History’s all screwed up, and it’s up to us to unscrew it up. But half the time we screw things up even worse. So don’t call us heroes, we’re something else. We’re Legends.
…
Who writes this crap anyway?

Ten years ago today, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow debuted on television. A spinoff of Arrow and The Flash, it told the tale of a bunch of B-list superheroes (and the odd supervillain), gathered together to save the world by traveling through time, fighting bad guys throughout history.
(Learning lessons along the way: optional).

Initially, it was a pretty straightlaced action/drama series, with its main quirk being the wide panoply of superheroes in the main cast, ranging from a scientist who fights crime with a shrink ray and robot suit, to the reincarnation of an Ancient Egyptian priestess who can fly by growing a pair of giant hawk wings. However, after a divisive first season (oft criticized for its laughably ineffective heroes and unintentionally goofy plotting), the show reinvented itself.

Now the plotting was intentionally goofy, and the heroes being laughably bad at their jobs became the point. The show leaned into the fact that its heroes were a bunch of idiots who probably shouldn’t have been entrusted with a time machine, but were determined to do their best regardless. With an increasingly irreverent and self-aware sense of humor, Legends of Tomorrow transformed itself into an action/drama/comedy series … and by its third or fourth season, comedy/drama/action was probably the better way to put it.

Or, occasionally, comedy/drama/musical.

(Early on, we all compared the show to Doctor Who. It took a few seasons to realize the more apt comparison was Red Dwarf.)

It was this reinvention that made me a diehard Legends of Tomorrow fan. I won’t pretend the writing was always great, and even the characters in the show commented that “The special effects were kinda questionable.” But when it was really cooking, Legends knew how to mix outlandish adventure, wacky comedy, and some genuinely affecting character work to create one of the most gleefully fun shows on television. It was a rare episode without at least one moment that put a big, dopey smile on my face and left me saying, “God, I love this silly little show.”

To celebrate ten years of having Legends of Tomorrow in our lives, I’ve put together this list of my ten all-time favorite episodes. Some choices on this list will be contentious – I know there’s at least one episode that fellow Legendheads will wanna excommunicate me for not including. But what fun would a Top 10 list be if it didn’t give us something to argue about in the comments, yeah?

So, without further ado …

#10 – Dancing Queen

a.k.a. The One Where Ray Joins a Punk Band

The other episodes on this list are all special in some way. Some are gimmick episodes, built on a high-concept hook. Some are epic climaxes to season-long story arcs. Some are crossover events featuring loads of guest stars and massive battle scenes. But “Dancing Queen” stands unique among the Top 10, because it’s just an ordinary episode of Legends of Tomorrow.

In “Dancing Queen”, our heroes detect a problem in history, investigate it, and meet some colorful locals, while a few team members split off for their own side adventures. Hijinks, fisticuffs, and character growth ensue, till eventually it’s all (mostly) resolved. Legends of Tomorrow has done dozens of episodes like this – there’s nothing here that veers far from the show’s formula.

Yet “Dancing Queen” makes it onto this list because it does that formula so well. This is an episode where everything just clicks – the jokes all land, the fights are all fun, and the dramatic stuff hits you right in the feels. On a pure scene-by-scene, moment-by-moment basis, this is Legends proving just how enjoyable an “ordinary” episode can be.

(Plus, c’mon, this is the ep that gave us punk rock Corgis and “The Ball Kick Paradox”. It’d hurt my soul not to include it.)

#9 – Crisis on Infinite Earths, Hour 5

a.k.a. The One Where They Reboot the Universe

Of all the shows involved in the Arrowverse’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event, Legends of Tomorrow got the sweetest plum of the bunch. While Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, and Arrow did the heavy work of building this grand, universe-spanning epic (held back by budget and logistic issues they couldn’t entirely overcome), Legends got to be the denouement.

When “Hour Five” begins, the bad guy has already been beaten, the universe has already been saved. The purpose of this ep, then, is to give the massive cast of heroes a chance to catch their breaths and reflect on what they’ve been through. To mourn what they’ve lost, to celebrate what they’ve gained, and to just enjoy each other’s company before they all go back to their own shows and vow never to do a crossover this elaborate and exhausting again.

