The A.V. Club's Best TV Episodes of the 2000's
In 2009, entertainment and pop culture website The A.V. Club listed the 40 best TV episodes of the 2000's. The following list compiles the 32 episodes with an IMDb rating higher than 8.0, all ranked in order of ratings.
Which of these TV episodes (not necessarily from your favorite TV series) would you vote as the best TV episode of the last decade?
Discuss here
Which of these TV episodes (not necessarily from your favorite TV series) would you vote as the best TV episode of the last decade?
Discuss here
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32 titles
- DirectorHettie MacdonaldStarsDavid TennantFreema AgyemanCarey MulliganSally Sparrow receives a cryptic message from the Doctor about a mysterious new enemy species that is after the TARDIS.DOCTOR WHO
- DirectorChris KochStarsZach BraffSarah ChalkeDonald FaisonIt's Jack's first birthday, so Jordan's siblings Dani and Ben are in town. Dr. Cox tells J.D. to leave a patient for half an hour and check up on Ben's leukemia, but when a patient dies, Dr. Cox blames J.D., and takes over his patients. Carla and Turk argue about Turk getting rid of his mole and Carla taking Turk's last name. The main theme is acceptance.SCRUBS
- DirectorParis BarclayStarsHugh LaurieLisa EdelsteinOmar EppsHouse's ex Stacy Warner asks him to treat her husband. House takes over a diagnostics class for a day and presents the class with three case studies of leg pain. As House tells his story and the class gradually fills up with listeners, the class learns a lot about how to be better doctors, and Chase, Foreman and Cameron learn some important details of House's past.HOUSE M.D.
- DirectorEric StoughStarsJonny GreenwoodRadioheadTrey ParkerCartman plans an elaborate revenge when an older boy cons him out of money.SOUTH PARK
- DirectorBen EdlundStarsDavid BoreanazJames MarstersJ. August RichardsAngel and the gang set out to foil an evil puppet show that is sucking the brain power of all the children who watch. During their fight, Angel is turned into a puppet himself and must rely upon his friends in order to reverse the spell which holds him at one foot tall.ANGEL
- DirectorStephen HopkinsStarsKiefer SutherlandLeslie HopeSarah ClarkeAfter being falsely informed his daughter has been killed, the enraged Jack Bauer goes to the dock to kill the Drazens whilst the traitor at CTU tries to make a quick escape.24
- 2005– 21mTV-MA9.2 (5K)TV EpisodeDirectorJerry LevineStarsCharlie DayGlenn HowertonRob McElhenneyWhile Dennis and Dee try to figure out if the rapper Dee is dating has a mental handicap or not, Charlie, Mac, and Frank try to start their own band without knowledge of how to play musical instruments.IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA
- DirectorTodd HollandStarsJane KaczmarekBryan CranstonChristopher MastersonIn this special episode, we see what would happen if Lois took the kids bowling and what would happen if Hal took them bowling. Lois keeps the kids under tight watch, making Malcolm's night miserable, since he's the worst bowler in the group; Hal is on the verge of a perfect game, Reese ticks off the wrong guy and runs for his life, and Malcolm finds a girl who is attracted to him.MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
- DirectorJohn T. KretchmerStarsJeffrey DonovanGabrielle AnwarBruce CampbellMichael and former handler Jason Bly are trapped together in a bank robbery. The pair must work together in order to get out aliveBURN NOTICE
- DirectorRobert Duncan McNeillStarsZachary LeviYvonne StrahovskiJoshua GomezA car crashes into the Buy More, everyone inside, including Ellie and Devon are taken hostage. Chuck does his best to protect everyone. The real goals are not evident, and it will lead to some very hard choices.CHUCK
- DirectorAllan ArkushStarsJack ColemanGreg GrunbergHayden PanettiereH.R.G.'s past catches up to him as Matt and Ted Sprague come to Texas looking for answers, and take him, his wife, son and Claire hostage -- leading to a tragic, explosive showdown.HEROES
- DirectorJeff MelmanStarsEllen PompeoSandra OhKatherine HeiglA train wreck brings in multiple casualties, leaving Meredith hanging for her answer. Meanwhile, Alex finds working without his mojo a disheartening experience, and Cristina searches high and low for a missing appendage.GREY'S ANATOMY
- DirectorScott WinantStarsMichael J. AndersonAdrienne BarbeauClancy BrownIn the cliff-hanging season finale, Samson devises a grand plan by scheming with Ben, Jones, and the entire troupe to lure Brother Justin to Carnivale for his confrontation with Ben. Meanwhile, Stroud wants to protect Justin who correctly suspects that the carnival is setting a trap for him. Sofie finds herself locked in a dark shed after she tells Justin her conflicted thoughts about where her loyalties lay, and soon becomes terrorized by ghostly visions of her mother. Rita Sue is touched by Samson's generosity of giving her the money needed to pay off Stumpy's loan shark. Later, the final confrontation approaches when Brother Justin persuades Iris to overcome her fear of heights by riding the Carnivale Ferris Wheel where Jones traps both of them in for Ben to drain Justin's powers, and Ben performs his most important healing of Reverend Balthus, leading to Ben and Justin finally meeting face-to-face, and the visions of Ben and Justin coming full circle. At the same time, Joney sets out to rescue Sofie from Stroud, but soon realizes (way too late) that she has made her choice to which side her loyalties are.CARNIBALE
