Television is worst when it's safe, and even some of the highest-rated shows in the landscape are culprits of pedaling the scripted norm: formulated one-liners, typical reveals, copying the routine methods of shows that have come before, simply re-packaging them for a different audience. And to honor that would be a slight to the brilliant breakout series elevating television to new heights: whether we're gasping every week at Shonda Rhimes' latest revelation on Scandal, waiting for the next blood-curdling murder on Dexter, or guiltily employing the twisted pleasure that is Pretty Little Liars, there's a lot of great TV that is evolving the art, and forcing us as viewers to grow along with it.

That's why for our third annual list of the 50 greatest TV episodes of the year, we made a point to celebrate the episodes and series that completely throw caution to the wind, creating some of the most mind-blowing,...