A weekly feature in which we're trying to find the most compelling, best acted, written, directed and just generally great, memorable scenes that we've seen in past seven days on TV.
AMERICAN CRIME, "Season Two: Episode Four", January 27, 2016, Actors: Lili Taylor, Connor Jessup
The Scene: Anne confronts Taylor
Maximilian Conte: Anne coming home after reading Taylor's texts and emails. In front of his girlfriend she demands to know if Taylor went to the party to hook-up with Eric.
BROOKLYN NINE NINE, "The Cruise", January 26, 2016, Actors: Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero
The Scene: The end scene
Laura Markus: Jake and Amy finally saying "I love you" was adorable and fitting. They are too cute together and this moment was so sweet and felt great in the ending of this episode.
IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, "Dee Made a Smut Film", Janaury 27, 2016, Actors: Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton and more, The Scene: Dee and Dennis work on Dennis' erotic film
Maximilian Conte: The entire sequence of Dee and Dennis filming Dennis' erotic film with Richard Grieco.
LUCIFER, "Pilot", January 25, 2016, Actors: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, The Scene: Chloe gets shot
Aimee Hicks: Many scenes in this pilot were best scene material but for me this scene won out. We learned early in the episode that Chloe is different than all other humans in her ability to resist Lucifer’s abilities. This early on it is too soon to make an accurate guess on what makes her special but based off of the damage that bullet did to her it’s safe to say she isn’t immortal. This scene also revealed a glimpse of Lucifer’s true self and showed us the lengths to which he is willing to go to protect the humans he cares about. He tries to deny the interest he has in humans yet when one he cares about is harmed he will go to great lengths to avenge them or protect them both of which we were witness to in this episode. As Chloe lay vulnerable on the floor Lucifer’s first instinct was to run to her side and comfort her. He used his body to shield her and seeing as he is immortal that may not seem like a big thing yet he could have so easily left her to her fate. Tom did a fantastic job showing Lucifer’s concern for Chloe and then in an instant he flipped a switch and brilliantly showed Lucifer’s rage. In this one scene Lauren got to portray Chloe at her strongest and then at her weakest and in both instances her performance was spot on and true to the character as she allowed the audience to see the strength Chloe possesses as she fought for her life. The way Chloe declared that she didn’t want to die was heartbreaking because you know she’s fighting to stay alive for her daughter. This was an all around brilliant scene with powerful acting and a great setup for what is to come in their partnership. Also picked by Laura Markus & Jamie Coudeville
MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER, "Better Angels", January 26, 2016, Actors: Hayley Atwell, James D'Arcy
The Scene: Jarvis saves Peggy
Jamie Coudeville: It was nice to see Jarvis get into the fight. He got to prove he's more than a butler. I hope we get to see this side of him more often. He and Peggy make an amazing (and hilarious) team.
SUITS, "Blowback", January 27, 2016, Actors: Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, The Scene: Mike yells at Rachel for thinking he would turn on Harvey
Laura Markus: Honestly, this episode was fantastic, and pretty much every scene with Mike and Harvey together was notable and is worth mentioning. But this one takes the cake, almost entirely because of how unexpected it was. Mike has told Rachel this before, but there is nothing anyone can do to make him turn on Harvey - ever. Even when her dad assaulted him in the interrogation room; nope. Not going to happen. And the fact that the thought, the sheer idea of turning on Harvey made Mike completely change his body language and look sick was illuminating and wonderful. The writing was incredible, and the acting just brilliant. I only hope we get scenes half as good as this one in the remaining few episodes.
SUPERGIRL, "Strange Visitor From Another Planet", January 25, 2016, Actors: David Harewood, Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, The Scenes: J'onn tells Alex what happened to his planet & Kara talks J’onn out of killing the White Martian
Justyna K: I'm glad we finally got the episode focused on J'onn and his backstory. There were many scenes worth mentioning from this hour, the speeches, exchanges, the fight. Yet nothing nearly as memorable and tragic as J'onn telling Alex the truth about what happened to his family and the planet. A nightmare I can't even begin to imagine. I'm sure for anyone who knows the story of World War II, this horrifying experience must sound familiar. Seeing those (really well done) images play out on Mars made it even harder to watch. To fight and lose, in such a brutal and heartbreaking way, is something that can easily break a man. And yet, J'onn continues to do his best to help everyone on Earth. His character really grows in my eyes every week. And David Harewood did a spectacular job with his performance in the episode. The powerful story behind J'onzz, his memory of the family that was taken from him, the hauting echo of their last moment... All of this makes this scene one to remember. And still, there's a part for Alex to shine. Her strength and words of comfort and hope mean the world at this point. "There's no shame in surviving" is such a powerful quote and not just in terms of the show. Kudos to the crew & cast for their work.
