The 24 Best Television Moments Of 2015

Spoiler alert, obviously. For everything. We mean it.

1. Game of Thrones: The White Walker resurrection

HBO

Episode: “Hardhome,” Season 5, Episode 8

Even though Jon Snow had a minor victory in the fight, this was the moment when he (as well as the viewing audience) realized just how hopeless the battle against the White Walkers was. It was a true “oh shit” moment made even more horrifying by the complete silence.

2. Parks & Recreation: Leslie and Ron make up

NBC

Episode: “Leslie & Ron,” Season 7, Episode 4

The Parks & Rec finale was beautiful and just about perfect, but really the most cathartic moment of the final season came much earlier. It was painful to watch Ron and Leslie fighting over the “Morningstar Incident,” so when the two drunkenly made up after being locked in a room together overnight, it was a truly joyous occasion.

3. Silicon Valley: The “Let Blaine Die” SWOT board

HBO

Episode: "Homicide," Season 2, Episode 6

What do you do when you have the opportunity to save someone from a gruesome, bloody death but you don't want to because they're a jerk? SWOT board it. A SWOT board is the method of determining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a decision, aka it's perfect for deciding if you should let a total jerk named Blaine live or die. Here are some glorious examples from the board:

Strengths — One less guy named Blaine.

Weaknesses — People wear T-shirts with Blaine's face on them.

Opportunities — Grief threesome with Gina (Blaine's girlfriend) and Blaine's hot mom.

Threats — After this, nothing is ever as much fun again.

4. Daredevil: The hallway fight scene

Netflix

Episode: "Cut Man," Season 1, Episode 2

The martial arts choreography was generally amazing in this show’s debut season. But this scene, with its continuous shot, claustrophobic space, and brilliant use of offscreen action and sound, made Daredevil seem even more badass.

5. The Jinx: Yup, that microphone is still on

HBO

Episode: "What the Hell Did I Do?," Season 1, Episode 6

Talk about a chilling finale. After spending years denying his involvement in the murders of his wife and his close friend, Durst admits his guilt in a seemingly accidental way. After being confronted by new evidence, Durst once again denies his connection to the murders, excuses himself, and then, in a candid conversation with himself in a bathroom, reveals that he is the murderer: "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."

6. Justified: "We dug coal together"

FX

Episode: “The Promise,” Season 6, Episode 13

Raylan and Boyd spent a lot of time on opposite sides of the coin in FX’s Justified, but this bittersweet moment in the series finale was a reminder that, no matter what was exchanged between them (including bullets), these two had a history together. It was a great way for the series to come full circle between its two central characters.

7. Mad Men: Peggy’s walk of glory

AMC / Via tawdrysquid.tumblr.com

Episode: "Lost Horizon," Season 7, Episode 12

Everyone bow down to Peggy Olsen, because she's a freakin' badass. After a night of alcohol and roller skating, the previously mousy Peggy transformed right before our eyes as she strutted into her new home at McCann Erickson with sunglasses on, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, and swagger written all over her face. Damn, Peggy.

8. Veep: Amy quits…big-time

HBO

Episode: "Convention," Season 4, Episode 5

When you've "bitten [your] tongue for so long [that] it looks like a dog's cushion," you quit in a fiery storm of glory like Amy did on Veep. In one of the realest moments of the season, Amy says everything she's been trying to say to Selena — excuse me, Madam President — for the past few years: "I wouldn't let you run a bath without having the Coast Guard and the fire department standing by, but yet here you are running America."

9. Mr. Robot: Wait…she’s your sister?

USA

Episode: "wh1ter0se," Season 1, Episode 8

"Holy fuck" is probably what every viewer watching the eighth episode of USA's Mr. Robot said to themselves when it was revealed that Darlene is actually Elliot's sister (and Mr. Robot is their dad). And right after saying "holy fuck," they probably melted into goo and spilled themselves onto the floor, because that's honestly the only thing you can do when a writers room slaps you in the face with one of the best TV twists of the year.

10. 20/20: Caitlyn Jenner comes out as a woman

ABC

Episode: April 24, 2015

Caitlyn Jenner’s transition had already been all but confirmed, but her first public announcement while speaking with Diane Sawyer was nonetheless a moment that caught just about everyone’s attention. Since then, Jenner has been both lauded and vilified for being such a prominent figure in the transgender community.

11. Broad City: Smile!

Comedy Central

Episode: “St. Marks,” Season 2, Episode 10

Broad City had approximately 4,837 amazing moments in its second season, but this one from the finale might have been the best. Abbi and Ilana’s response to a catcaller telling them to smile makes for the perfect GIF and pretty much sums up the feelings of women everywhere.

12. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Titus Andromedon’s song for the masses

Netflix

Episode: "Kimmy Goes to School!," Season 1, Episode 6

The only explanation needed here is some of the lyrics to Titus's song "Peeno Noir: An Ode to Black Penis":

"Peeno Noir

Caviar, Myanmar, mid-sized car

You don't have to be popular

Find out who your true friends are

Peeno Noir

In the boudoir (in the boudoir)

It went to voicemail, call it again, call it again

Peeno Noir, smoke a cigar

Revenge can be spectacular"

13. The Daily Show: Stephen Colbert surprises Jon Stewart with a speech

Comedy Central

Episode: Aug. 6, 2015

Jon Stewart’s entire final episode was emotional, but it was only when it went off-script that the tears really started flowing. Stewart thought they were going to commercial, but Colbert stopped him and launched into a heartfelt and hilarious speech thanking Stewart...and putting him in tears.

