What’s your favorite time-loop / “Groundhog Day” episode of a TV show?

Submitted by wet_bandits23 t3_11vtd3w in television

Stargate SG1’s was fantastic, with Col. O’Neill (“with two L’s”) and Teal’c trapped in the time loop. It’s probably my favorite.

Supernatural’s was hilarious, and the one in the Librarians. Buffy also had one, and Star Trek: TNG.

What time-loop episodes (of any show) is your favorite and why did you like it? Are there any that you hated that you thought could’ve been done better?

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angelus97 t1_jcuq3ns wrote

I agree with Stargate. Such a great episode I’ve watched a million times.

The other that comes to mind is TNG’s Cause and Effect.

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FloatingPencil t1_jcur35s wrote

I only saw the title and immediately said "Stargate". I think it's the only one I've actually liked.

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D_B_4986 t1_jcurbsv wrote

I love the Buffy one and the supernatural one as well

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mikechr2k7 t1_jcurjkq wrote

X files had a fun one, I remember enjoying the outer limits episode with a time loop too. Just weird to see Kevin Nealon in a non comedy role

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roshowclassic t1_jcus4nb wrote

Doctor Who (series 9, Heaven Sent). 12 Monkeys. Also the new Quantum Leap just did an great time loop episode.

Edit: kept messing up the DW episode title, sigh

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Starbuck522 t1_jcutvcg wrote

Travelers. Season 2 episode 7. 17 Minutes

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DigiQuip t1_jcuwk79 wrote

The Librarians has a really good episode where the team is stuck in video game and only Ezekiel Jones remembers each time they respawn.

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SomeDose t1_jcuxehm wrote

There’s two incredible episodes of Fringe that had me crying. One was called “white tulip” And another called “and those we left behind”

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Yellow-Eyed-Demon t1_jcuxz27 wrote

Supernatural, 3x11, 'Mystery Spot'.

"It was the heat of the moment

Telling me what my heart meant"

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lurebat t1_jcuymmg wrote

Here's an obscure one: Cloak and Dagger's episode was probably the best one in the show

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batman42a t1_jcuymqu wrote

The TNG one (cause and effect) is my personal favorite, and probably a top episode of the entire show for me.

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flyingjesuit t1_jcuzo4f wrote

Misfits had a good one of these its first season

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Muffinshire t1_jcv0eww wrote

Technically a movie of a TV show (of a manga), but Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer. I love how the uneasy sense of broken logic slowly creeps in as the characters gradually realise they’re trapped in a time loop.

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PloppyTheSpaceship t1_jcv10qn wrote

The Agents Of SHIELD one was absolutely fantastic, and pretty funny. It knows its audience, knows the audience knows these episodes, and does things a bit differently or amusingly.

But I quite like Red Dwarf's riff on them in Future Echoes. Only the second episode ever, it takes the concept - seeing the future - and makes it immediate. Rather than experiencing the future all as one before returning to the start, the episode says "here's a quick bit of the future, now here you are again experiencing it from the start - and nothing you do will change the outcome".

This is best illustrated by Lister finding the Cat with a broken tooth in a "future echo'". He doesn't know what caused it, but decides he can change the future by preventing the Cat from breaking his tooth. Realising the Cat is about to try eating his robot goldfish and breaking his tooth on that, Lister wrestles the robot goldfish away from the Cat, and in the struggle breaks the Cat's tooth.

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Cat-soul t1_jcv2uj2 wrote

I really enjoyed Lost Girl's version of this.

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anasui1 t1_jcv71yn wrote

A Year of Hell from ST Voyager

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SomeDose t1_jcv7sur wrote

Replying to mexta (#2,272,467)

Rewatching it for the first time in 10 years right now with my girlfriend who’s never seen it. My god is it utterly incredible. She loves it too. My favourite thing about it is for such a futuristic forward thinking show with huge ideas - I love seeing what they thought futuristic technology should look like in 2011 and it’s so dated haha.

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Horknut1 t1_jcv8wqe wrote

Replying to anasui1 (#2,272,932)

The only problem I had with Year of Hell is that Janeway sent all her people out into the quadrant with the specs for temporal shielding. So all those shuttlecraft, escape pods, etc, wouldn’t have been subject to the final destruction of the time ship, and the shockwave righting everything wouldn’t have effected them.

So there would be duplicates of half the crew out there.

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OldKermudgeon t1_jcv91b5 wrote

Not a "time-loop" episode in the strictest sense, but...

Person of Interest, If-Then-Else.

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mgon00 t1_jcv9bwd wrote

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.- S7.E9: As I Have Always Been.

