Angel: I Fall to Pieces (1.4)

This feels like the first episode which successfully employs the season one-Angel-blueprint of 'vampire detective show'. It has a squicky supernatural mystery at its heart, a helpless young woman for Angel Investigations to save, and utilizes the main cast really well. While Angel is still on his lonesome while investigating the Meltzer case, the gang seem to gel a whole lot better than they did in the previous two episodes. Doyle and Cordelia, in particular, are very funny here; bonding over their differences from Angel instead of avoiding the subject all-together.

Buffy: Fear, Itself (4.4)

This episode is seemingly hated by a lot of fans, something I've never totally understood. Fear, Itself, while not remarkable in any way, is exactly what it's supposed to be. It's a Buffy spin on a haunted house horror movie, with the Scooby Gang trapped inside a frat party on Halloween night, getting split up and forced to endure their worst fears. It's not particularly ambitious, but there's a goofy charm to the episode that makes it work. It also has so many memorable 'moments' that, while not totally linked to the episode's story, are a lot of fun.

Angel: In the Dark (1.3)

What I loved about Spike was that both series managed to casually depict him as both an aggressive, violent and dangerous vampire, as well as a complete moron whose evil plans are always spoiled by his own stupidity. Both sides are evident in this, the first crossover episode with Buffy, and James Marsters crashes into the show with some genius dialogue and wonderful sequences which exploit his great chemistry with David Boreanaz. Angel and Spike outwardly despise one another, but it's a relationship with so many levels of festering resentment, jealousy, disgust and... latent attraction. Heh.

Buffy: The Harsh Light of Day (4.3)

This felt like a big reunion episode, with Spike, Harmony and Anya all coming back into the fold. Whoever decided to bring Harmony back as a vampire deserves some major kudos. It's surprising though watching the previous three seasons that she was barely on the show. Then she gets vamped and suddenly becomes a major recurring character. The Spike/Harmony relationship is hilarious, not only because of their love/hate kinky/abusive chemistry, but also due to the hysterical reactions from the Scoobies.

The X-Files: One Son (6.12)

There seems to be a concerted effort this season to bring The X-Files back to basics. The number of conspiracy episodes has been reduced, standalones are a lot more accessible and humorous. And with One Son, we appear to be getting something that previously felt impossible. We actually got some damn answers. While the show continued its tradition of showcasing some revelations while simultaneously setting up some new questions, this episode was another impressive mythology hour, the only weak element being some messy characterization.

Nip/Tuck: Dr. Griffin (6.16)

Watching this episode for the second time was an interesting experience. I loved Dr. Griffin the first time I saw it, and believed it was one of the most absorbing and intriguing Nip/Tuck hours in a long while, exploring the psychosis of Sean and Christian and laying bare their long-held bitterness and anger against each other. While I still enjoyed Dr. Griffin the second time around, I couldn't help but notice, once again, that artificial quality that has made parts of season six so jarring. Here, several moments felt pulled straight out of left-field, while shock plot developments were clumsily dropped in with zero build-up. The concept of this story was well-intentioned, but the devil is in the details, and the details weren't that great.

Charmed: Charmed Again Part 1 (4.1)

This was always going to be a challenge. Not only does it have to reboot the series, it also has to deal with the death of Prue Halliwell, an event made harder since she was played by an actress who, for whatever reason, was scrubbed from the show's history. Even trickier was the fact that season three ended on two explosive cliffhangers, both of which have to be wrapped-up off-screen since Shannen Doherty had, over the summer hiatus, become the Woman That Shall Not Be Named, an awkward after-effect of behind-the-scenes catfights and tensions. Her absence is definitely felt, the two cliffhangers wrapped up clumsily via some awkward dialogue about Cole saving Phoebe from the underworld and Leo only having time to save one sister after both Prue and Piper were flung through the Wall of Doom. But, generally, Charmed Again Part 1 successfully resurrects the series with its intriguing new star, while insisting on a surprising level of humanity: Prue not casually dismissed and the show declining to 'Cousin Oliver' in a young and hot long-lost sister.

Charmed: All Hell Breaks Loose (3.22)

All Hell Breaks Loose is the finest episode this show ever did. It's an effectively chilling hour chronicling a real end-of-the-world scenario, at least in regards to the sisters. It perfectly captures what could likely happen if the sisters were exposed, and how the media would react if the secret got out. We at first witness the unfolding of the 'hero' narrative, the media casting the Halliwells as protectors of the innocent as they save the world every week. But inevitably, in their quest for ratings, the media turns on the sisters, treating them like villains and otherworldly menaces. As the hour unfolds, it becomes more clear that it's not just the media who target the women, but also the police and potentially the CIA. It's a sinister depiction of what could happen, and it's wonderfully played all round.