14. Orphan Black: Alison and Donnie’s money dance

BBC America / Via orphanblack.tumblr.com

Episode: "Certain Agony of the Battlefield," Season 3, Episode 6

It's hard to be the most memorable TV moment in the same episode that includes Paul dying, but Alison and Donnie managed to do it with their insane, partially naked money dance. Did Orphan Black fans ever think they'd get to see the Devious Duo twerk in their underwear? Probably not. And that's what made it so hilariously special.

15. Parenthood: That damn tear-inducing series finale

NBC

Episode: "May God Bless and Keep You Always," Season 6, Episode 13

The. Tears. Make. Them. Stop. After an emotional six-season roller coaster with the Braverman clan, the NBC show said goodbye to its fans with a beautiful game of baseball. As the show's theme song — a cover of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" — plays on, the family who made fans weep every Thursday night waves so long to their patriarch as they play a final game of ball together. Bye, Bravermans — we'll miss you dearly.

16. The Walking Dead: Glenn dies, but not really

AMC

Episode: “Thank You,” Season 6, Episode 3

It was the gunshot that launched a thousand fan theories. Nicholas shot himself, toppling Glenn right into a huge herd of walkers with absolutely no escape. Somewhere deep down, we all suspected that Glenn might live (intestines don’t come out of your neck, duh), but the multi-episode wait was tense regardless.

17. Inside Amy Schumer: Hey, everyone, don’t rape women!

Comedy Central

Sketch: "Football Town Nights," Season 3, Episode 1

Wanna highlight rape culture in a poignant way that proves it's still very much a prevalent part of society? Go talk to Amy Schumer and see if she can knock some sense into people. In the Friday Night Lights-esque sketch, the comedian plays the wife of a small-town football coach who is on a mission to instate a "no raping" policy on his high school team. The team's motto at the end? "Clear eyes, full hearts — don't rape!" Got it? Good.

(And bonus points for that ever-growing wine glass.)

18. You’re the Worst: Gretchen can’t be fixed

FXX

Episode: "There Is Not Currently a Problem," Season 2, Episode 7

Leave it to a comedy on FXX to break down the walls surrounding clinical depression in a heartbreakingly honest way. Struggling with something bigger than herself — on a show whose favorite topics include coke and blow jobs — Gretchen tells Jimmy that she's clinically depressed and that, no, he can't fix her.

19. Jessica Jones: Hope is still Kilgraved

Netflix

Episode: "AKA Smile," Season 1, Episode 1

False victories are always tough to swallow, but this twist was especially rough. It was an insanely dark moment that set the tone for the entire season and introduced us to a villain that we hadn’t even seen yet in a terrifying way.

20. Master of None: Be nice to your immigrant parents

Netflix

Episode: “Parents,” Season 1, Episode 2

There were two wonderful things about the second episode of Aziz Ansari’s new Netflix series. One, Aziz’s actual parents turned out to be hilarious actors and welcome additions to the show. Two, Master of None perfectly illustrated the difference between the life of an American millennial and a person who immigrated less than 50 years ago. The whole episode is a hilarious reminder of how good we have it here, and how we should all be nicer to our parents.

21. The Leftovers: Virgil blows his brains out

HBO

Episode: "A Most Powerful Adversary," Season 2, Episode 7

This scene was the culmination of everything that Kevin had been dealing with in Season 2 thus far, and it was beyond tense. Combine Justin Theroux's awesome work in this scene with the "holy shit" moment that follows his "death" and you have some amazing television.

22. Late Show With David Letterman: That final Top 10

CBS

Episode: May 20, 2015

Letterman's final show was full of sentiment and laughter, but the highlight of the evening was hands down his last Top 10. One by one, famous faces from the Late Show's past came on stage to tell the man in charge what they really think about him.

23. Saturday Night Live: Hello, it’s me

NBC

Episode: "A Thanksgiving Miracle" sketch, Season 41, Episode 6

Saturday Night Live has finally made a video that will shut up any of your annoying friends who say, "I don't watch SNL anymore — it just isn't as good as it used to be." The sketch sees a feuding family on Thanksgiving fighting about that ISIS member they *definitely* saw in the grocery store and the only person who can end the bickering is, of course, Adele. As her voice wafts through the room, each family member absorbs the enigma that is Adele and becomes one with one another. Thanks, Adele.

24. Empire: Cookie’s ass

FOX / Via butthatsnoneofmybusiness.com

Episode: "Out, Damned Spot," Season 1, Episode 6

Cookie's not one to be played, so when she finds herself wearing nothing but lingerie and a fur coat at the reveal of her ex-husband's engagement announcement, well, she's going to make a scene. In one of the best Cookie moments of all time, the queen flaunts what she's got and utters one of the most killer lines: "Oh, and, Anika — this is an ass."