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 HORROR STORY, "Chapter 1", September 14, 2016, Actors: Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson
The Scene: The Basement scene
Marko Pekic: So thrilling, exciting and almost like a real horror movie. Two great actresses playing with the terror and fear was just awesome.
BLINDSPOT, "In Night So Ransomed Rogue", September 14, 2016, Actors: Jaimie Alexander, Sullivan Stapleton, The Scenes: Jane Doe escapes the CIA black site & Jane finds out the truth about her identity & Jane and Kurt confront each other for the first time in months & Jane begs Kurt to shoot her
Kollin Lore: Jane Doe escapes the CIA black site. There is nothing more invigorating than watching Jaime Alexander kick serious ass and there was plenty of that in these opening moments of the Blindspot premiere. This scene set the tone for an episode that was jam packed with tense, high stakes action - it was an electric opening to an electric episode - bringing Blindspot back to our screens with a bang.
Marko Pekic: Jane finding out the truth about her identity. It was about time we get real answers and making this all personal for Jane with the involvement of her mother and brother was just a perfect choice. The moment the truth came over Shepard's/Star's lips you could see Jane's inner struggle between real family and her "job" family.
Klutzy girl: Jane and Kurt confront each other for the first time in months. Both their pain was out in the open and it was such a fantastic, angsty scene because you can tell these two love each other but there's so much hurt between them now.
Jessica VanWinkle: Jane begs Kurt to shoot her. She tells Kurt about Mayfair being killed, and when she's not expecting it, Zapata shoots her in the side. I thought the acting of all three characters was great, and it showed how much pain all of them are in, and Mayfair's death is clearly affecting them all, especially Zapata.
BRAINDEAD, "The End of All We Hold Dear: What Happens When Democracies Fail: A Brief Synopsis", September 11, 2016, Actors: Spencer House and more, The Scene: Gary the Intern steps on The Queen
Darth Locke: I would be amazed if BrainDead would be renewed or moved to CBS All Access, but I doubt this will be the case, especially with the announcement that The Good Wife Spin Off is moved forward and the Kings are more heavily involved now. BrainDead was equally as smart, fashionable, and maybe even, more entertaining. I will miss this little gem.
CHESAPEAKE SHORES, "We're Gaining a Daughter", September 11, 2016, Actors: Meghan Ory, Treat Williams and more, The Scene: The family finds out that Kevin is alive
Aimee Hicks: This was a simple scene, but honestly, kind of an unexpected one. Decades of television watching has taught me that when a character in the military goes missing they are usually killed off. The fact that he was found and alive was a bit surprising. I’m glad that he’s on his way back to his family, but it was definitely a surprise. I love how simple this scene was with Mick, Megan, Connor and Abby finding out then spreading the word throughout the family. It was a simple scene, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. The tone of the scene was tense and at the flip of a coin it changed to jovial as they celebrated the fact that Kevin was found and alive. All the actors delivered beautiful and emotional performances once the news was revealed. The crack in Treat Williams’ voice once he’d revealed the good news perfectly captures Mick’s emotions over his son being found. Mick may struggle with being able to connect with his kids sometimes, but it is in moments like those where it is blatantly obvious how much he loves each and every one of his children. I had to nominate this scene because it was everything I wasn’t expecting.
DARK MATTER, "But First, We Save The Galaxy", September 16, 2016, Actors: Melissa O’Neil and more, The Scene: The station explodes with most of the crew on it
Aimee Hicks: This ending left almost the entire crew in peril. Two was very near an explosion that exposed her corridor to the vacuum of space. Three was left seriously wounded with freshly returned Lieutenant Anders hovering over him. Five was left in the custody of Commander Truffault trying to get to safety. Six was last seen running down corridors trying to find safety. The Android was left on the ship to tend to a dead or dying Nyx. This ending was intense and poignant while raising the stakes about as high as they can get. Four essentially launched a galactic war with the crew caught in the crossfire. I’m not sure how they’ll resolve this next season, but it will be interesting to debate over who did and didn’t survive. This was a powerful scene and while it wasn’t the best season finale this was one truly standout scene.
GIRL MEETS WORLD, "Girl Meets the Great Lady of New York", September 16, 2016, Actors: Corey Fogelmanis, Amir Mitchell-Townes, The Scene: Farkle finds out more about his family
Klutzy girl: Farkle finds out his family is Jewish and from Poland, and that his grandfather was adopted by a Christian family to hide him during World War II. He opens up the group about it. Zay is one of the best people in their little group of friends and such an amazing, supportive friend. The fact that he told Farkle he was there if he ever wanted to talk to him was incredibly sweet.
