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Desert island episodes: What's your one and only?As the writers strike proceeds through its second week, I'm faced with the sad prospect of a finite number of entertaining Thursday nights (or Saturday afternoons, really, since I watch TV on my computer, thus contributing nothing to the writers' paychecks — so very wrong). No new scripts means no more Wilhelmina! No more Cristina! No more Meredith! Wait a minute ... no more Meredith? Maybe the strike is just a tiny bit OK. It's also providing all sorts of photos of stars supporting the cause.
No, I know — great pics and lack of Meredith aside, it's really not OK, and for reasons obviously far larger than my need for Saturday entertainment. I truly hope it is resolved soon, and in a way that will allow me to watch online TV without feeling complicit in some larger trend of failing to give credit (and cash) where due. Until then, I'm inspired by a
recent post
at Give Me My Remote to give TV the desert island treatment. That's right, for How do I choose is my question? The recent "Favorite Lesbian TV Moments" episode of She Made Me Watch This! is a good place to start, but I haven't seen a few of Sarah and Lori's picks, and while I too adored the hand-holding on The O.C., would I really want to watch it for a year running? No offense to Mischa Barton and Olivia Wilde, but not so much. So how to sort through the shows I've watched recently — let alone consider those I haven't seen in ages, either for lack of availability on DVD or for forgetfulness, neglect or generally lazy (and broke) fandom on my part? I may safely relegate my obsession with Lois and Clark to the (somewhat embarrassed) past. But I can certainly imagine Northern Exposure keeping me happy for a year, if only I could come up with something specific instead of the general warm, fuzzy feeling I get when I think about The Brick.
A big, zany cast would be good; that means more people to look at and laugh with — or is that at? Arrested Development's "Afternoon Delight" would fit the bill, and the show somehow seems appropriate for one stuck on a desert island. But there may be too much zaniness with nothing to balance it out. I might go mad with only the Bluths for company.
On the entirely normal side of things, there's my Cosby Show addiction to consider; perhaps one of the anniversary episodes? But there's never enough Clair — and in reality, while it would fulfill a rather different gap than Arrested Development, I don't think even my love for Phylicia Rashad could sustain me. Really, it's impossible to be scientific about this choice — it's going to have to be instinctual. And where do my instincts land me? Right in Nikki Wade's cell. Pathetic and predictable, perhaps, but can you blame me? I'm going with the "S--- Happens" episode of Bad Girls, which may not prove my excellent taste, but come on: It's back when Betts was cool, Shell was just the right amount of crazy, Fenner was still fun to despise, Dominic and Zan were cute, and — of course this is the reason it's my top pick — Helen tells off Simon and gets the girl. Sort of. Will it be good or bad to spend a year waiting for the follow-up? Either way, instinct it is. I'm sticking with my choice; bad line aside (or volume turned down), I can watch this for a year.
So, readers and viewers: Are you as agonized (speaking relatively) about this choice as I am? How do you choose, and more importantly, what and why? I look forward to seeing picks — my guess is I'm going to have a lot of TV-watching to catch up on over winter break. And if the strike continues, I'll have all sorts of time for it. Submitted by on November 13, 2007 - 5:31pm. |
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I swear I'm not cheating
Since it technically counts as the pilot episode of the revamped Battlestar Galactica, I think I would choose the TV movie-esque first episode in which the cylons attack, humanity fights for its collective life, and Tricia Helfer takes her clothes off. Often.
Either that or one of the episodes of South Park that have me cracking up all the time. I can't choose one with supreme certainty, but if I had to absolutely pick one this very second, it would be "With Apologies to Jesse Jackson."
"Out of the box is where I live." -Starbuck
Desert Island
BUFFY!
Buffy! Any episode! It doesn't matter, they're all great!! Except maybe not 'that bad one' from season 4. Hmmm, I'd probably go for one from season 3, maybe 'Dopplegangland' or 'The Wish', both have vampire Willow so that's all good, or maybe 'Enemies' or something a bit more Faith-centric. My favourite episode is 'Passion', but that might be a bit depressing for all year round viewage. Perhaps OMWF is the way to go, it's uplifting and I can have a sing and dance along!
(Although, watching one episode of Buffy over and over may just get me really frustrated wanting more of the slayer goodness.)
BUFFY
That's easy!
