Back in 2019, Netflix audiences were caught by surprise by the streaming giant's original show , an animated anthology series delivering a multitude of unrelated stories from different genres, each with a different style of animation.
The show, created by Tim Miller and produced by David Fincher, quickly garnered a passionate fanbase that fell in love with its variety of stories, styles, and aesthetics. It has a great score of 8.4 on IMDb, where users have shown their love for many of the best Love, Death & Robots episodes. With the fourth season of Love, Death & Robots confirmed and promising more of the mind-blowing mature genre stories that fans have come to expect, they are more excited than ever to see what the show has in store. As such, it's always fun to rewatch the show's best episodes.
TV-MA
Animation
Action
Sci-Fi
- Release Date
- March 15, 2019
- Cast
- Fred Tatasciore , Nolan North , Noshir Dalal , Josh Brener
- Seasons
- 3
20 "Three Robots: Exit Strategies" (Season 3, Episode 1)
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
A direct sequel to one of the show's first season's highest-rated episodes, "Three Robots: Exit Strategies" follows the three goofy titular characters walking through the post-apocalypse, taking a sightseeing tour of humankind's failed last attempts to save itself. It's not exactly a philosophical treatise, but it has enough of an interesting theme (approached with a comedic tone) to make it a fan-favorite of season three.
The message feels a bit preachy and repetitive, but thankfully, the episode is wise enough to not make that its focus. Instead, it's a fun and humorous reminder of what dark paths humanity can head on if it doesn't take care of itself. The animation is cool, the characters are endearing, and the throwback to the series' first season is very welcome.
19 "In Vaulted Halls Entombed" (Season 3, Episode 8)
IMDb Score: 7.2/10
In "In Vaulted Halls Entombed", the audience follows a squad of Special Forces soldiers deep in the mountains of Afghanistan. There, they have to recover a hostage held by terrorists, but the evil they encounter as they venture deep underground is far more terrifying. Scary and Lovecraftian, the episode is one of the standouts of the show's latest season.
Love, Death & Robots fans know that the show is a specialist in outstanding war episodes with a genre spin, and "In Vaulted Halls Entombed" is no exception. It's a bit of a clichéd story with an ending that might not please everyone, but it more than makes up for those flaws with a terrifying monster, engaging characters, and a grim tone that fans of the show are guaranteed to love.
18 "All Through the House" (Season 2, Episode 6)
IMDb Score: 7.3/10
Fantasy Christmas episodes tend to be a blast, but few are as creative, fun, and memorable as Love, Death & Robot's "All Through the House." In it, a young girl and her little brother lie awake on Christmas Eve. When bells jingling announce the arrival of Santa Claus, they sneak downstairs hoping to catch a glimpse of him. What they find instead will scar them for life.
Putting a hilariously scary twist on the Saint Nick mythos, "All Through the House" only needs seven minutes to ingrain itself in viewers' minds as one of the series' most delightfully terrifying outings. One thing is certain: Viewers, Santa-believers or not, won't ever experience the night of Christmas Eve the same way again.
17 "Lucky 13" (Season 1, Episode 13)
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
The first season of Love, Death & Robots remains by far its longest with a whopping eighteen episodes (as opposed to season two's eight and season three's nine). As one could expect from such a long season, it has its fair share of fluff — but it also has unforgettable episodes as exceptional as "Lucky 13", one of the show's longest stories, about a rookie tasked with flying a drop-ship that's already lost two crews.
Viewers immediately fall in love with the protagonist, the ship, and the episode's entertaining tone. It's stories like this one that make this one of the greatest animated TV shows ever, thanks to some of the most impressive CGI animation the show has seen thus far, an emotional story with endearing characters, and a concept that makes for a narrative that becomes an instant classic.
16 "Helping Hand" (Season 1, Episode 11)
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
In "Helping Hand", an astronaut stranded in orbit must choose between life and limb before her oxygen runs out. Ten minutes, an instantly compelling protagonist, and an easy setup that anybody could relate to make "Helping Hand" as tense as Love, Death & Robots episodes come. Add to that some of the show's most striking animation, and it's no wonder why this is such a beloved episode.
Thanks to episodes like this one, Love, Death & Robots is remembered as one of the best animated shows for adults that have ever been made. Reminiscent of other "stranded in space" stories like Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, but with a much more graphic resolution, "Helping Hand" proves that a simple concept is all that's needed to make a phenomenal episode of suspenseful sci-fi television.