MR. ROBOT, "eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z", September 14, 2016, Actor: Grace Gummer, The Scene: Agent DiPierro is lonely
Kollin Lore: Following the shootout and checking out of the hospital Agent Dominique DiPierro goes home and kicks back on her bed. We then see a side of her we've never seen before as she tries to strike up conversation with her AI thing-a-bob. She asks it if it loves her, if it ever gets lonely, if it has eyes and what colour would it be. We see this powerful, perseverant agent reduced in the confines of her home to this lonely and vulnerable woman as she desperately tries to have a conversation with the programmatic Ai. It is a simplistically and subtlely written and directed scene that reverbates on an emotional level quite profoundly, one that is just so heartbreaking and sad. Gummer portrayed this character in this scene wonderfully.
POLDARK, "Episode 2", September 11, 2016, Actors: Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson and more, The Scene: Ross is found not guilty
Justyna K: After a brutal trial, many false witnesses and almost no support Ross Poldark faced the charges that could have easily ended with his death, but stayed true to himself. In his speech before the sentence he's not afraid to share a harsh truth, even if it costs him his life. His principles and honor matter a great deal to him and it's both a wonderful view and scary position to find him in, when the money and power get involved. But against all odds, when the jury reads their verdict, Ross is found not guilty and happily reunites with relieved Demelza. Their story is certainly a rocky one, but as long as they stay together, I think these two will be just fine. I really enjoyed seeing all the reactions in court, they said so much about each of the characters. It's a new chance for Ross Poldark and I'm excited to see what he makes of it. Kudos!
QUARRY, "Figure Four", September 16, 2016, Actors: Damon Herriman, Logan Marshall-Green and more
The Scene: Buddy and Quarry get attacked
DarkUFO: Buddy and Quarry get attacked in the warehouse by the gun dealers but they turn the tables and kill them all.
RAY DONOVAN, "Chinese Algebra", September 11, 2016, Actors: Liev Schreiber and more
The Scene: Ray is arrested
Darth Locke: Trying to save Avi's life by getting him to a hospital, Ray is pulled over and arrested.
SUITS, "P.S.L.", September 14, 2016, Actors: Gina Torres and more, The Scene: Jessica gets the truth about Leonard Bailey's case
Laura Markus: Jessica gets the truth about Leonard Bailey's case while in court for the last time. This finale still won't sit right with me, and it probably never will. But I will say that this episode definitely showcased the best of Gina Torres and Jessica Pearson. I've missed her in the court and I've certainly missed her doing whatever she can to find the truth, not just to benefit her firm, but to help people. And that's Jessica's bottom line and ultimately why she left. I pounded my fist in the air, I cheered, I wept. This show will not be the same without Jessica.
THE LAST SHIP, "Don't Look Back", September 11, 2016, Actors: Eric Dane, Bridget Regan, The Scene: Sasha tries to get Tom to stay
Aimee Hicks: This was a great scene because it really highlighted how much stress Tom has been under this entire season. He looked worn and defeated despite the fact that they successfully retook the United States so that they can start rebuilding her government. They succeeded at what they set out to do, but at an extremely high cost. Tom lost his father and a very dear friend which shattered him. Not to mention he took a life that he didn’t necessarily have to take. He has been the rock for so many for so long that he needs to go off and try and find himself again. But that didn’t stop Sasha from trying to convince him to stay. She knew that he still had work he could do, and she felt like he was leaving behind his responsibility. Of everyone, she was the only one who would stand up to him like that. I like that she put on her most stern voice and tried to make him get back into his uniform. I love the chemistry that Eric Dane and Bridget Regan have, but I’m so grateful that the show didn’t have their characters sleep together. Dane and Regan were able to build this underlying level of sexual tension without ever allowing their characters to cross the line. That kiss at the end was a hopeful one where I think Tom fully intends to see Sasha again, but for all intent and purpose, in that moment it was a goodbye. It was a simple scene, but the glazed look on Tom’s face spoke volumes to what he was experiencing. This scene was perfectly acted and very well written.
VICTORIA, The Clockwork Prince", September 11, 2016, Actors: Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, The Scene: The Proposal
Justyna K: Watching Victoria and Albert getting to know each other better ended up being much more entertaining than I expected. The two had really great dynamics and both actors did an excellent work in the entire episode. Victoria never planned to actually like or care about Albert, but the two turned out to be a real match, which led to this heartwarming, genuine and sweet moment. The relationship between these two is quite an important union for the history itself but I never expected it to work in such a wonderful way. Happy moments like that don't happen so often on my shows which makes them all the more special when they do. I hope to see Victoria and Albert's relationship getting stronger and the two facing all the challenges together in the future. Surely, for the Queen and King of such a powerful nation, there's many interesting stories still ahead of them. Can't wait to see them. Kudos!
