Which Episode Is Best for Your Favorite Show?
Arrested Development is returning for season five today, which reminded me of the first time I saw it – not the pilot, but the fourth episode of Key Decisions, in which Gob is jailed for a stunt, Michael falls in love with Martha, Lindsay sits on tree with Clint Howard. Even with the confusion surrounding the jump into a relatively serial sitcom, I could tell this show was special and quickly retreated – which was more difficult to do before Netflix streaming. I still recommend Episode 4 as a good way to tell if you enjoy the show – maybe better than the pilot.
And this is for a show with an unusually great pilot. While the Community deserves to be watched from the start, it’s worth trying the first Christmas episode to get a taste. “Parks and Recreation Areas” are gaining momentum in the second season. If you could get someone to watch just one episode of your favorite show and it wasn’t a pilot, what would it be? Which episode of Season 1 best captures the spirit of the series, or which episode of Season 2, which honestly is the first one to hit, or which episode of Season 3 will convince them to come back and watch it all?
Feel free to debate; it’s totally subjective, and yet we absolutely have to get it right. But this is not a topic to skip the whole show – unless you can suggest a specific show and a specific episode that trumps it.