When the clock struck midnight on 2021, the year looked uncertain for many. But TV remained a constant and a comfort with continued lockdowns around the world, and the prospect of appointment TV, new shows from acclaimed artists, and a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe gave us pockets of hope in the form of streaming. New and old shows put their best foot forward, giving us quality episodes we’ll be thinking about for a long time.
Here are the best TV episodes of 2021, ranked.
21. Foundation Season 1, episode 8 “The Missing Piece”
Foundation on Apple TV+ is a slow-moving, hard-thinking thrill ride from beginning to end. It’s not without its uneven moments, but one episode immediately rises above all the rest: “The Missing Piece.”
The series’ eighth episode sends Lee Pace’s Brother Day, the middle-aged emperor, off to the homeworld of a galaxy-spanning religious order, the Luminists. Day is there to win over the order’s leaders, thus ensuring their trillions of worshippers remain firmly on the side of the Empire. There’s just one hitch: An ideological rival to Day is gunning to lead the Luminists.
The only possible solution is a drastic one: Day must give up all of his tech-powered protections as Emperor, all of his supplies, all of his clothes even, and “walk the Spiral.” This grueling pilgrimage sends congregants on a lengthy and frequently deadly on-foot journey through harsh terrain. It takes them to a sacred cave containing a pool, Mother’s Womb, whose waters are said to reveal inner truths to those who immerse themselves.
For most of an hour, we watch the typically stoic and imperious Day humbled as he joins Luminist congregants in their pilgrimage. It’s a brilliant performance from Pace, who almost single handedly owns the entire episode, and it’s a big pivot point in the story… though maybe not for the reasons you’d think. —Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Foundation is now streaming on Apple TV+.
20. Sweet Tooth Season 1 episode 1, “Out of the Deep Woods”
Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX
The premiere of Sweet Tooth will undoubtedly rank among the most harrowing —
and most memorable — episodes of television released this year. Our first foray into the fantastic world of Jeff Lemire’s beloved comic book series introduces its main characters through a heart-wrenching origin story. We meet hero Gus (Christian Convery) and his father (Will Forte) living in a secluded cabin against a backdrop of apocalyptic mayhem. That Gus is a deer-human hybrid is just one part of a sprawling mystery Gus, his traveling companion Tommy (Nonso Anozie), and Sweet Tooth audiences begin to suss out through the sprawling journey to come.
It’s an episode of TV better left unspoiled, but one that I can safely say provides the emotional root for the entire first season of this captivating adaptation. Great performances and some particularly well-scripted narration help you dive head-first into this profound show you’re not likely to forget. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Sweet Tooth is now streaming on Netflix.
19. WandaVision Season 1 episode 4, “We Interrupt This Program”
WandaVision was our first MCU release in over 18 months, and even then it didn’t go back to classic Marvel storytelling until episode 4. “We Interrupt This Program” put us right back in the world of the Infinity Saga, fresh after the Blip and facing its horrifying consequences. There is nothing quite like that feeling of returning to this story, and it’s monumental to do so with a Black woman in the lead. We reenter the story with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), snapped back into existence in a world descending into chaos. WandaVision leaves the perils of rebuilding post-Blip society to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, so Monica recovers quickly and investigates the Westview Anomaly with FBI Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park).
With Parris as the de facto action hero lead (yes please), Park and Kat Dennings step in as the MCU’s new comedy dream team while all three of them collect intel about the Anomaly. As enjoyable as WandaVision’s sitcom shenanigans are, nothing hits quite like mysterious acronyms and government agencies and energy spikes that make Darcy’s instruments go whoa. This is the Marvel we knew meeting the Marvel we can know, and the interruption is now the main event. —Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: WandaVision is now streaming on Disney+.
18. Ted Lasso Season 2, episode 4 “Carol of the Bells”
If you’re one of the naysayers who thought Ted Lasso Season 2 was too cheerful, then the Christmas episode may have been the straw that broke your back. But if you’re one of the many who cling to this show’s heart like a goddamn life raft, “Carol of the Bells” was a literal gift. It leans joyfully into Ted’s ethos of rom-communism with nods to It’s a Wonderful Life, Love Actually, and more.
Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) bond while giving presents to children, while Higgins (Jeremy Swift) hosts the team for a delightful dinner that lets the show’s secondary cast shine. It establishes the team dynamic without feeling like an icebreaker, inviting us into the Richmond family as one of their own. Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley’s (Juno Temple) “sexy Christmas” is derailed by young Phoebe (Elodie Blomfield), whose bad breath B-plot is some of the most unhinged hilarity this season has to offer. Give it a rewatch around the holidays and see if it doesn’t thaw your cold dead heart, you lil’ Scrooge. — P.K.
How to watch: Ted Lasso is now streaming on Apple TV+.
17. You Season 3, episode 8 “Swing and a Miss”
So much of the fun in You Season 3 comes from watching Joe (Penn Badgley) and Love (Victoria Pedretti) Quinn-Goldberg fight to save their shitty marriage. That precarious predicament hits its most spectacularly screwed up in “Swing and a Miss” — the season’s comedy-packed antepenultimate gem that delivers some of the series’ best beats while setting up its equally satisfying season finale. In the episode, Joe and Love try out swinging with Sherry (Shalita Grant) and Cary (Travis Van Winkle) Conrad. The insufferable, neighborly duo offer an unending well of humor, with their preening niceness grating against two people we know to be actual murders (but who are still pretty nervous in a group sex setting.)Then, when a spat between Joe and Love exposes their dark past to their guests, things go from silly and sexy to scary and suspenseful. It’s a remarkably fun tonal flip that helps charge up expectation for the next two episodes, and helps You Season 3 stick the landing. — A.F.
How to watch: You is now streaming on Netflix.
16. Invincible Season 1 episode 8, “Where I Really Come From”
Credit: Amazon Prime Video
It says a lot that people who read the comics and knew exactly what was coming were still shocked and emotionally brutalized by the events of Invincible‘s season finale, “Where I Really Come From.” After the first episode shocker moment where Omni Man strolls in and wipes out the Justice League-like Guardians of the Globe, viewers have wondered what the Viltrumite is really up to. Episode 8 finally brought those answers, both for us and for the would-be hero’s half-human/half-Viltrumite son, Mark. What we learned over the course of that devastating hour of TV will shape the course of Invincible‘s story for the rest of its existence. — A.R.
How to watch: Invincible is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
15. Master of None: Moments in Love, “Chapter 4”
Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang surprised everyone when they announced a third season of Master of None, nearly four years after a critically acclaimed Season 2 and expectations that there would be no more. Moments in Love may include Denise (Lena Waithe), but its connection to Master of None is barely in the story and entirely in the creative writing and production.
Over five episodes, Moments in Love speaks to us with long takes and heavy silence — never more than “Chapter 4,” when Alicia (Naomi Ackie) decides to pursue in vitro fertilization. Alicia is completely alone for most of the scenes, either physically in her apartment — FaceTiming her mother for the courage to start injections — or in a doctor’s office, receiving a phone call, carrying the incalculable emotional weight of her hopes and choices with each moment. Ackie is transcendent with every beat, the episode as much a showcase for her performance as for Ansari’s writing (he co-wrote the episode with Yang and Waithe). — P.K.
How to watch: Master of None: Moments in Love is now streaming on Netflix.
14. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2 episode 5, “The Ruruvision Song Contest”
“The RuRuvision Song Contest” isn’t just one of the best TV episodes of 2021. It’s also one of the best episodes of the entire Drag Race franchise. This was the first episode filmed after production paused for seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the contestants’ sheer joy at being able to see each other and compete again lends this entire episode a near-euphoric energy. Aside from the excitement that came with returning to the competition, this episode generated so many iconic moments. There was the entirety of the United Kingdolls’ performance of “UK, Hun?,” A’Whora and Sister Sister’s matching runway looks, and, of course, RuPaul’s bizarre rant about Joe Black wearing an H&M dress. All in all, it’s a perfect episode of reality TV bolstered by a talented and charismatic cast. It’ll have you singing “bing, bang, bong” all day long. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Fellow
How to watch: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is now streaming on WOW Presents Plus.
