And finally, after books and movies comes the stunning list of 2019 TV episodes that have stuck with us long past the end credits, no matter what show it is.
There is so much great TV these days. From premium cable to network to streaming services and more, we cover a wide variety of shows on Hypable, with even more beloved shows going uncovered due to the constraints of, you know, human capability. We are constantly adding new, knockout shows to our repertoire and saying goodbye to treasured ones. Always evolving, always changing.
And because we love our TV so much, we definitely have shows and episodes that we grow attached to. Read on for all our thoughts on the best episodes of all our favorite shows of 2019.
Our favorite TV episodes of 2019 are:
‘What We Do In The Shadows’ season 1, episode 7, ‘The Trial’
With What We Do in the Shadows, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement took a masterpiece of a movie and spun it into and equally masterful series of the same name. The whole first season was a comedic goldmine, but the seventh episode was certainly the standout.
“The Trial” brought together as many actors who’ve previously played vampires as Waititi and Clement could find. Evan Rachel Wood, Tilda Swinton, Wesley Snipes, and many more, held a trial for Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo, which was opened by a hilarious dance sequence featuring the show’s creators. The vampire tribunal was one of the most iconic pop culture moments of 2019, and the episode was one of the funniest of the season.
‘The Untamed’ ‘Episode 46’
Before the final arc of the series, Wei WuXian’s secret is revealed to those closest to him. I picked this episode out of all of them because it showcases Wei WuXian’s selflessness throughout his life and how every decision he made leading up to Nightless City was due to said secret.
It shaped not only his life, but that of his brother, Jiang Cheng, and his cultivation partner, Lan Zhan. The aftermath of the secret reveal has one of my favorite scenes of the entire series: Lan Zhan and Wei WuXian, along with Wen Ning, on a boat at Lotus Pier, where Wei WuXian had always wanted to bring Lan Zhan.
Related: 10 Best WangXian scenes from ‘The Untamed’
‘Legacies’ season 1, episode 13, ‘The Boy Who Still Has a Lot of Good to Do’
I had a lot of trouble choosing which episode of Legacies I wanted to use for this. Season 1 was full of greatness, some episodes leaning heavy on the funny, while others dug deep for the emotional impact we all crave so desperately. And so far in season 2, we’ve had some truly spectacular episodes that tempted me to go that way too.
But ultimately, I knew it had to be “The Boy Who Still Has a Lot of Good to Do.” Not only because it captured the essence of everything The Vampire Diaries had done so well for eight seasons, but because it did it in Legacies style.
Watching as Hope uncovers, step by step, events that could arguably have this particular night crack the top 10 worst of her life, we see some tectonic-level shifts in relationships in this episode. M.G. has a epiphanic moment with his father, which leads to his and Kaleb’s friendship climbing to new levels of brotherhood. Hope sees her newest worst nightmare unfold, only to be reconciled when a second chance bursts into flames in front of her very eyes. Raf learns that even wolves have their limits. And Landon steps out of the world of the ordinary and finds his niche in the realm of the supernatural.
The only thing that makes this episode more perfect is knowing that Paul Wesley was at the helm. To have someone so in touch with the world of this TVD spinoff crafting the finer details, brings an even deeper emotional resonance to the seriousness and series-impacting events of Legacies season 1, episode 13.
‘The Magicians’ season 4, episode 5, ‘Escape from the Happy Place’
“Alice and Quentin confront a dog. There are some flashbacks.” That is the description of the best episode of this season’s The Magicians. There is no way to talk about this pick without addressing the fallout from season 4 of The Magicians. A full recap of the episode can be found here, but let’s just say that a majority of the backlash from the episode and the events surrounding the way it was handled stemmed from one episode in particular — episode 5, “Escape from the Happy Place.”
At the end of season 3, our beloved Eliot was taken by the Monster who used his body as a vehicle to inflict nothing but pain and chaos on Quentin and the group. Flash forward to “Escape from the Happy Place” where we are taken inside the spot in the Monster’s mind where Eliot is stashed. As Eliot navigates various memories including bad haircuts, creating a generation of lushes, and two dog incidents in order to find a door to “escape” and get a message to Quentin, he realizes that he must confront the memory he has repressed and one that we did not see from the previous season. Filling in a beat following their return from the fan-favorite mosaic episode of season 3, Eliot rejects Quentin’s proposal that they give a relationship a shot.
It’s been top of mind for fans that both of these characters have lived and remember a lifetime as companions. And here, on a platter for us, is confirmation that something more was done to address that and those feelings have not disappeared and are fueling not only Eliot’s fight to survive, but Quentin’s drive to save him — all while staring at a monster who has Eliot’s face and eyes. It was a beautiful moment, followed by more incredible episodes, until… well… it wasn’t.
‘Derry Girls’ season 2, episode 2, ‘Ms De Brún and the Child of Prague’
I’ve loved Derry Girls from the moment I sat down to watch the first episode. In fact, season 2 was one of my most highly anticipated show returns of this year. And boy, did it not disappoint. But there’s one episode that stood out for me above all the rest: “Ms De Brún and the Child of Prague.”
Part Dead Poet’s Society part… I don’t even know what, this episode had me howling from start to finish. The way the gang falls in deep for their new teacher is a sight to behold. From the eyeliner scene (which is so iconic for me that it’s the first thing I think of when I think of Derry Girls) to Clare getting drunk off of wine, it’s easily one of the most entertaining half hours of television I’ve ever witnessed. When I introduce friends to Derry Girls (which I’ve done a lot this year, by the way), this is one episode I always make a point of watching with them because it’s just so, so good.
‘Euphoria’ season 1, episode 7, ‘The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed’
Euphoria is not always an easy show to watch, but it is an easy show to appreciate. Zendaya’s work in this series is some of her best, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Everyone brings their A-game, and even when it’s uncomfortable and affecting, Euphoria finds a way to enter your consciousness and build up a permanent residence there.
While every episode of this show hit me pretty hard, “The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed” has continued to stand out, even months after first watching it. It’s the penultimate episode for season 1, and it works delve even deeper into Rue’s mind and the feelings she has for Jules. The scene where she takes on the persona of a detective to solve the mystery of what’s going on with her best friend not only proves this show can easily swing into and out of a broken reality without confusion, it also brilliantly conveys what it’s like to have a mental illness.