12 Monkeys - S2.E8: Lullaby.

Dark Matter - S3.E4: All the Time in the World.

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DoktorViktorVonNess t1_jcv9p7l wrote

Heaven Sent from Dr Who is best example of this. It is also one of the best stories from the franchise overall.

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ClasslessFirstClass t1_jcva83u wrote

Replying to FloatingPencil (#2,272,130)

Same. I honestly can't think of anything that comes close.

"On the other hand, its kind of an opportunity."

"How's that?"

"Well think about it. If you know in advance that everything was always going to go back to the way it was, then...you could do anything. For as long as you want, without having to worry about consequences."

"...excuse me."

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Rodriguez79 t1_jcvaxrv wrote

Replying to SomeDose (#2,272,968)

I just rewatched some S1 Futurama for the first time in a while and the disc based tech is mad. Funny how no-one saw the move away from physical media until it happened.

Also, had the same experience showing Fringe to my wife. All time great show

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bros402 t1_jcvbfly wrote

Does Person of Interest's If-Then-Else count? If so, that.

If not, my #2 would be Fringe's White Tulip.

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bluebirdgm t1_jcvbqoq wrote

Replying to roshowclassic (#2,272,192)

Quantum Leap’s time loop episode put an interesting new quirk in the premise. It also brought in Robert Picardo (from Star Trek: Voyager and Stargate: Atlantis) playing a character named Woolsey, which was also the name of his Stargate character.

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bluebirdgm t1_jcvc9ub wrote

Replying to anasui1 (#2,272,932)

My gripe with “Year of Hell” is my general gripe with the series, even though one may chalk it up to it being a product of the times.

The “Year of Hell” should have taken about 26 episodes, not two.

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Lawndirk t1_jcvcayd wrote

Tales from the Walking Dead had one. I liked it because it replayed several different examples from Day 1 of the outbreak.

I get it people are sick of zombie apocalypse shows, but we have very little that spend time in the initial craziness.

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JQ37 t1_jcvcn4t wrote

I still remember the "Point of Salvation" -------> >!"Oh, like a save point!"!< aha moment when I watched that episode of The Librarians and got to the twist.

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everyman50 t1_jcvd43k wrote

Not exactly a timeloop, but Community's Remedial Chaos Theory resets each timeline. Fantastic episode.

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IsawaAwasi t1_jcvd48t wrote

Lots of great ones have already been mentioned. I'd say the best one that hasn't been is the one from Legends of Tomorrow.

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Upstairs_Limit t1_jcvdjky wrote

If-Then-Else from Person of Interest. Perfect hour of TV.

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stevembk t1_jcvdnd1 wrote

Not a TV show but “The Causality of the Sabzeruz Festival” Genshin Impact.

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LastKnownWhereabouts t1_jcvg18f wrote

Replying to roshowclassic (#2,272,192)

Doctor Who's Heaven Sent is one of the best episodes of the show, a great watch especially for people who have been following the Doctor's arc for a while. >!It's unfortunate that selling it as "the time loop episode" gives away a bit of the ending!< , but it's still great even when going in with that knowledge.

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donutdong t1_jcvgaxs wrote

Been there, done that, episode of Xena the Warrior Princess.

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ricketyladder t1_jcvhpzp wrote

The mentioned “cause and effect” episode from TNG is probably the best. I can’t believe I’m about to recommend something from Star Trek Discovery but “Magic to Make the Sanest Man go Mad” is actually a really good spin on a similar concept.

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CharlieGnarlyFace t1_jcvij3i wrote

There's an episode in the new Twilight Zone series where a woman finds out that a dude who seemingly knows everything about her is trapped in a time loop. She proceeds to beat his ass up after not taking no for an answer. There's more to it but I don't wanna give everything away. A very decent twist on the old concept.

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bluebirdgm t1_jcvj1az wrote

Replying to stealthsjw (#2,273,602)

I recognize that some have their flaws, but generally, yes. I like that storylines can be drawn out through multiple episodes and balanced with single-episode stories. Being less episodic is not a source of newer Trek’s problems.

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Mattimus_Rex t1_jcvn6to wrote

Replying to FloatingPencil (#2,272,130)

I’m telling you, Teal’c, if we don’t find a way out of this soon I’m gonna lose it. Lose it. It means go crazy. Nuts. Insane. Bonzo. No longer in possession of one’s faculties. Three fries short of a happy meal. WACKO.

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adflet t1_jcvo4ef wrote

Rick & Morty - A Rickle in Time

−1

DaveSilver t1_jcvpm2v wrote

The Stargate Universe time loop episode was fantastic as well

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dantemanjones t1_jcvpxah wrote

Stargate is the best one. Legends of Tomorrow and ST:TNG were great. Russian Doll season 1 was very good. The Flash just did one and it was mediocre.

