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.
12 MONKEYS, "Fatherland", June 20, 2016, Actors: Alisen Down and more, The Scene: Olivia’s true identity is revealed
Nirat Anop: I never saw this coming, and I was so impressed. Alisen Down’s grappling of her newfound reality was a poignant moment, her acting was so good. Her dialogue was equally as impressive to compliment it, “there was a time when I longed to see you again, when the forest was red. You told me the witness would always be there for me, you lied, what other lies did you tell? My place in the great cycle ends today.” The defiance in her words, the way she turned her back after she said these words, so well done along with the directing. She has always been a person with the utmost faith in her beliefs, to see it be revealed to be a lie, is something that any human being will struggle to accept. I look forward to seeing what her journey reveals as I find her to be one of the most fascinating characters on the show.
BABY DADDY, "Not So Great Grandma", June 22, 2016, Actors: Melissa Peterman and more
The Scene: Bonnie confronts her mother
Klutzy girl: Bonnie goes off on her mother about her behavior over the years. It was an unexpectedly emotional scene from this show and Melissa Peterman knocked it out of the park. Bonnie's obvious pain nearly drove me to tears.
BRAINDEAD, "Playing Politics: Living Life in the Shadow of the Budget Showdown – A Critique", June 20, 2016, Actors: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and more, The Scene: Laurel and Annie have a moment at the Lincoln Memorial (picked by Darth Locke)
CONTAINMENT, "A Kingdom Divided Against Itself", May 21, 2016, Actors: Kristen Gutoskie, Chris Wood, The Scene: Katie possibly gets exposed
Marko Pekic: The scene in the shower, after Katie got possibly exposed. No words, just the sound of Jake's sobbing fighting through the sound of Katie's rushed moves while trying to wash the blood from her body. The hystery in Katie's moves was simply so believable and moving. The relationship between Katie and Jake became central to the show (not in an annoying pesky way, just) so the heartbreak felt real.
DEVIOUS MAIDS, "War and Grease", June 20, 2016, Actors: Judy Reyes, Roselyn Sánchez, The Scene: Zoila trying to apologize
Marko Pekic: After Zoila humiliated Carmen in front of her new friends, I expected the reconciliation to be smoother. But this was one of the rare moments where the writers decided to give Roselyn decent dramatic material and she nailed it. Both women are under a lot of stress and didn't hold back, making this the best episode of the season to date.
GAME OF THRONES, "Battle of the Bastards", June 19, 2016, Actors: Kit Harington, Iwan Rheon, Sophie Turner and more, The Scenes: The Battle & Ramsay's death
Justyna K: Visually stunning, emotionally exhausting and incredibly acted. Just a few words to describe one of the best sequences I've ever seen. The show may have its flaws but moments like that will absolutely take your breath away. This week, as one of my choices for Scene of the Week I had to go with the Battle of Winterfell. Starting right after the desperate attempt to save Rickon's life (poor thing!), with Jon's choice to stand alone and fight, and the beautifully done shot where he faces Ramsay's army on his own before his men come to his aid. With the memorable music in the background the battle begins and every minute, every second of it is done in such a realistic and powerful way that a viewer can actually feel like he's a part of the events taking place on the screen. As the men fall, the horses clash and the pile of bodies grows, the brutal view of the struggle and randomness of the action and death leave its lasting impression. It takes everything to survive, the skills, luck, strength. With the odds clearly against them, the scared group tries to run away from the fight, causing Jon to be almost trampled to death. The entire part with him slowly dying, losing his breath and getting buried between the bodies, almost letting go was such a horrifying, yet absolutely amazingly done shot. In the end, he manages to break through, gasping for air, as he truly seems reborn, with his strength and spirit, ready to keep fighting. As much as I didn't like the secret behind the knights of the Vale's arrival, it was another stunning view, to see them destroy Ramsay's remaining forces, giving Jon a chance to win the battle and go straight for Ramsay. So impressed with everything the cast & crew managed to achieve in this hour! Shout-out to everyone who made this happen. And kudos to Kit Harington for his best performance yet!
