NBC, FOXHappy Valentine's week, TV watchers! Yes, in TV world, Valentine's Day can last for a week (or two), considering most series have some kind of V-Day themed episode that they run as close to Feb. 14 as possible. If you love Valentine's Day, this is a wonderful celebration. If you hate it, well, you still get great TV so it's all good.
Holiday-themed offerings from shows are always season highlights, and if you throw in the high probability for couples drama, you've got the perfect formula for falling in love with an episode. From 30 Rock to The Simpsons, we've picked 10 of our favorite Valentine's Day episodes in recent years, but this is of course not a definitive list. Check out our choices and then offer up your faves in the comments!
1. The Office, "PDA": For lovers of Michael (Steve Carell) and Holly (Amy Ryan) (and if you didn't love them, we can't be friends), this episode was both hilarious and heartwarming. It was hilar-warming. Their PDA made everyone uncomfortable, but eventually that led to Michael telling Holly that he loved her. Plus, Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fisher) got drunk at lunch at had sex somewhere in the office. Go Jam!
2. The Simpsons,"I Love Lisa": All we have to say about this one is: we choo-choo-choose it as one of our all-time favorite Valentine's episodes, as well as one of our favorite episodes of The Simpsons.
3. Modern Family "My Funky Valentine": This was the episode where we had the pleasure—nay, the privilege of meeting Clive Bixby for the first time. Clive is Phil Dunphy's (Ty Burrell) alter-ego that he uses to spice things up with his wife Claire (Julie Bowen). And as with most things in Phil's life, his attempt to give his wife a romantic Valentine's Day does not go as planned. Bonus: Clive returns tonight!
4. Friends, "The One With The Birthing Video": Chandler (Matthew Perry) ends up watching a birthing video tape thinking it's girl-on-girl porn, and after seeing all that crowning, he's in a less than sexy mood. And then when he includes his wife Monica (Courteney Cox) in on the viewing, the romantic night is officially ruined. This episode is a winner just based on their horrified expressions while watching the video.
5. Arrested Development, "Marta Complex": No "best of TV" list is complete without AD included. Technically, it is a Valentine's Day episode, but it's not mentioned as much, save for some decorations. But Michael (Jason Bateman) and Gob (Will Arnett) do go on a love quest to see who is having an affair with Gob's girlfriend Marta (Leonor Varela), and Buster (Tony Hale) continues his affair with Lucille 2 (Liza Minnelli). So love (as demented as it is) is certainly in the air in this episode. Plus, Carl Weathers!
6. Parks and Recreation, "Operation Ann": Leslie (Amy Poehler) sends her boyfriend Ben (Adam Scott) on a crazy scavenger hunt for Valentine's Day, and he teams up with Andy (Chris Pratt) and Ron (Nick Offerman) to solve the impossible clues. Turns out, the manly Ron Swanson loves riddles and is positively giddy over figuring out Leslie's clues. This was also the episode where Ann (Rashida Jones) and Tom (Aziz Ansari) started their courtship, if you can really call it that.
7. Supernatural, "My Bloody Valentine": What's more romantic than Cupid as an overweight, almost-naked angel who happens to love hugs? Sure, he makes people want to eat each other, but OK, that is bad. Still, it makes for a Supernatural episodes that is both funny, bloody and action-packed.
8. Glee, "Silly Love Songs": We were hoping that this would be the episode that Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) finally fell in love, but alas, we would have to wait a little longer. But there was enough love to go around, especially when Puck (Mark Salling) serenaded Lauren (Ashley Fink) with "Fat-Bottom Girls." We also got a cool duet of Michael Jackson's "PYT" from Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) and Artie (Kevin McHale) to their ladies. But nothing was sweeter than The Warblers singing "Silly Love Songs" to a crowd full of couples at Breadstix.
9. 30 Rock, "Anna Howard Shaw Day": Liz (Tina Fey) decides the best way to spend Valentine's Day is to schedule a dentist appointment, but then she realizes she has no one to take her home after a root canal. Jack (Alec Baldwin) falls for Elizabeth Banks' Avery Jessup, and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) is heartbroken to learn that her stalker (Horatio Sanz) has "left her." Liz's hallucations after the dental procedure meant we got to see the return of her ex-boyfriends Drew (Jon Hamm), Dennis (Dean Winters) and Floyd (Jason Sudekis). Oh, and Jon Bon Jovi was there, too!
10. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered": After Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) dumps Xander (Nicholas Brendon) (on Valentine's Day!), he has Amy cast a spell on Cordelia to win her back. Unfortunately, that spell goes awry and every female in Sunnydale falls in love with him—including Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Buffy's mom!