YOU'RE THE WORST, "Bad News: Dude's Dead", September 14, 2016, Actors: Aya Cash, Chris Geere and more, The Scenes: The opening scene & Jimmy leaves his dad a message
Ki Arnould: In the opening scene this week, Gretchen proactively seeks counseling from her therapist while managing to intrude on the therapist's privacy and morning meal. It's a great scene, because even though Gretchen is going about it all the wrong - and very funny - ways, she IS reaching out for help. Samira Wiley as a voice of reason is a refreshing counterbalance to the often-off-kilter main characters. Hope we see more of her in upcoming episodes!
Luana Arturi: The moment when Jimmy realizes all he wants is to make his father proud. It was heartbreaking to see everyone listen to him leaving a sweet message to his father, who they know to be dead. Exceptional acting by everyone in this scene but I have to give a special mention to Desmin Borges as he beautifully portrayed Edgar's heartwrenching pain for his friend.
AMERICAN HORROR STORY, "Chapter 1", September 14, 2016, Actors: Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson
The Scene: The Basement scene
Marko Pekic: So thrilling, exciting and almost like a real horror movie. Two great actresses playing with the terror and fear was just awesome.
Kollin Lore: Jane Doe escapes the CIA black site. There is nothing more invigorating than watching Jaime Alexander kick serious ass and there was plenty of that in these opening moments of the Blindspot premiere. This scene set the tone for an episode that was jam packed with tense, high stakes action - it was an electric opening to an electric episode - bringing Blindspot back to our screens with a bang.
Marko Pekic: Jane finding out the truth about her identity. It was about time we get real answers and making this all personal for Jane with the involvement of her mother and brother was just a perfect choice. The moment the truth came over Shepard's/Star's lips you could see Jane's inner struggle between real family and her "job" family.
Klutzy girl: Jane and Kurt confront each other for the first time in months. Both their pain was out in the open and it was such a fantastic, angsty scene because you can tell these two love each other but there's so much hurt between them now.
Jessica VanWinkle: Jane begs Kurt to shoot her. She tells Kurt about Mayfair being killed, and when she's not expecting it, Zapata shoots her in the side. I thought the acting of all three characters was great, and it showed how much pain all of them are in, and Mayfair's death is clearly affecting them all, especially Zapata.
Darth Locke: I would be amazed if BrainDead would be renewed or moved to CBS All Access, but I doubt this will be the case, especially with the announcement that The Good Wife Spin Off is moved forward and the Kings are more heavily involved now. BrainDead was equally as smart, fashionable, and maybe even, more entertaining. I will miss this little gem.
Aimee Hicks: This was a simple scene, but honestly, kind of an unexpected one. Decades of television watching has taught me that when a character in the military goes missing they are usually killed off. The fact that he was found and alive was a bit surprising. I’m glad that he’s on his way back to his family, but it was definitely a surprise. I love how simple this scene was with Mick, Megan, Connor and Abby finding out then spreading the word throughout the family. It was a simple scene, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. The tone of the scene was tense and at the flip of a coin it changed to jovial as they celebrated the fact that Kevin was found and alive. All the actors delivered beautiful and emotional performances once the news was revealed. The crack in Treat Williams’ voice once he’d revealed the good news perfectly captures Mick’s emotions over his son being found. Mick may struggle with being able to connect with his kids sometimes, but it is in moments like those where it is blatantly obvious how much he loves each and every one of his children. I had to nominate this scene because it was everything I wasn’t expecting.
Aimee Hicks: This ending left almost the entire crew in peril. Two was very near an explosion that exposed her corridor to the vacuum of space. Three was left seriously wounded with freshly returned Lieutenant Anders hovering over him. Five was left in the custody of Commander Truffault trying to get to safety. Six was last seen running down corridors trying to find safety. The Android was left on the ship to tend to a dead or dying Nyx. This ending was intense and poignant while raising the stakes about as high as they can get. Four essentially launched a galactic war with the crew caught in the crossfire. I’m not sure how they’ll resolve this next season, but it will be interesting to debate over who did and didn’t survive. This was a powerful scene and while it wasn’t the best season finale this was one truly standout scene.
Klutzy girl: Farkle finds out his family is Jewish and from Poland, and that his grandfather was adopted by a Christian family to hide him during World War II. He opens up the group about it. Zay is one of the best people in their little group of friends and such an amazing, supportive friend. The fact that he told Farkle he was there if he ever wanted to talk to him was incredibly sweet.
