The Futon Critic.com’s Top 50 Greatest Episodes of 2002

[Sitcomwriter]

I'm pretty sure that all of you have heard of the great website www.thefutoncritic.com well every year they pick the Top 50 Greatest episodes of shows from the previous and here are their picks for 2002:

The Futon Critic.com’s Top 50 Greatest Episodes of 2002

50. "everwood: pilot" (wb)
originally aired: september 16, 2002
While easy to dismiss as a cross-section of overused TV clichés (man leaves big city for a small town, man speaks to his dead wife, moppet child is wiser beyond her years, etc.) "Everwood" started off - and continues to be - a surprisingly engaging drama. Key to that has been the series' strange ability to put a new spin on said clichés. Want to keep "the" boy and "the" girl apart? How about throw in the fact the girl is still in love with her boyfriend - who just happens to be in a coma caused in part by her own brother's recklessness. Want to throw a wrench in the little girl's budding friendship with the bully at school? Mention that the bully happens to not only play with dolls, but actually had been born with both sex organs. Sure it sounds like something out of "Days of Our Lives," but if you watch the show, the writers, producers and actors somehow manage to make this all feel "right" and compelling. The pilot in particular hit all these notes as all the characters were cleverly introduced. I mean who would have thought the bus-driver narrator was actually the husband of the woman who works for Dr. Brown and is also the mother of the man whose daughter Dr. Brown's son is in love with. Nothing is simple in "Everwood" and we wouldn't have it any other way.
49. "family guy: family guy viewer mail #1" (fox)
originally aired february 14, 2002
Not a stranger to breaking the fourth wall, "Family Guy" did nothing but in this installment where the characters answer fan mail about the show. The resulting vignettes were priceless, including one where the Griffin family all get superpowers. Our favorite dialogue:
Peter (watching Seseme Street): Hey, is the Count a Vampire?
Brian: What's that?
Peter: Well he's got these big fangs. Have they ever shown him doin' somebody in and then feedin' on em?
Brian: You're, you're asking me if they've ever done a Seseme Street in which the Count kills somebody and then sucks their blood for sustenance?
Peter: Yeah.
Brian: No, they've never done that.
48. "undeclared: eric's p.o.v." (fox)
originally aired march 12, 2002
"Undeclared" closed its run with a truly laugh out loud installment featuring Ben Stiller as Eric's (Jason Segel) stepdad. One of the funniest running gags of the show was the copy center trio of Jason Segel, David Krumholtz and Kyle Gass and this episode put them front a center. Still agonizing over losing his girlfriend Lizzie, Eric's quest to get her back sees him doing everything from accidentally swallowing someone else's tongue ring to seeking advice from his stepdad (Stiller), a 12-step program addict. I say it too much at this site: damn, I'll miss this show.
47. "titus: insanity genetic, part 2" (fox)
originally aired august 5, 2002
Not many series have the stones to end their runs with a main character being sent to a mental ward (okay "Seinfeld" ended with everybody going to jail), but as always "Titus" bucked the trend. After being arrested by the F.B.I. due to a misunderstanding on an airplane, the Titus clan is forced to either commit Christopher or risk spending 20 years in jail - a decision made easier when they find out Christopher's commitment would only be three months. Definitely not something you'd see on "Friends." As cliché as these words are, dark and edgy "Titus" was and we'll miss the show because of the chances it took to find new sources of humor.
46. "curb your enthusiasm: the benadryl brownie" (hbo)
originally aired september 22, 2002
It's almost impossible to describe what makes this show so funny. But for those who are familiar with it: Larry David and cell phones. Enough said.
45. "south park: free hat" (comedy central)
originally aired july 10, 2002
"South Park" continues to not get enough credit for its skewering of pop culture. This episode in particular, where the boys try to prevent Steven Spielberg (coming off his "E.T." director's cut) from re-cutting "Raiders of the Lost Ark," provided loads of laughs by indicting the strange phenomenon as of late where directors sanitize and change their films from its original form for no apparent reason. Even better was an amusing live-action sequence where creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone make an appearance to sell a "special edition" of the pilot episode of "South Park" with improved special effects because after all "we always wanted Dewbacks walking around in the background but we couldn't afford it." Funny, funny stuff.
44. "futurama: where no fan has gone before" (fox)
originally aired april 22, 2002
"Another great science fiction series canceled before its time," says Bender in one of the series' more clever outings. Fearing the effect they have on society, Earth had banished every episode of the original "Star Trek" to an uninhabited planet. Fry however is determined to find them: "The world needs Star Trek to give people hope for the future." "But," replies Leela, "it's set 800 years in the past!" Featuring appearances by virtually the entire original Trek cast (and even "The Next Generation's" Jonathan Frakes in an amusing bit), the episode was filled to the brim with everything from pot shots to insider jokes about "Star Trek" and science fiction fandom in general. But what really set it apart was its own subtle joking about its own future. Not since "Sports Night" has a series winded down its run more cleverly.