13. Infinity Train Season 4 episode 1, “The Twin Tapes”
The opening episode of Infinity Train’s final season is a masterwork in establishing characters and their relationships. It introduces the season’s protagonists, Ryan (Sekai Murashige) and Min-Gi (Johnny Young), exploring their friendship, the creation of their band, and their falling out. The episode’s most moving sequence plays out in split-screen, with Ryan and Min-Gi trying to navigate life without each other. It’s the perfect device to open a season focusing on the rift between these two characters, all cleverly framed within the universe of the Infinity Train. — B.E.
How to watch: Infinity Train is now streaming on HBO Max.
12. Succession Season 3, episode 8: “Chiantishire”
Yikes! Even by Succession dark tragicomedy standards, the penultimate episode of the third season, scripted by creator Jesse Armstrong, is a doozy. While attending a wedding weekend in Italy, each character hits a dramatic personal low point that, while cringey to watch for those of who suffer from secondhand embarrassment, allows the incredible acting and writing to shine. Standouts here include a nasty heart to heart between Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Tom (Matthew MacFayden, who should win an Emmy for this); a pathetic proposal by Connor; a damning sext from Roman (Kieran Culkin); and of course a new absolute rock bottom for Kendall (Jeremy Strong). The show spun pleasantly earlier in the season but here, it all comes together in a symphony of nasty chaos. It’s ruthless, and sets up a finale that is sure to, somehow, make us feel a tiny bit sorry for these incredibly privileged, deeply clueless people. — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Succession is now streaming on HBO Max.
11. Pose Season 3 episodes 7–8, “Series Finale Pt I, II”
Credit: fx
For three seasons, Pose has broken ground for representation of queer and trans people of color on TV while upholding a standard of storytelling that bridged the gap between historical reality and beautiful fantasy. There was almost no doubt that this show would stick its landing, but how well it actually stuck is remarkable. The double-length Pose finale delivered a poignant examination of medical racism regarding the HIV/AIDS crisis, captured the bittersweet relief of finally producing effective antiretroviral therapies, and gave each of its characters a sendoff — sometimes literally — that encapsulated their importance to the world of ballroom. Pose has always been a show unafraid to show America’s ugly history, but the story was always about the beauty of family and the legacies we leave behind. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Pose Season 3 s available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and more.
10. Mythic Quest Season 2 episodes 6-7, “Backstory” and “Peter”
The real magic of Mythic Quest lies in the way the show weaponizes perspective and context to make the most seemingly detestable character a lovable and sympathetic figure. Episodes 6 and 7 of Season 2 took us on that journey with C.W. Longbottom, charting the “Mythic Quest” game writer’s path from an unassuming and starry-eyed wannabe sci-fi author to the bitter, heavy-drinking lech who always seems to be operating a few steps out of his element at the game studio. Much like Season 1’s brutal-yet-heartfelt journey through twin relationships in “Dark Quiet Death,” “Backstory” and its follow-up “Peter” in Season 2 will leave you clutching a wad of tissues and wondering how Mythic Quest, this silly show about ridiculous things, manages to be so incredibly, consistently devastating. — A.R.
How to watch: Mythic Quest is now streaming on Apple TV+.
9. The Other Two Season 2, episode 5: “Chase Gets Baptized”
Credit: Greg Endries / HBO
The Other Two‘s “Chase Gets Baptized” is a stand out episode in a season full of stand outs. Cary (Drew Tarver), Brooke (Heléne Yorke), and their young popstar brother Chase (Case Walker) are baptized into ChristSong, a church that’s perfect for celebrity networking — and that bears a striking resemblance to real-life Hillsong. Horror dawns as Cary and Brooke realize that the cult-like church is “anti-gay and anti-woman.”
