100 Greatest TV episodes of all time!
as chosen by the staff of TV Guide
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- DirectorJohn RichStarsCarroll O'ConnorJean StapletonRob ReinerThe classic tale about the time Sammy Davis Jr. stopped by to visit the Bunkers. It begins with a briefcase he left in Archie's cab ... and ends with the kiss of infamy.
- 1970–197730mTV-PG9.3 (527)TV EpisodeDirectorJoan DarlingStarsMary Tyler MooreEdward AsnerGavin MacLeodMary thinks that the death of Chuckles the Clown is nothing to laugh about--until she attends the funeral.
- DirectorMarc DanielsStarsLucille BallDesi ArnazVivian VanceLucy has angled her way onto Ricky's special as the show's pitch girl. She advertises a medicine called "Vitameatavegamin." Believing it contains vitamins, minerals, meat, and vegetables, Lucy does not know is that it also contains twenty-three percent of alcohol.
- DirectorTom CheronesStarsJerry SeinfeldJulia Louis-DreyfusMichael RichardsElaine and Keith are hitting it off until he pulls out a cigarette; Keith wants Jerry to help him move, leading Jerry along with Elaine to breakup with Keith.
- DirectorAlex MarchStarsTony RandallJack KlugmanAl MolinaroOscar and Felix appear together on Password (1961) and Felix is sure that they can win.
- DirectorFrank SatensteinStarsJackie GleasonArt CarneyAudrey MeadowsRalph's out to prove himself to Alice, his neighborhood, and the world when he becomes a contestant on a hit television game show.
- DirectorJames BurrowsStarsTed DansonShelley LongRhea PerlmanThanksgiving is approaching and no one has anything to do except Diane, who is among a select few graduate students one of her professors has asked to spend Thanksgiving with his family, celebrating in the pilgrim's tradition. Diane suggests that the rest of the gang spend Thanksgiving together in Carla's new home. Carla agrees to a potluck dinner, with Norm in charge of the humongous turkey. Woody, Cliff and Frasier are solo for the day, but Sam is to bring his date Wendy and Norm is to bring his never seen wife Vera. They all vow to make this Thanksgiving the best ever. But some invited guests end up being no shows, and one uninvited guest makes an appearance. The guest list ends up being the smallest of the problems that ultimately befall this Thanksgiving. Regardless, this Thanksgiving does end up being a memorable one for all involved and in some ways the best ever.
- DirectorJerry ParisStarsDick Van DykeRose MarieMorey AmsterdamLaura accidentally spills the beans on a nationally televised talk show that Alan Brady is bald.
- 1972–197830m8.8 (220)TV EpisodeDirectorJames BurrowsStarsBob NewhartSuzanne PleshettePeter BonerzWith Emily out of town, Bob spends Thanksgiving with Jerry and Mr Carlin watching a football game. They proceed to get drunk and try to order Moo Goo Gai Pan from a Chinese restaurant for dinner.
- DirectorRichard L. BareStarsLloyd BochnerSusan CummingsRichard KielAn alien race comes to Earth, promising peace and sharing technology. Linguists Michael Chambers, Patricia Brody, and their team set out to translate the aliens' language, using a book whose title they deduce to be "To Serve Man."
- DirectorJohn Howard DaviesStarsJohn CleesePrunella ScalesAndrew SachsA moose head to be hung, a fire drill to be conducted, and German guests are all a bit much for Basil to handle while Sybil's in hospital.
- DirectorKim MannersStarsKen WahlJonathan BanksJim ByrnesAfter rejecting an offer to finance a coup d'etat in the Caribbean, Mel Profitt becomes obsessed with a supposed voodoo death curse, and Vinnie, horrified, can only watch as Mel's personality begins to disintegrate.
- 1961–196630mTV-G9.2 (579)TV EpisodeDirectorJerry ParisStarsDick Van DykeRose MarieMorey AmsterdamRob enjoys a scary televised sci-fi movie while Laura cowers in fear from it, but the next day details of that movie, where Earthlings are being taken over, appear to be coming true.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsPeter FalkJack CassidyRosemary ForsythWhen one member of a mystery writing team wants to break from his less talented partner, he becomes the victim in a real-life murder mystery.
- DirectorWesley ArcherMilton GrayStarsDan CastellanetaJulie KavnerNancy CartwrightBart is sent to France on a student exchange program, where he's treated like a slave; an Albanian student with suspicious motives takes Bart's place in the family.
- DirectorJames V. KernStarsLucille BallDesi ArnazVivian VanceIn Rome, a film producer asks Lucy if she'd be interested in auditioning for his new film entitled "Bitter Grapes." Thinking that the film has something to do with the production of wine, she goes to the only non-automated winery left in the area.
- DirectorJames BurrowsStarsJudd HirschJeff ConawayDanny DeVitoLatka creates a suave but obnoxious alter ego, Vic Ferrari, to help him score with the ladies. However, nobody likes his new persona, and Alex tries to convince him to bring the old Latka back.
- DirectorLarry GelbartStarsAlan AldaWayne RogersMcLean StevensonHenry finds out he's been discharged from the army and everyone at the 4077th prepares to say goodbye to him as he heads home.
- DirectorScott WinantStarsTimothy BusfieldPolly DraperMel HarrisMichael fails as a mediator for a company in their attempt to buy out Miles, and he fires Elliot as part of a new plan to take over the agency.
- DirectorDon MedfordStarsDavid JanssenRichard AndersonJ.D. CannonLt. Gerard agrees to work with Kimble for 24 hours to prove his innocence, because someone who may have been there when his wife was killed, posted bail for the one-armed man.
- DirectorRichard CrennaStarsAndy GriffithRon HowardDon KnottsAfter Opie accidentally kills a mother bird with his new slingshot, he takes on the job of raising her babies himself. He grows very attached to them, but then has to set them free when they get big.
- DirectorFrank SatensteinStarsJackie GleasonArt CarneyAudrey MeadowsToo cheap to purchase a television set, Ralph and Norton pools their cash to purchase the set. It gets ugly when Ralph and Norton's friendship gets jeopardized when they fight over which television show to watch.
- DirectorJay SandrichStarsMary Tyler MooreEdward AsnerValerie HarperPhyllis struggles to accept the idea that her husband, Lars, might be having an affair with the saccharine Sue Ann Nivens, WJM's Happy Homemaker.
- DirectorVincent McEveetyStarsJames ArnessMilburn StoneAmanda BlakeEtta Stone is a very bitter, older, woman who has Kitty and Matt captured, and thrown into a homemade jail, and now she plans on hanging Matt for the execution of her husband 6 years before.
- DirectorRalph NelsonStarsJack PalanceKeenan WynnKim HunterAn over-the-hill heavyweight boxing champion who suffers from the ravages of years of head trauma is exploited by his manager, despite the efforts of a compassionate young woman who tries to help him recover his self-respect.