Mr. Tines wrote:But Asuka doesn't arrive until episode 8.

Oh sheet I mixed up Magmadiver (BTW I was sure it was going to be one of the pick and I voted it) and Jet Alone lol. I shouldn't post with high fever.

I for one find it weird that people don't like episodes without Evas smacking down on angels, unless the revolve around Shinji...but episode 3 has both though? Color me shocked.

I like episode 13 because of Ritz. She's the real highlight of that episode.

Magmadiver features one of the most truly moronic moments in the series when Misato holds Asuka's bad report card against her even though she's already graduated from fucking college and doesn't even need to be enrolled in middle school in the first place.

However, it's a good episode for Asuka's character because it foreshadows her issues, gives her a solo battle versus an angel which she wins, yet still has to be saved at the end by Shinji (which at first she adores, but later grows to hate), and gives credence to the Asuka/Shinji pairing (which is solidified in 15 and 22') with her obvious interest and flirting with him (as well as her aforementioned reaction when he saves her).

UPDATE

Conducting one last poll, as some people may have mixed up episodes 3 and 4. Please take a look. Thanks!

https://goo.gl/forms/ozifE7UKDuYtRQbV2

Voted for both of them. I count both as some of the most important episodes for Shin-chan and Misato.

I voted both for the same reasons, plus they establish Shinji's relationship with Toji and Kensuke.

I think there's a distinction to be made between "are these episodes important?" and "do you like these episodes?" I don't think any of us in the dislike camp would discount their importance to the show's narrative for even a moment.

Well, I actually do like the both of them, especially more so than episodes 5-6. Episodes 5 and 6, to me at least, somewhat drag on and feels almost like a chore to watch. It's pretty interesting I feel that way given that those episodes feature Rei a lot more than usual. The best thing about episode 6 is Rei's smile and that's it.

Ray wrote:I think we can all agree that The Jet alone episode was the worst one in the series. It didn't contribute much the plot or to push the characters or The Narrative forward. There weren't any lasting consequences for it.

It seems that Jet Alone is a unanimity, but I always found it as worthy as the others when watching it for the first time, you come from watching episode 06, with high expectation, for me Jet Alone shows us that there are companies beyond Nerv who may know of their secrets, Eva-01 chasing after JA and a view of the sunset in the background, I always liked that scene. The only thing I think forced was that Misato figured out too fast how to turn off JA, like, she looks at those pillars and deduces, "If I push this thing, it's sure to stop," also because Shinji tries to close the JA vapor? , Would not that make a possible faster explosion?

Honestly I don't think that the Jet Alone one is that bad. It shows the audience the interactions between Ritsuko and Misato in the profesional (not personal) territory, how NERV is efficient and the climax has good pacing. Furthermore, Misato finally does something cool! OK it's filler and all, but cmon, as an episode I think it holds up.

The episodes 14 and 20, on the other hand, are awful! Cmon, 14 is the worst by far. Not only is filler, but a recycled filler that doesn't add up! Doesn't bring anything new to the table. About 20: god! Another one that sucks. One of the things that annoy me to death in Evangelion is when Shinji monologues about if he should or shouldn't pilot the eva. GOOOOD! There is a lot more stuff that can be discussed or talked or internalized Shinji! But this episode not only does that, but it goes on and on and on and ON! To me, doesn't work. I think they try to make the episode 20 minutes long by doing that, because the "Yui: you want stay or not motherf***? No? Yes? OK so get out of the EVA " doesn't fill an episode...

And yes, it is my first post and I'm spanish so my english is like that...

One thing the Jet Alone episode does really well for the overall series is establish the shady nature of Nerv's higher ups, particularly Ritsuko and Gendo, and also demonstrates that Misato is an outsider in regards to the behind-the-scene stuff at Nerv. Up until then, the audience's moral impression of Nerv had yet to be questioned (aside from a brief mention of the HIP in ep 02), but with the sabotage of Jet Alone, the cracks begin to show. Kaji is introduced in the next episode, and the delivery of Adam's embryo is the next step in the reveal of Nerv's shadiness, and it continues on from there. Really, the Jet Alone episode could be considered the start of Misato's arc toward finding the truth, which finally culminates in EoE.