Darth Locke: What a marvelous and gruesome spectacle to behold! Game of Thrones has always had wonderfully filmed battles in its penultimate episodes, but they have managed to up their game yet again. There are so many little things that stood out, but mostly, it was actually being able to feel the terror of being at war! From the movement of arrows, especially the one that cut across the field and took Rickon, to the spears piercing into the flesh as people are blockaded together, the clashing of horses, or being trampled over, the agony and suspense could be felt. But I think my favorite bit from the battle was Jon Snow climbing out of the pile of bodies, gasping for air and being reborn yet again! And something tells me, Melisandre helped him with his odds.
Nirat Anop: Since my fellow SpoilerTV friends have already covered that incredible battle sequence, I must include the brilliant final act. Ramsey is mauled to death by his own dogs. I thought this was an incredible way for him to go out, to sit face to face with his own dogs, the ones who inflicted so much suffering upon others, now turn their faces upon him. I will say, Iwan Rheon has been nothing short of incredible, portraying the despicable and cruel Ramsay. I thought Sophie Turner’s incredibly written dialogue of “your words will disappear. Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear” was so well suited for the scene. It complimented her character development so perfectly and added such much power to the scene, rather than simply being something violent. Sophie acted the hell out of that scene, her finest one to date!
OUTCAST, "A Wrath Unseen", June 24, 2016, Actors: Philip Glenister, David Denman and more, The Scenes: The Reverend speaks to the old lady to see if she's possessed & Mark beats up Donnie
Kollin Lore: It's a shame this show is not doing well in ratings. It is a damn scary and tense and suspenseful show that keeps improving every week. In the last episode, our two protagonists confront an elderly woman who may or not be possessed. When the Reverend is alone with her and she is smiling at him, before turning it into a sneer, then suddenly lunging at him out of nowhere gave me the fright of a lifetime. There is something really freaking terrifying about a possessed old lady that just sticks with you.
Geo N: Mark beats up Donnie in front of his officer dash cam. The scene was a great commentary on what is going on all over the world with police officers going too far.
OUTLANDER, "The Hail Mary", June 25, 2016, Actors: Graham McTavish and more, The Scene: Dougal talks to his dead brother
Nirat Anop: Dougal lays his head upon his dead brother's chest and declares, “so brother, you turn your back on me one final time, and you leave me alone in the dark”. This was such a beautifully acted scene by Graham McTavish. The realization that his own brother took his own life and right in front of him, and he didn’t notice is quite a pull of one’s emotions. Dougal unable to get any kind of closure made for a powerful and heartbreaking moment.
PENNY DREADFUL, "The Blessed Dark", June 19, 2016, Actors: Rory Kinnear and more, The Scene: Vanessa Ives' funeral
Kollin Lore: The Creature John Clare watches the procession as he recites the very beautiful 'Imitations of an Immortal' by Wordsworth. The final episode of the series then shows him somberly touching the grave of his dearest friend before the screen cuts to a black. These two characters' friendship was one of poetry. Ms. Ives was a beauty on the outside, but her soul was tainted. Caliban was a hideous monster by appearance, but his soul was that of a poet. They both related to each other on such a profound level in the rejection and tragedy they experienced, but for entirely opposite reasons. It was thus heartbreaking to see John Clare alone, not being able to give a proper goodbye to his friend who helped him seek solace in his darkest days.
