A Year in Review: The 10 Best Episodes of TV of 2016

With more TV shows in 2016 than any other year, creating a list of the 10 best episodes is no easy task. Narrowing down a list like this sometimes feels more like an omission of great moments than a compilation of the best TV had to offer. (There will be nothing from The Americans, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, Westworld or Veep on here.)

But the episodes that did make the cut, which range from 30 minutes to over 90 minutes, are a diverse bunch, beautifully highlighting some magnificent shots, moving moments and hilarious scenes. The following 10 episodes happen to be truly exceptional and not necessarily the cream of the crop but a slice of a really outstanding pie.

10. "The Beach," "The Night Of" (HBO)

Clocking in at 90 tense minutes, the first episode of the HBO mini series "The Night Of" could have been a feature film. Pilots are either hit or miss; they have a lot of ground to cover and exposition to set up for the rest of the series. In the hands of director Steven Zaillian, however, "The Beach" is a beautiful piece of TV that transcends filmmaking. Written by Richard Price, the episode shows us a young, na�ve Naz (the stellar Riz Ahmed) and his night from hell, which is the catalyst for the rest of the series. With incredible cinematography, evoking moments from Todd Haynes' "Carol," "The Beach" showcases the grittily beautiful side of modern day New York City.

09. "Grandpa," "High Maintenance" (HBO)

For a series that is incredibly tender in the way in which it shows the human experience, the most life-affirming and successful episode of HBO's "High Maintenance" is the one from the point of view of a dog. The risky "Grandpa" breaks away from the "High Maintenance" formula and creating the best 30-minutes of TV for the sensitive stoner. Here we get to see how humans connect and treat each other through the eyes of an animal, resulting in a unique perspective unlike anything seen on TV.

08. "Woman Is the Something of the Something," "Better Things" (FX)

It's no secret women in Hollywood (especially women who aren't in their 20s and 30s) are subjected to the worst kinds of misogyny and abuse. On FX's "Better Things," where Pamela Adlon plays Sam Fox, a single mother of three who is a working actress, the best episode comes when Sam is oblivious to knowing she loses a major leading role for an upcoming TV show. On the smart and funny "Woman Is the Something of the Something," we see this play out via scenes with producers where Sam is not present. The way in which they discuss Sam is gross and her manager's response to the seemingly good news is sinister at first (her manager doesn't bother telling Sam about the part) but once Sam is passed up for the role for Rachel McAdams, the full picture comes into view, which ends up being a warm and tender moment about women taking care of each other in an unfair industry.

07. "Go for Broke," "Atlanta" (FX)

For all the recent millennial-focused TV series that supposedly showcase what it's like to be broke ("2 Broke Girls," "Girls," "Broad City") none have really gone there. But on FX's critically lauded "Atlanta," creator and star Donald Glover takes a simple concept and makes it one of the most nerve-wracking and brilliant episodes of TV in 2016. In "Go for Broke," Glover's Earn is - well broke. And he's painted himself into a corner after asking his on-again-off-again girlfriend Vanessa, with whom he has a baby daughter, out on a fancy date. Watching Glover go through the awkward acrobatics of making what is supposed to be a romantic night out into a cheap date is simultaneously hilarious and devastating.

06. "eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z," "Mr. Robot" (USA)

Many found the first half of the second season of "Mr. Robot" to be painfully plodding but it was undeniable that its second half was a powerhouse of excitement. One of its best episodes was "eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z" (episode No. 11) - a risky and beautifully expressive hour of TV (yes, riskier than a dream sequence featuring ALF). The episode follows the climatic "eps2.8_h1dden-pr0cess.axx," where the Dark Army shot up a diner where Darlene and Cisco were eating. "eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z" is all about Portia Doubleday's Angela (the V.I.P. of Mr. Robot), who is kidnaped and has a face-to-face interaction with Whiterose (B.D. Wong) in a breathtaking Lynchian-nightmare.

05. "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia," "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" (FX)

If nothing else, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia," the best episode in the highly popular anthology series "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," proved to the world Sarah Paulson is a spectacular actor. It's her episode, portraying the complicated prosecutor Marcia Clark. Here, we see the O.J. Simpson trial fully through her point of view while Paulson gives Clark a full-fledged personality - something the media and tabloids failed to do during the highly publicized trial in the 90s.

04. "San Junipero," "Black Mirror" (Netflix)

Episode after episode, "Black Mirror" serves us depressing and unnerving dystopian realties dealing with the dark side of technology. "San Junipero" breaks the "Black Mirror" mold, upending the sci-fi show's solid storytelling structure with a romantic same-sex love story (with a killer '80s soundtrack), beautifully directed by Owen Harris and written by series creator Charlie Brooker. "San Junipero," starring the lovely Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis (who both give nuanced performances), takes explores death and the afterlife in relationship to technology but gives the story a happy ending never thought possible on "Black Mirror." Its sunny, emotional impact is huge but the show's sinister thumbprint remains.

03. "Paris," "Red Oaks" (Amazon)

The premiere Season 2 episode of Amazon's little watched comedy "Red Oaks" is a breathtakingly beautiful love letter to young romance in the City of Lights in the late 80s. Gorgeously shot by director Hal Hartley ("Trust," "Amateur," "Henry Fool"), "Paris" is an extraordinary dreamy episode of TV chronically a budding relationship. While perfectly incorporating 80s hits (New Order's "Ceremony" kicks in at just the right moment), it also manages to sneak in commentary about class, sexuality. Characters even take jabs at the newly elected President Ronald Reagan, which are hard to ignore during the Trumpland era.

02. "Episode 3" & "Episode 10" "Horace and Pete" (louisck.net)

"Episode 3": Only Laurie Metcalf, one our generations greatest actresses, could give a 40-minute monolog with an astounding amount of emotional heft and poise. And leave it to "Horace and Pete" creator and star Louis C.K. to have the wherewithal to recognize Metcalf's incredible talents and pick her to play Horace's ex-wife, who confides in him about having an affair with her new husband's 84-year-old father. The camera stays still on Metcalf, who is a tour de force in delivering her tender lines about falling for a man more than 20 years older than her. It's simply an incredible piece of television that demands to be seen.

"Episode 10": This might be cheating but "Episode 10" of C.K.'s American drama needs to be mentioned: It's hard to talk about the finale of C.K.'s perfect passion project "Horace and Pete" but it does feature Amy Sedaris, who easily gives the best cameo of 2016. That's all you need to know, really.

01. "The Panic in Central Park," "Girls" (HBO)

The fifth season of "Girls" is the series' best since it debuted back in 2012. "The Panic in Central Park" (which borrows the name from the '71 drug addict love story "The Panic in Needle Park" starring Al Pacino and Kitty Winn) is a bottle episode, starring Marnie (the excellent Allison Williams). After getting into a huge fight with new husband Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), she bumps into old flame Charlie who was written off the show early on when actor Christopher Abbott abruptly called it quits. But his return to "Girls" is magnificent. The duo, who have both changed since Charlie suddenly left Marnie in Season 2, spend about 24 hours together, having a euphoric reunion throughout New York City that ends with a devastating gut punch: Marnie finally sees Charlie's charms aren't what they appeared to be, which makes her realize how to deal with her marriage.