What makes a "perfect" episode of TV?

Is it too contrarian to overlook stunt/special episodes? Is it perfect as an episode of TV? Or perfect as an episode of that show?

Aug 21, 2023

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Today’s Vanity Fair article listing the “25 Perfect TV episodes from the last 25 years” was a struggle for me. All lists like this are designed to stimulate debate. Plus they’re a great nostalgia driver, which I’m all for. Where I struggled was interrogating what makes a “perfect” or even “great” episode of TV?

As for the list itself, it is mostly pretty…

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