PERSON OF INTEREST, "return 0", June 21, 2016, Actors: Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel, Sarah Shahi, Amy Acker, The Scenes: Reese sacrifices himself to save Finch & The Machine delivers Root's "straight line" message to Shaw
Justyna K: The show is officially over. And I couldn't possibly ask for a better ending. Every moment, every interaction and loss meant the world. Near the end of the road, it was becoming clearer with each minute how this story ends for John Reese. He's the hero, in such a true definition of the word. He gives up his life to save his best friend, the man who gave him a beautiful purpose, a chance to save lives, a few more years he never expected to have. And when the moment comes, he wants to pay his debt, he wants his friend to get a second chance, to show him how much what they did together meant for him. He's ready to go. And the goodbye is such a powerful scene, beautifully acted by both Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel. Both men trying to save each other, with one finally accepting the other's sacrifice. The music, the acting and meaning alone would be enough to make this moment such an incredible goodbye but the Machine's words, the story about how she finally understood why people die thanks to the beautiful speech of one policeman years ago, truly had me crying the most. "Everyone dies alone. But if you mean something to someone, if you help someone, or love someone. If even a single person remembers you. Then maybe, you never really die at all.” And with this message, there's just enough love and hope that lets one go on and do better, do the best they can for the people around them. Echoing the Machine saying that "the moment that often mattered the most, the moment when you truly found out who they were, was often their last one”, this incredible, emotional scene, the sacrifice, the ultimate proof of true friendship tells us everything we need to know about the amazing character of John Reese. His relationship with Harold is what started the show and made it great in the first place, so it feels absolutely fitting to let the series end there as well. Kudos to the entire cast & crew of the show for all the work and heart they put into making Person of Interest one of the best shows on TV. One of my all-time favorites. Thank you. What you did will go on and be remembered, alive in our memories, always.
Louis Rabinowitz: Given that the threat of death has been hanging over Reese since the very start of the series, it was perhaps relatively easy to guess that he would be the character to give his life in order to end the fight against Samaritan. Nonetheless, the excellent execution of his death managed to offset any predictability within this moment’s plotting. Most importantly, it’s the conclusion for the character that needed to happen, as it looped back to his promises to Finch in the pilot and brought them to their natural and moving conclusion, satisfyingly closing off a character arc that’s sometimes been subsumed by the addition of more distinctive presences. This was a death that was also surprisingly uplifting, with the Machine’s message about living on in other people really adding a tinge of optimism ensuring that this potentially depressing and tragic moment instead felt like a hopeful victory and an inevitable conclusion.
Kollin Lore: This seemed like the only route they could have taken John at the end of the series, so it was expected, but it did not make it any less heartbreaking. Also picked by DarkUFO
Aimee Hicks: Since the very beginning Root and Shaw have had a unique relationship. For seasons we watched as Root pursued Shaw with the full understanding that the woman she loved was incapable of returning those feelings in a normal way. She never tried to change Shaw and loved her for the person she is. In some ways, I think it is their unique love that helped The Machine begin to understand human emotion and love. She understood Root well enough to understand that the way she spoke to Shaw was intentional because it’s the only way Shaw could really compute love. Because of that understanding, Root’s words were always able to reach some emotional place within Shaw. Even in death, Root was still able to reach that point of emotion thanks to The Machine. While Root and Shaw didn’t get to have a proper goodbye The Machine knew she owed it to Root to say goodbye to Shaw for her. Root wanted Shaw to know that her shape was a straight line which harkened back to the symphony speech during the Samaritan shootout. That connected with Shaw because it was such a Root thing to say and spoke so much to their relationship. Shaw struggled to reconcile Root’s voice in her ear knowing that Root was gone forever, so it was nice for her to get this moment alone where it was as if she was actually talking to Root. In this scene, The Machine also gave Shaw the gift of a brief moment to shed a tear and finally mourn Root. Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi have had intense chemistry from the first moment they shared the screen, which allowed this scene to play all the more emotionally powerful. While the visual aspect of the scene rested firmly on Sarah, the emotional triggers came from the way Amy voiced The Machine and the emotional fluctuations she infused into her voice. Amy allowed Shaw, and the viewers, to feel Root seeping through as The Machine delivered Root’s message. Root’s body may be gone but her voice and her persona will always live on through The Machine, which seems destined to forge an equally unique bond with Shaw, since we can guess The Machine survived and kept Root’s voice. Sarah’s part in this scene was mostly to react and she delivered with a spot on powerful performance. She managed to maintain Shaw’s tough exterior even as tears gathered in her eyes. She controlled her breathing to maintain Shaw’s struggle with emotion and maintained command of the scene even as Shaw was being flooded by emotions she couldn’t quite understand. The control this scene required was incredible and Sarah delivered a rock solid and brilliant performance. This scene was the best of this series finale because it gave these beloved characters a proper goodbye and gave both actresses amazing material to work with. It was a powerful scene that was perfectly acted. Sarah and Amy delivered beautiful heartfelt performances worthy of recognition.
