"When TV show creators boast that their season is "really a 10-hour movie," odds are they're either relatively new to the medium, or are trying to impress bosses who are. This year was something of a mixed bag for passionate defenders of the episode like me. On the one hand, we got more new dramas than ever (particularly on the streaming networks) blindly following the 10-hour-movie model, and struggling to maintain interest over the long haul as a result. On the other, the year still had an awful lot of great individual episodes, particularly from shows willing to radically shift their perspective, setting and/or tone for a bit.
Below are 10 of my favorite episodes of television from 2018. Some exist very much within their respective shows' usual continuity and style, while others illustrate just how elastic a fictional universe can be. All are worth revisiting, even in an era crowded with programs fighting for your attention. To the victors go the streams."
-Alan Sepinwall