That makes “Hour Five” a unique mix of the epic and the laidback. Dozens of guest stars, big special effect set pieces, and cosmic changes to the universe, but contained in a story that, at times, borders on being slice-of-life. It’s necessary decompression after four hours of rising tension, but also a rare opportunity to see all these characters gathered together when they’re not stressing about the fate of the world. When they can all relax, take time to process all that’s happened, and simply be.

(Of course, this is colored by me being a fan of the other Arrowverse shows, whose casts feature heavily in this episode. If you’re not a fan, that obviously changes things.)

#8 – Destiny

a.k.a. The One Where They Defund the Time Police

As mentioned above, Legends of Tomorrow retooled itself during its second season, making the transition from drama to comedy. Many fans (myself included) view this as the show finding itself, correcting the errors of a dismal first season.

But while much of Season 1 deserves its low reputation, “Destiny” is the exception. This episode proves that the original, drama-heavy version of the series could have been fantastic, if only there’d been more episodes like this, and fewer about love triangles on the timeship. This episode focuses in on the season’s strongest themes, pushes its weaker elements to the side, and delivers a wonderfully intense hour of television.

Daring escapes, desperate battles, miraculous rescues, and heroic last stands. Tearful goodbyes, epic reunions, philosophical quandaries, and reflections on the journey thus far. Bombast and pathos both, deftly written and powerfully acted, with little of the jokey tone that would come to dominate later seasons of the show.

I’d never choose to give up the gloriously ridiculous/ridiculously glorious series that Legends would become, but I will always look fondly on “Destiny” as the episode that didn’t need jokes to make me love it.

(Well, okay, there’s one big joke involving a Captain & Tennille song … and it’s a damn good one!)

#7 – Legends of To-Meow-Meow

a.k.a. The One Where Zari is a Cat

When you have a show about time travel, it’s almost inevitable you get an episode where someone changes the past, and our heroes have to escape from the nightmare alternate timeline it created. (Think Back to the Future Part II.)

Trust Legends to take that well-worn plot and do something absolutely bug nuts with it, thanks to two genius conceits. Firstly, that changing the timeline changes Legends of Tomorrow into a different TV show, The Custodians of the Chronology, complete with its own theme song, letting them riff on the idea of the Legends being changed into the cast of a whole ‘nother series.

The second genius conceit is that, rather than setting history back the way it was, our heroes just keep screwing it up, again and again, creating a bunch more alternate timelines … each of which is also presented as its own TV show, kitschy theme song and all.

Ever since its retool, Legends of Tomorrow has been built on the Legends’ bumbling heroics causing as many problems as they solve, and “Legends of To-Meow-Meow” takes that premise to its hilarious extreme. One of the most high-concept and madcap adventures in the whole bunch, and definitely one of the most enjoyable

(Plus, Zari as a cat is frickin’ cute.)

#6 – wvrdr_error_100<oest-of-th3-gs.gid30n> not found

a.k.a. The One Where, Yes, That’s Really the Title

This episode just isn’t playing fair.

It’s the one-hundredth episode of Legends of Tomorrow, and as is tradition for Arrowverse series, that milestone is celebrated by looking back at events from across the show’s run. That means there are a lot of returning characters, many of whom hadn’t been on the show for years.

For a fan of the show, to once again see Jax and Stein, Ray and Nora, Snart and … well, I don’t want to give everything away. But to see them all again, with so many references to the show’s history, how it’s changed and evolved over the years, it’s mashing the nostalgia button so hard that, like I said, it just isn’t fair.

But nostalgia alone wouldn’t be enough to make the Top Ten. What carries this episode over the top is, beneath all the call-backs and in-jokes and familiar faces, it’s a genuinely moving character study … and for a character you wouldn’t expect.

