The Ford On Film Awards 2020: Best TV Episode

Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Ford On Film Awards 2020. After crowning the Best TV Show of 2020 yesterday, I’m now looking at the Best Episode of the year. Last year, hitman comedy Barry won the prize for the insane ‘ronny/lily’, a terrifically violent and funny episode. This year, we saw great shows come to an end, new favourites spark to life, and more terrific returning shows than ever before. It’s been competitive as always, but I’ve picked a fantastic winner. Nominees are listed in alphabetical order, and you can find the winner at the bottom of the page. Here are my picks for Best TV Episode of 2020:

Better Call Saul – ‘Bagman’

In perhaps the most intense hour of television this year, Saul Goodman finds himself stuck in the desert after his first experience with the cartel goes badly wrong. Tightening the noose with slow-burning ease, ‘Bagman’ puts Saul in an impossible situation, giving Bob Odenkirk some of his best silent acting to date, before ramping up the carnage with an unexpectedly badass return.

Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe

When our government has failed us, when the world is chaos, when all hope seems lost, only one man is sarcastic enough to save us. Arriving at the perfect time, Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe is a hilarious, vicious howl of despair that provides much needed catharsis and a surprising amount of hope.

Gangs of London – ‘Episode 5’

If you want gunfights, explosions, and extreme violence, you’ve come to the right place. Silly as Gangs of London is, it’s hard to deny that Gareth Evans is one of the best action directors around, and ‘Episode 5’ of the crime saga is pretty much nothing but action as a violent siege overtakes a remote cottage. Like the rest of the series, it’s thoroughly unpleasant, jaw-droppingly violent, and ludicrously entertaining.

The Good Place – ‘Whenever You’re Ready’

Despite going somewhat downhill in its final two seasons, The Good Place has the decency to end on a wonderful note with its final episode, ‘Whenever You’re Ready’. Offering sweet, tidy resolutions for each of its main characters, the two part episode is witty, warm-hearted, and guaranteed to send every fan home happy.

I May Destroy You – ‘Ego Death’

The year’s most polarising series finale? Michaela Coel is a fearless writer and performer, and nowhere is that better demonstrated than in the striking, one-of-a-kind ending to her challenging sexual assault drama I May Destroy You. Offering no easy answers or tidy resolutions, ‘Ego Death’ is among the most emotionally-charged and boldly confrontational pieces of television in years.

Joe Pera Talks with You – ‘Joe Pera Talks with You on the First Day of School’

The most heartwarming show on television, Joe Pera Talks with You features a rare dramatic turn towards the end of its second season when Joe’s adorable Grandma sadly passes away. In the final episode of the season, the still-recovering Joe returns to his beloved school for the first day of the new year and spends time with his new class. It may not sound like much, but this episode is one of the most touching things you’ll see in 2020; by the time he and his choir begin to sing together, there’s hardly a dry eye in the house.

Rick and Morty – ‘The Vat of Acid Episode’

While Rick and Morty‘s latest season isn’t the best by a long way, episodes like ‘The Vat of Acid Episode’ reminds us of why we loved the adventures of a nihilistic drunk scientist and his nervy grandson in the first place. Riffing on an existing sci-fi property (no spoilers), this hilarious episode features one of Rick’s cruellest lessons yet, punishing Morty with a harrowing-yet-hilarious dream scenario before twisting the knife further with a spectacular twist.

Sex Education – ‘Episode 7’

A devastatingly raw and honest homage to The Breakfast Club, Sex Education tackles sexual assaults and what it means to be a young woman with typical sensitivity and dark humour. Putting six teenage girls in detention together and creating a lasting bond between them through their awful shared experiences, ‘Episode 7’ is the most powerful Sex Education episode yet.

What We Do in the Shadows – ‘On the Run’

The funniest episode of the funniest show on television, ‘On the Run’ is a phenomenal spotlight for the talents of Matt Berry, one of television’s greatest performers. Fleeing from Jim the Vampire (a brilliant Mark Hamill), Berry’s Laszlo goes undercover as a small town bar owner, adopting the name Jackie Daytona, wearing the brilliant disguise of a hat and toothpick, and becoming a beloved member of the community. How it all inevitably goes wrong is hysterical, and I could watch Berry tell a gang of charity fundraising-bikers to ‘hit the bricks’ endlessly.

And the Best TV Episode of 2020 is…

Bojack Horseman – ‘The View From Halfway Down’

In a show that tackled abuse, drug addiction, depression, dementia, sexual assault, abortion, and just about every other difficult subject imaginable, ‘The View From Halfway Down’ is the darkest episode Bojack Horseman . Taking place at a nightmarish dinner party as Bojack undergoes a near-death experience, the episode confronts the titular character with the demons of his past and tears him down until the outcome of the season looks bleak. The animation is vivid and gorgeous, whilst Will Arnett’s vocal performance is one of his finest ever. Though the final episode somewhat redeemed Bojack and ended things on a more hopeful note, it’s ‘The View From Halfway Down’ that really sticks with you. In its final season, the 2nd best TV show of the decade still had the power to rip your heart out.

By Harry J. Ford

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