21 best TV musical episodes ever, ranked worst to best

Susan Pennington
·3 min read

As my husband groans in agony, I, with a song in my heart, say I’m happy — once more with feeling — whenever a non-musical show has a musical episode. When I researched this article, I found the same split among critics and audiences. There are those who feel like a musical episode is cheesy and out of place — who breaks out into song, anyway? And, admittedly, this has been the case with some. However, a song can progress a plot in a fraction of the time dialogue can, and when done well, can be a standout episode of a favorite series. There were quite a few to choose from, and it was tough to pick.

I chose to stick to live-action series. “The Simpsons” and “South Park” are among animated programs that have had memorable musical episodes, but it’s a different factor for actors and actresses to break into song. Several series also had one musical number in an episode, such as Neil Patrick Harris‘ fantasy sequence “Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit” in “How I Met Your Mother.” This item is narrowed down to episodes that contained at least two musical numbers, most often performed by at least two cast members, and music is integral to the episode.

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Although “Xena: Warrior Princess” is often credited for starting this trend, musical episodes have existed as far back as “I Love Lucy.” In 1982, “The Love Boat” honored the Golden Age of musicals with a two-hour special, and the Brady kids were known to break into song on “The Brady Bunch.” From sitcoms like “Scrubs” to fantasy series like “Once Upon a Time” to crime programs like “Fringe,” writers have found creative ways to incorporate a musical episode while advancing storylines.

So, whether you find yourself in a bitter suite, or you feel like life is a cabaret, when a musical episode takes over your small screen, here are some of the best TV musical episodes, ranked worst to best, from non-musical series. Scroll through our photo gallery above (or click here for direct access).

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