ADITL
Yep, that was my first thought too. Baths, "Can we cook with your juices?", slo-mo wet Xena, Minya, "She likes what I do", Zagreus, "You used my scroll?!" etc etc etc!
Such a great hour of television.
I'll admit that I'm being swayed by the thought of the BSG miniseries. Hmmmm...
Great minds
Well...Maybe Not Soooooo Easy!
Agreed, it would be hard enough to pick out a single entire series, let alone a single episode--but A Day in the Life would definitely be a great place to start!
But, although the hand-holding on The O.C., would probably get old after a year running...I'd have to say a good one might be The Lonely Hearts Club--don't think I'd ever tire of Mischa Barton more honestly disclosing to Alex knowing she could get through the dinner with her Mom because she knew she could come and see Alex. Olivia Wilde's somewhat speechless reaction and then deciding to screw her theory about first dates on Valentines is priceless--their entire exchange there really. Not to mention we got their first kiss--although the build-up to it was personally more enjoyable for me since we got such a quick fade-out on the kiss itself! Still their expressions as they lean in for that first kiss...priceless!!! Or maybe it would have to be The Blaze of Glory. As much as I hated that episode, Olivia Wilde's tough girl reaction to Ryan, then her vulnerability followed by her tough-girl 'Marissa's not really breaking my heart' act at the bonfire makes me tear-up every time. :-(
"Sometimes you can just have, like, a moment with someone--you know, when you're doing something totally random, and...it's just, like, charged or something! --Mischa Barton as Marissa on The OC
got to agree with bad girls
Ooh, Firefly!
Arrested Development
Charlie's Angels
Angels in Chains
Desert Island TV watching
_Rhoda_
and if we're all stuck on
and if we're all stuck on the same island together, we'll soon have enough episodes to watch to get through the entire year! : )
I would choose an episode from the l word either season 1 or 2, preferably one with a lot of carmen and where alice and dana are together
Eaaasy
Eaaasy... Buffy - Once More With Feeling.
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It has to be Buffy.
Has to be the Slayer!
But then I have to narrow it down to one.
Bad Girls, OMWF, Tabula Rasa, Hush, Dopplegangland, Enemies, The Body, and The Gift. Maybe I can sneak them all on - at least four episodes can fit on one DVD..
A little song...a little dance...
a little seltzer down your pants...
My choice has to be the Mary Tyler Moore eppie when Chuckles The Clown "bites the dust!"
If I was going to be stuck on an island for a year...I would want a comedy!
I tried to find a vid clip but they seem to have been deleted from YouTube...so all I can offer is the original opening to the MTM show...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-zpGtVtqQk
:)
Chuckles is a great one
While I would still stick with the Rhoda NYE party -- cause it really sums up that pathetic overrated holiday and come to think of it, most parties -- I was thinking maybe if I were stuck on an island I should go with something more perplexing and cerebral. For example, after a year I might *get* an episode of The Prisoner...
PS Love your avatar!
Thanks! : ^ D
I think my favorite Rhoda eppie is her wedding. Watching Rhoda have to get herself to her own wedding...wearing a sweater over her wedding dress...and carrying her purse...all on location in New York...because Phyllis forgot about picking her up...add to that Rhoda's mom trying to hold it together with the guests and her making Mary nervous...it might be the best known Rhoda episode...but it was priceless.
I agree with you about the New Year's Eve episode...it did sum up the truth about the expectations people often put into the night.
Buffy!
How To Choose??
There are so many to choose! If I had to choose only one (THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!)
I would have to choose Unfinished Business from Galactica. That episode is just so... intense. I love the flashbacks with the past and present with the boxing match. The music is incredible and I could watch it for a year.
Buffy - Chosen or The Body or Hush
Dead Like Me - Haunted (the last ever episode) - There was just something so creepy and scary about the murderer and the way the Mason reacted when he learned who he was going to reap. Not to mention the end with Reggie..
Farscape - Crackers Don't Matter - Its a classic!
Xena - A Day In The Life (as other have mentioned!)
X-Files - Not sure if I could really pick one... but if I had to.. Triangle, How The Ghosts Stole Christmas, man.. so many!
South - Gay Pride
Hmm.. guess that was more than one.. sorry :-(
//~ YouTube.com/CyberWoolf ~//
Got some lesbian clips there!
Yikes, that's difficult.
Same with The X-Files, my favourite episodes falls in the cancer/Emily arc, but they're all sad (tho beautiful), so for something happier, Improbable from Season 9, because then I can write Scully/Reyes fanfic.