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, "Tick-Tock, Bitches", June 21, 2016, Actors: Ashley Benson, Troian Bellisario, The Scene: Hanna's dream
Nick Manesis: Hanna falls asleep on the floor of the cabin Uber A has locked her in and dreams about Spencer. In the dream she fears she'll never make it out and tells Spencer that she thinks this A is a lot smarter than the other ones. Spencer holds her and comforts her by telling her that if there's a way in the cabin there should be a way out. It's a brilliant and very intimate scene that highlights the love these two have for each other but something feels off: why is Spencer's hair different? Why does she ask Hanna if she has told "them" the truth? Is this really a dream after all?
REIGN, "Spiders in a Jar", June 20, 2016, Actors: Anna Popplewell, Rachel Skarsten
The Scene: The confrontation in the cell
Marko Pekic: Lola's and Elizabeth's confrontation was just marvelous. Lola's power and loyalty combined with Elizabeth's disappointment made this scene to be memorable and an appropriate goodbye to Lola's character.
RIZZOLI AND ISLES, "Post Mortem", June 20, 2016, Actors: Sasha Alexander and more
The Scene: Maura sings
Klutzy girl: Maura decides to sing but isn't doing a very good job so Jane sends Nina up to help her. It was such an adorable scene.
THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, "Separation", June 19, 2016, Actors: Riley Keough and more
The Scene: The final scene (picked by DarkUFO)
WYNONNA EARP, "I Walk the Line", June 24, 2016, Actors: Melanie Scrofano, Katherine Barrell, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, The Scene: Nicole is shot
Aimee Hicks: This scene stood out because of the emotional implications for the characters and the faultless performances delivered by Melanie, Dominique, and Katherine. Leading into Nicole being shot Wynonna was finally told about Waverly and Nicole and Waverly admitted to her love for Nicole. From the moment Waverly told Wynonna “I love her” it was evident in Wynonna’s eyes, thanks to phenomenal acting by Melanie, that she accepted Waverly’s choice. Still, that didn’t mean she was ready to blindly accept Nicole into the family. When Nicole didn’t bleed after being shot it was reasonable for Wynonna to be concerned. She forged a friendship with Nicole and had Nicole been a revenant it would have been one of the hardest kills for her and not just because of Waverly. Once she discovered Nicole’s vest she was relieved and the only comment she had regarding the relationship was “you finally picked the smart one”. Then, with a wink and a knowing smile, Nicole was welcomed into the Earp family with Wynonna’s blessing. This was a scene that required these three actresses to be incredibly in-tune with each other and they definitely were because they perfectly blended their performances into a visual piece of art. Dominique had to shuffle between primal fear with Waverly thinking Nicole was seriously wounded, relief over her wearing a vest, and indescribable love all in mere seconds; and she didn’t miss a single beat. Katherine was positioned to deliver a lot of dialogue, while awkwardly propped on Melanie’s knee, and she had to deal with Nicole being hurt and still manage to ensure the audience could see Nicole’s love for Waverly through the pain inflicted by the bullet. She, also, nailed every emotional beat this scene required of her in flawless fashion. Nicole’s pain was palpable and yet the moment Katherine focused her eyes on Dominique she conveyed so much love that it jumped off the screen with its realism. Whether she called on her real life friendship with Dominique or just phenomenal acting skills the love in her eyes conveyed so much real emotion in that moment. Melanie, as usual, was on point in her performance as she allowed her eyes, as much as her words, to convey Wynonna’s acceptance of Nicole and love for her little sister. That little wink she gave Waverly was perfectly executed and said more than words could have. This part of the scene hit so well because the bond Melanie and Dominique share on and off the screen allows them to bring so much weight to the bond between the Earp sisters. Everything about this scene, including Nicole surviving being shot, was perfect. This season Wynonna Earp shot both their bi character and lesbian character and they both survived. In a year full of bloodshed for LGBT and female characters, in general, this was a welcome change of pace that both survived. This may be a small little show but it is mighty in its message and for that, it deserves all the recognition it can get. For all these reasons, and so many more, this scene was the one I think stood out because it delivered such an important message of acceptance and top-shelf acting.