43. "the chris isaak show: chris isaak day" (showtime)
originally aired january 20, 2002
Showtime's "The Chris Isaak Show" works best when it plays against Isaak's own nice guy persona and there's few better than this entry in which he gets a street named after himself in his hometown. In his usual "aw-shucks" manner he attends the ceremony only to find not everybody is as excited as he is. A particularly funny sequence features Chris going to a store where he visited often as a kid only to have the owner get annoyed that he has to change all his stationary to "Chris Isaak Ave." Sure it's not groundbreaking comedy, but there's a style and mood to this show unique among any series you'll find on this list.
42. "buffy the vampire slayer: conversations with dead people" (upn)
originally aired november 12, 2002
"Buffy" has gotten a lot of mileage out bringing back dead characters and yet each time it doesn't feel cheap or out of place. A perfect example of this was in this episode where The First (i.e. the first evil of the world) plays its hand by impersonating those close to Buffy and her friends. From this we get everything from a heartbreaking scene between Willow and someone speaking for her beloved Tara to Dawn getting a visit from her mother in which she's told her sister won't choose her in the end. Heartbreaking and deliciously evil at the same time - that's "Buffy" at its best for sure.
41. "the west wing: game on" (nbc)
originally aired october 30, 2002
While I can't say I was a huge fan of "The West Wing's" ugly attempt to re-live the Bush/Gore election (the debate between Martin Sheen and James Brolin in this episode is particularly cringe inducing), the seed to what we presume will be Rob Lowe's exit from the series was watered in this episode. I fully expected his send off to be something quick and painless however Sorkin went against the grain here by starting a sub-plot about what the future of Sam Seaborn is. More importantly though, this episode brought Josh Malina ("Sports Night") back into regularly scheduled primetime programming. That's worth a spot on this list by itself.
40. "without a trace: suspect" (cbs)
originally aired october 24, 2002
While it often feels like "C.S.I." transplanted into a missing persons setting, "Without a Trace" is slowly but surely forming its own identity. This episode in particular stood out as a fine showcase for lead Anthony LaPaglia in which a headmaster at a high priced prep school is suspected of kidnapping a child whom he was molesting. Left with no other means to find the child, LaPaglia appeals to the man's basest instincts by pretending to express sympathy over his disturbing predilection, even promising him five minutes alone with the child once they find him. When the boy is found, LaPaglia reveals his lie ("You've had your five minutes") but can't help but be disturbed what he had to in order to find the boy. The episode closes with something you don't see very often: LaPaglia's character throws up in disgust.
39. "the simpsons: i am furious yellow" (fox)
originally aired april 28, 2002
It's been a while since "The Simpsons" spent the bulk of an episode raking a social trend over the coals and in this case it was worth the wait. After Bart garners fame as a cartoonist by turning Homer into a comic called "Angry Dad," an internet company approaches him to turn it into a web cartoon. What follows is easily some of the funniest stuff "The Simpsons" has churned out in a while, especially if you've had any experience in the dot com field. Everybody here being from that background ourselves, we certainly couldn't not put this episode on the list.
38. "ed: trapped" (nbc)
originally aired november 20, 2002
Having dragged the Ed/Carol plotline kicking and screaming through its third season, the producers finally got around to answering the question of "will they or won't they?" Annoyed themselves by the constant bickering between Ed and Carol, their friends decide to use one of the best known TV plotlines to their advantage: they lock up Ed and Carol in the bowling alley and swear they won't let them out until they've sorted their feelings out. Things go through their usual motions as the two take a while to get civil and just when you think you know what's going to happen: the resolution turns out to be far from what you could have expected. In a dark twist, just as Carol is about to kiss Ed he stops her. Fed up with all the hoops he's had to jump through in the past three years, he says "I'm done," pushes her away and demands their friends open the door. Definitely not the sweet, syrupy dramedy the series started out as. Of special note in this episode was a fall out of your chair hilarious sequence in which Mike (an underrated Josh Randall) tries to entertain his wife and Molly while they wait in front of the bowling ally. Just the thought of Mike break dancing is enough to make me laugh any day of the week.
