Buffy The Vampire Slayer

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3. "Chosen," Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy was always about female empowerment. So what better way to end the series than with Willow using the Slayer Scythe to activate every single potential Slayer on the planet? With "Chosen," Buffy had reached her goal of breaking free of the shackles of the patriarchal system which had so many centuries ago tied down the First Slayer, and with it, some sense of freedom. Of course, with Joss Whedon at the helm, the journey to the end of this final hour was filled with action, twists, angst, and plenty of clever dialogue. The final battle on top of the Hellmouth is one of the most rousing in the series’ (and television’s) history, perhaps rivaled only by the Scoobies’ masterful take-down of Glory in "The Gift." My favorite moment? Buffy: "I love you." Spike: "No, you don’t. But thanks for sayin’ it." And then he who had originated as one of the series’ most thoroughly evil characters sacrifices himself to save the world. Redemption, tragedy, triumph: All in a day’s work for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

2. "Not Fade Away," Angel

If there was ever a more powerful show about redemption than Buffy, it was its spin-off, Angel. After Angel and the gang took over the Los Angeles branch of evil law firm Wolfram & Hart at the end of the fourth season, attempting to defeat the enemy from within, they soon realized that it would be all too easy for them to be tainted by corruption. But for this lesson to finally take hold, they had to lose Fred to a demon goddess resurrected by employee Knox. From then, Angel became hellbent on destroying Wolfram & Hart by any means possible, seemingly allying himself with the Circle of the Black Thorn to get the job done. And in "Not Fade Away," everything comes to a head: Angel, Spike, Wesley, Gunn, Lorne, and Illyria all spend one final day before assassinating every member of the Circle in one of the most kick-ass action sequences ever put together.

What each of them does on their last day is touching, and telling. Angel spends time with Connor, the son he couldn’t raise. Spike goes to a bar and, in a lovely shout-out to longtime fans, reads aloud poetry he wrote way back in the 1800s when he was just the meek William. Gunn helps Anne (who, if you were paying attention, is the same character that started out as Chantarelle in the season two Buffy episode "Lie to Me") pack up shop. Lorne sings karaoke. And Wesley...well, Wesley cares for Illyria, who resides in the body of his beloved Fred. Wesley’s eventual death is a scene poignant beyond all reason; as he lies dying in Illyria’s arms, she asks him, "Would you like me to lie to you now?" Then she changes her appearance to Fred, and I honestly can’t think of a television moment that’s made me cry harder. As what remains of the group gathers in the alley for a final showdown, a series that was never meant to end this soon charges to the finish line as Angel declares, "Let’s go to work." Fighting to the last.

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