A Small Victory

"Masturbation" -- Seinfeld
"Ice Fishing" -- Frasier
Pilot/first episode -- Love and Marriage
First episode -- Hill St. Blues

Seinfeld - When George decides to do the opposite and Jerry is Even-Steven

I've seen maybe two episodes of Taxi, and that one cracks me up every time I see it. Jim is so frickin' hilarious. I think that would be my favorite. I'll try to think of another one...

The M*A*S*H episode when Hunnicutt (sp?) is pulling all of the practical jokes.

The I Love Lucy episode when Lucy is using stilts to get into the top bunk.

The Laverne and Shirley episode when the two girls are strapped to boards at the fat farm and are trying to get to the candy locker.

Father Ted- the one where he kicks Bishop Brennan up the arse
Action- the one with Sandra Bullock
X-Files- the Jose Chung episode (I know it's not a sitcom but that one is so damn funny it should be)
Coupling- the first episode
Fawlty Towers- the German episode

Martin - When they're "vacationing" in the islands and he and Pam fight off the rodent or whatever it was!!!

Friends - The Thanksgiving turkey

Fraiser - where Niles is pressing his suit!!!

1. "The Simpsons," where Bart and friends get a fake ID, rent a car, and drive to the World's Fair in Tennessee;

2. "Barney Miller," where everyone unknowingly eats hash brownies and Jack Soo walks around just saying "mooshy mooshy;"

3. "The Odd Couple," where Murray the Cop has everyone arrested for gambling.

Dick Van Dyke Show - when Rob falls off the mountain on a ski trip, after Laura warned him to be careful.

Cheers - when Sam and Diane finally get together.

MASH - "The General Cracked at Dawn"

Judging from the previous comments, you might not have seen these but :

"Hypnotoad" - Futurama
"The Mooninites" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force
"Road to Rhode Island" - Family Guy

If the studies are right about how much TV people watch, then this list should be longer. It must be the computer screen that's shorting out my memory.

Seinfeld - The 'gay' episode. "Not that there's anything wrong with it!"

Three's Company (Yes I love that show so shut up) - When Jack takes the tranquilizer before flying on a plane to a posh party.

All In The Family - The menopause episode.

The Honeymooners - The Mambo dancer moves in next door.

Ok, so I chose 4.

Friends - The One After the Superbowl (where Phoebe sings to the kids in the library)

I Love Lucy - Vitameatavegamin

Star Trek - The trouble with Tribbles
(if Kim can pick Hill St. Blues I can pick star trek)

Seinfled - Masturbation

seinfeld - BBO
simpsons - the one where homer has to get a heart transplant. isn't that the first one with Dr. Nick? Hello, Dr. Nick!

ok, enough of the usual suspects... how about:

off centre - the fart episode

I also vote for the German episode of Fawlty Towers.

1. Seinfeld "Shrinkage"
2. Blackadder II when Edmond is the Minister in Charge fo Religious Genocide
3. Everybody Loves Raymond, Robert goes ethnic

Brittas' Empire--Mr. Brittas chops off the guy's head with the chainsaw glued to his hands

The Young Ones--the final episode, where they drive the bus off the cliff

It's Your Move--the one where they created their own rock band--literally--called "the Dregs of Humanity (this show only ran one season and starred Jason Bateman and the guy who played the first husband to Marcy from Married... With Children)

*Bonus: not a sitcom, per se, but the piano-flinging episode of Northern Exposure is probably my favorite hour of television ever

Taxi is the best sitcom ever. My favorite episode: the last of the Taxi episodes when Latka is assuming the personality of Alex Reiger and in the final scene when he tells Reiger he has ascertained the essence of Reiger's melancholy, depression etc and then reverts back to Latka before the moment of revelation.

Runner ups:

1. the Taxi episode when Jim envisions Reiger's death (ends with a girl scout at the door).

2. an episode from the one-year run of Buffalo Bill, where Bill sleeps (unkwowingly) with a transsexual.

3. Taxi (again) where Jim essentially goes through a Mr. Deeds incompetency hearing.

4. Frazier, where Frazier invites his gay boss over to introduce him to Daphne and the boss thinks the date is with Frazier.

5. All in the Family--I still have a soft spot for the Sammy Davis Junior episode.

WKRP: The episode where they drop free thanksgiving turkeys out of a plane.

Newhart: Series finale when he wakes up in bed next to Suzanne Pleshette.

All in the Family: Definitely the Sammy Davis Jr. episode.

Two from "Police Squad". "Little Italy" and the one in which everyone freeze-frames as the credits roll and the bad guy figures out that he can just walk away.

Seinfeld - George does the opposite of his instincts

Dick Van Dyke - they think they got their babies switched at the hospital

Cheers - Kelly and Woody's wedding

WKRP - the Phone Cops.