Nirat Anop: I never saw this coming, and I was so impressed. Alisen Down’s grappling of her newfound reality was a poignant moment, her acting was so good. Her dialogue was equally as impressive to compliment it, “there was a time when I longed to see you again, when the forest was red. You told me the witness would always be there for me, you lied, what other lies did you tell? My place in the great cycle ends today.” The defiance in her words, the way she turned her back after she said these words, so well done along with the directing. She has always been a person with the utmost faith in her beliefs, to see it be revealed to be a lie, is something that any human being will struggle to accept. I look forward to seeing what her journey reveals as I find her to be one of the most fascinating characters on the show.
BABY DADDY, "Not So Great Grandma", June 22, 2016, Actors: Melissa Peterman and more
The Scene: Bonnie confronts her mother
Klutzy girl: Bonnie goes off on her mother about her behavior over the years. It was an unexpectedly emotional scene from this show and Melissa Peterman knocked it out of the park. Bonnie's obvious pain nearly drove me to tears.
BRAINDEAD, "Playing Politics: Living Life in the Shadow of the Budget Showdown – A Critique", June 20, 2016, Actors: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and more, The Scene: Laurel and Annie have a moment at the Lincoln Memorial (picked by Darth Locke)
Marko Pekic: The scene in the shower, after Katie got possibly exposed. No words, just the sound of Jake's sobbing fighting through the sound of Katie's rushed moves while trying to wash the blood from her body. The hystery in Katie's moves was simply so believable and moving. The relationship between Katie and Jake became central to the show (not in an annoying pesky way, just) so the heartbreak felt real.
Marko Pekic: After Zoila humiliated Carmen in front of her new friends, I expected the reconciliation to be smoother. But this was one of the rare moments where the writers decided to give Roselyn decent dramatic material and she nailed it. Both women are under a lot of stress and didn't hold back, making this the best episode of the season to date.
Justyna K: Visually stunning, emotionally exhausting and incredibly acted. Just a few words to describe one of the best sequences I've ever seen. The show may have its flaws but moments like that will absolutely take your breath away. This week, as one of my choices for Scene of the Week I had to go with the Battle of Winterfell. Starting right after the desperate attempt to save Rickon's life (poor thing!), with Jon's choice to stand alone and fight, and the beautifully done shot where he faces Ramsay's army on his own before his men come to his aid. With the memorable music in the background the battle begins and every minute, every second of it is done in such a realistic and powerful way that a viewer can actually feel like he's a part of the events taking place on the screen. As the men fall, the horses clash and the pile of bodies grows, the brutal view of the struggle and randomness of the action and death leave its lasting impression. It takes everything to survive, the skills, luck, strength. With the odds clearly against them, the scared group tries to run away from the fight, causing Jon to be almost trampled to death. The entire part with him slowly dying, losing his breath and getting buried between the bodies, almost letting go was such a horrifying, yet absolutely amazingly done shot. In the end, he manages to break through, gasping for air, as he truly seems reborn, with his strength and spirit, ready to keep fighting. As much as I didn't like the secret behind the knights of the Vale's arrival, it was another stunning view, to see them destroy Ramsay's remaining forces, giving Jon a chance to win the battle and go straight for Ramsay. So impressed with everything the cast & crew managed to achieve in this hour! Shout-out to everyone who made this happen. And kudos to Kit Harington for his best performance yet!