15 "Shape-Shifters" (Season 1, Episode 10)
IMDb score: 7.4/10
If werewolf stories in unique environments are your kind of thing, you're sure to love "Shape-Shifters" from Love, Death & Robots's first season. It finds two Marines deep in Afghanistan, and reveals that they possess supernatural powers that allow them to face a threat from one of their own kind.
The visuals are practically photo-realistic and highlight how animation has never been better, making the monster fight scenes all the more brutal, believable, and engaging. This is the kind of Love, Death & Robots episode that fans would love to see turned into a show of its own, which speaks volumes about the quality of its story and technical qualities.
14 "Suits" (Season 1, Episode 4)
IMDb score: 7.4/10
Though it's definitely one of the simplest episodes of the first season of the show, "Suits" is also a big fan-favorite. Mech fights are always fun, and this episode is about a community of farmers who use homemade mech suits to defend their families from a deadly alien invasion.
"Suits" wears its Western and sci-fi influences proudly on its sleeve, taking a bunch of elements that any fan of these genres would find entertaining and putting them in a brisk 17 minutes of story. The episode proves that you don't need a super complex narrative to be considered one of Love, Death & Robots' best episodes.
13 "Night of the Mini Dead" (Season 3, Episode 4)
IMDb score: 7.5/10
Love, Death & Robots has always excelled at making exceptionally funny episodes, and "Night of the Mini Dead" is definitely one of the funniest. Highly reminiscent of all the best zombie comedies, it shows a zombie apocalypse that quickly scatters across a miniature version of Earth.
"Night of the Mini Dead" is absolutely hilarious with its absurdist sense of humor and breakneck pacing. What's even more impressive is how the episode surprisingly also manages to sneak in some clever commentary on the fragility of human civilization and the ridiculous effects that even the simplest of dumb decisions can have.
12 "Mason's Rats" (Season 3, Episode 7)
IMDb score: 7.6/10
With "Mason's Rats," the show introduced fans to the Ratpocalypse. Farmer Mason wants desperately to do something about his severe pest problem, but realizes just how dire his situation is when the pests start shooting back.
Users on IMDb were amazed at how deep the narrative of the episode managed to be, while balancing that nuance with insanely gory action and the kind of brutally dark humor that made it so famous. It has something powerful to say about the brutality and irrationality of war, while also offering a pleasant bit of hope in its feel-good ending.
11 "Snow in the Desert" (Season 2, Episode 4)
IMDb score: 7.8/10
With some of the most impressively realistic animation of the show and one of its most intriguing protagonists, "Snow in the Desert" tells the compelling story of the title character, an ageless man hunted by an assortment of hired killers on an arid planet on the outskirts of galactic civilization. Incredibly complex, Snow is one of the .
The episode is also certainly worthy of a show of its own, telling a fascinating story in an equally fascinating world. Thanks to jaw-dropping animation, inventive sci-fi concepts, and thrilling bloody action, "Snow in the Desert" remains one of fans' favorite episodes of Love, Death & Robots.
10 "The Witness" (Season 1, Episode 3)
IMDb score: 7.8/10
Directed by Alberto Mielgo, one of the visual consultants behind the iconic look of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, "The Witness" sees a woman who has seen a brutal murder fleeing through the streets of a surreal city. As you'd expect from its director, it's one of the most visually impressive episodes of the show.
More than anything, "The Witness" is known for its stunning animation, which is realistic but also incredibly stylish and vibrant. The whole episode is tense, hyperactive, and mind-boggling in the best way possible. As the unnamed protagonist frantically runs through the streets, viewers experience every heart-pounding turn with her, never really getting a genuine moment of reprieve.
9 "Three Robots" (Season 1, Episode 2)
IMDb score: 7.9/10
In the second episode of the first season of Love, Death & Robots, three hilarious wisecracking robots embark on a sightseeing tour of a desolate Earth long after humanity's demise. "Three Robots" helps set the tone of the entire show with a dark and cerebral political message hidden under the guise of cynical and silly jokes.
Its delightful use of humor, thought-provoking narrative, and great voice acting featuring the likes of Rick and Morty's Chris Parnell have unsurprisingly turned it into a fan favorite, and one of the show's best apocalypse episodes.
8 "Good Hunting" (Season 1, Episode 8)
IMDb score: 8.0/10
Borrowing a lot from Asian culture and animation, "Good Hunting" tells the story of a boy who forges a bond with a shapeshifting spirit after his father kills the spirit's mother. Soon, the two develop a close bond and regularly meet despite the stark changes around them. As they grow up, so does their environment, changing from a lush green landscape into a harsh industrial city.
