With only about a month until its premiere, Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is ready to take over. The live-action adaptation of the 1998 cult classic anime is sure to bring a lot of debate to the age-old question — did the original do it better?

That thinking doesn’t fully apply to Netflix’s version of Bebop, though, since its creators have explicitly stated that the series is not a remake, rather focusing on expanding the stories already in the world. But with characters returning like Spike Speigel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda), as well as familiar scenes spotted in the opening titles, it might be smart for viewers old and new to take a look at the original series. Here are a few essential episodes to make the live-action Cowboy Bebop an even better watch.

“Asteroid Blues”

Cowboy Bebop’s first episode acts as a perfect introduction to the world and characters that fans spend over two dozen episodes exploring. Spike Speigel and Jet Black are after their first bounty target of the series: Asimov Solensan. Asimov has killed his own men to avoid confronting an enemy syndicate (something we learn more about as the series progresses) and as a large quantity of Bloody Eye, a performance-enhancing drug. Katerina, Asmiov’s wife, smuggles the drugs along but dreams of escaping a life of crime to go to Mars. By the end of the episode, those dreams are crushed by reality, as the police take down the Solensans. Spike and Jet aren’t able to collect on the bounty, a regular theme of the show, and head off to their next target in the vastness of space.

“Honky Tonk Women”

Bebop’s third episode brings in another member of the ship’s crew — Faye Valentine. Faye becomes entangled with the boys after a trip to a casino on Mars where Faye trying to cheat her way to freedom. Eventually, fans learn more about Faye, her mysterious debt, and her whip-smart attitude when the boys begrudgingly let her stay on the ship. “Honky Tonk Women” is the perfect way for viewers of the Netflix live-action series to know where one member of the team came from.

“The Ballad of Fallen Angels”

We get our first glimpse into Spike’s past with this episode. After a bounty is placed on Mao Yenrai, the head of the Red Dragon syndicate — Spike is ready to go after it, worrying Jet. after taking off, fans are introduced to Annie (known as Ana in the upcoming series) and let further into Spike’s backstory — his involvement with the Red Dragon syndicate and Mao’s sudden death. In an effort to pay his “debts” Spike goes to a cathedral and confronts Vicious, another Red Dragon member. The fight itself is iconic and brings fans to a reveal of Spike and Vicious’ intertwined past. “The Ballad of Fallen Angels” is the beginning of the plot that ties all 26 episodes of Cowboy Bebop together.

“Mushroom Samba”

Besides being a fan-favorite episode, “Mushroom Samba” is one of the only completely comedic episodes of the series. After running out of food and fuel, the Bebop is on the moon of Io. running out of options, Ed and Ein go off to find something to eat for the crew. Catching the end of a shootout, the two find mushrooms dropped by Domino Walker, a bounty head. Ed gets all the crew members to eat a mushroom (including Ein) and each has their own hilarious and vivid hallucinations tailored to their character. Not only a fun drug-trip episode, “Mushroom Samba” pays homage to Spaghetti Westerns.

“Jupiter Jazz” (Part 1 and 2)

Actually, two episodes but should be viewed as a whole, “Jupiter Jazz” is another foray into the past of the Bebop crew. Feeling unwanted by the crew, Faye leaves the ship (clearing out the safe first, of course) and makes for one of Jupiter’s moons. The team unknowingly follows Faye to the moon after Spike finds a lead on his ex-girlfriend, Julia. On Callisto, Faye meets Gren, a saxophone player (played by Mason Alexander Park in the Netflix series) who has a history with Vicious. Fast-paced and packed with the action Bebop is known for “Jupiter Jazz” builds up beloved characters and cements Vicious as the gruesome villain fans know him as.

“Pierrot Le Fou”

One of the best parts of the original Cowboy Bebop is its endless use of genre-blending. The twentieth episode dives fully into horror, though, focusing on Mad Pierrot, a clownish killer. After witnessing Pierrot murder someone, Spike must take him down to stay alive. The episode is told primarily through visuals and is heavily stylized. “Pierrot Le Fou” is a spectacle and watching Spike face-off against the seemingly indestructible Mad Pierrot is a great respite from the show’s usual antics.

Cowboy Bebop is set to release on Netflix on November 19th.

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