Okay, I simply couldn’t get this list down to 10, so everybody gets TWELVE season-five segments to pick.
Here’s mine, in episode order:
• The bearded town council debates the Sinbad problem–505- MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD: Hilarious writing and a great performance. “He’s not Sinbad!”
• Subtle forms of hell–506- EEGAH: Wonderful writing, great satrical insights.
• J&TB reenact the night club scene from the movie–507- I ACCUSE MY PARENTS: observant and silly.
• Song: “What a Pleasant Journey”–509- GIRL IN LOVER’S LANE: one of those underrated numbers in an underrated episode.
• Crow and Tom debate the messy woman in the short–510- THE PAINTED HILLS: Plenty of witty social commentary.
• Tom demonstrates quantum linear super-position–511- GUNSLINGER: A riotous and at the same time very intellectual sketch.
• Joel is ejected into the escape pod, leaving behind a plaque and a final word; Dr. F. is furious…until Mike presents his time card.–512- MITCHELL: Couldn’t leave this one out; a pivotal moment in the series.
• Song: “I’m a Janitor;” Dr. F. cleans up after Frank–514- TEEN-AGE STRANGLER: Mike makes his mark as a host.
• The “guess Kathy’s emotions” game–516- ALIEN FROM L.A.: Another of those brilliant sketches that starts from a simple observation about the movie.
• Song: “Tubular Boobular Joy”–519- OUTLAW: One of the great songs of the series; smart and filthy at the same time–and that’s hard to do!
• An all-inclusive politically correct holiday song: “Merry Christmas…If That’s Okay”–521- SANTA CLAUS: One of the landmark moments of the series that has become a perennial holiday favorite.
• Song: “The Greatest Frank”–523- VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS: A little early for a tribute, but funny and fun.
Least favorite:
The Gypsy Express–511- GUNSLINGER: A lonnng walk down a short pier of a joke.
What’s yours?
