Favorite TV Episodes

Last night I was watching television when Fresh Prince of Bel-Air came on. Always a fun show, I kept it on while I was making dinner. I soon realized that it was my favorite episode, the one where Will's father (played by the wonderful Ben Vereen) returns for a brief moment, only to disappear and disappoint again. I thought to myself, "Of all the episodes of this show, I think this one is the absolute best." I started thinking through old television shows and picking my "best" of each of them.

My next thought was The Jeffersons. I vaguely remember a Halloween show where "Weezy", who I think was dressed as Mae West, witnessed a murder and then the murderer, who I think wore a rabbit costume, came after her.

My favorite episodes of All in the Family were both sad ones. I loved the one where Edith was assaulted in her home while Archie was next door planning a party for her. I also love the one after Edith died, when Archie sits alone on their bed and talks to her about how lost he is without her. This scene remains one of the most touching in my TV memory.

Archie walks into his and Edith's bedroom. And closed two empty drawers in the dresser. Archie sits down on the bed and finds one of Edith's slippers on the floor. Sadness encompasses him. To Archie the slipper represents Edith.

ARCHIE
It wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to be the first one to go. I always used to kid you about you going first. You know I never meant none of that and that morning when yous was laying there. I was shaking you and yelling at you to go down and fix my breakfast. I didn't know. You had no rite to leave me that way.
[Archie starts to cry.]

ARCHIE
Without giving me just one more chance to say I love you.

Not all my favorites were sad, though. I love the episode of The Cosby Show where Theo moves into the "real world," the early episode of Facts of Life where the school flooded, and the Maltese Falcon episode of Kate and Allie.

I'm sure there are many, many more that I'll think of later. What are your favorites?