Stand - alone episodes . Pretty much every telly show does them , even in this eld of more serialized television . And oftentimes , they ’re kind of disposable . They ’re the cheap episodes , or the ones which do n’t excite up the show ’s status quo . Most of all , they ’re often stories that could come from any television show — like last hebdomad ’s “ amnesia virus ” sequence of Terra Nova .
But resist - alone episode do n’t have to be deadening , and they do n’t have to be news report that any show could order . Here are 10 stand - alone sequence that not only rock — they ’re also story that could only have appear on one show in particular .
10 ) The X - Files , “ Clyde Bruckman ’s Final Repose ”
Why it rocks : Peter Boyle guest genius as the titular psychic Clyde Bruckman who possesses the ability to see how people will die . Mulder and Scully use him to track a orca remove psychic and tearing out their eyeball in luxurious giallo manner . This is a tightly written , suspensive episode that balance sorry humor with wanton violence ( which would now seem tame . )
Why it could only fare from this show : It ’s got a kind of quintessentially 10 - Files - ian blend of suspense and weirdness .
9 ) Futurama , “ The Sting ”
Why it rock : It ’s a comedy sendup of Phiip K. Dick ’s Ubik with gigantic infinite bee centered on the expiry of the serial lead . Fry ’s destiny is n’t let out until the last eighty second of the episode , yet the hasty resolution make water perfect sense — It ’s the first and maybe only truly suspenseful episode of the series .
Why it could only amount from this show : It ’s hard to conceive of any other show pulling off something quite so insane and so steeped in science fiction references . The off - the - wall humour is pure Futurama .
- Andromeda , “ paunch of the Beast ”
Why it rocks : This is a rooter - favorite episode , in which the Andromeda is withdraw by a vast space animate being called the Cetus , which is sort of a Brobdingnagian jellyfish . Dylan and Trance are off the ship at the sentence , ironically because they ’re the only ones who take the menace of the Cetus seriously , and thus the crew is allow for to deal with the situation on their own . In the end , Dylan realizes that his gang have learn from his own dying - withstand model .
Why it could only amount from this show : It ’s really all about the relationship between Dylan and his crew , and how he ’s influenced them with his indomitable swashbuckling way . It ’s hard to think this being about anybody but Kevin Sorbo .
7 ) Batman : The Animated Series , “ Baby Doll ”
Why it rocks : This is a divisive instalment , to say the least — it involve a former tiddler actress , Marion Dahl , who ’s suffering from a fictitious aesculapian condition called “ systemic hypoplasia , ” which keep her in the torso of a small child even as her mind matures into adulthood . This puts a damper on her attempt to become a successful dramatic actress . So what does the permanently child - bodied pigeon pea do ? Kidnap her former costars , of course of study .
Why it could only come in from this show : Batman : TAS did a hatful to elevate the Caped Crusader ’s science fiction adversary to become key players , but the show also was n’t afraid to make new foe and take weird risks , making for a whole step that few animated shows before or since could match . And Paul Dini ’s warped fingermark are all over this cartoony , perverted installment .
6 ) Farscape , “ Crackers Do n’t Matter ”
Why it rocks : The first truly unhinged instalment of Farscape , this story was a last - minute alternate for another handwriting that did n’t work out . On the surface , it ’s your distinctive “ gang goes insane and turns on each other ” story , but the actual storytelling goes way further and is more nuts . The episode does present Crichton ’s notional interlingual rendition of Scorpius , Harvey , but Harvey was intended as a one - off at the time .
Why it could only come from this show : Mostly because the insanity that spread out is quintessentially Farscape , include the famous scene where D’Argo force - course the puppet Rygel .
5 ) Fringe , “ White Tulip ”
Why it shake : I have to allow in , I was lukewarm about this instalment when it first publicise , but I ’ve come to revalue it a lot more . Genre MVP Peter Weller play a scientist who develops a method of clock time travel that has a few lethal drawbacks — and the body count mountain up while Weller seeks a way to repair the timeline and preserve his true erotic love . The interplay between Weller ’s eccentric and prototypal mad scientist Walter Bishop is what realize it heavy .
Why it could only come from this show : Even though it ’s a “ monstrosity of the week ” type episode , the two mad scientists make a extra connexion , and Walter Bishop ’s tormented horse sense of flightiness is inherent to the tale . Unlike a wad of one - off Fringe instalment , you could n’t just plunk down down a different team of investigators and have it work .
4 ) medico Who , “ Blink ”
Why it rocks : One of the time weinterviewedNeil Gaiman , he cited this story ( along with “ City of Death ” ) as Doctor Who stories that you could show to a new viewer instead of trying to explain the show to them . True , it introduces the Weeping Angels , which are subsequently seen again , but I have a feeling they were intended as one - off villains . It also insert a great one - off character , Sally Sparrow , and tells a brilliant ego - contained story in which the pieces all terminate up fitting .
Why it could only come from this show : Few show could have pulled off such a clock time - travel - intensive level , plus the TARDIS is vital to the story ’s resolution . And it would n’t really work quite as well without David Tennant ’s abbreviated but memorable appearances .
https://gizmodo.com/neil-gaiman-explains-why-his-doctor-who-episode-is-a-g-5792879
3 ) Star Trek , “ urban center on the Edge of Forever ”
Why it rocks : Harlan Ellison famously wrote this Trek episode about time traveling via gargantuan donut , although it was rewritten and not entirely to Ellison ’s satisfaction . We considered name the TNG episodes “ Darmok ” and “ The Inner Light , ” but this outing in reality wins out . Captain Kirk does n’t just have an intense experience that lasts one episode , he have a spirit - fall apart choice . And just like in “ Where No Man Has snuff it Before , ” we get to see how pitiless Spock can get . Most other display would have brought back the Guardian of incessantly over and over , but for alive - action Trek it was just a one - off .
Why it could only arrive from this show : The Kirk - Spock human relationship is at the centre of the episode , plus it just would n’t mould quite as well without Starfleet ’s delegacy of geographic expedition and the show ’s vision of a quasi - utopian hereafter .
2 ) Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles , “ Self Made Man ”
Why it rock : This is the famous “ Terminator goes back to the 1920s and becomes a large rack ” sequence . It also has a subplot in which John Connor beats up a douchey emcee at a party that Riley dragged him to . This is one of the T : SCC episodes that take time - move around automaton in a much unearthly , more inventive direction than common . And we get to see Summer Glau ’s Cameron make and lose a friend .
Why it could only add up from this show : Because it ’s about time - travel robots , and is very entwined with the Terminator mythos .
1 ) Angel , “ Smile Time ”
Why it rock : The inimitable Ben Edlund bring his demented , off - kilter dash of storytelling to Angel with this amazing episode in which the lamia with a soul becomes a tool with posture . See also : Edlund ’s many demented Supernatural episodes , the Firefly installment “ Jaynestown , ” and of course The Tick . ) ( We also considered include the Buffy episodes “ Ted ” and “ Hush ” on this list — but “ Hush ” is an spark instalment , because it elevate the Buffy / Riley relationship . )
Why it could only come from this show : “ Smile Time ” is a quintessential Angel episode , in which the character of Angel is front and center — his angst and his conflict to be a hero are full embodied , except now it ’s all wrap up in the calamity of him becoming a felt puppet .
Doctor WhoStar TrekTerminator
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