Aimee Hicks: Bound in Kryptonite cuffs and with only her voice left as a tool Kara fought for J’onn’s soul with everything she had. Hank and Kara didn’t start off on the right footing but they have grown to become allies and with the reveal of his true identity of J’onn they’ve even become friends. In this moment Kara wasn’t just fighting to save a lost soul but she was fighting for her friend. This was a powerful performance by Melissa who set the tone of the moment and held command over the scene as she showed the Kryptonite’s effect on her and the emotional tool it was taking on her as she watched J’onn literally battle his demon. David did an exceptional job showing J’onn’s anguish over what he believes he has to do to avenge his family. Chyler doesn’t have a word in this scene but her presence isn’t lost as she watches her sister desperately try and save the man they both consider a friend and even possibly a fatherly figure. Alex believes in Kara’s ability to get through to people and allows her sister to fight for J’onn’s soul without interruption. All three actors delivered in this scene and it was a standout in a truly powerful and extraordinary episode that gave much needed insight into who J’onn was before he became Hank Henshaw. These three are amazing scene partners and I look forward to seeing more scenes between them as they battle alien threats after both Kara and J’onn.
TEEN WOLF, "The Sword and the Spirit", January 26, 2016, Actors: Holland Roden, Shelley Hennig and more, The Scene: The fight montage
Justyna K: That was amazing. I'm so glad we're finally catching up with Lydia's flashforward in Eichen House. Best moment of the episode has to be the one where she used her scream to "wake up" and the echo of her voice hit the lights not only around her, but also next to to Malia, just when she needed the help the most. Such a clever idea and I really didn't expect it to play out like that. And now that Lydia's aware of her powers and capabilities, she's quickly becoming an impressive fighter and force to be reckoned with. Brilliant. Also, Holland Roden is doing a fantastic work with her character this season! As for Malia, I've missed seeing her with the rest of the pack, it's good to have her with the team again at the end. And despite her pain and fear towards her mother, she found a strength to face the Desert Wolf and saved Deaton in the process. Now, break Lydia out of the Eichen House and face the Beast together as the pack. Can't wait. Kudos!
THE 100, "Wanheda: Part Two", January 28, 2016, Actors: Eliza Taylor, Bob Morley, Zach McGowan, The Scene: Clarke and Bellamy meet again
Justyna K: I really enjoy the evolution of the friendship and bond between these two characters. They started the show as people with completely different point of view on things, constantly arguing about everything and now trust each other with their lives. What a difference time and life can make. Seeing how much all's changed since the beginning, I found myself missing the days when the delinquents were trying to find a way to survive. And Clarke and Bellamy became one of the show's strongest duos. It's good to see them back together, even for a little while. As it happens on the show, there's a little hope and relief when they finally meet again, shortly followed by another fight for survival. This time Bellamy gets attacked from behind and only survives, because Clarke convinces Roan to let him go, with a promise she will go with him without resistance (possibly to her own death). It's such a short moment, yet powerful with all the emotions up in the air and the reunion of the show's two great characters. Can't wait to see Clarke and Bellamy back together for good. Great work by Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley in the hour. And a shout-out to the follow up scene when Monty and rest convince Bellamy that he has to let go. I am really enjoying this new friendship between Monty and Blake. Kudos!
THE ORIGINALS, "A Ghost Along the Mississippi", January 29, 2016, Actors: Leah Pipes, Joseph Morgan, The Scene: Cami embraces her newfound vampire nature
Aimee Hicks: I’ve been a fan of this show since the beginning and I’ve seen some great performances but the one Leah delivered in this scene was a standout. She spent most of the scene sitting but the way she held her body and controlled her voice allowed her to portray strength and confidence in a way that took up the entire screen. She even managed to upstage Joseph whose performances always demand attention be paid to him. It was a performance worthy of notice as she is now playing a character that at the core is the same but in other ways is a whole new character and she handled the transition seamlessly. Respect is due to Joseph for allowing her to command the scene and for being a strong scene partner for her. This scene changed everything for Cami and was a big game changer for Klaus as well as he now has to decide how best to guide her through the new existence she just entered into. Will he try and help her stay the woman he fell in love with or will he let his own darkness influence who he helps her become? I can only imagine the long journey ahead for Cami but after watching this scene I have no doubt that Leah can handle it.