Kollin Lore: Following the shootout and checking out of the hospital Agent Dominique DiPierro goes home and kicks back on her bed. We then see a side of her we've never seen before as she tries to strike up conversation with her AI thing-a-bob. She asks it if it loves her, if it ever gets lonely, if it has eyes and what colour would it be. We see this powerful, perseverant agent reduced in the confines of her home to this lonely and vulnerable woman as she desperately tries to have a conversation with the programmatic Ai. It is a simplistically and subtlely written and directed scene that reverbates on an emotional level quite profoundly, one that is just so heartbreaking and sad. Gummer portrayed this character in this scene wonderfully.
Justyna K: After a brutal trial, many false witnesses and almost no support Ross Poldark faced the charges that could have easily ended with his death, but stayed true to himself. In his speech before the sentence he's not afraid to share a harsh truth, even if it costs him his life. His principles and honor matter a great deal to him and it's both a wonderful view and scary position to find him in, when the money and power get involved. But against all odds, when the jury reads their verdict, Ross is found not guilty and happily reunites with relieved Demelza. Their story is certainly a rocky one, but as long as they stay together, I think these two will be just fine. I really enjoyed seeing all the reactions in court, they said so much about each of the characters. It's a new chance for Ross Poldark and I'm excited to see what he makes of it. Kudos!
QUARRY, "Figure Four", September 16, 2016, Actors: Damon Herriman, Logan Marshall-Green and more
The Scene: Buddy and Quarry get attacked
DarkUFO: Buddy and Quarry get attacked in the warehouse by the gun dealers but they turn the tables and kill them all.
RAY DONOVAN, "Chinese Algebra", September 11, 2016, Actors: Liev Schreiber and more
The Scene: Ray is arrested
Darth Locke: Trying to save Avi's life by getting him to a hospital, Ray is pulled over and arrested.
Laura Markus: Jessica gets the truth about Leonard Bailey's case while in court for the last time. This finale still won't sit right with me, and it probably never will. But I will say that this episode definitely showcased the best of Gina Torres and Jessica Pearson. I've missed her in the court and I've certainly missed her doing whatever she can to find the truth, not just to benefit her firm, but to help people. And that's Jessica's bottom line and ultimately why she left. I pounded my fist in the air, I cheered, I wept. This show will not be the same without Jessica.
Aimee Hicks: This was a great scene because it really highlighted how much stress Tom has been under this entire season. He looked worn and defeated despite the fact that they successfully retook the United States so that they can start rebuilding her government. They succeeded at what they set out to do, but at an extremely high cost. Tom lost his father and a very dear friend which shattered him. Not to mention he took a life that he didn’t necessarily have to take. He has been the rock for so many for so long that he needs to go off and try and find himself again. But that didn’t stop Sasha from trying to convince him to stay. She knew that he still had work he could do, and she felt like he was leaving behind his responsibility. Of everyone, she was the only one who would stand up to him like that. I like that she put on her most stern voice and tried to make him get back into his uniform. I love the chemistry that Eric Dane and Bridget Regan have, but I’m so grateful that the show didn’t have their characters sleep together. Dane and Regan were able to build this underlying level of sexual tension without ever allowing their characters to cross the line. That kiss at the end was a hopeful one where I think Tom fully intends to see Sasha again, but for all intent and purpose, in that moment it was a goodbye. It was a simple scene, but the glazed look on Tom’s face spoke volumes to what he was experiencing. This scene was perfectly acted and very well written.
Justyna K: Watching Victoria and Albert getting to know each other better ended up being much more entertaining than I expected. The two had really great dynamics and both actors did an excellent work in the entire episode. Victoria never planned to actually like or care about Albert, but the two turned out to be a real match, which led to this heartwarming, genuine and sweet moment. The relationship between these two is quite an important union for the history itself but I never expected it to work in such a wonderful way. Happy moments like that don't happen so often on my shows which makes them all the more special when they do. I hope to see Victoria and Albert's relationship getting stronger and the two facing all the challenges together in the future. Surely, for the Queen and King of such a powerful nation, there's many interesting stories still ahead of them. Can't wait to see them. Kudos!
Ki Arnould: In the opening scene this week, Gretchen proactively seeks counseling from her therapist while managing to intrude on the therapist's privacy and morning meal. It's a great scene, because even though Gretchen is going about it all the wrong - and very funny - ways, she IS reaching out for help. Samira Wiley as a voice of reason is a refreshing counterbalance to the often-off-kilter main characters. Hope we see more of her in upcoming episodes!
Luana Arturi: The moment when Jimmy realizes all he wants is to make his father proud. It was heartbreaking to see everyone listen to him leaving a sweet message to his father, who they know to be dead. Exceptional acting by everyone in this scene but I have to give a special mention to Desmin Borges as he beautifully portrayed Edgar's heartwrenching pain for his friend.
