TV Homecomings we wish we could have attended

Admittedly, volunteering to be any part of The Vampire Diaries universe is asking for death itself (unless you’re Elena Gilbert, of course). But in our defense, the Homecoming episode of season three—the show’s best season ever—has all the goods. The episode title takes itself seriously because Niklaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) is back in Mystic Falls, making the case for being a charming villain and carrying his dead vampire family’s coffins around. He throws a grand party at his mansion, knowing everyone will probably try to kill him. And boy, do they. Damon (Ian Somerhalder) almost stakes the original vampire but is stopped by his own brother, Stefan (Paul Wesley). The loving tug-of-war between the two brothers is enough to want to be part of this Homecoming. The music, dancing, and free booze are just additional perks before everyone is thrown out so vampires, werewolves, and hybrids can fight. Hey, it’s TVD, after all. [Saloni Gajjar]

In Dillon, Texas, Homecoming is a several-day affair, with everything from a kickoff party that brings the whole town—and in this ep, a depressing blast from the past in the form of a once-adored, now struggling state champion—to a big game, a dance, and a not-quite-legal afterparty. That last one, cooked up by Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) and Billy (Derek Phillips), the brother of her ex Tim (Taylor Kitsch), seems the most fun, so we’d opt for it if forced to choose. Like the moontower beer bust in Dazed And Confused—FNL, like that iconic film, was also shot in and around Austin—this one takes place basically in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of high schoolers hoisting plastic cups. The soundtrack for the party might be more than a little lamer than Dazed’s, but it does boast Matt (Zach Gilford) asking out the coach’s daughter, Julie (Aimee Teegarden), like so: “Will you go on a date with me? Maybe…or not. I mean. I just thought I’d throw that out there. But it’s probably…it’s probably a bad idea.” And then there’s Landry (Jesse Plemons), being clever and dry as ever with Tyra’s sister, Landing Strip employee Mindy (Stacey Oristano). [Tim Lowery]

No sitcom does Homecoming-themed episodes better than , which means there are lots of options to choose from. But the immediate standout still remains their first go at it: season two’s “Homecoming.” There’s no traditional dance that we could’ve joined, but there is eldest Heck son Axl’s (Charlie Heaton) big game. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) desperately wants to attend mainly so she can walk her son across the field, as is tradition. Unfortunately, she’s pulled away by her daughter Sue’s (Eden Sher) cross-country meet. What follows are Frankie’s ludicrous attempts to balance both events. Nothing would be funnier than being a spectator at that stadium when, in the end, Frankie finally makes it to Axl’s game only to embarrass him by running onto the field when he falls down. The Middle quickly perfected how to balance sitcom-y silliness with heart, and “Homecoming” was full of it. [Saloni Gajjar]