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It's time for best-of-the-year lists. And while TV has been experiencing a rise in content production and audience, it was a strange year for TV lovers who've grown used to quality programming. While there seemed to be an endless stream of shows of all sorts, the quality was thin when compared to just how much there was to watch. Still, there were plenty of shows that delivered great episodes of TV, wowing us with spectacle or delivering the rare and perfect alignment of writing, characters, and performance. Here are some six of our favorite episodes this year:
House of the Dragon
In the midst of a strange and contemplative season, "The Red Sowing," the series' seventh episode, delivered an incredible spectacle. After battles, injuries, deaths, and dragons, yet somehow lots of conversation and a sluggish pace, our protagonist Rhaenyra finds herself desperate to gather supporters and dragon riders. She turns to a last resort: a gathering of the bastards of her dynasty to find people who can ride dragons for her cause. The episode has a stunning cinematic sequence of dragons and dragonfire that's the stuff that fantasy is made of. It also features a stunning Emma D'Arcy.
Fantasmas
"Fantasmas" was one of the weirdest and best shows of the year. We had the privilege of speaking to Julio Torres, the show's star and creator, earlier this year, breaking down his intriguing work and discussing the series in depth. One of the highlights of the series is "Valued Customer," the second episode of the show, which features a stunning segment with Alexa Demie and Ziwe where they play warring bureaucratic forces.
English Teacher
Written and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, "English Teacher" follows a gay English Teacher trying to make a difference in a public high school in Texas. One of the standout episodes is called "Powderpuff" and features various high school students learning how to do drag appropriately from a drag queen, who may have taken the job with an ulterior motive.
Arcane
Starring Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell, "Arcane" is a stunning animated series that follows Vi and Jinx, two sisters on opposite sides of a war set in a Steampunk world. The second and final season of the show came out earlier this year, featuring many stand-out episodes. My personal favorite is the seventh episode called "Pretend Like it's the First Time," showing us an alternate version of the world we've grown to know and love.
Shogun
"Shogun" is arguably the year's best TV show, packed with visuals, set design, incredible performances and an intro that will remain amazing for years to come. The series follows John Blackthorne, a pirate who ends up marooned in a Japanese village during the Edo period in Japan. Blackthorne somehow becomes a important political pawn in a game he doesn't understand, allowing us to enjoy a world that's been rarely depicted by Western media, at least in the correct fashion. The series' best episode is "Crimson Sky," it's ninth, the Lady Mariko as she reckons with her mortality, her morals, and her relationships with the series' main characters.
Industry
Lastly, "Industry" had an incredible season, packed with episodes that could have all been featured on this list. The show follows various young graduates at a high-pressure job at an investment bank in London. This season, the show extended its range and became something new, focusing on its stunning roster of actors and the places their lonely characters ended up in. My favorite is "Nikki Beach, or: So Many Ways to Lose" following the progression of Yasmin and Harper's relationship, two close friends who are also vicious with each other.