For the previous ninety-nine episodes, the Legends’ computer system, Gideon, had been little more than a chipper voice delivering exposition. But in this episode, Gideon becomes an actual person. Bringing back so many old characters, reflecting on the show’s history, it’s all done to explore Gideon’s own history: their origins in the earliest days of the Legends, the relationships they’ve built over the years, the role they’ve come to have on the team, and the feelings that their silicon heart is only just now coming to process.

You can go into this episode thinking of Gideon as just a fancy Alexa, and come out at the end crying and cheering for the lil’ computer gal. That such a heartfelt story is paired with a joyous nostalgia rush for longtime Legends fans, it makes this ep one of the show’s feelgood greats.

(Also, turns out Gideon knows how to sing … and I’m kinda pissed it took them a hundred episodes to make use of that.)

#5 – Meet the Legends

a.k.a. The One Where Rasputin Hijacks a Documentary

On a pure jokes-per-minute basis, nothing compares to “Meet the Legends”.

This is the mockumentary episode, presented as a documentarian’s account of a typical Legends mission, and that format is used to pack every scene to the brim with laughs. From text on screen introducing each character, to quick cuts between events past and present, to the Legends hamming things up for the cameras: every opportunity presented to cram an extra bit of humor in, the episode takes it. I can’t watch “Meet the Legends” without constantly hitting rewind to catch jokes that went by too fast the first time around.

And the thing is, even without the mockumentary gimmick, this’d still be a damn fine episode, with strong character work, plenty of hilarious mishaps, and a terrific guest spot by Rasputin the Mad Monk. So with the mockumentary hijinks lifting it up, this may be the most consistently laugh-out-loud episode of the entire series.

(And that’s saying something, let me tell you.)

#4 – Crisis on Earth-X, Part 4

a.k.a. The One Where They Fight the Nazis (no, the other one) (no, the other other one)

Once again, Legends of Tomorrow delivers the final part of an Arrowverse crossover event. This time, though, they’re not the denouement, but the big, action-packed climax. This is the part of the crossover where dozens of heroes gather together for a final showdown with the army of sci-fi Nazis from a parallel universe. (Spoiler alert: the Nazis lose.)

It delivers some of the biggest spectacle the Arrowverse shows ever had, with everyone getting at least one moment to do something ultra-cool – and given how many guest stars are in this ep, that is a lot of ultra-cool stuff. If this were just a big-budget (by Legends standards) action fest, showing our heroes punching out Nazis, then having a big celebration at the end, it’d still be a hell of an episode.

What pushes it up so high, above almost every other episode of the series, is … well, I’m sorry, but there are some things I can’t spoil. Just know that, amidst all the fun and bombast, there’s a part of this episode that is truly heartbreaking. (If you’ve seen Crisis on Earth-X, you know the part I’m talking about.)

There are tons of Legends episodes that make me laugh harder, and plenty that make me cheer louder, but none can bring tears to my eyes like this one. All through that-thing-I-won’t-spoil, the actors deliver the best performances they have all series, putting everything they’ve got into it, while the staging and story beats amplify the emotion so beautifully … it just gets to me, and I …

…

(No, I’m not getting teary-eyed as I write this! Shut up!)

#3 – The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly

a.k.a. The One Where SPOILER TEXT Fights Mallus

While “Crisis on Earth-X, Part 4” had the saddest scene in the series, this episode has the greatest scene in the series. Hands down, no questions, nothing else even comes close. It is the iconic Legends of Tomorrow scene, the moment that fully embodied and defined the nutso sense of fun at the heart of this show – just several minutes of pure, uncut joy shot directly into our brains.

Of course, one great scene does not a great episode make. Luckily, the rest of the ep is no slouch, either. It’s got the high drama of heroic sacrifices and romantic farewells. It’s got the high adventure of cowboys, Amazons, and superheroes fighting Romans, Vikings, and pirates. It’s got the high comedy of plans gone disastrously, ridiculously wrong. And it even squeezes in some low stakes, laidback moments, just watching these lovable lugs hang out for a bit.

Even without that scene, this’d still be a darn good episode. With that scene, there’s no way I could rank it lower than #3.