The episode of Frasier when Niles is ironing his suit.

That has the be the funniest first 5 minutes of a sitcom ever.

The two best of all time:

1) Best episode: WKRP, episode with the "mountainoid" Dave

2) Best extended bit EVER (includes all media categories): WKRP episode with Pat O'Brien as Col. Buchanan in the videotaped will.

Lots of good episodes out there, but WKRP takes the top two slots.

Any Seinfeld show would get my vote as they were all good in one way or another...but if I had to choose one, I think I would go with Kramer's Merv
Griffin set episode...that one had good plots for everyone--Elaine was dealing with the "sidler", Jerry was dating the girl with all the cool kids toys...
(by the way my kid as a Quesy Bake Oven--we've come a long ways (baby)) and George ran over the squirrel and had to pay for it's life saving operation and care. It all came together so very beautifully at the end.

Ken, will you marry me?

Pear, that was my theme for Blogathon last year, Kramer's recreation of the Merv Griffin show. Will be again this year!

Just Shoot Me - with that guy's brother who acts "special" but who's really just scamming his family so he doesn't have to work.

David Cross in a great role in an otherwise mediocre series.

"chicken pot chicken pot chicken pot pie..."

Simpsons- Homer eats world's hottest chili at the chili cookoff and has hallucinations where he's led around by fox voiced by Johnny Cash.

Damn. Now that I think of it, the first Christmas episode of Married with Children is right up there, too.

The Office - "Training." The boss gets out his guitar and plays his own prog-rock / quasi-Springsteen compositions. Result: A roomful of mortified Britons crossing their legs so hard their thighbones graft together.

Coupling: "The Girl with Two Breasts"
I Love Lucy: Vitameatavegamin
Friends: Turkey on Monica's Head

Fawtey Towers - the one with the Australian girl and the phsyciatrist.
Frasier - the one where Martin "gays it up a bit"

Faith - you'll have to discuss that with my wife, but Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Other greats (now that the ball is rolling in my head):

Any episode of Barney Miller

Taxi: Mrs. Mackenzi's Revenge

Odd Couple: Aristophanes

Cheers: Birdzilla

But Pat O'Brien on WKRP still takes top honors

#1 - WKRP Turkey-drop episode
"..with God as my witness, I was SURE Turkeys could fly" - Arthur Carlson

#2 - Simpsons - Homer's Medical Marijuana episode

#3 - Just shoot me - Fake retard brother episode

The Family Guy - Petoria (where Peter cecedes from the US, and later holds a gathering of world dictators at his cripple neighbors pool, which he annexed, and Khadaffi and Saddam are talking about how funny Kramer is on Seinfeld.)
Almost pee'd myself about five times during those 23 minutes.

Oh and 42.6% of all the Simpsons.

Seinfeld...the masturbation episode has me rolling every time.

Friends: Poker night

Seinfeld: Festivus!

WKRP: When Johnny takes the alcohol test and gets faster reaction times as he gets more drunk.

And Kerry: I thought i was the only person in the world who knows the "phone cops" reference.

1. The Odd Couple: Felix decides to redecorate the apartment with new furniture. He has a "yard sale" and people show up at midnight. "Don't take a check...I've got cash!" He fills the apartment with "modern" furniture. Oscar gets pissed, sells it all, fills the place with second-hand stuff. Felix dusts off a ceramic chicken. Mayhem ensues.

2. Seinfeld: George stops having sex, becomes a genius. Elaine does the same, turns into an idiot. Great scene with George hitting fungos over the wall at Yankee Stadium as Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill watch in amazement. Elaine watches spinning tires, claps like a retarded kid.

3. Honeymooners: Ralph has a week to learn how to play golf, to impress his boss. Greatest moment in TV comedy: Norton "addressing" the ball: "Hellllooo, ball!"

Shit, how do you pick just three just from those three shows. Michele, you're making my head hurt again.

Fawlty Towers: "Basil The Rat"
Blackadder IV: "Flanders Pigeon Murderer"
The Office: "Quiz Night"
Curb Your Enthusiasm - "Shrimp"

Dang.
Seinfeld - "Soup Nazi"

I Love Lucy: Vitametavegamin

Simpsons: Homer gets his thumb cut off

Off Centre: the crabs episode.

Sound file present for the WLRP fans. ;)

Beverly Hillbillies,Jethro the double naught spy.Jethro the dragon slayer.Or maybe when Jethro tries to saddle a rocket and fly to the moon to get him some moon maidens and eat all the green cheese.
Married...With Children.All of `em,but the Newmarket mall santa falling in their yard comes to mind right now.
Benny Hill. He was a comic genious.I like every one of those shows but I still bust up laughing when I even think about the one where he`s running from cops ,sees a bike,jumps over the wall to try to land on the bike only to have the seat fall off.