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, "Hell Is Other People", January 29, 2016, Actors: Ian Somerhalder and more, The Scene: Damon admits what he truly wants
Jamie Coudeville: My heart broke into a million pieces. Great acting from Ian this week.
THE X-FILES, "My Struggle", January 24, 2016, Actors: Giacomo Baessato and more
The Scene: Opening scene
DarkUFO: Opening scene with the young doctor being taken to the Roswell Crash scene.
AMERICAN CRIME, "Season Two: Episode Four", January 27, 2016, Actors: Lili Taylor, Connor Jessup
The Scene: Anne confronts Taylor
Maximilian Conte: Anne coming home after reading Taylor's texts and emails. In front of his girlfriend she demands to know if Taylor went to the party to hook-up with Eric.
BROOKLYN NINE NINE, "The Cruise", January 26, 2016, Actors: Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero
The Scene: The end scene
Laura Markus: Jake and Amy finally saying "I love you" was adorable and fitting. They are too cute together and this moment was so sweet and felt great in the ending of this episode.
IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, "Dee Made a Smut Film", Janaury 27, 2016, Actors: Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton and more, The Scene: Dee and Dennis work on Dennis' erotic film
Maximilian Conte: The entire sequence of Dee and Dennis filming Dennis' erotic film with Richard Grieco.
Aimee Hicks: Many scenes in this pilot were best scene material but for me this scene won out. We learned early in the episode that Chloe is different than all other humans in her ability to resist Lucifer’s abilities. This early on it is too soon to make an accurate guess on what makes her special but based off of the damage that bullet did to her it’s safe to say she isn’t immortal. This scene also revealed a glimpse of Lucifer’s true self and showed us the lengths to which he is willing to go to protect the humans he cares about. He tries to deny the interest he has in humans yet when one he cares about is harmed he will go to great lengths to avenge them or protect them both of which we were witness to in this episode. As Chloe lay vulnerable on the floor Lucifer’s first instinct was to run to her side and comfort her. He used his body to shield her and seeing as he is immortal that may not seem like a big thing yet he could have so easily left her to her fate. Tom did a fantastic job showing Lucifer’s concern for Chloe and then in an instant he flipped a switch and brilliantly showed Lucifer’s rage. In this one scene Lauren got to portray Chloe at her strongest and then at her weakest and in both instances her performance was spot on and true to the character as she allowed the audience to see the strength Chloe possesses as she fought for her life. The way Chloe declared that she didn’t want to die was heartbreaking because you know she’s fighting to stay alive for her daughter. This was an all around brilliant scene with powerful acting and a great setup for what is to come in their partnership. Also picked by Laura Markus & Jamie Coudeville
MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER, "Better Angels", January 26, 2016, Actors: Hayley Atwell, James D'Arcy
The Scene: Jarvis saves Peggy
Jamie Coudeville: It was nice to see Jarvis get into the fight. He got to prove he's more than a butler. I hope we get to see this side of him more often. He and Peggy make an amazing (and hilarious) team.
Laura Markus: Honestly, this episode was fantastic, and pretty much every scene with Mike and Harvey together was notable and is worth mentioning. But this one takes the cake, almost entirely because of how unexpected it was. Mike has told Rachel this before, but there is nothing anyone can do to make him turn on Harvey - ever. Even when her dad assaulted him in the interrogation room; nope. Not going to happen. And the fact that the thought, the sheer idea of turning on Harvey made Mike completely change his body language and look sick was illuminating and wonderful. The writing was incredible, and the acting just brilliant. I only hope we get scenes half as good as this one in the remaining few episodes.
Justyna K: I'm glad we finally got the episode focused on J'onn and his backstory. There were many scenes worth mentioning from this hour, the speeches, exchanges, the fight. Yet nothing nearly as memorable and tragic as J'onn telling Alex the truth about what happened to his family and the planet. A nightmare I can't even begin to imagine. I'm sure for anyone who knows the story of World War II, this horrifying experience must sound familiar. Seeing those (really well done) images play out on Mars made it even harder to watch. To fight and lose, in such a brutal and heartbreaking way, is something that can easily break a man. And yet, J'onn continues to do his best to help everyone on Earth. His character really grows in my eyes every week. And David Harewood did a spectacular job with his performance in the episode. The powerful story behind J'onzz, his memory of the family that was taken from him, the hauting echo of their last moment... All of this makes this scene one to remember. And still, there's a part for Alex to shine. Her strength and words of comfort and hope mean the world at this point. "There's no shame in surviving" is such a powerful quote and not just in terms of the show. Kudos to the crew & cast for their work.
