70. SEX AND THE CITY
"Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little" 7/13/2003
The origins of the catchphrase “He’s just not that into you,” coined by writer Greg Behrendt, can be found here. “Actually, as I recall it, Greg’s original line was ‘The dude’s just not that into you,’” says Julie Rottenberg, who wrote the episode with Elisa Zuritsky. The episode led to the best-selling self-help guide by Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo and the book’s big-screen version. “Here was a philosophy that liberated women,” Zuritsky says. “Dude’s not that into you? Fine! Move on! His loss, not yours.”

69. DALLAS
“A House Divided” 3/21/1980
An amoral oilman is shot and America spends its summer wondering whodunit. Thus was born the cliff-hanger.

68. HEROES
“Company Man” 2/26/2007
Played out against Matt and Ted’s assault on the Bennett home, H.R.G.’s secret link to the heroes has an explosive impact.

67. DYNASTY
“The Threat” 4/13/1983
Think Dynasty, think Krystle (Linda Evans) versus Alexis (Joan Collins). “There were only about four or five catfights between us,” recalls Collins, “and there were so many more good things in the show.” But how could anyone not enjoy the waterlogged knockdown, drag-out of this classic? “I didn’t like it at all!” Collins says. “Not only do I not like fighting, but I don’t like having my head underwater. It was very uncomfortable, and I had on probably the worst dress that Nolan Miller ever made for me!” The rest of us loved it.

66. HOUSE
“Three Stories” 5/17/2005
As House delivers a lecture on three different cases, his colleagues finally got some insight into their grumpy boss’ pain. And viewers got a cameo by Carmen Electra. Somehow it all came together.

65. WKRP IN CINCINNATI
“Turkeys Away” 10/30/1978
Oh, the humanity of this Thanksgiving gem! If it’s any comfort, Mr. Carlson, we thought turkeys could fly, too.

64. MURPHY BROWN
"You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" 9/21/1992
Vice President Dan Quayle drew laughs of his own in 1992 when he criticized the very fictional Murphy (Candice Bergen) for having a baby sans husband. Bergen, determined to get the last laugh, responded by rebutting the veep’s critique head-on in an episode that became a cultural touchstone. Says Quayle today: “Because of the publicity, many fatherhood initiatives have been started, and what was deemed controversial by the media elite in 1992 is accepted as a truism now—children need the presence of fathers in their lives.” Hey, Murph, wanna take this one?

63. GREY'S ANATOMY
"Losing My Religion" 5/15/2006
Capping a three-episode arc, this Season 2 finale hit an emotional peak with the tragic death of cardiac transplant patient Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) that would haunt Izzie (Katherine Heigl) for seasons to come. Killing the character “was horrible and weird and seemed so real when he died,” recalls creator Shonda Rhimes. “Everyone was crying when Jeffrey did the scene, and it took a really long time.” Also in the episode, Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Izzie and George organize a high-school prom for the Chief’s terminally ill niece. “Staging that was extremely difficult,” Rhimes says. “Everyone thought I was crazy, but I didn’t care. I wanted that prom.” Before the last dance was over, Denny died without Izzie, and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) slipped off for an illicit interlude. “Patrick and Ellen really went for it in that love scene,” Rhimes says. “I remember saying, ‘I need to see those panties come off!’ It was important because Addison later found those panties in Derek’s jacket.”

62. LAW & ORDER
“Life Choice” 1/8/1991
Creator Dick Wolf’s favorite episode, about an abortion-clinic bombing, stirred controversy—and could be ripped from today’s headlines.

61. L.A. LAW
“Good to the Last Drop” 3/21/1991
Rosalind Shays, going down. An unpopular character was never so perfectly shafted.

The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles is hosting screenings of select episodes of TV Guide Magazine's Top 100 Episodes! For more information, go to paleycenter.org/visit-daily-schedule/