The Best Episodes of 2011 (Part 2 of 5)

THE BEST EPISODES OF 2011 (Part 2 of 5)

I wonder if show runners, studio executives, actors, actresses, directors, editors, etc. actually pay attention to Best Of lists. Certainly, no one pays attentions to the musings in The Foot. I mean, in general, how much pride do the people involved in a Top 10 show actually feel when they're told that such and such show was honored by random popular culture website? I know I'm asking a question to which I'll never receive an answer to. I suppose the process of lists is catered to web traffic moreso than the powerful people behind the shows being included on a list (of course I went into this yesterday).

Yesterday, I celebrated four episodes from the comedy genre and one episode from the drama genre. Will that trend continue today? Did I laugh more than I did not in 2011? I laughed. I cried more though (not over TV). I don't have a multi-paragraph screed prepared on the nonsense of television reviews today. Instead, I just have five episodes to write about. So, read on and enjoy.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS' "Always"--Written By Jason Katims; Directed By Michael Waxman

Jason Katims won the award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series at the 2011 Emmys for "Always." The episode's the series finale of FNL, which ran for five seasons, garnered tremendous praise and love for its portrayal of small town life, marriage, and family. Football was really the least important part of the show. The action in the series finale revolved around the state championship game between the Lions and some random school in Texas. Besides a beautifully directed sequence, edited without music, the football action's limited. The defining play of the state title game is interrupted by a smash cut into present day for all of our characters. The Taylors left Dillon for Philadelphia. The East Dillion Lions merged with the West Dillon Panthers to become a superteam (they also won the state title). "Always" is about how a group of losers became winners; the importance of sacrifice in a relationship whether it's a wife, a girlfriend, or a sibling. One of the best scenes in the episodes occurs near the end. Riggins and his brother are just sitting on Tim's piece of land, drinking some beers, enjoying their healed relationship. The scene represents what FNL was about: taking hits, getting back up, possessing the ability to enjoy a sun-drenched day on a beautiful piece of land.

COMMUNITY'S "Documentary Filmmaking: Redux"--Written By Megan Ganz; Directed By Joe Russo

I wrote about this episode two or so weeks ago. I felt obligated to write something about Community given NBC's decision to leave it off the mid-season schedule until one of their comedies fail and the network has no other choice but to air new episodes. "Documentary Filmmaking: Redux" is a special episode--high praise because Community's produced more great episodes in a 2.5 year span than many sitcoms past and present. I could include 10 episodes of Community in the Best Episodes of 2011, but that'd be unfair to the other shows (who won't even know I've honored them). Anyway, this episode is all about how special Greendale is; it's a character study of Dean Pelton, as well as homage to the documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now. The episode wouldn't appeal to people who aren't fans of the series, which is Community's curse unfortunately. For anyone who loves Greendale and the characters, the episode is fantastic.

LOUIE's "Joan"--Written & Directed by Louie C.K.

The story is simple: Louie went on the road to Atlantic City, played to a miserable crowd, got annoyed, told the casino/hotel manager that he wanted to cancel the rest of his performances, watched a Joan Rivers set, went to Joan's room to talk about stand-up comedy and paying one's due, Joan kicked Louie in the ass, Louie kissed her on the mouth. The highlight of the episode is what Joan tells Louie. I'm familiar with Joan solely because of her annoying fashion show that somehow winds up on my weekly recordings of The Soup. I was blown away to learn she's an accomplished stand-up comedian and well-respected within the industry. I forgave her instantly for her annoying fashion show when her voice broke and she told Louie that what they do, stand-up comedy, is a calling:

THE CHICAGO CODE's "Pilot"--Written By Shawn Ryan; Directed By Charles McDougall

I never became invested in The Chicago Code. The procedural element bored me. The Lindo stuff didn't work consistently. The terribly uninteresting undercover cop Liam took too much screen time. TCC would've worked better as six episode mini-series rather than an actual series. However, the "Pilot" was great. The characters were well drawn and written in the pilot. I identified with their individual personal arcs. I immediately rooted for the downfall of Lindo. The pilot concluded with a surprising death. I thought the episode looked great. The actors were tremendous. The writing was exciting and moving. That's really all I ask from an episode of TV.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES' "The Sun Also Rises"--Written By Caroline Dries & Mike Daniels; Directed By Paul M. Sommers

An episode so good I mistakenly though it for a season finale. I learned "The Sun Also Rises" was the penultimate episode when I watched the previews for the season finale, which aired (naturally) after the episode's conclusion. One might wonder, "What happened?" No, my friends and well-wishers, the question is, "What DIDN'T happen?" Things get crazy. There are deaths, sacrifices, and mortal wounds. A vampire becomes the most powerful supernatural person on the planet; a brother is betrayed. I compared "The Sun Also Rises" with the Hemingway book that the episode took its title from. Amidst all the craziness was the idea that the characters aren't irrevocably damaged--that their wounds will heal.

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