- DirectorMikael SalomonStarsKevin McKiddRay StevensonPolly WalkerRejected by Vorenus and Eirene and racked by guilt for the killing of Eirene's fiancé out of a jealous rage, Pullo has sunk to working as an assassin for the gangster Erastes. When Pullo gets arrested for killing one of Caesar's popular opponents, he condemns himself by refusing to name who hired him, despite Octavian's attempts to defend him. Meanwhile, Vorenus finds his new official duties as magistrate tedious, especially when he gets caught between Caesar and the demands made by veterans' spokesman Mascias. Niobe revels in the prestige of Vorenus's office until Caesar invites the Voreni to a symposium at Atia's house. Despite Servilia's surreptitious propaganda depicting Brutus as a tyrant-killer, and the urgings of Cassius and his own doubts, Brutus resists turning against Caesar. Antony makes his move to win back Atia. On the point of death in a gladiator arena, Pullo finds a new reason to live that yet again puts Vorenus in a tight spot. Also, Caesar makes a move that compels the conflicted Brutus to make up his mind to turn against Caesar.ROME
- DirectorDavid SolomonStarsEliza DushkuHarry LennixFran KranzIn the future, the imprinting technology is rampant. A few people stumble on the Dollhouse.DOLLHOUSE
- 2000–200744mTV-PG8.9 (1.3K)TV EpisodeDirectorKenny OrtegaStarsLauren GrahamAlexis BledelMelissa McCarthyIt's time for the annual Stars Hollow Dance marathon again and Lorelai is determined to win. Dean sits in the bleachers to support Rory, but so does Jess whose intentions aren't quite so innocent.GILMORE GIRLS
- DirectorPaul LazarusStarsJay HarringtonPortia de RossiAndrea AndersVeridian comes up with an extremely insensitive solution to a problem with its motion sensors that do not detect black people, and Ted finds out that Linda now has a boyfriend who is extremely likable.BETTER OFF TED
- DirectorParis BarclayStarsGabriel ByrneGlynn TurmanPaul upholds the merits of psychotherapy.IN TREATMENT
- DirectorGuy FerlandStarsCharlie HunnamKatey SagalMark Boone JuniorWith the club divided in the wake of a tragic death, Clay sets up a new gun deal with the IRA.SONS OF ANARCHY
- DirectorMatt MaiellaroDave WillisStarsDana SnyderCarey MeansDave WillisFrylock don't want to spend so much money for the doll Meatwad want so he buys him a cheaper one. But this doll is very negative and ugly and makes everyone sad.AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE
- DirectorAdam KaneStarsLee PaceAnna FrielChi McBrideThe team investigates the disappearance of the magician who took Ned's two half-brothers under his wing. Dwight Dixon comes to Lily and Vivian searching for a pocketwatch, and Chuck tries to get Lily to confess that she's her mother.PUSHING DAISIES
- DirectorRicky GervaisStephen MerchantStarsRicky GervaisAshley JensenStephen MerchantAndy's school mate Steve Sherwood visits him on set and inspires Darren to ask Maggie out on a date. Wanting to be recognized more for his acting abilities, Andy auditions for a new play directed by Sir Ian McKellen.EXTRAS
- 2000–20151h 25mTV-148.5 (2.7K)TV EpisodeDirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsWilliam PetersenMarg HelgenbergerGary DourdanWith its desperate attempt to ransom Nick's release failed by their enemy's fanatical revenge, the CSI team must use all their investigative talents to find Nick, whose perilous situation is becoming all the more horrific by the minute.CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
- DirectorTricia GarciaKlay HallStarsMike JudgeKathy NajimyPamela AdlonTo Hank's chagrin, Bobby learns to protect himself by kicking boys in the groin.KING OF THE HILL
- DirectorChristopher WilchaAdam BeckmanStarsIra GlassThe true life stories of several Americans with the name John Smith, from an 11-week-old boy whose parents expected a girl, to a 46-year-old Texan, welcoming his son home from Iraq.THIS AMERICAN LIFE
- DirectorCharles McDougallStarsTeri HatcherFelicity HuffmanMarcia CrossMary Alice takes her own life, taking us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors; At Mary Alice's funeral, Susan meets Mike, a new neighbour.DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
- DirectorJack BenderStarsJennifer GarnerRon RifkinMichael VartanThe entire world of 'ALIAS' is turned upside down. Sloane disappears mysteriously and Anthony Geiger becomes the new head of SD-6. As the Bristows struggle to keep their secrets safe and stay one step ahead of Geiger, Will and Francie make a startling discovery of their own while Francie prepares to open her new restaurant. After an airborne mission, Sydney uncovers crucial information that could shut down SD-6 and bring down the entire Alliance.ALIAS
- DirectorBryan GordonStarsAdam ScottKen MarinoJane LynchThe Party Down team's actors are recognized at a party and treated as stars. But when Roman and Ron discover the host is a mobster, they suspect his screenplay might be a confession.PARTY DOWN
- DirectorAlex HardcastleStarsAmy PoehlerRashida JonesPaul SchneiderAnn helps a nervous Leslie get ready for her first date with Dave by giving her a "practice date," while everybody else at the office tries to dig up the juiciest dirt on each other.PARKS AND RECREATION
- 2007–201921mTV-PG8.0 (4.5K)TV EpisodeDirectorMark CendrowskiStarsJohnny GaleckiJim ParsonsKaley CuocoOn a train to San Francisco, Howard, Raj and Leonard fight for the affections of sci-fi star Summer Glau, while Sheldon is forced to turn to Penny for help when he leaves his flash drive behind.THE BIG BANG THEORY
- DirectorJohn FortenberryStarsDenis LearyAdam FerraraMichael LombardiA gruesome accident has the guys fighting to stay strong. When Tommy is the only one to remain stoic, he seeks a violent outlet for his emotions.RESCUE ME
- DirectorJason WinerStarsEd O'NeillSofía VergaraJulie BowenJay's ex-wife shows up for the first time following a nasty incident at Gloria and Jay's wedding.MODERN FAMILY