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IsawaAwasi t1_jcvq375 wrote

Replying to blisscreate (#2,273,937)

If anything, that's under selling it quite a bit, considering that >!they reveal that the entire show up to that point was one pass through a time loop!< and >!they later contact people from earlier loops and get stuck in an earlier loop for a while.!< They go deeper into the concept than I can remember seeing anywhere else.

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Paperfoldingfractal t1_jcvu6aq wrote

Replying to roshowclassic (#2,272,192)

"Heaven Sent" is interesting in that it is the exact opposite of a time loop! >!In that, time doesn't loop, and it's the Doctor himself that's reset between each 'loop'!<

This tripped me up on first watch, because I thought it was a time loop episode, but realised that that would create some plot holes >!If it was a time loop episode, then everything would reset, and thus the whole point of bashing the diamond wouldn't make sense!<

But it's explicitly not a time loop, and therefore certain observations change between each loop >!(gradually over time, the stars change postions)!< which is how he realises each time he's looping.

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MousseAncient7251 t1_jcvu6hn wrote

Charmed has an outstanding Groundhog Day episode called "Deja Vu All Over Again". Season 1 episode 22. So well done.

Surprised at the Buffy mentions on here. It was only a couple minutes of Groundhog-ness...That's the power of Buffy though. Endlessly iconic.

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Mech-Waldo t1_jcvud4w wrote

Well you basically already listed most of my favorites, except for the first episode of Bravest Warriors, a web show by Pendleton Ward. I love it because at the beginning of the episode they find themselves from the previous time loop dead on the floor, so they try prevent that from happening, >!but at the end of the episode they die anyway in the same way next to their other dead selves, time loops back and when the next version of them sees two other versions already dead they say nope and just leave without fixing the time loop. Because even when knowing they were gonna die they couldn't stop it, so obviously they couldn't do it, better to just give up and dip.!<

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Takseen t1_jcvw06c wrote

Discovery season 1 had a good one, with the villain in control of the loop. Also my favorite Discovery episode

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iorilondon t1_jcvyo24 wrote

Every episode of season 1 of Russian Doll.

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Erorus t1_jcvzaxl wrote

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: "Endless Eight" episodes.

Eight of the 28 episodes of the series are each mostly the same as the other seven, with slight differences, until the time loop is broken in the eighth episode. Thankfully, the repetitive episodes came in the second season.

They aired one after the other, in their regular weekly timeslot, so I can only imagine how frustrated viewers were as it first aired, wondering why this episode is pretty much the same as the last, and the one before that...

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_Face t1_jcw2gky wrote

Replying to Stillwater215 (#2,274,838)

Yes. It would have been excellent had he been given more screen time. Or a follow up role. Problem becomes crediting the original writes of the episode who created the character.

I just looked and it appears Brannon Braga wrote it. Should have been no problem to have him use his own character in a follow up episode.

I’ve read 2 Star Trek books one was Ship of the Line, and it follows Captain Bateson after he returned to “current” time. I thought it was great.

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VrinTheTerrible t1_jcwcb9p wrote

It’s not exactly Groundhog Day style but Remember Me - Star Trek: TNG

There’s an intro which shows Dr. Crusher get caught up in a warp bubble but the first time I watched it, I missed that part. All I saw was people disappearing off the Enterprise over and over with no one but Crusher remembering they even existed. It was such a “what-the-hell-is-going-on” moment for me!

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highdefrex t1_jcwchvi wrote

Replying to DUNG_INSPECTOR (#2,272,178)

God, that episode... Solid all the way through, and then that absolute gut punch of an ending:

> "I am acutely aware that in my thousands of years observing humans, I never used to feel lonely. I have been alone many times. To be candid, I preferred it. But it wasn't until I met this particular team of SHIELD agents that being alone meant... feeling lonely. And I don't care for it. So... I am feeling, as you might expect, some anxiety now."

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chucky3456 t1_jcwh8ng wrote

Not TV, but the film Run Lola Run is a fantastic time loop film

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carnivoross t1_jcwm8b7 wrote

Community - Remedial Chaos Theory (S03E04) has to be up there

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Xaveb t1_jcwoi8p wrote

I enjoyed the one in DC's Legends of Tomorrow. RIP

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BlueTeamRuless t1_jcwswj2 wrote

Replying to highdefrex (#2,275,646)

> “Daisy and I will stay with you to the end.”

