"A romantic confession, a brutal farewell, and an epiphany over forks — these moments and more make up the year's best stories.
However much binge-watching may have warped our sense of time when it comes to watching them, great TV shows make their way one step, or episode, at a time. Sometimes, they come in roaring like a lion, with a pilot that announces to the world the arrival of something special. A detour episode can often be its own reward, and a single hour can be the payoff to a monthslong arc. Individual TV episodes can establish a show's identity or break from it (even if only momentarily). And, whether or not it's a standalone, an episode of TV is always the combined work of talented writers, actors, directors, and crews.
We thought it best to leave our list of the best TV episodes of 2023 unranked. Not only did that prevent fighting among our staff, but it also means that you can watch them for yourself at any pace."
