Sometimes flashback episodes can rob a show of its narrative momentum, bogging the viewer down with events that took place before anything of consequence happened. In other cases, a flashback might be a pivotal turning point for the story by bringing important context to the events of the mainline story. Here are the ten best flashback episodes in TV history!
Buffy, Fool for Love
Learning more about everyone’s favorite slayer-killer, Spike, makes the Buffy episode “Fool for Love” a huge fan favorite. This episode doesn’t make Spike less of a monster, but it contextualizes his actions and gives him more character depth.
Friends, The One with the Prom Video
Who doesn’t want to see Fat Monica, Rachel before her nose job, or Ross with a ridiculous ‘fro? The second-season Friends episode “The One with the Prom Video” is remembered for showing us a convincing look at the characters in the past and for finally showing Rachel how long Ross has been pining for her.
The Good Place, Michael’s Gambit
The finale to The Good Place’s first season reveals that bumbling, good-natured Michael is actually a demon in disguise. The manipulative Michael has created this fake “Good Place” to further torment the protagonists, all of whom have landed themselves in the Bad Place.
Futurama, Luck of the Fryish
Futurama is a silly show that’s concerned with the far future. However, it occasionally jumps back in time to the 21st century to remind viewers about the family that Fry left behind when he was cryogenically frozen on New Year’s Eve, 1999. “Luck of the Fryish” is a genuinely moving episode that will make you rethink Fry’s life in the future.
How I Met Your Mother, Game Night
Barney is an all-time classic sitcom character with his ridiculous personality and trademark suits. Viewers finally got to see what made him this way in the episode “Game Night,” where he appears as a hippie (Granola Barney) who wears his heart on his sleeve and has his dreams crushed by then-girlfriend Shannon, leading to his present-day womanizing ways.
Lost, Walkabout
Viewers were treated to John Locke’s backstory in the fourth episode of Lost, “Walkabout.” Discovering that required the use of a wheelchair back in the “real” world but was ambulatory on the island offered surprising new context for his character—and his catchphrase, “don’t tell me what I can’t do.”
The Sopranos, To Save Us All from Satan’s Power
In the third season episode “To Save Us All from Satan’s Power,” Tony is convinced that his friend Salvatore has been turned by the FBI, and thinks it might have been in Christmas of 1995. The show uses fun background references to ground itself in the episode’s time period, including historically-accurate news presentations and throwaway lines like a character flying with ValuJet.
Rick and Morty, Rickturnal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort
In the Rick and Morty episode “Rickturnal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort” (that show has the worst naming convention ever, full stop) we get treated to a very rare look at Rick’s past. While trying to save Bird Person from mind control, Rick encounters vignettes of their time together as revolutionaries. It’s all quite canonical in ways Rick and Morty is usually allergic to, which makes it all the more compelling.
Heroes, Company Man
The seventeenth episode of Heroes, “Company Man,” offers some important backstory for Claire Bennet’s dad, Noah. The tense episode is intercut with flashbacks to Noah’s earliest days working for Primatech, and even shows how he was compelled to adopt Claire when she was a baby.
Firefly, Out of Gas
Firefly really hit its stride deep into its first (and only) season with the episode “Out of Gas.” This fan-favorite flashback episode shows how Captain Mal pulled the crew of the Serenity together for the first time, and gives some important context to their relationships. It also juxtaposes the events against Mal’s heroic decision to go down with the ship in the present, illuminating the depth of his character.