Darth Locke: What a marvelous and gruesome spectacle to behold! Game of Thrones has always had wonderfully filmed battles in its penultimate episodes, but they have managed to up their game yet again. There are so many little things that stood out, but mostly, it was actually being able to feel the terror of being at war! From the movement of arrows, especially the one that cut across the field and took Rickon, to the spears piercing into the flesh as people are blockaded together, the clashing of horses, or being trampled over, the agony and suspense could be felt. But I think my favorite bit from the battle was Jon Snow climbing out of the pile of bodies, gasping for air and being reborn yet again! And something tells me, Melisandre helped him with his odds.
Nirat Anop: Since my fellow SpoilerTV friends have already covered that incredible battle sequence, I must include the brilliant final act. Ramsey is mauled to death by his own dogs. I thought this was an incredible way for him to go out, to sit face to face with his own dogs, the ones who inflicted so much suffering upon others, now turn their faces upon him. I will say, Iwan Rheon has been nothing short of incredible, portraying the despicable and cruel Ramsay. I thought Sophie Turner’s incredibly written dialogue of “your words will disappear. Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear” was so well suited for the scene. It complimented her character development so perfectly and added such much power to the scene, rather than simply being something violent. Sophie acted the hell out of that scene, her finest one to date!
Kollin Lore: It's a shame this show is not doing well in ratings. It is a damn scary and tense and suspenseful show that keeps improving every week. In the last episode, our two protagonists confront an elderly woman who may or not be possessed. When the Reverend is alone with her and she is smiling at him, before turning it into a sneer, then suddenly lunging at him out of nowhere gave me the fright of a lifetime. There is something really freaking terrifying about a possessed old lady that just sticks with you.
Geo N: Mark beats up Donnie in front of his officer dash cam. The scene was a great commentary on what is going on all over the world with police officers going too far.
Nirat Anop: Dougal lays his head upon his dead brother's chest and declares, “so brother, you turn your back on me one final time, and you leave me alone in the dark”. This was such a beautifully acted scene by Graham McTavish. The realization that his own brother took his own life and right in front of him, and he didn’t notice is quite a pull of one’s emotions. Dougal unable to get any kind of closure made for a powerful and heartbreaking moment.
Kollin Lore: The Creature John Clare watches the procession as he recites the very beautiful 'Imitations of an Immortal' by Wordsworth. The final episode of the series then shows him somberly touching the grave of his dearest friend before the screen cuts to a black. These two characters' friendship was one of poetry. Ms. Ives was a beauty on the outside, but her soul was tainted. Caliban was a hideous monster by appearance, but his soul was that of a poet. They both related to each other on such a profound level in the rejection and tragedy they experienced, but for entirely opposite reasons. It was thus heartbreaking to see John Clare alone, not being able to give a proper goodbye to his friend who helped him seek solace in his darkest days.
