There are few things network execs enjoy more than crossover episodes, especially now that franchises like Law & Order and One Chicago have taken over broadcast TV. Just this past TV season, ABC saw a couple surprising crossovers: 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey, and Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Whereas some crossovers come off as blatant ratings grabs — and some seem slipshod in their execution — the following exemplars excelled through their ambition, humor, or narrative significance. Some crossovers told epic tales across several episodes, others were just one-episode masterpieces, and yet others delighted us with cameos. Here are our favorite TV crossovers.
10. Brooklyn Nine-Nine & New Girl
New Girl’s Jess (Zooey Deschanel) didn’t have the easiest time in New York — or, rather, a New York-styled Hollywood backlot — especially when Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Jake (Andy Samberg) commandeered and crashed her car. But the real highlight of the crossover event — B99’s “The Night Shift” and New Girl’s “Homecoming” — was the frenetic Jess’ convo with the even-keeled Captain Holt (Andre Braugher).
9. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage & Iron Fist
While The Defenders didn’t have the most “super” story, it was still a treat for fans of Marvel’s Netflix series to see their heroes unite. “The devil of Hell’s Kitchen, the smart-ass detective, the righteous ex-con, and the kid with the glowing fist” didn’t always get along, but their chemistry thrived on that discord.
8. Archer & Bob’s Burgers
In Archer’s Season 4 premiere, the titular spy had amnesia and was living a new life as “Bob,” the proprietor of Bob’s Burgers, the restaurant from the TV show of the same name. But KGB agents came looking for him, and it wasn’t long before the burger joint was splattered with ketchup and blood. The crossover is a clever nod to H. Jon Benjamin’s dual voice roles, and it was especially cool to see the Bob’s Burger characters rendered in Archer style.
7. Community & Cougar Town
You may have noticed an extra butting into the foreground on Cougar Town. That’d be Community’s pop-culture obsessive, Abed (Danny Pudi). On the latter show, Abed explained he was a Cougar Town superfan who got an invitation to be a background artist on the show. “That’s when I really started to panic,” he said. “Because, if I’m a person who watches Cougar Town, how can I be in Cougar Town?”
6. The X-Files & Cops
Two of Fox’s biggest hits collided in The X-Files’ episode “X-Cops,” presented as an episode of Cops as Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate a fearmongering monster of the week. Mulder basked in the glare of the docuseries’ video camera lights, Scully, not so much.
5. Supernatural & Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you? Hanging with the boys of Supernatural, in that show’s “ScoobyNatural” episode. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) got sucked into the world of Scooby-Doo, and what could have been a late-season shark-jumping installment turned out to be one of the most entertaining episodes of the show.
4. Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, etc.
The Arrowverse saved its best multi-episode, multi-series crossover event for last, in our books. Not only did we see our protagonists from the shared superhero universe thwarting a threat to all of reality, but we also got cameos from Smallville, Lucifer, The Tick, an earlier iteration of The Flash, and even the original Batman, among other genre faves.
3. Angel & Buffy the Vampire Slayer
In an Angel saga that broke shippers’ hearts, the episode “I Will Remember You” had Angel (David Boreanaz) turn from vampire to human. And for a gleaming moment, it seemed like he and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) would finally have their happily-ever-after, until Angel realized his turn toward mortality will put Buffy in mortal danger, and he had their perfect day erased.
2. Newhart & The Newhart Show
In Newhart’s lauded series finale, Bob Newhart’s character is knocked unconscious, and when he wakes up next to Suzanne Pleshette as his wife from The Bob Newhart Show, viewers realize that all of Newhart was dreamt up by the previous show’s protagonist. For our money, this is the best example of the “it was all just a dream” trope.
1. Homicide: Life on the Street & Law & Order: SVU & many other shows
Over the last three decades of his life, Richard Belzer played Detective John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, of course, but also The X-Files, The Beat, Arrested Development, The Wire, 30 Rock, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Belzer could do drama like the best of ’em, but he got his start as a comedian, and it showed.