L. Is there an episode section of canon above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

Yeah--that glorious stretch toward the end of S4 of one unbelievably great episode after another: "It's a Terrible Life," "The Monster at the End of This Book," "Jump the Shark," "The Rapture," and "When the Levee Breaks." I've referenced every one of these episodes (except "Jump the Shark") in at least one fic, and it's probably the core of canon from which I draw most of my understanding of the show.