37. "the dead zone: destiny" (usa)
originally aired september 15, 2002
Everyone here admires when shows get bold and break from the norm and that was the case for the season finale of "The Dead Zone." Fully able to milk the Johnny/Sarah (an extremely likeable Anthony Michael Hall and Nicole de Boer) tension for seasons on end, the producers decided to take a different direction as the two have an affair. One of the more compelling elements of the series has been the heartbreaking notion that the five years he missed felt like yesterday to him but (obviously) five years to everyone else. Watching his now born son and now married girlfriend ripped away from him - but still be there - is an interesting twist, added to the fact he's burdened by abilities he doesn't completely want or understand. And when you consider that from Sarah's perspective that he hasn't changed a day since she last saw him (when they were deeply in love), it's twice as heartbreaking. It's nice to see these elements touched upon and used compellingly to push the series off in a different direction. Oh, and did we mention Johnny meets a politician and has a vision of Washington, D.C. in the middle of an apocalypse?
36. "haunted: grievous angels" (upn)
originally aired october 1, 2002
"Haunted" was one of those series that if you got past a decidedly weak pilot, you'd be surprised how good the show got. Such was the case with the series' second episode that made better use the "I'm back from the dead and now I can see them" plotline that seemed somewhat trite in the first episode. While investigating a missing club girl, Frank (Matthew Fox) is helped by one of her plucky friends who points him in the direction of a reckless British band. Frank is particularly invested as the parents of the missing girl had previously lost their elder daughter as well. When the truth is revealed (she was killed when she told one of the band members she was pregnant with his child), a heartbreaking sequence occurs where Frank realizes the girl who helped him was actually the ghost of the missing girl's older sister. Episodes like these showed that "Haunted" was not your typical "booga-booga" ghost story.
35. "buffy the vampire slayer: normal again" (upn)
originally aired march 12, 2002
One of the few highlights in an overall disappointing season was this episode in which Buffy is led to believe she isn't a vampire slayer at all. She wakes up in a mental ward where she's told the past six years were actually just her active imagination, an imagination that has forced her to be committed. The doctors (along with Buffy's now alive mom) offer her a solution to her dilemma however: the next time the "dreams" happen she should simply just kill off her friends as that will break the link between the two worlds in her mind. The ensuing climax was actually quite frightening as Buffy gets close to doing such a thing. Thankfully she doesn't and the twisted spell is broken.
34. "stargate sg-1: abyss" (sci fi)
originally aired july 19, 2002
Sure we were disappointed by Michael Shanks' exit from the show however a solid effort by Corin Nemec to fill the void made us look past losing the cast member. But it wasn't until this episode in which a captured O'Neill (the always great Richard Dean Anderson) is visited by the, well, let's just say spirit of Daniel Jackson that we remembered exactly what made Daniel such a special character, and more to the point, why his friendship with O'Neill was one of the series' best relationships. Captured after a botched rescue attempt, O'Neill finds himself being routinely tortured and subsequently brought back by a despot Goa'uld. As the repetition begins to eat away at his mind, he's visited by Daniel in an effort to ease his pain. He can't rescue him but he can take him to place he went. What results is a series of conversations that reveal how deep their friendship goes and also how O'Neill sees himself. As a whole this episode was a startling testament as to why this series shouldn't be cast into the B-list syndicated pool it often is characterized as in the mainstream media.
33. "angel: spin the bottle" (wb)
originally aired november 10, 2002
"Angel" has been home to some of the more radical character changes in the Joss Whedon universe. After all, toss in early episodes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and then watch a recent episode of "Angel" and you'd be hard pressed to see how those dots connected for a character like Cordelia Chase (the lovely Charisma Carpenter). But as long time viewers know, that progression has felt anything but abnormal as the spoiled brat rich girl has become something of a humbled warrior in the fight for good. So it was particularly interesting in this episode to see Cordelia (along with the rest of the cast) forced to revisit their younger selves after a memory spell goes awry. How Chase, David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof and company all step their characters back a few years without missing a beat is something that borders on extraordinary to watch.
32. "monk: mr. monk and the airplane" (usa)
originally aired october 18, 2002
The title of the episode says it all for us.
31. "robbery homicide division: mini-mall" (cbs)
originally aired october 4, 2002
You'd be hard pressed to find a more riveting opening sequence in 2002 than in this episode of the now defunct drama "Robbery Homicide Division." In a montage of everyday events, Tom Sizemore and company go about their daily routine as the day winds to a close. We then see two black and whites doing the same thing as one must stop at a mini-mall to use a pay phone. As she gets out two men spot the squad car and assume they are coming for them and proceed to unload their automatic rifles into the car, murdering the cops. While it may sound pretty average, the execution was something to behold as the moody "Blood on the Motorway" (D.J. Shadow from the album Private Press) played in the background. Michael Mann has a knack for making what should be average look spectacular and that was definitely the case here.
