Numbers 28-26 of PTR's Best Episodes! Plus Another Talent Show Hits the Airwaves and the Ads You Remember

Pass the Remote's

Best Episodes of '05-'06

Well, we're into week 2 of the summer-long countdown of Pass the Remote's 1st Annual Best Episodes of the Season. For those who are new to the countdown, here's a refresher on the rules I employed for selecting the 31 episodes that make up this list. All of the shows and their episodes are from NETWORK television only, meaning that I did not take any cable series into consideration (since I only watch a few and felt that it would be unfair). All episodes aired between September 2005 and June 2006. Each episode that made the final list moved me in some way; either by making me laugh out loud, cry my eyes out or just left me with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! As I said above, this is a summer-long countdown, so I will reveal a few episodes every week all summer until we reach the #1 episode of the past season. So, be sure to tune in each Wednesday to see the next episodes to make the list. Today, we're going to look at #28-26.


28: "The Unusual Suspect" - CSI
Most of this crime drama's episodes are pure entertainment and nothing else, but every once in a while, one strikes a cord and lands on a "Best of" list. Such is the case with this episode about a murdered high school girl. The story really isn't about the teenager, but rather the brother and sister team who both claim to be responsible for her murder. Both say they acted alone and that the other sibling is simply covering for them. The entire act comes to a head in the opening scene of the episode when younger sister Hannah (a child genius) stands up in the middle of her brother Marlon's trial and declares that she's the real killer, and she has the blood on her shirt to prove it. The trial is suspended and the CSIs go to work to determine which sibling is the real culprit. Everything seems to point to Hannah, except her small stature. The courtroom stunt and the CSIs' lack of evidence causes enough reasonable doubt for the jury to deliver a "Not Guilty" verdict for Marlon. With her small build, the CSIs find it impossible to prove that Hannah killed the high schooler as well, allowing both the siblings to walk away. The episode's most shocking moment happens at the end. Hannah reveals to Sara that she didn't kill the girl, but she took the wrap for her brother because she knew she would get a lighter sentence if convicted. It was a jolting moment that firmly placed this episode on the list. Written by Allen MacDonald and directed by Alec Smight. The screen cap from the episode is courtesy of Juliette-Goglia.net.


27: "Fault" - Law & Order: SVU
They could have renamed this episode "Let's Give Them Something to Talk About" because its shocking implications regarding the relationship between partners Stabler and Benson certainly kept tongues wagging and fingers typing across the TV universe! From the ubiquitous promo ads, it looked like the episode's shocker would come in the form of Olivia's injury. Turns out, that was only a minor part of this one. The first shocker came around the same time when we learned that the kidnapper had killed one of the two siblings he was holding right in the middle of the train station. The tragedy led Stabler to question his judgment call because he chose to stop and help the stabbed Olivia over saving the boy. Later in the episode, the roles were reversed and Olivia had to choose between saving her partner and finding the little girl. In an emotional scene, the two partners tried to talk the situation out, with Stabler telling her to shoot the suspect and get the girl without worrying about him. No matter how hard she tried, Olivia couldn't do it. Luckily the SWAT team came in and ended the crisis, but it left both detectives shaken about their choices. Do they have feelings for each other beyond friendship? Maybe, but the critical point of the episode was that the possibility is there and that made for some very interesting television. Written by Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas and directed by Paul McCrane.


26: "Sanctuary" - Cold Case
Keeping with the crime show theme, the 26th Best Episode of the '05-'06 Season belongs to TV's best example of the genre. In a moving tale about a drug mule found murdered in the streets of Philly, we learned a little more about the character of Scotty Valens. We knew that he lied to his partner Lilly last year about dating her sister, but we didn't know that it was a pattern for him. Back in 1998, he worked undercover with a drug cartel that allowed him to get a little too close to one of the drug mules - Ana. Turns out, that "closeness" is what indirectly led to her death. Ana figured out that Scotty was a cop after he gave her his phone number in case of an emergency. After taking a "cookie" of drugs with her to hold for ransom for her passport and pay, Ana wound up on the run from the powerful drug lords, so she called Scotty. Unfortunately, she didn't get him. She got his boss who told her that he couldn't help her. He didn't want to compromise his undercover investigation of this cartel, so when Ana then showed up for help, he turned her away and right into the arms of the two people who would end up taking her life over that cookie. It was a sad, tragic case that was made even more so by Scotty's involvement and the ending shot of the inconspicuous drug cookie hidden in the Virgin Mary statue at the church where Ana had originally sought sanctuary. Written by Steve Sharlet and directed by Alex Zakrzewski.

So, there's a closer look at #28-26. Next week, we'll crack the top 25 with three more episodes on the list. What did you think about #28-26? Do you agree? Disagree? Drop me a comment with your thoughts. If you missed #31-29 or just want to revisit them, click HERE. And be sure to tune in next week for the next set of episodes!

QUICK CUTS

*TV TONIGHT: NBC rolls out its new talent competition America's Got Talent (9 p.m. - 11 p.m.) from producer Simon Cowell with host Regis Philbin, and CBS airs a casting special for the upcoming Big Brother 7 that will reveal the 20 contestants in the all-star edition (8 p.m.). For more on what to watch tonight, visit the TV Listings area of PassTheRemote.net.

*And finally, more people remember ads that see online than those they see on television according to a new ABC study. The network puts episodes from its popular shows on its web site. Fans can view episodes of shows such as Lost, Desperate Housewives and Alias for free, but the streaming video includes commercials just like traditional television broadcasts. Over a 2-month trial, ABC found that in the first week alone, 87% of people remembered the products they saw advertised during the online broadcast; a startling 47% more than can recall those that they see while watching the shows over the television.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for a Flashback Edition featuring another Pass the Remote favorite! Plus, all the latest television news. And coming this Friday, an exclusive interview with an artist who has written and produced more than 250 songs for television and film, including a Pass the Remote favorite! Find out his take on the relationship between a hit series and music, his experience with Don Henley and much, much more! That's Friday on Pass the Remote.


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.