Justyna K: The show is officially over. And I couldn't possibly ask for a better ending. Every moment, every interaction and loss meant the world. Near the end of the road, it was becoming clearer with each minute how this story ends for John Reese. He's the hero, in such a true definition of the word. He gives up his life to save his best friend, the man who gave him a beautiful purpose, a chance to save lives, a few more years he never expected to have. And when the moment comes, he wants to pay his debt, he wants his friend to get a second chance, to show him how much what they did together meant for him. He's ready to go. And the goodbye is such a powerful scene, beautifully acted by both Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel. Both men trying to save each other, with one finally accepting the other's sacrifice. The music, the acting and meaning alone would be enough to make this moment such an incredible goodbye but the Machine's words, the story about how she finally understood why people die thanks to the beautiful speech of one policeman years ago, truly had me crying the most. "Everyone dies alone. But if you mean something to someone, if you help someone, or love someone. If even a single person remembers you. Then maybe, you never really die at all.” And with this message, there's just enough love and hope that lets one go on and do better, do the best they can for the people around them. Echoing the Machine saying that "the moment that often mattered the most, the moment when you truly found out who they were, was often their last one”, this incredible, emotional scene, the sacrifice, the ultimate proof of true friendship tells us everything we need to know about the amazing character of John Reese. His relationship with Harold is what started the show and made it great in the first place, so it feels absolutely fitting to let the series end there as well. Kudos to the entire cast & crew of the show for all the work and heart they put into making Person of Interest one of the best shows on TV. One of my all-time favorites. Thank you. What you did will go on and be remembered, alive in our memories, always.
Louis Rabinowitz: Given that the threat of death has been hanging over Reese since the very start of the series, it was perhaps relatively easy to guess that he would be the character to give his life in order to end the fight against Samaritan. Nonetheless, the excellent execution of his death managed to offset any predictability within this moment’s plotting. Most importantly, it’s the conclusion for the character that needed to happen, as it looped back to his promises to Finch in the pilot and brought them to their natural and moving conclusion, satisfyingly closing off a character arc that’s sometimes been subsumed by the addition of more distinctive presences. This was a death that was also surprisingly uplifting, with the Machine’s message about living on in other people really adding a tinge of optimism ensuring that this potentially depressing and tragic moment instead felt like a hopeful victory and an inevitable conclusion.
Kollin Lore: This seemed like the only route they could have taken John at the end of the series, so it was expected, but it did not make it any less heartbreaking. Also picked by DarkUFO
Aimee Hicks: Since the very beginning Root and Shaw have had a unique relationship. For seasons we watched as Root pursued Shaw with the full understanding that the woman she loved was incapable of returning those feelings in a normal way. She never tried to change Shaw and loved her for the person she is. In some ways, I think it is their unique love that helped The Machine begin to understand human emotion and love. She understood Root well enough to understand that the way she spoke to Shaw was intentional because it’s the only way Shaw could really compute love. Because of that understanding, Root’s words were always able to reach some emotional place within Shaw. Even in death, Root was still able to reach that point of emotion thanks to The Machine. While Root and Shaw didn’t get to have a proper goodbye The Machine knew she owed it to Root to say goodbye to Shaw for her. Root wanted Shaw to know that her shape was a straight line which harkened back to the symphony speech during the Samaritan shootout. That connected with Shaw because it was such a Root thing to say and spoke so much to their relationship. Shaw struggled to reconcile Root’s voice in her ear knowing that Root was gone forever, so it was nice for her to get this moment alone where it was as if she was actually talking to Root. In this scene, The Machine also gave Shaw the gift of a brief moment to shed a tear and finally mourn Root. Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi have had intense chemistry from the first moment they shared the screen, which allowed this scene to play all the more emotionally powerful. While the visual aspect of the scene rested firmly on Sarah, the emotional triggers came from the way Amy voiced The Machine and the emotional fluctuations she infused into her voice. Amy allowed Shaw, and the viewers, to feel Root seeping through as The Machine delivered Root’s message. Root’s body may be gone but her voice and her persona will always live on through The Machine, which seems destined to forge an equally unique bond with Shaw, since we can guess The Machine survived and kept Root’s voice. Sarah’s part in this scene was mostly to react and she delivered with a spot on powerful performance. She managed to maintain Shaw’s tough exterior even as tears gathered in her eyes. She controlled her breathing to maintain Shaw’s struggle with emotion and maintained command of the scene even as Shaw was being flooded by emotions she couldn’t quite understand. The control this scene required was incredible and Sarah delivered a rock solid and brilliant performance. This scene was the best of this series finale because it gave these beloved characters a proper goodbye and gave both actresses amazing material to work with. It was a powerful scene that was perfectly acted. Sarah and Amy delivered beautiful heartfelt performances worthy of recognition.