Aimee Hicks: Bound in Kryptonite cuffs and with only her voice left as a tool Kara fought for J’onn’s soul with everything she had. Hank and Kara didn’t start off on the right footing but they have grown to become allies and with the reveal of his true identity of J’onn they’ve even become friends. In this moment Kara wasn’t just fighting to save a lost soul but she was fighting for her friend. This was a powerful performance by Melissa who set the tone of the moment and held command over the scene as she showed the Kryptonite’s effect on her and the emotional tool it was taking on her as she watched J’onn literally battle his demon. David did an exceptional job showing J’onn’s anguish over what he believes he has to do to avenge his family. Chyler doesn’t have a word in this scene but her presence isn’t lost as she watches her sister desperately try and save the man they both consider a friend and even possibly a fatherly figure. Alex believes in Kara’s ability to get through to people and allows her sister to fight for J’onn’s soul without interruption. All three actors delivered in this scene and it was a standout in a truly powerful and extraordinary episode that gave much needed insight into who J’onn was before he became Hank Henshaw. These three are amazing scene partners and I look forward to seeing more scenes between them as they battle alien threats after both Kara and J’onn.
Justyna K: That was amazing. I'm so glad we're finally catching up with Lydia's flashforward in Eichen House. Best moment of the episode has to be the one where she used her scream to "wake up" and the echo of her voice hit the lights not only around her, but also next to to Malia, just when she needed the help the most. Such a clever idea and I really didn't expect it to play out like that. And now that Lydia's aware of her powers and capabilities, she's quickly becoming an impressive fighter and force to be reckoned with. Brilliant. Also, Holland Roden is doing a fantastic work with her character this season! As for Malia, I've missed seeing her with the rest of the pack, it's good to have her with the team again at the end. And despite her pain and fear towards her mother, she found a strength to face the Desert Wolf and saved Deaton in the process. Now, break Lydia out of the Eichen House and face the Beast together as the pack. Can't wait. Kudos!
Justyna K: I really enjoy the evolution of the friendship and bond between these two characters. They started the show as people with completely different point of view on things, constantly arguing about everything and now trust each other with their lives. What a difference time and life can make. Seeing how much all's changed since the beginning, I found myself missing the days when the delinquents were trying to find a way to survive. And Clarke and Bellamy became one of the show's strongest duos. It's good to see them back together, even for a little while. As it happens on the show, there's a little hope and relief when they finally meet again, shortly followed by another fight for survival. This time Bellamy gets attacked from behind and only survives, because Clarke convinces Roan to let him go, with a promise she will go with him without resistance (possibly to her own death). It's such a short moment, yet powerful with all the emotions up in the air and the reunion of the show's two great characters. Can't wait to see Clarke and Bellamy back together for good. Great work by Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley in the hour. And a shout-out to the follow up scene when Monty and rest convince Bellamy that he has to let go. I am really enjoying this new friendship between Monty and Blake. Kudos!
Aimee Hicks: I’ve been a fan of this show since the beginning and I’ve seen some great performances but the one Leah delivered in this scene was a standout. She spent most of the scene sitting but the way she held her body and controlled her voice allowed her to portray strength and confidence in a way that took up the entire screen. She even managed to upstage Joseph whose performances always demand attention be paid to him. It was a performance worthy of notice as she is now playing a character that at the core is the same but in other ways is a whole new character and she handled the transition seamlessly. Respect is due to Joseph for allowing her to command the scene and for being a strong scene partner for her. This scene changed everything for Cami and was a big game changer for Klaus as well as he now has to decide how best to guide her through the new existence she just entered into. Will he try and help her stay the woman he fell in love with or will he let his own darkness influence who he helps her become? I can only imagine the long journey ahead for Cami but after watching this scene I have no doubt that Leah can handle it.
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, "Hell Is Other People", January 29, 2016, Actors: Ian Somerhalder and more, The Scene: Damon admits what he truly wants
Jamie Coudeville: My heart broke into a million pieces. Great acting from Ian this week.
THE X-FILES, "My Struggle", January 24, 2016, Actors: Giacomo Baessato and more
The Scene: Opening scene
DarkUFO: Opening scene with the young doctor being taken to the Roswell Crash scene.