30. "c.s.i.: the hunger artist" (cbs)
originally aired may 16, 2002
Much like "Law & Order," "C.S.I." almost prides itself on not having any subplots. While that makes for easy viewing week in and week out, sometimes we crave a little bit more. Thankfully every so often "C.S.I." does connect a few dots between episodes and this one delivered a dozy. Not outright revealed until the closing scene, Gil Grissom's (a great William Peterson) degenerative hearing condition comes to the forefront in this episode as he struggles to solve the murder of a woman disfigured and stuffed into a shopping cart. While the resolution to mystery is status quo "C.S.I.," what's not is the closing sequence in which Grissom is told the news. How it will affect his future as a C.S.I. remained to be seen (which has since been touched on here and there) but one thing was for sure: the status quo changed a little for the Vegas team. It's always nice as a viewer to have small scenes in previous episodes (such as when we learn Grissom's mother was deaf and he knows how to sign) resonate with present events.
29. "gilmore girls: i can't get started" (wb)
originally aired may 21, 2002
The love lives of the Gilmore women took center stage in this episode as estranged lovers Lorelai (the delightful Lauren Graham) and Christopher (David Sutcliffe) and parents to Rory (Alexis Bledel) neared reconciliation. Of course the wrench this time isn't being sixteen, it's the last minute news that Christopher's girlfriend is pregnant and his resolution to be there this time for his child. Meanwhile, Rory throws a wrench of her own into her near-perfect relationship with Dean. She kisses Jess, leaving not one, but two reasons the three month wait between seasons was far too long.
28. "john doe: pilot" (fox)
originally aired september 20, 2002
While it has since squandered most of its potential, "John Doe" started out on a surprisingly high note. Waking up on an isolated island without any memory about how he got there or who he is, John Doe's (the welcome newcomer Dominic Purcell) journey to try and rebuild his life was one of the more engaging starts to a new series in 2002. From his gambling foibles to the startling discovery of how deep his knowledge goes, you couldn't help but root for this guy. Sure the rules of how his "knowing everything" works seem scattershot at best (he knows there are 152 Chevy Impalas in Seattle but needs to call each motel in the city - using the phone book no less - to figure out what kind of washing machine tokens they use) but like a certain "defective detective" on the USA network, the fun is in watching him use his talents while struggling with the limitations of them - in Doe's case not knowing the things he desperately wants to know: who he is or where he comes from. Well shot and cut together by feature helmer Mimi Leder, you'd be hard pressed to find a better example of a series that established who the characters are and what the status quo will be this season. Sadly the series has fallen victim to its own goofy conspiracy back story (an organization can re-create Doe's supposed childhood home but forget to bake the homemade muffins?), but we will look fondly on its start.
27. "scrubs: my last day" (nbc)
originally aired may 21, 2002
In just one season, "Scrubs" managed to build a surprisingly large web of relationships: Elliott was still secretly in love with J.D., J.D. happened to have slept with Dr. Cox's ex-wife, Dr. Cox was secretly in love with Turk's girlfriend Carla, Turk knew about Dr. Cox's crush but didn't do anything about it and a few others I'm forgetting off hand. So it was fall out of your chair hilarious to see in the closing sequence of the first season Dr. Cox's ex-wife (Christa Miller) walk in and completely rip the lid off everyone's secrets to those involved. The jaw-dropped reaction of the cast was priceless making its "cliffhanger" aspect all the more enjoyable. "Scrubs" could have easily milked each of these subplots for seasons on end, so it was nice (not to mention surprising) to see them all get snuffed out at once.
26. "the dead zone: wheel of fortune" (usa)
originally aired june 16, 2002
I think if I was ever a showrunner on a new series, one of the first calls I would make would be to ask if Rob Lieberman could direct the pilot. I was reminded by such a thought when I checked out the DVD release of "The Dead Zone's" pilot episode recently. Lieberman raised the bar on what could easily have been a typical cable/netlet opener: Johnny Smith awakens from a five-year coma to find out he has the ability to see into the past, present and future of people by simply coming into contact with them or something they've touched. Even without the Stephen King book/movie, we've all seen the show about the guy or girl who can see something at a crime scene others can't. The "Dead Zone" sets itself apart by not only adding a distinct visual flair (the P.O.V. foreground/background shots in the pilot are amazing) but also making time for quiet moments they could have easily glossed over. From Johnny and Sarah's "new taste" to Dr. Tran's finding his long lost mother, there was just a - for lack of a better word or pun considering the premise - "touch" to this series from both the cast and crew that made it special.
