Best Episodes of the 2014-2015 Season | Jmunney's Blog

Best Episode of the Season: BoJack Horseman Season 1

July 26, 2015

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“I ate too many pancakes!”

“Downer Ending”
Netflix’s anthropomorphic horse show reached its season 1 pinnacle with a drug-fueled mind-bender that just does not let up. BoJack, Todd, and Sarah Lynn go on a days-long bender, with the anxiety of insecurity and missed opportunities warping into a beguiling mess from which waking out of appears impossibile. It all comes to a head in what looks like will be a declaration of love but is instead something even more vulnerable.

Honorable Mention – “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish”
This holiday special released outside the official episode count of season 1 offers a full edition of Horsin’ Around, the show within the show, and introduces a catchphrase that is only acceptably repeated in context (“Fire that Jew!”).

Best Episode of the Season: The Affair Season 1

July 25, 2015

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“1”
The Affair laid out what it was attempting with its ambitious thesis statement of a pilot episode. A man and a woman recount the details surrounding their extramarital affair during a summer in Montauk, with the subjective biases therein ensuring maximum intrigue. The rest of the first season got a little undisciplined with its premise, but the opener fully demonstrated the power of this show’s framing device.

Best Episode of the Season: The Eric Andre Show Season 3

July 19, 2015

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“Bird Up!”
An entire TEAS focused on the recurring “Bird Up” – “the worst show on television!” – was one of the best TV episodes of the year. Eric cavorted around in his greenscreen bodysuit, sprinting through an id-driven trip of insanity featuring guest director Chris Rock, a fake death prank, a desolately confounded focus group, and much, much more.

Best Episode of the Season: Mulaney Season 1

July 18, 2015

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“In the Name of the Mother, and the Son, and the Holy Andre”
I watched every episode of Mulaney, and it got pretty dark (don’t worry – I got paid). But amidst all the unmet potential were a few bright spots, like this episode that featured Nora Dunn as John’s mom and (wait for it) Pete Holmes as a priest.

To read my original review of this episode, head over here: http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2014/11/10/mulaney_season_1_episode_5_review_nora

Best Episode of the Season: Portlandia Season 5

July 16, 2015

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“The Fiancée”
An episode entirely focused around Nina and Lance was the best of Portlandia’s fifth season. If all you’ve seen of this show is the first season, and you did not cotton to Fred and Carrie’s voices for the “Cacao” couple, I know what you’re thinking: “No way, Jose.” But let me tell you this about “The Fiancée”: it features Justin Long as Lance’s mom’s new boyfriend, and he looks and sounds just like Lance (because Carrie always looked like Justin Long in her Lance drag). And it’s the best performance of his career.

Best Episode of the Season: Parks and Recreation Season 7

July 15, 2015

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“Leslie and Ron”
One of the worst habits of sitcoms in their later years is retconning character development. It is always ill-advised to revert characters back to their original iterations, even if they’re the versions that fans fell in love with. In the first few episodes of its final season, Parks and Rec appeared to inexplicably be guilty of this as a time jump found Knope and Swanson at their most antagonistic ever. But then the heartbreaking backstory was revealed in a blowout bottle episode, and their friendship and our faith were restored.

Best Episode of the Season: Nathan for You Season 2

July 14, 2015

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“Souvenir Shop/E.L.A.I.F.F.”
“Dumb Starbucks” got the headlines, but there was another Nathan for You Season 2 episode that spun out in epic proportions, as Nathan’s efforts to improve a Hollywood souvenir shop’s profits led to the production of a short film that involved celebrity impersonators, an asteroid hurtling toward Earth, and the ever-unreliable Windows 95.

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