances truly great dialogue with thrilling action and set pieces.