Almost any episode of "The Simpsons."

The coach drowns in a bowl of chicken on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." Also the episode when Martin Mull is murdered with a tiny aluminum Christmas tree.

Sue Anne Nivins tries to stop smiling on "Mary Tyler Moore." Also, the episode of "St. Elsewhere" in which one of the mental patients is convinced he IS Mary Richards. He's almost cured until in walks another charactor, a navy doctor--played by Betty White. They guys eye's go wide with wonder as he says: "Sue Anne?"

Red Dwarf - White Hole

Red Dwarf - The End?

Red Dwarf - Psirens

Cheers "Chambers Vs. Malone" - Sam proposes to Diane (again), she turns him down, we see the look on his face, and then flash to Sam being lead down the final mile on Death Row as he explains to the priest how much she deserved it. He's hallucinating, of course.

Let's see:

1. Simpsons - "The Cartridge Family". Homer buys a gun, and Marge forces him to get rid of it...until she picks it up out of the garbage, and decides to keep it herself.

2. Seinfeld - When everyone makes a bet to swear off sex.

3. Gilligan's Island (yes, that show). The episode where the Japanese sailor lands on the island. Full of un-PC stuff, but that makes it even funnier when you watch it now.

4. WKRP in Cincinnati - The first episode, where Dr. Johnny Fever takes over the programming.

Kevin

Father Ted - when they organize the raffle
Friends - when the guys win the girls' apartment (Miss Chanandler Bong!).
And I don't know if this really counts as a sitcom, but Kids in the Hall - Farmer gets kicked by the cow.

Mash: Officer of the Day (Henry's in Seoul, Hawkeye is in charge it is everyone's Kim Luc-ky day)

Everybody Loves Raymond: Halloween Candy (Frank gives out Raymond's rainbow colored condoms accidentally on Halloween)

Moonlighting: Atomic Shakespeare (David and Maddie do Shakespeare -"Doth bears beareth? Doth bees beeth?")

Great idea.

McHale's Navy: The episode where the
German U Boat shows up in the
islands.

Hogan's Heroes: The entire series.

I Dream of Jeannie: The episode in which Jeannie
blinks up the next day's
newspaper and Roger Healy
takes it to the track.

Yeah, I guess I'd have to go with Seinfeld when they had "the contest."

(1) Any episode of "Soap."

(2) Simpsons - "Cat Burglar" or "Mr. Plow"

MASH - The 5 O'Clock Charlie episode is comedy gold.

MASH- End Show
-Hawkeye is sent to the front and he writes his will

Seinfeld - Chinese restaurant
Seinfeld - Keith Hernandez
Red Dwarf - Stasis Leak
Chef! - Personnel

Any Taxi episode with Latka's alter ego, Vic
Any M*A*S*H episode with Col. Flagg
Any AbFab episode from the first two seasons

The Young Ones - "Sick"
Mary Tyler Moore - When her ex-fiance comes to town and Mr. Grant comes over drunk
And definitely the Taxi with Jim and the driving test.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Last years last episode.

The chef for Larry's new restaurant has tourettes. Larry makes him more comfortable by getting all the patrons to swear outloud during opening night of the restaurant.

"Cock, cock, jizm, cock, grandma!"

Classic

1. Dick Van Dyke - "My Husband is Not a Drunk". Rob accidentally picks up a post-hypnotic suggestion that causes him to act as though drunk every time he hears a bell ring.

2. Seinfeld - "Master of Your Domain" and "Soup Nazi" both get another vote

3. Any episode of "Taxi" with Jim

4. Any episode of "Police Squad!"

Thlaylie, I thought I was the only one who watched AbFab! & Chef. Anything by either of them is up on my list, as well as most M*A*S*H episodes.

Seinfeld: The one where Elaine records dirty talk into Jerry's tape recorder.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Who's your Caucasian?

The Office: First episode

Honorable Mention, even though it's a cartoon: Spongebob Squarepants - The Marching Band.

Third Rock from the Sun -- The first episode with William Shatner as the Big Giant Head.

Any episode of Mork & Mindy with Jonathan Winters in it.

Any Carol Burnette show routine with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman.

MASH: The episode where they organized a shipment of BBQ Ribs from the States

Blackadder II: When his cross-dressing bride ran away with his cross-dressing best man.

Brittas Empire: The episode where the secretary gave birth in the sauna attended by a vetrinarian, and a prize cow gave birth in a squash court attended by an OB-Gyn

Seinfeld - The Contest
Seinfeld - George as Marine Biologist
AbFab - 'Sex' (Patsy convinces Eddy to invite over two male prostitues for an orgy)

I'm sure there are more, but I could just replay Seinfeld episodes all day.. The Parking Garage episode? The 'marble rye' episode? All classics...