25. "the invisible man: enemy of my enemy" (sci fi)
originally aired january 25, 2002
"I-Man" was fun and engaging right up through its final hours and this episode - in which the Keeper (Shannon Kenny) finds the cure for Darien's condition - is no exception. Despite its often playful tone there was always a threatening undercurrent to the series, especially concerning Darien's employment at the Agency. Those undercurrents came to the forefront here as the Keeper is told not to use the cure for "quicksilver madness" on Darien or the Offical will have him killed. After all without his need to come back week after week, Darien would fly the coup. Such a frightening quandary showed how many levels this series worked on. And plus this episode had one of Darien's better "oh crap" moments. Man I miss this show.
24. "odyssey 5: trouble with harry" (showtime)
originally aired september 6, 2002
Well let's come right out and say it: Ted Raimi made this episode work. He played Harry Mudd, the manifestation of one of the few non-threatening Synthetics the crew traveled back in time to prevent from destroying the Earth. One of the more intriguing and compelling aspects of the series was the fact the crew really had no idea how the Earth gets destroyed or really even who did it or how. They get a few hints in this episode about how it could be done (made all the more fun by Peter Weller's dry sense of humor: "We are now talking to a string of computer code that's got the blues cause she read too many French books?") and while I'm no physicist, it certainly scared the crap out of me as being frighteningly possible. But aside from those welcome hints, Harry's newfound experience with being "human" made this episode a real standout. From him playing with Sarah's son to his first experience with sex, his goofy and enthusiastic attitude rubs off on the rest of the cast, inspiring them to enjoy life a little as well.
23. "firefly: ariel" (fox)
originally aired november 15, 2002
It took a while for Joss Whedon and company to get all of their ducks in a row on this series and when they did: wow. "Ariel" had the perfect balance of the elements that made its previous outings less than stellar: the goofy mix of the western and science fiction genres, not to mention a lack of the strong overlapping narrative present in Whedon's other shows. Realizing there's only one thing that can help his ill sister, Simon (FOX failure regular Sean Maher) hires the Firefly crew to break into an Alliance medical facility with the promise of supplies to loot while they wait for him to use its advanced technology to diagnose her. One of Whedon's less talked about talents is his ability to separate a large cast into distinct characters (I mean $20 if you can tell me the difference between the two dark haired guys on "C.S.I.: Miami" outside of their ethnicity) and this episode gave almost everyone a lot to do without feeling cluttered. What really made the episode stand out however was the terrifying confrontation between Jayne (the underrated Adam Baldwin) and Mal (a likable Nathan Fillon) that closed the episode. Whedon's shows have a history of not limiting death's grip to anyone and such was the case here as Mal threatens to space Jayne after finding out he sold out Simon and River to the Alliance. We had no idea if he was going to survive and that presence of uncertainty is rare in television.
22. "24: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m." (fox)
originally aired october 29, 2002
How in the world were they going to follow last season? When we last saw Jack (the irreplaceable Kiefer Sutherland) he was cradling his dead wife. Fast forward almost a year and we find Jack a bearded recluse, estranged from his daughter. By the episode's end Jack is freshly shaved, chopping off a felon's head and trying to stop a nuclear attack. As they said in season one, episode one: "Sit back, things are just getting started." This year that's an understatement.
21. "c.s.i.: stalker" (cbs)
originally aired april 4, 2002
You won't get much creepier than Nick's (George Eads) showdown with a serial killer that literally lived on the rooftops and stalked his victims. After a woman is murdered in an seemingly untouched house, the C.S.I. crew slowly tracks down the man responsible - her cable installer, Nigel Crane (Doug Hutchison). The man used his access as an installer to allow him free reign on his victims. He could see what they were doing by watching from the attic and would torture them as if he was God looking down on them. More disturbing however is when the man turns his attention to Nick, who after returning home from an injury, finds Nigel in his home holding a gun. Thrown into the mix is a psychic (Leland Orser), whose visions tell him of his own impending death from above. The ending leaves lasting repercussions for Nick, a character that continues to deviate from what you'd expect from the fresh faced actor. Definitely an episode that had you checking under the bed before you went to sleep.
20. "the job: barbecue" (abc)
originally aired march 13, 2002
This under appreciated series gave one of its finest entries in this hilarious episode that saw the squad attending Pip's (Bill Nunn) barbecue. From McNeil's (the always fun Denis Leary) feeble attempts to hide his philandering to the squad themselves trying to cover for their drinking during the "dry" party, this episode kept me in stitches from start to finish. Damn I miss this show.
19. "scrubs: my big mouth" (nbc)
originally aired october 17, 2002
Some of the funniest moments from "Scrubs" come from J.D. (Zach Braff) and the Janitor's (Neil Flynn) little trysts and you can't get much better than in this episode where J.D. accidentally calls the Janitor stupid. What follows is some of the funniest stuff the series has managed to date. Mocking his words the Janitor begins to torture J.D. with feigned signs of stupidity: everything from not being able eat to his soup with a fork to not knowing how to answer a telephone. Even better is when J.D. tries to apologize: "I know you're not stupid, I mean it's not like you're ladling out sloppy joes all day or anything..." only to turn around to the steely gaze of a cafeteria worker. The Janitor then takes him under his wing in his attempts to annoy J.D. Funny, funny stuff.
