20 TV Episodes That Are Practically Flawless
3. Mad Men - The Suitcase
Mad Men thrived with its flawless writing and cast, and season four's The Suitcase, with its simple structure, aching characters and electric performances, might just be the most flawless episode of them all.
Set mostly in one place, with just Don and Peggy on-screen for most of its runtime, the episode allows the pair -- employer and employee, connected lost souls, creative partners -- to connect in a way that never becomes romantic, just respectful and open. The two are strikingly similar, each haunted, each alone in their own way.
Brilliantly performed by Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss and moodily directed by Jennifer Getzinger, The Suitcase is a meticulously revealing and emotional hour, amusing at times and heartbreaking at others (Don weeping in front of Peggy is an unforgettable sight), and it might just be Mad Men's magnum opus.