Best of 2021: TV Episodes

 


The year is drawing to a close...literally tonight. As we make our way toward 2022, I'm recounting my favorites of 2021. Today, that includes a look at my favorite TV Episodes of the season. The list below appears in ascending order, while my favorite Series list drops tomorrow.

10. Suddenly, Schmigadoon! episode 1.04, first aired July 30, 2021
Schmigadoon! was a series I loved, but I know not everyone was on the same page. This fourth episode took the characters in some new directions as they grew apart before coming back together. It also featured perhaps the most hilarious moment of the year as Melissa (Cecily Strong) taught reproductive anatomy to a clueless couple using a song made famous by Julie Andrews.

9. Carol of the Bells, Ted Lasso episode 2.04, first aired August 13, 2021
Who doesn't love a good Christmas episode? The second season of Ted Lasso featured some dark and emotional moments, but this was all about the warmth and joy of the season. I loved the episode and I think it's bound to become a seasonal classic.

8. Por Sonia, Bosch episode 7.08, first aired June 25, 2021
It's hard to wrap a series up. After seven seasons and 68 episodes, this finale for the series Bosch delivered as expected. It wrapped up the ongoing threads, set the characters in motion and provided closure for the series and the audience. It felt perfect.

7. Illusions, Mare of Easttown episode 1.05, first aired May 16, 2021
This fifth episode of the series was easily the best of the season, featuring some shocking moments including a big ending for Evan Peters' character. It was a slow burn series, but this episode provided some dramatic pop that stuck with you long after it concluded.

6. Previously On, WandaVision episode 1.08, first aired February 26, 2021
The heart of the series was always the deep emotional connection between Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). This episode not only provides the background for Agatha (Kathryn Hahn), but provides the history for Wanda and some beautiful moments between Wanda and Vision. It also explores the grief that led to the events in Westview. In a standout series, this was my favorite episode.

5. Half the Money, Yellowstone episode 4.01, first aired November 7, 2021
The third season of Yellowstone ended on an incredible cliffhanger. After waiting nearly a year and a half, we got the answers in the first half of a two-part premier. That first half, this episode, was pretty great. The tension and action worked beautifully, as did the performances.

4. Inverting the Pyramid of Success, Ted Lasso episode 2.13, first aired October 8, 2021
The second season finale delivered everything you'd want and more. Some weren't pleased with the second season of Ted Lasso, but I loved it. Even the heart-breaking moments worked beautifully for me. This finale closed some chapters and opened others as we move toward Season 3.

3. Vows, The Handmaid's Tale episode 4.06, first aired May 19, 2021
After three and a half seasons, June (Elisabeth Moss) finally made it to Canada. But it wasn't easy, mentally or physically. In this standout episode we see an acting showcase for Moss as June weighs the guilt of leaving her daughter behind, the possibility of freedom and the emotional toll of seeing her husband once again. It was simply brilliant.

2. Book V: Gospel, Midnight Mass episode 1.05, first aired September 24, 2021
Riley (Zach Gilford) was the heart of this series for me. At the close of the fourth episode, we get a cliffhanger. It takes a while in this fifth episode for us to learn what happened, but when we do it packs an incredible emotional punch. This was a showcase for Gilford and Kate Siegel and an episode that left me in tears.

1. The Grey, For All Mankind episode 2.10, first aired April 23, 2021
Much of the second season was a showcase for Gordo (Michael Dorman) and Tracy (Sarah Jones), with this second season finale bringing that to a head in a beautiful and profound way. The tension in the hour was palpable, and the beautiful performance from Joel Kinnaman tied it all together. No episode impacted me more in 2021 than The Grey.

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