18. "the sopranos: the strong, silent type" (hbo)
originally aired november 17, 2002
Intervention never got a more amusing twist than in this episode where the Soprano clan tries to confront Christopher (Michael Imperioli) over his drug addiction. None too pleased by their attacks, Christopher launches into his own full frontal assault, laying out some of their own dirty laundry in front of their wives and friends. Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico) returns to fine form here as he lets "Chrissy" really know how he feels about the situation.
17. "monk: mr. monk and the candidate" (usa)
originally aired july 12, 2002
The opening image of a crowd of police officers reacting jaws open to Adrian Monk's investigation of a murder scene made an instant impression as to what this series would be. It seems Monk can't get past the fact he thinks he left his iron on. Never mind the fact he's already pieced together what happened at the scene. Such a strange (and charming) dichotomy is central to what makes "Monk" so enjoyable. Here's a man that for all his talents and abilities, is handcuffed by his own mental issues. Sweetly underplayed by Tony Shalhoub, Monk is one of the most original characters to come down the TV pipe in quite some time. Sure, his cases seem like they fell out of a 1991 episode of "Murder, She Wrote" but that's not the point - you're there for the show, not the meal. Equal kudos go out to his nurse/assistant Sharona (Bitty Schram) whose disgusted/sympathetic reactions to Adrian's foibles make the series twice as enjoyable.
16. "once & again: the gay-straight alliance" (abc)
originally aired march 11, 2002
One of the best things about "Once & Again" was its immensely talented cast of young actors. Two of them: Julia Whelan and Evan Rachel Wood get placed front and center in this episode about their attractions to "taboo" people - the former her teacher (Eric Stoltz) and the latter her girlfriend Katie (Mischa Barton). I have to say, both of these storylines were hard sells to me on paper but as usual Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick delivered, providing one of the most emotional episodes of the series' third (and sadly final season). Also, I would be remised if I didn't mention Zwick's fine turn as Jesse's therapist Dr. Rosenfeld, whose interaction with Jesse over the course of the series provided several great moments.
15. "smallville: tempest" (wb)
originally aired may 21, 2002
You'd be hard pressed to find a more riveting cliffhanger that "Smallville's" first season swan song. Everything from personal to life and death issues got the four-star treatment in this episode, where a trio of tornados hit Smallville. I don't know about you guys, but from the haunting image of Lex (Michael Rosenbaum in a breakout role) pausing to see if he should his save his father to Clark (an underrated Tom Welling) racing without fear into the eye of the storm left an impression that lasted all summer. September 24 couldn't have gotten here fast enough.
14. "enterprise: dear doctor" (upn)
originally aired january 23, 2002
The first truly great episode of the latest "Star Trek" spin-off saw the same kind of ethical dilemma that has defined the franchise over the past 30 plus years. After stumbling upon a planet with two different races, the crew learns that the dominant one (the Valakians) requires medical assistance as they are suffering from a devastating plague. A problem arrives however when Dr. Phlox (the always enjoyable John Billingsley) - in his quest for a cure - discovers that the Valakians are actually suffering from a genetic flaw that if left unchecked would signal the extinction of their race. Throwing an even larger complication into the mix is the fact that the "lesser" race (the Menk) is not only immune to the plague but also is showing signs that they are on their way to involving into a highly intelligent race. As most "Star Trek" fans know, despite the dilemma, the Prime Directive tells them not to interfere with other races' affairs. But "Enterprise," taking place before the days of Kirk and Picard, has no such limitation so it's almost twice as heartbreaking to see Capt. Archer (Scott Bakula) wrestle with the issue. Should they play God and help them, forever changing how the natural progression of things? Or should they leave them alone, sacrificing millions to keep the principle behind the Prime Directive intact? You can't get much better "Trek" than that.
13. "alias: almost thirty years" (abc)
originally aired may 12, 2002
"Alias" closed its freshman season in the same fine fashion it started, even mirroring the events of the pilot in some sequences. The closing act however pushed this episode into "the best of the series" territory. Syd's (the great Jennifer Garner) heartbreaking reaction to seeing Vaughn (Michael Vartan) swept away to his apparent death had us gasping for air ourselves. But who could forget her closing words as the mysterious "The Man" approached: "Mom?"