What ensues is a tightly-contained odyssey through New York’s Soho house as the Dubek siblings try to justify staying in the church for its perks despite its problematic ideas. “Chase Gets Baptized” is focused, incisive, and surprisingly poignant: Cary, whose relationship with religion has always been complicated, continues to embrace his sexuality, while Brooke’s manager burnout intensifies. This being The Other Two, the episode is full of killer gags, like the infectious worship song “Jesus Slays.” Plus, Cary and Brooke are in bathrobes almost the entire time, heightening the episode’s ridiculousness and cult-inspired imagery. —B.E.
How to watch: The Other Two is now streaming on HBO Max.
8. Mare of Easttown Season 1 episode 5, “Illusions”
As far as crime dramas go, Mare of Easttown can twist and turn with the best of them. Throughout the seven-part limited series, Kate Winslet’s steely lead detective weathered countless shocking revelations as she investigated a brutal homicide of a teen girl and two missing persons cases. Of course, no developments were quite as devastating as the explosive series of events captured in episode 5.
Titled “Illusions,” this was the Mare of Easttown episode that not only saw police finally answer one of the show’s most burning whodunnits, but also stunned audiences with the death of a beloved major character. On the off chance you haven’t seen the show yet, I won’t say more. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll remember where you were when you watched this top-tier episode for the rest of your TV-watching days. — A.F.
How to watch: Mare of Easttown is now streaming on HBO Max.
7. Yellowjackets Season 1, episode 2 “F Sharp”
In survival thrillers, there are sometimes dozens of moments when things go from bad to worse. It helps clarify the conflict and build tension by demonstrating what’s at stake. Still, when Yellowjackets’ unleashed Misty on that GPS tracker in “F Sharp,” I saw stars. Showtime’s thrilling story of a championship girls’ soccer team fighting to get back home after a devastating plane crash has lots of interesting moments. Misty Quigley deciding she wanted to stay stranded just a little longer, and then destroying a device that might help her and her friends get found, may be its best so far. (We’re not done with the season, yet!) This episode saw the Yellowjackets coping immediately after the plane crash, and it was bad. Like bloody corpses falling out of trees bad. And yet, Misty made the interesting move anyway. It’s a final knife twist in an episode full of gutsy moments and a show that always goes there. — A.F.
How to watch: Yellowjackets is now streaming on Showtime and on Hulu or Amazon via add-on. The first episode is available for free.
6. Pen15 Season 2, Episode 15 (finale): “Home”
Over its two short seasons, Pen15‘s central gag of creators Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine playing fictionalized versions of themselves in 7th grade stopped being a gag. It became an emotional imperative for those who grew up in the sartorially undignified early 2000s to put their adult selves back in their pre-teen selves’ shoes. It forced people to look, really look at what it was like to be that age at that time, and more importantly reminded them that no one can go back and change their past, no matter how cringey it was.
The series finale of Pen15, “Home,” is the most emotionally devastating episode the show has produced. It’s a damning indictment of what the social circumstances of the early 2000s did to girls thats difficult to watch and devastating in its simplicity. Pen15 stuck the landing of a funny, complicated, cringeworthy television moment by capturing the optimism and uncertainty of girlhood — as well as the all-encompassing importance of middle school BFFs. — A.N.
How to watch: Pen15 is now streaming on Hulu.
5. What If…Season 1, Episode 2: “What if T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?”
Credit: Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Marvel’s What If…? was an entertaining break from the constant connectivity and conspiracy theories of the greater MCU. The animated series kicked off strong by exploring the multiversal possibilities of Peggy Carter getting the super soldier serum, but the show’s most affecting story arrived in Episode 2, “What If T’Challa Became A Star-Lord?” Even though the late Chadwick Boseman voiced T’Challa several other times throughout the season, hearing him perform the role for the first time since Avengers: Endgame and his untimely passing felt especially profound.
Episode 2 of What If…? stood out because it, more than the other episodes in the season, proved the value of its central character’s heart and imagined their impact on the universe going beyond what they could have accomplished on earth. T’Challa’s curiosity, compassion, intelligence, and sense of humor translated perfectly to his new role as a charming space outlaw, and each small reveal of T’Challa’s impact on his universe hinted at the purity of his heroism. —A.N.