> “That’s very kind of you, but… it’s that last part, isn’t it? You can stay with me to the end, but you can’t come with me at the end. I will have to leave you. And I will have to do that alone. And I can’t help wondering - when that happens… will I feel lonely?”

<3 Enoch

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RayInRed t1_jcxacep wrote

Person Of Interest Episode If Else Then

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boersc t1_jcxim47 wrote

33 minutes from Battlestar Galactica.

I know it doesn't really count, as it isn't a timeloop perse, but it was such a great (re)introduction to the concept of a fleet of refugees being hunted by calculating relentless robots.

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Wurzelrenner t1_jcxl5kq wrote

Replying to FeastForCows (#2,276,530)

It is, but it is insane that they actually made it like that. Think about if something similar would come out today. Imagine watching it weekly, most people would stop watching after 3 episodes. The rage on the internet, it would be hilarious.

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WrongKindaGrowth t1_jcxwhvf wrote

AoS

They go all the way,

it's the same over and over.

There are real consequences.

It's funny.

They do the intro credits more than once

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Major-Yogurtcloset52 t1_jcy9sp0 wrote

“Mystery Spot” , Supernatural. Dark humour at its absolute best. The writers were on their A game for that episode!

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Smeg87 t1_jcycnbb wrote

Eureka season 3 episode 4 I Do Over

its one of my favourite time loop episodes and has such a sad ending

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Smeg87 t1_jcycp1d wrote

Eureka season 3 episode 4 I Do Over

its one of my favourite time loop episodes and has such a sad ending

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funkhero t1_jcytkzv wrote

Replying to shepbestshep (#2,272,277)

Absolutely my favorite episode of the entire show. There is just so much power behind that twist. Adds depth to the story so far, is a fucking awesome reveal, and makes me tear up every time.

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Delicious-Tachyons t1_jcyve8m wrote

Replying to bluebirdgm (#2,273,244)

no no the problem with that is when the premise is stretched too thin it becomes unbearable because every episode ends on a cliffhanger because there's no resolution so it's a 'blue balls' situation.

Then you never go back and rewatch it because you can't just pick out one favourite episode - you have to watch the full season to get the payoff.

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Alexthegreatbelgian t1_jcz07lc wrote

Does "My butterfly" from Scrubs count?

Basically the same day plays out differently because a butterfly landed on a different random person's chest. You see how each effect impacted the diagnosis of the same patient (on where lots goes wrong, one where lots goes right) but in the end the patient dies in both stories either way. Showing that even if you can do everything right, things can still go bad.

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DoubleTFan t1_jczsndz wrote

The Endles Eight for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

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SRASinister t1_jd19nlb wrote

I enjoyed the Supernatural one to the point I had Heat of the Moment as my morning alarm on my phone for years.

One I didn't see mentioned is Eureka with the episode in season 3. That one had some pretty big consequences in the long run.

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McFeely_Smackup t1_jd1nmfb wrote

Tales of the Walking Dead episode “Blair, Gina,” 

It put a fresh and thoughtful look at the 'groundhog day' premise. I felt like I was watching the idea for the first time, and it seamlessly meshed into established Walking Dead canon.

And that's all bullshit. It was a "hey let's do groundhog day" with no concern for making sense, explaining why, no concern for the utter rejection of established universe, nope... It was basically a "very special episode of Blossom" where Blossom gets pregnant, had an abortion, and it's just never mentioned again.

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Bellinghamster t1_jd29fu6 wrote

Dark Matter is probably my favorite one, but I really want to check out Supernatural, there's just SO many episodes.

For any gamers in here you must play Outer Wilds.

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Stenthal t1_jd2plhi wrote

Replying to lurebat (#2,272,486)

I got to this post late, but I clicked on it just to make sure that someone mentioned Cloak and Dagger. That was a criminally underrated show in general, and episode 1x07 was my top time loop in a TV show.

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Stenthal t1_jd2rxk3 wrote

Replying to DaveSilver (#2,274,102)

I forgot about Stargate Universe. They do something unique and unsettling, which I haven't seen in any other time loop story: >!They come up with a plan to fix everything, but the plan fails, and then the episode ends. Everything is back to normal for the next episode, so they must have figured it out eventually, but we never see them succeed.!<

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twbrn t1_jd4z4s8 wrote

I'd say the two best I know are Star Trek Discovery's "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad" and Agents of SHIELD's "As I Have Always Been."

Unlike so many other shows doing this trope, neither of them wastes the viewer's time walking you through the same events slowly getting you into the idea. They know the viewer isn't stupid, and they trust that you're going to follow along, allowing them to dive right into the plot. They also take great advantage of NOT showing every single loop, allowing them to move the plot forward faster and make the most out of the episode's length.

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