This episode feels exquisitely distinct from the rest of the show, both in terms of art style and narrative. Somewhat reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli film, the episode has great world-building and characters, as well as fascinating spiritual themes.
7 "Pop Squad" (Season 2, Episode 3)
IMDb score: 8.1/10
In a future where the rich control resources, unregistered offspring are strictly outlawed in "Pop Squad." In this terrifying dystopia, a detective whose mission is enforcing population control has a crisis of conscience.
The episode (directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, the filmmaker behind Kung Fu Panda 2 and 3) is commended for the terrific way in which it establishes its absorbing dystopian future, as well as for the fascinating and incredibly mature character arc of its protagonist. Its unique take on immortality and the way it could exacerbate the divide between the rich and the poor is easily applicable to the real world, and as terrifying as it is thought-provoking.
6 "Jibaro" (Season 3, Episode 9)
IMDb score: 8.1/10
Perhaps the show's trippiest, weirdest, and most unsettling episode yet, "Jibaro" shows a deaf knight and a mythical siren becoming entwined in a deadly dance. It's not a coincidence that it is also directed by Alberto Mielgo.
Full of blood, death, and treasure, the finale of season 3 is visually jaw-dropping and narratively staggering. The photorealistic animation, full of oversaturated colors, offers countless images that will be forever ingrained in your mind. Watching this short is a chilling and frenetic journey that is sure to give viewers goosebumps more than once.
5 "The Secret War" (Season 1, Episode 18)
IMDb score: 8.1/10
Its title may not be the most creative, but fans would argue that the finale of the show's first season is one of its strongest. In it, an elite Red Army platoon faces a mysterious evil hiding in the ancient Siberian forests.
For starters, "The Secret War's" animation is said to be some of the show's most realistic without ever sacrificing style or attractiveness. Thrilling and full of great characters, the story is so compelling that audiences will end up wishing the short could become a feature-length movie, like so many other worthy narratives before it.
4 "Sonnie's Edge" (Season 1, Episode 1)
IMDb score: 8.2/10
If "Three Robots" helps set the tone of the show, "Sonnie's Edge" helps show how great of an episode viewers can expect from that point onward. It shows Sonnie, who's unbeatable in the underground world of "beastie" fights as long as she keeps her edge.
Comparisons have been made within the fandom on IMDb that calls this episode a more edgy version of Pokémon, in the best way possible. "Sonnie's Edge" is a brutal revenge story that shows just how gruesome and dark the show can and will get, with thrilling action and stunning animation to boot.
3 "Zima Blue" (Season 1, Episode 14)
IMDb score: 8.3/10
Perhaps the most philosophical and mature episode of Love, Death & Robots, "Zima Blue" has the renowned titular artist tell a journalist about his mysterious past and rise to fame before revealing his last piece.
Apart from the episode's distinctive visual style, it's memorable for its profound, moving, and thought-provoking narrative. In a mere 10 minutes, "Zima Blue" manages to touch on themes such as art, the soul, minimalism, and the sense of calling. It's a jaw-dropping story that has earned the episode legendary status among fans.
2 "Beyond the Aquila Rift" (Season 1, Episode 7)
IMDb score: 8.5/10
One of the genres which Love, Death & Robots visits most often is sci-fi, and fans seem to believe that "Beyond the Aquila Rift" is the best of the Netflix show's sci-fi stories. It's an absorbing and deeply philosophical episode about a ship's crew, who have awakened after traveling light years off course, struggling to discover how far from their original path they are.
Visually impressive and with really engaging world-building, the short asks the question of whether believing in a comforting lie is sometimes better than discovering a disquieting truth. It features fascinating characters, great themes, and a mind-blowing ending.
1 "Bad Travelling" (Season 3, Episode 2)
IMDb score: 8.7/10
This was the first episode of the show directed by David Fincher himself, and the payoff was massively positive. "Bad Travelling" is a nail-biting horror thriller about a ship's crew member who strikes a potentially deadly deal with a bloodthirsty monster from the deep.
Featuring legendary voice talents like Troy Baker and Elodie Yung, the highest-rated episode of Love, Death & Robots on IMDb is one full of complex characters and provocative moral dilemmas. It's scary, it's exciting, it's emotional, and it features one of the show's most enthralling protagonists. Without a doubt, it's worthy of being considered one of the best episodes of Love, Death & Robots.
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