3. WHITECAPS (Season 4)

The Sopranos' imperfect marriage always got by on a screwed-up code of omertà, but it takes a near-fatal whacking when one of Tony's ex-comares drunk-dials the house and tells Carm about Tony's dalliances. The fallout is family drama at its unparalleled best. Watch this episode for Edie Falco's fiery, Emmy-winning performance as a woman both exhausted and scorned. It's a historic exercise in onscreen fearlessness. —Nicholas Fonseca