12. "the wire: old cases" (hbo)
originally aired june 23, 2002
While the taboos of adult language and nudity are slowly being eaten away on network television, it could be only on HBO that you have an entire five minute sequence where two characters simply say "****" in a myriad tones as they investigate a crime scene. This series got a lot of flack for its rampant potty mouthing but I deny anyone to watch that scene without cracking a smile. More importantly is that it fit perfectly with the harried personalities of partners McNulty (Dominic West) and Bunk (Wendell Pierce) and wasn't just a cheap "we're on HBO" stunt.
11. "the sopranos: whitecaps" (hbo)
originally aired december 8, 2002
Everybody was waiting to see who the big "whacking" would be this year but I don't think anybody saw it being the Sopranos' marriage. In a magnificent example of acting at its finest, Edie Falco and James Gandolfini (both of whom more or less locked up their Emmy nominations in this episode) have a throw down four years in the making where nothing was taboo. Just as powerful were the children's reactions, including a brief flashback to one of the series' earliest episodes. The 16 month wait was definitely worth this payoff.
10. "c.s.i.: abra cadaver" (cbs)
originally aired october 31, 2002
It took a while for the Vegas centered series to finally explore the city's panache for magical acts and boy was this one a dozy. Tom Noonan (literally) stole the show as The Amazing Zephyr, a magician who ended up murdering his own child to cover for his own disappearance. The best and creepiest moment though came as Noonan's character is being driven away by the police. Just as the executive producer credit is about to appear, his mouth opens and we see the faint glimmer of a key. Boo.
9. "smallville: red" (wb)
originally aired october 15, 2002
Somehow "Smallville" seems to get better and better with each passing week and this episode in which Clark (Tom Welling) is infected by a red version of the meteor rocks has been the pinnacle thus far. In what could have been a throwaway stand-alone episode (Clark turns evil, we fix him, all is good), this entry actually turned out to have devastating affects on the entire series. From Clark coming forward with his affections for Lana to Jonathan Kent having to take up arms against his own son, this episode had repercussions that couldn't be fixed with the usual "that's just Smallville spookiness" many episodes wrote its supernatural events off with.
8. "the shield: pilot" (fx)
originally aired march 12, 2002
Let's just say that I didn't think this show had the balls to be what it advertised. In general the TV definition of "rogue cop" translates into the typical cop who happens to beat up a suspect here and there, doesn't deal well with authority and curses like a sailor. Well for the first 50 minutes or so it was the typical "rogue cop" status quo for Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis). That was until he picked up a downed suspect's gun and murdered a fellow cop (Reed Diamond) in the closing minutes of the pilot. They had the balls folks.
7. "boomtown: pilot" (nbc)
originally aired september 29, 2002
"Boomtown" is one of those series whose concept is better explained through execution than description. Advertised as "a single crime... from every point of view" the series is harder to pin down than that. From its title cards to how the events in each episode overlap in unexpected ways, "Boomtoown's" pilot provided a much-needed spin on the typical procedural drama. Just as interesting is its fine cast, with our early favorite being Mykelti Williamson as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith whose introduction (leaving a hotel after spending the night with a call girl, one of the 100 things he wants to do before he dies) is about as original as they come.
6. "once & again: gardenia" (abc)
originally aired january 11, 2002
How anyone can watch this episode and not have an Emmy overnighted to Susanna Thompson's residence is beyond me. After a debilitating car accident, Karen (Thompson) has to literally rebuild her life. Through the series' trademark black and white interview segments we really get to see what an intriguing (not to mention downright gorgeous) woman her character is as she battles with learning to walk again and where she fits into the world.
5. "the wire: cleaning up" (hbo)
originally aired september 1, 2002
"This is me, yo, right here," says a sobbing Wallace (Michael B. Jordan) as his two life long friends (Tray Chaney, J.D. Williams) hold a gun to him on orders from above to get rid of him. You'd be hard pressed to find a harder to watch sequence than this one in 2002 as Poot and Bodie have to step up and get rid of the gentle and kind-hearted Wallace. I get the shivers just thinking about it.
4. "six feet under: the last time" (hbo)
originally aired june 2, 2002
After a season that dared us to hate virtually every character on the show (I mean how many scenes did we need of Brenda shagging yet another guy behind Nate's back?), "Six Feet Under" rebounded with a stellar finale that harkened back to the series' best moments. Nate (the always fantastic Peter Krause) stole the show in this one: from a gut-wrenching scene in which a friend literally dies in front of his eyes to the haunting image of himself, head shaven, being wheeled into the operating room, the show went out with all the promise and pathos it started with last year.
3. "24: 11:00 p.m.-12:00 midnight" (fox)
originally aired may 21, 2002
While it certainly was fun seeing Jack go "Die Hard" on Dennis Hopper and company, the final moments of the episode were absolutely heartbreaking. As the seconds tick away toward midnight, Jack holds his dying wife just a scant few minutes after being shot by his traitorous ex-lover. No happy ending. No celebration. Just tick, tick, tick... black. Wow.