Oh wait.. one more:
That 70s Show: The adults accidentally eat all of the kids' pot brownies and get stoned in the garage. Hilarious.

Seinfeld: The Master of Your Domain episode.

WKRP: When Les Nessman goes out on a date with Jennifer, because everytime I hear the song "Hot Blooded", the image of Les putting on that awful toupee pops into my head.

The Simpsons: When Homer invents the drink that Moe steals calls the Flaming Moe.

And since someone else mentioned Adult Swim...

Sealab 2021: The Bizzaro episode with Bizzaro Quinn.

The young ones- "Bomb"

Simpsons- Treehouse of Terror (can't remember what number) Where at the end the whole thing was but a dream.. except for that damn green fog that turns people inside out.

Married with children- The christmas episode with Sam Kinison as Al's guardian angel.

Any and all of " Dave Allen at Large"

Fawlty Towers - When Basil loses his temper with the car and starts hitting it with a pot-plant.

Drop The Dead Donkey - The awards ceremony.

Blackadder Goes Forth - The court-martial

The Loganberry slick from The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.

Dr Furey from A Very Peculair Practice: "It's purely personal, Daker! I still think you're a damn fine doctor".

The VD episode from the same series.

The Barney Miller episode where they
investigate phone threats to an Army recruiting post.

Best quote: Recruiter: "Why would anyone want to attack an installation of the U.S. military?

Fish: "Nostalgia?"

Way too many to list, but here's a few that come to mind:

The Odd Couple When Felix dog-naps "Silver the Wonder Dog"

Bob Newhart Show: Bob's has to have his tonsils removed on Christmas Eve

Mary Tyler Moore Show: The one where they are snowed in in November and have "Christmas dinner" on Sue-Annes Happy Homemaker set.

Seinfeld: Subway episode

Seinfeld: Soup-Nazi episode

Fraser: The one where they go the opera and Martin has to pretend that he is gay.

Scrubs: Ass-box episode

Space Ghost - the ep that ends with SG interviewing a cow who doesn't answer any questions and then suddenly goes into a tirade - "Jan and Jase, they were it, the monkey was it - you, you're not it! And now you've got this bug and the beekeeper... You think you're so cool just because you don't have pupils, like Batman or something..."
I used to have that memorized.
Because I am sad that way.

WKRP (this isn't my fault, Faith sucked me into this):
- the one where Venus Flytrap teaches the parts of an atom in 5 minutes so that kid can finish high school.

- second fav is the ep with the band Scum of the Earth.

"I studied cello...You can't get hundreds of screaming teenage girls to come to a cello recital. And we rather like teenage girls..."

"We don't play punk rock, we play hoodlum rock. It's several cuts below punk rock."
"What's the difference?"
"Well punk rockers don't tend to physically attack their audiences."
"And you dudes do?"
"Come to the concert and find out."

Then again, I also loved the ep where Johnny Fever was convinced that the phone police were after him...but someone already mentioned that one, right?

Barney Miller - ep where they had to deal with a guy who was a werewolf. Later the same actor returned and was possessed by the devil, a la Linda Blair.

Batty, you left out my favorite line from that exchange with the Scum of the Earth: "First of all, punk rockers dress de-plor-ably" [says the hoodlum rocker in the three-piece English-cut suit]

That was a great episode, too

Glad to see someone else remembers "Basil the Rat" from Fawlty Towers.
Also loved the Germ Glasses fom Invader Zim.

I don't think I can only pick three, but here goes:

AbFab - when Patsy is in the hospital

Cheers - when Rebecca gets drunk and passes out and Sam dresses her up like a Mexican

Fawlty Towers - basil the rat

Frasier - the christmas episode when Frasier is dating the Jewish girl.

Almost any episode of "Soap". I still think it was one of the funniest, most un-PC shows on TV! I loved Chuck and Bob, and Benson had some of the best one-liners!

"Taxi" rocked! And the driver's license episode was absolutely classic - I laughed for days after that! I also love the ep where they end up in the gay bar.

And I have to mention Cheers - just hearing Norm's one liners at the beginning of every ep was worth it. "It's a dog-eat-dog world, Sammy, and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear."

Yes! I forgot that bit - thanks Ken!!!

DON'T TOUCHSGSHBAXCJHFEYIYESHC

ALBO: I disagree that "Just Shoot Me" was a mediocre series--but that David Cross episode may well have been the turning point! A classic "best-ever" episode.

In fact, "turning points" may well be another topic--episodes that convinced you a particular series was a great show (sort of the opposite of jumping the shark). For instance, with "Seinfeld," the turning point for me was "The Pony Remark."

Another overlooked gem: the "outer space" episode of "News Radio." And how about the "John's New Assistant" episdode of "The Good Life?" Anyone remember that hilarious but short-lived show?

"The Simpsons": "Meet the B-Sharps." No debate.