Arrested Development - Development Arrested - series finale because whichever other episode I picked I would only be frustrated when I can't just go on to the following one.
The only easy show is 30 Rock - Blind Date - Hello, Gretchen Thomas.
The L Word
Season 2, epi 3. Shane and Carmen playing "Too hot".
Or "Land Ahoy", season, epi 10 with the commentary and the "dance scene" between Carmen and Shane.
HAS to be with the
HAS to be with the commentary. Funniest, pissiest thing ever.
Cruel
I have a hard enough time trying to decide which DVD series box to take with me, let alone just one single episode...it is simply impossible to choose...
If I could only have 40-45 minutes of tv though, I would love a You Tube-style montage of the best of Starbuck ;-)
I love too many tv shows
And episodes thereof.
If I had to choose just one from just one show, it'd be The Bitter Suite from Xena. Musical, yay! Conflict resolution, yay!
Honorable mentions...
Stargate Atlantis: McKay and Mrs. Miller (I have SUCH a crush on Kate Hewlett.)
Buffy: Oof, too hard to narrow down to one. So... Restless, Life Serial, OMWF, and Intervention.
Angel: Orpheus (Dude! You saved a puppy!)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations or Far Beyond the Stars
The Office (US): The Dundies
Farscape: Out of Their Minds (So. Hilarious.)
tough choice!
I was thinking Buffy, but ten, which ep? Hush? Restless?OMWF?
So I decided to go with Xena "one against an army". I have no idea how many times I've watched this one over the years. Gotta be more than 80!
West Wing
The show that I'd take didn't require much thought--West Wing is, far and away, my favorite show, so that choice was easy. The question of which episode, though, is far more difficult to assess. In the end, I think I'd go with "Two Cathedrals," the finale of the show's second season, if only because of this scene.
I figure...God sticks me on a desert island for a year, I'm gonna be pretty pissed off...and that scene likely captures my sentiments about my situation.
Torn
between everyone's favorite Xena episode (A day in the life) and the final episode of Buffy, anybody who actually expects me to pick should be prepared to bring a chair and something to keep themselves occupied for a couple of years while the debate rages on. ;-)
~ Kisses are a better fate than wisdom ~
no doubt...buffy
season 6 ep.8 -tabula rasa--it's after OMWF , it starts out intense, gets funny and then breaks my heart with willow on the floor crying and michelle branch singing 'goodbye to you'.
that or season 6 ep 22 - grave... because i love dark willow. i love willow and zander on the bluff , it was an intense and beautiful season and you know nothing is ever going to be the same again for our gang.
Movies?
I'd love to play this game with favourite movies...
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if it's just the one...
Tough Choice
I'd have to go with Star Trek Voyager: Dark Horizons, I hope it's not cheating because it's a two part!
It was a close call between that and Buffy: Once More with Feeling and Xena: When Fates Collide
Yep - Buffy
Have to agree with all the aforementioned episodes - especially Tabula Rasa, but I'd also like to throw in Season 4 "New Moon Rising". Still love it for the very end:
"You have to be with the person that you love" "I am"
aaw!
It's so hard to narrow it down to one!
Xena Bitter Suite because I'm a sucker for musical episodes or
Buffy OMWF (see above) or This Year's Girl because of Faith's speech to Spike in Buffy's body ("Because it's wrong!") or
Farscape John Quixote because the virtual reality stuff reminds me of Bitter Suite or
Beauty and the Beast Masquerade when Vincent got to go out with Catherine on Halloween.
"Never explain, never complain." - Katherine Hepburn
Without moment's hesitation
desert island episode
The One with the Lesbian Wedding.
I want to pick one more! Reading about Jane Sibbett being honored over the weekend brough to mind this Friends episode. I loved it because so much going leading up to the wedding. We got to meet Marlo Thomas for the first time as Rachel's mom. One of Phoebe's massage clients (a little old lady) died on Phoebe's table and her spirit went into Phoebe and wouldn't leave until she saw everything. And Ross ended up being a sweetheart and walking Carol down the aisle after she had a fight with her parents. And let's not forget that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's sister...Candance...played the minister. Plus a little Lea DeLaria cameo. Funny stuff!
Friends vid clip montage focusing on Carol and Susan that I found on YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YylvLrkRZug