How to watch: What If…? is now streaming on Disney+.
4. Heels Season 1, episode 5 “Swerve”
Michael Waldron’s family wrestling drama had no right to basically beat up our hearts, but it did and we are better for it. Episode 5 is the best of everything Heels had to offer; high-stakes wrestling that goes off-script, the rise of Crystal (Kelli Berglund) and Bobby (Trey Tucker), and Wild Bill (Chris Bauer) playing master manipulator behind the scenes.
Each story plays expertly into the others while establishing stakes for the DWL; what it was, what it could be, and what’s rotten within it. Steven Amell’s Jack grounds the episode as usual, but we see the limits of his control over brother Ace (Alexander Ludwig), whose volatile temper roils to a pitch for the shocking climax. This is the episode when, if someone tells you “it’s just wrestling” you might just wrestle them to the ground for disrespecting kayfabe, Duffy, and the enormous heart of this show. — P.K.
How to watch: Heels is now streaming on STARZ and Amazon or Hulu via add on.
3. The Underground Railroad Season 1 episode 9, “Indiana Winter”
The finale of The Underground Railroad functioned as more of an epilogue to the rest of the season, with the climax of Cora’s journey arriving in episode 9, “Indiana Winter.” There is a sense of catharsis in this episode as Cora eases into life on Valentine Farm and begins to shed her fears of intimacy and capture, but as in Colson Whitehead’s novel, her peace doesn’t last for long. “Indiana Winter” is the show’s final, damning condemnation of white supremacy as powerful men rain down their final judgement on the existence of Valentine Farm and bring Cora to a harrowing confrontation with Ridgeway, which ends exactly as The Underground Railroad begins — falling in slow motion into darkness. — A.N.
How to watch: The Underground Railroad is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
2. Only Murders In The Building Season 1, Episode 7: “The Boy From 6B”
The “silent episode” is a gimmick that, to be fair, usually results in outstanding episodes of television but has cropped up on many, many shows. Leave it to Only Murders In The Building to elevate the concept beyond a gimmick with that excellent Season 1 episode “The Boy From 6B.” The titular boy is Theo Dimas, the deaf son of the OMITB crew’s main suspect in the murder of Tim Kono, and the lack of verbal dialogue comes about as a result of finally seeing the Arconia and its residents from his perspective.
Theo’s perspective always comes first in “The Boy From 6B,” with the directorial style and sound design outlining how he sees the world. Tight shots of other characters’ faces draw attention to the lips Theo reads, and other shots are framed to show what does and does not pull his focus at key moments. Deaf actor James Caverly expertly follows Theo’s character from the innocently lonely teen he was in flashbacks to the sneaky menace he grew into, making “The Boy From 6B” “a glimpse into a TV landscape where creatives with disabilities have more opportunities to portray their own experiences.” — A.N.
How to watch: Only Murders in the Building is now streaming on Hulu.
1. Squid Game Season 1, episode 6 “Gganbu”
Squid Game had the entire world talking, but in a show full of violence and spectacle, the show’s finest hour was deeply intimate. After a brutal game of tug-of-war, the remaining players pair off for a mystery round that ends up pitting them against their partners. A relentlessly emotional real-time hour pits Gi-Hun (Lee Jung-jae) against Il-nam (Oh Yeong-su), Sang-Woo (Park Hae-soo) against Abdul (Anupam Tripathi), and Sae-byuk (HoYeon Jung) against Ji-yeong (Lee Yoo-Mi).
We watch in horror and heartbreak as the clock ticks on toward each player inevitably beating or tricking their partner, with only one walking away physically unharmed (but otherwise profoundly scarred). Gi-hun and the old man’s story stands out thanks to Lee and Oh’s performances and a bond that goes back to the first episode. Il-nam calls Gi-Hun “gganbu,” a bond he interprets as transcending even their brief friendship. If only it were as simple as Il-nam’s childhood memories. — P.K.
How to watch: Squid Game is now streaming on Netflix.