TV stars reveal their favorite episodes

Stars like Dawn Wells, Ron Howard and Penny Marshall made some surprising choices!

We all have our favorite TV moments. Whether it's laugh-out-loud comedy like Lucy stuffing chocolates in her hat, or tear-jerking scenes like when Mary Richards turns off the lights for the last time, certain moments and episodes resonate more with us than others. 

Our favorite episodes are based on what we see on the screen. But for some actors, their favorite episodes are based on what happened behind the scenes.

Here's a look at what some famous actors and producers named as favorite episodes of their series.

1. Dawn Wells

In a recent interview with Forbes magazine, the real Mary Ann (and MeTV embassador) revealed that her favorite episode of Gilligan's Island is season three's "And Then There Were None." The actress is so fond of this episode because it was different from the rest. In a dream sequence, the cast is transported back to 19th-century England, where Wells dons an "Eliza Doolittle" outfit and performs with a convincing English accent. 

2. Bob Denver

As with Wells, a dream sequence mad season one's "The Sound of Quacking" a favorite of Denver's. The sequence transports Gilligan to the wild, wild west — or, in real-life, the set of Gunsmoke.

3. Sherwood Schwartz

The Brady Bunch creator's favorite episode is a perfect pick for Father's Day. Season one's "Father of the Year" held a special place in Schwartz's heart because of the relationship between Marcia and her stepfather. In the episode, Mike punishes Marcia for sneaking out, without realizing she snuck out to submit an essay about why he's the best father in the world. Schwartz revealed the episode always made him cry, and had the adoration of Robert Reed. 

4. Ron Howard

Howard's favorite episode of The Andy Griffith Show was one based on a real-life experience. In season seven's "The Ball Game," Andy becomes an umpire and calls out Opie when he slides into home base, causing Mayberry's team to lose. Howard revealed to Larry King in 2013 that the episode is his favorite because the same thing happened to him with his father.

5. Garry Marshall

Just like Howard, Happy Days creator Garry Marshall recalls that his favorite episode was based on an experience he went through while making the show. After creating hundreds of TV episodes in his career, Marshall confesses he was running out of sitcom plot ideas. So when Marshall tore open his knee playing basketball, a thought popped into his head: "Why not have Fonzie rip open his knee, too?" The result was the two-part episode, season three's "Fearless Fonzarelli." 

6. Penny Marshall

Laverne & Shirley star Penny Marshall says she's fond of the season five's "The Diner," when the BFFs unsuccessfully run a restaurant. Marshall told the Huffington Post she likes the episode because her character keeps calling Shirley "Betty" for no reason. The inspiration came from Hamburger Hamlet, where the actress says they would always say, "Betty, please, pick up." 

7. Alan Alda

Alda told CNN in 2005 that one of his favorites from M*A*S*H is season seven's "Point of View," when the story is told from the perspective of a soldier being treated at the 4077th. The actor also lists "Dreams," "Life Time" and "The Interview" as episodes from the long-running series that were "really good."

8. Rod Serling

Serling doesn't have one favorite episode, but two. In an interview, the mastermind behind The Twilight Zone said season two's "The Invaders" and season one's "Time Enough at Last" were his favorites, particularly because of the twists. These episodes have become fan favorites, too. 

9. George Takei

Takei has often stated his favorite episode from Star Trek is season one's "The Naked Time," when Sulu gets infected by a virus and wields a fencing sword. Other cast members weren't too fond of it, though. In an interview, Nichelle Nichols laughs, "George was scaring the hell out of everybody." 

10. Peter Falk

Columbo star Peter Falk favored season three's "Any Old Port In A Storm," because he said it's the first time Columbo shares something in common with the murderer — an admiration for excellence. Falk selected four episodes in total for a special called "Columbo's Favorite Columbos" that aired years back on the A&E network. The others were "Forgotten Lady," "Now You See Him" and "Identity Crisis." 

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