So much great television is being made these days that it’s nearly impossible to find time to watch it all. (Though somehow, we’ve managed. Sorry, work/significant other/friends/kids.) With a slate that’s included Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards, Parks and Recreation, Broad City, Homeland, Empire, The Americans, Scandal, Better Call Saul and so many other outstanding programs, this was inarguably a killer year for content. As such, this list was incredibly difficult to curate, but we’ve managed to narrow it down to our 10 favorite moments of 2015. But beware if you’re not completely caught up—spoilers ahead!
When Homeland's Carrie Saves Saul From Suicide
It's hard not to have a soft spot for Saul, which is why this episode was particularly moving. If you didn't cry when he walked out to find he was surrounded—after Carrie convinced him there was still a chance he'd escape—you might want to check in with your therapist.
Watch the full series on Hulu.
When Empire’s Cookie Almost Smothers Lucious Lyon
This moment, from the first-season finale, has yet to be topped in the second season. It was thrilling to watch Cookie debate ending her ex-husband's life, but even more thrilling to find out he was conscious (but immobile) as she considered pressing the pillow into his face.
Watch the full series on Hulu.
When Mad Men’s Don Draper Pulls Himself Together
Some of the Mad Men series finale was cornier than we expected, but the Don Draper ending, which insinuated that he went on to create the iconic "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" commercial, was pitch-perfect.
Watch a clip here.
When Amy Schumer Crashes Julia Louis Dreyfus' “Last F*ckable Day”
It was a close call between this Inside Amy Schumer sketch and her much-buzzed-about “12 Angry Men," but powerhouses Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Patricia Arquette making fun of ageism is not only funny, it's empowering.
Watch the clip here.
When Jon Stewart Says Good-Bye
Our favorite parts of this episode, which marked the end of an era, include Stephen Colbert's moving thank-you speech and Arby’s cheeky send-off commercials.
Watch a clip here.
When Silicon Valley’s SWOT Board Gets Brutal
A SWOT matrix is a method of assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a decision. In this case, the decision was whether or not the Pied Piper programmers should let an idiot they'd been forced to work with die because of his own math error. It's arguably one of the funniest moments of the entire Silicon Valley season, which is saying a lot.
Watch a clip of the scene here. The full season is available on HBO Now.
When Robert Durst Accidentally Comes Clean
The end of documentary series The Jinx, in which Robert Durst unwittingly admits to being a serial killer, is so shocking and dramatically perfect that it feels like fiction.
Watch the full series on HBO Now.
When Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow Is Betrayed
The apparent death of Jon Snow in the season 5 finale was a shocker, and Kit Harington, the actor who plays Snow, swears he's truly dead. However, news of season 7 salary negotiations with Harington call this into question, and online theories on Jon's fate abound.
Watch a clip here. The full season is available on HBO Now.
When Veep’s Amy Finally Snaps
Veep is one of the best-written shows on television, and diatribes like this one, delivered by Anna Chlumsky's character to Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character, prove it: "I wouldn’t let you run a bath without having the Coast Guard and the Fire Department standing by. But yet, here you are, running America. You are the worst thing that's happened to this country since food in buckets. And maybe slavery." It's one of the most cathartic TV scenes ever, but we don't recommend reenacting it with your own boss.
Watch a clip here. The full season is available on HBO Now.
When House of Cards' Claire Leaves Frank
Though Frank Underwood is one of the most despicable characters on TV, the dynamic between him and his wife, Claire, always seemed to make sense. They weren’t codependent, per se, but they did feed off each other. By the end of season 3 however, their relationship had become too one-sided for Claire, and after an increasingly intense series of interactions, she decided to walk out on her husband of 28 years.