(And, honestly, this ep and my #2 pick were so close, I went back and forth about a dozen times on which should be ranked higher. And speaking of #2 …)

#2 – Hey World

a.k.a. The One Where Nate Builds a Theme Park

So much happens in this episode. “Hey World” is one of those season finales where all the plotlines race forward at a mad dash, rushing to cover all the ground they need to before the season ends. When TV shows do that, the results are usually disappointing – a lot of stuff going on, but so badly rushed that none of it can feel properly satisfying.

“Hey World” is the rare example of doing that right. It throws a lot at you – I mean, a lot – but it’s all so thoroughly entertaining, you never want it to stop.

Partly that’s because the lightning-fast pace fits the vibe of the story, where our heroes are making plans by the seats of their pants, dashing from one problem to the next, and seizing on the first solution they come up with, no matter how ludicrous, ’cause there’s no time to think of a Plan B.

It’s also because “Hey World” weaves together story threads from throughout the season, bringing back characters and plot beats that might have seemed unimportant, but are key to making this finale work. It may throw a lot of stuff at us, but that stuff doesn’t come out of nowhere.

Mostly, though, what makes “Hey World” work is the sheer madcap sense of fun running through it all. Can’t fault it for moving at a dash when everything it’s dashing towards is a delight to behold: dancing dragons, superhero cosplay, fairy godmothers in Hell, two of the most surprising and hilarious cameos ever, plus the occult power of big group sing-alongs.

If you’re gonna stuff an episode full to bursting, stuff it full of stuff like this!

(Now, take everything I said about being packed full of rapid/hilarious plot turns, and apply that double to our #1 entry …)

#1 – The One Where We’re Trapped on TV

a.k.a. The One Where They’re Trapped on TV

Legends of Tomorrow loves pop culture, is full to brimming with references, parodies, and homages to everything the creators are fans of. But it doesn’t just love pop culture – in many ways, Legends is a show about our love of pop culture.

Again and again, the Legends find themselves in stories that bring their favorite songs, books, and movies to life: meeting a young Jane Austen or Elvis Presley, getting into quick draw duels in the Old West, being trapped in a Groundhog Day timeloop, fighting a giant monster conjured up by Ishirō Honda. And through these adventures, the show looks at what these pop culture touchstones mean, both to the characters and to fans in the real world, exploring how our love for these pieces of entertainment can shape our lives and the world around us.

And in “The One Where We’re Trapped on TV”, that’s taken to its ultimate form. The Legends are literally put into the world of television shows, turned into the characters of an old-timey sitcom, a saccharine kids’ show, and an over-the-top Star Trek knockoff. A lot of fun is had with the Legends spoofing different genres of television, delivering some of the most sublimely silly routines the show’s ever done. But this episode does a lot more than that.

It takes the goofy idea of being stuck inside a TV show, and turns it into something oddly profound. Being turned into TV characters makes the Legends grapple with whether to struggle for free choice or accept the script being forced on them – whether to escape into the comfort of fantasy or face the harshness of reality – whether popular entertainment is simply a distraction from what’s important, or if it can inspire people to change things for the better. And seeing the Legends face those questions, and what the answers might mean for their own lives, it produces some of most heartfelt drama in the entire series.

There are a few episodes of Legends that are funnier (I mentioned them elsewhere on the list), and a few that tug more on the heartstrings (ditto), but there are none that do the whole package like this one. Hilarity and pathos and catharsis and deep thoughts and wild adventure: this episode not only does it all, but it makes them work together so beautifully, each one enhancing the other … it just blows me away.

For most of this Top 10 list, I struggled mightily with where each episode should be ranked, and which might get left off the list altogether. But the #1 spot going to “The One Where We’re Trapped on TV”? That I never had reason to doubt.

(Plus, it’s got the second-best title of any episode in the series, surpassed only by “Guest Starring John Noble”.)

Honorable Mentions:

Out of Time – Phone Home – Beebo the God of War – Here I Go Again – Tender Is the Nate – Séance & Sensibility – Mr. Parker’s Cul-De-Sac – Romeo v Juliet: Dawn of Justness – The Fixed Point