Nick Manesis: Hanna falls asleep on the floor of the cabin Uber A has locked her in and dreams about Spencer. In the dream she fears she'll never make it out and tells Spencer that she thinks this A is a lot smarter than the other ones. Spencer holds her and comforts her by telling her that if there's a way in the cabin there should be a way out. It's a brilliant and very intimate scene that highlights the love these two have for each other but something feels off: why is Spencer's hair different? Why does she ask Hanna if she has told "them" the truth? Is this really a dream after all?
REIGN, "Spiders in a Jar", June 20, 2016, Actors: Anna Popplewell, Rachel Skarsten
The Scene: The confrontation in the cell
Marko Pekic: Lola's and Elizabeth's confrontation was just marvelous. Lola's power and loyalty combined with Elizabeth's disappointment made this scene to be memorable and an appropriate goodbye to Lola's character.
RIZZOLI AND ISLES, "Post Mortem", June 20, 2016, Actors: Sasha Alexander and more
The Scene: Maura sings
Klutzy girl: Maura decides to sing but isn't doing a very good job so Jane sends Nina up to help her. It was such an adorable scene.
THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, "Separation", June 19, 2016, Actors: Riley Keough and more
The Scene: The final scene (picked by DarkUFO)
Aimee Hicks: This scene stood out because of the emotional implications for the characters and the faultless performances delivered by Melanie, Dominique, and Katherine. Leading into Nicole being shot Wynonna was finally told about Waverly and Nicole and Waverly admitted to her love for Nicole. From the moment Waverly told Wynonna “I love her” it was evident in Wynonna’s eyes, thanks to phenomenal acting by Melanie, that she accepted Waverly’s choice. Still, that didn’t mean she was ready to blindly accept Nicole into the family. When Nicole didn’t bleed after being shot it was reasonable for Wynonna to be concerned. She forged a friendship with Nicole and had Nicole been a revenant it would have been one of the hardest kills for her and not just because of Waverly. Once she discovered Nicole’s vest she was relieved and the only comment she had regarding the relationship was “you finally picked the smart one”. Then, with a wink and a knowing smile, Nicole was welcomed into the Earp family with Wynonna’s blessing. This was a scene that required these three actresses to be incredibly in-tune with each other and they definitely were because they perfectly blended their performances into a visual piece of art. Dominique had to shuffle between primal fear with Waverly thinking Nicole was seriously wounded, relief over her wearing a vest, and indescribable love all in mere seconds; and she didn’t miss a single beat. Katherine was positioned to deliver a lot of dialogue, while awkwardly propped on Melanie’s knee, and she had to deal with Nicole being hurt and still manage to ensure the audience could see Nicole’s love for Waverly through the pain inflicted by the bullet. She, also, nailed every emotional beat this scene required of her in flawless fashion. Nicole’s pain was palpable and yet the moment Katherine focused her eyes on Dominique she conveyed so much love that it jumped off the screen with its realism. Whether she called on her real life friendship with Dominique or just phenomenal acting skills the love in her eyes conveyed so much real emotion in that moment. Melanie, as usual, was on point in her performance as she allowed her eyes, as much as her words, to convey Wynonna’s acceptance of Nicole and love for her little sister. That little wink she gave Waverly was perfectly executed and said more than words could have. This part of the scene hit so well because the bond Melanie and Dominique share on and off the screen allows them to bring so much weight to the bond between the Earp sisters. Everything about this scene, including Nicole surviving being shot, was perfect. This season Wynonna Earp shot both their bi character and lesbian character and they both survived. In a year full of bloodshed for LGBT and female characters, in general, this was a welcome change of pace that both survived. This may be a small little show but it is mighty in its message and for that, it deserves all the recognition it can get. For all these reasons, and so many more, this scene was the one I think stood out because it delivered such an important message of acceptance and top-shelf acting.