2. "the sopranos: whoever did this" (hbo)
originally aired november 10, 2002
For all the backhanded criticism "The Sopranos" took this year, one can't deny that the grisly death of Ralph Cifaretto was among the series' highlights. But what was memorable about the episode was not so much its gore or shock value, but its surprising insight into the character of Tony Soprano. Crucial to Tony's journey has been his lack of the ability to control his carnal instincts and this episode let loose the monster within. Upset over the torching of his beloved racehorse, Tony loses all piece of mind with Ralph (whom himself is recovering from the mauling of his son by an arrow) and the ensuing battle is difficult to watch. No punching and kicking here, just two men overcome by animalistic rage, the result of which felt truly sickening.
1. "the wire: sentencing" (hbo)
originally aired september 8, 2002
Without question "The Wire's" season finale was one of those episodes where afterward you shut the television off and sit there for a few minutes stunned by what you just watched. By far and away the best new series of 2002, David Simon's drama literally reinvented how a cop series could be done in the same way Stephen Bocho did a decade ago with "N.Y.P.D. Blue." Cynical, raw and without the rampant showboating for Emmys many series out there pull, "The Wire" really felt like you were watching actual people, not just characters. And whose spine didn't chill a little when McNulty is asked "So, where don't you want to go?" or had their stomach drop when McNulty himself declares in the final sequence, "Jesus, what the hell have I done?" About as good as television can possibly get.

[Czas na Zywiec]

Originally posted by Sitcomwriter
I'm pretty sure that all of you have heard of the great website www.thefutoncritic.com well every year they pick the Top 50 Greatest episodes of shows from the previous and here are their picks for 2002:

The Futon Critic.com’s Top 50 Greatest Episodes of 2002

44. "futurama: where no fan has gone before" (fox)
originally aired april 22, 2002
"Another great science fiction series canceled before its time," says Bender in one of the series' more clever outings. Fearing the effect they have on society, Earth had banished every episode of the original "Star Trek" to an uninhabited planet. Fry however is determined to find them: "The world needs Star Trek to give people hope for the future." "But," replies Leela, "it's set 800 years in the past!" Featuring appearances by virtually the entire original Trek cast (and even "The Next Generation's" Jonathan Frakes in an amusing bit), the episode was filled to the brim with everything from pot shots to insider jokes about "Star Trek" and science fiction fandom in general. But what really set it apart was its own subtle joking about its own future. Not since "Sports Night" has a series winded down its run more cleverly.

Go Futurama!

Greedy Fox.

[DarleneIllyria]

Originally posted by Sitcomwriter
42. "buffy the vampire slayer: conversations with dead people" (upn)
originally aired november 12, 2002
"Buffy" has gotten a lot of mileage out bringing back dead characters and yet each time it doesn't feel cheap or out of place. A perfect example of this was in this episode where The First (i.e. the first evil of the world) plays its hand by impersonating those close to Buffy and her friends. From this we get everything from a heartbreaking scene between Willow and someone speaking for her beloved Tara to Dawn getting a visit from her mother in which she's told her sister won't choose her in the end. Heartbreaking and deliciously evil at the same time - that's "Buffy" at its best for sure.
35. "buffy the vampire slayer: normal again" (upn)
originally aired march 12, 2002
One of the few highlights in an overall disappointing season was this episode in which Buffy is led to believe she isn't a vampire slayer at all. She wakes up in a mental ward where she's told the past six years were actually just her active imagination, an imagination that has forced her to be committed. The doctors (along with Buffy's now alive mom) offer her a solution to her dilemma however: the next time the "dreams" happen she should simply just kill off her friends as that will break the link between the two worlds in her mind. The ensuing climax was actually quite frightening as Buffy gets close to doing such a thing. Thankfully she doesn't and the twisted spell is broken.
33. "angel: spin the bottle" (wb)
originally aired november 10, 2002
"Angel" has been home to some of the more radical character changes in the Joss Whedon universe. After all, toss in early episodes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and then watch a recent episode of "Angel" and you'd be hard pressed to see how those dots connected for a character like Cordelia Chase (the lovely Charisma Carpenter). But as long time viewers know, that progression has felt anything but abnormal as the spoiled brat rich girl has become something of a humbled warrior in the fight for good. So it was particularly interesting in this episode to see Cordelia (along with the rest of the cast) forced to revisit their younger selves after a memory spell goes awry. How Chase, David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof and company all step their characters back a few years without missing a beat is something that borders on extraordinary to watch.

Buffy and Angel are on the list.