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 3", September 28, 2016, Actors: Kathy Bates and more
The Scene: The Butcher comes back
DarkUFO: Kathy Bates as The Butcher comes back and kills everyone, sparring her son.
BLACK-ISH, "God", September 28, 2016, Actors: Tracee Ellis Ross and more, The Scene: Bow's ultrasound
Klutzy girl: Bow's ultrasound made me emotional. The family getting worried when they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat - and their relief when they finally did - caused me some some emotional distress. I love that the whole family gathered for this moment.
BLINDSPOT, "Hero Fears Imminent Rot", September 28, 2016, Actors: Jaimie Alexander and more
The Scene: Jane decides not to shoot and kill her target
Geo N: This shows us that Jane wants to be good and be a part of the FBI, even if it means she has to betray her family.
BROOKLYN NINE NINE, "Coral Palms Pt. 2", September 27, 2016, Actors: Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher and more, The Scene: Jake kisses Holt in order to escape
Laura Markus: Did you watch the debate? You really didn't have to when you had Brooklyn Nine-Nine tackling similar issues in a lot more respectful and tasteful ways. Take homophobia for example. When Jake and Holt are stuck in the sheriff's jail, and after a brawl doesn't do the trick to help them escape, Jake figures out a sure-fire way that'll let them loose. There's nothing a white man like that sheriff (played by Parks n' Rec's Jerry) would hate more than two men kissing. And boy, oh boy, does it work. There's nothing sexual meant by this, it's literally just two men standing with their lips on one another. They even have a conversation while it's happening. But it speaks volumes in a great way. Bravo to the actors because that scene was one of the best things I have ever seen in my entire life.
CODE BLACK, "Second Year", September 28, 2016, Actors: Rob Lowe and more
The Scene: Ethan talks to Kaya about grief
Marko Pekic: I was so sceptic after hearing Rob got cast as the new male lead but he totally proved me wrong. He added a new side to this already very emotional show.
CRIMINAL MINDS, "The Crimson King", September 28, 2016, Actors: Aisha Tyler, A. J. Cook
The Scene: Tara talks to JJ and leaves with Brian
Samantha Benjamin: After helping Brian to surrender, Tara decides to ride downtown with him and JJ tells her she did a good job.
DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, "The First Day", September 28, 2016, Actors: Kiefer Sutherland, Kal Penn and more, The Scenes: The final montage & Tom puts Governor Royce in his place
Justyna K: The show continues to make a great impression on me. The story is interesting and the actors do an excellent work with the characters. This week the moment that stood out for me the most is the final montage. After a long, emotional and hard first day, Tom finally gets his chance to do what he wanted from the start, he visits the site of the explosion and thanks all the first responders for everything they're doing. This time without any cameras, reporters, questions and speeches, he gets to be the best version of himself, just the right leader for the people during this painful time. What makes these final minutes even more special is Seth's part of the story. With the civil rights abuses all over the country, he's tired and hurt, and wants to take a moment to say goodbye to his fallen friends. He stops in front of the White House, at the site of Memorial for all the victims of the recent attack, only to be noticed by one of the cops. Seth expects the worst, considering what's been happening earlier that day, but the cop reaches out to him and asks him if he lost anyone. "I lost everyone" was such a heartbreaking statement, but the support between all the people standing and praying, and saying their goodbyes together was a beautifully sad and moving scene. Kudos to cast & crew for the great performances, the music and setting that make this moment my choice for SOTW.
Luana Arturi: I know they're not doing anything groundbreaking here but the scenes where Tom finds his voice are awesome to watch, and this particular one is made better not only because of what was at stake and Kiefer Sutherland's acting but also Michael Gaston killed it and is always entertaining to watch (I have no idea why this guy hasn't played bigger roles yet).
GREY'S ANATOMY, "Catastrophe and the Cure", September 29, 2016, Actors: Sarah Drew, Jesse Williams, The Scene: Jackson and April get Harriet to fall asleep
Luana Arturi: They can be annoying sometimes but, afer all they've been through, I'm hoping this sweet scene means they can find a way to be finally happy.
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, "There Are Worse Things Than Murder", September 29, 2016, Actors: Jack Falahee, Viola Davis and more, The Scene: Connor berates the board for their decisions
Laura Markus: Oh, Jack Falahee. You earned yourself a POTM nomination for that glorious scene. Although this episode was filled with many fantastic scenes, this one takes the cake for me. Connor takes it so personally when the board won't listen to Irene and instead questions her motives for requesting parole. Annalise tries to shut him up at first but she later lets him keep going. That kind of passion we haven't seen from Connor since the early days. I really like how this episode brought him back into the world of law, it made him want to be a student again and I really appreciated it. He got so fired up about this case and immediately panicked about it later. But for my money, and apparently Conrad Ricamora's, who tweeted about it later, Connor could be one of the most fierce lawyers out there one day. That is, if he can survive until that point. Bravo to everyone involved in this episode and scene.
LUKE CAGE, "Just to Get a Rep", September 30, 2016, Actors: Mike Colter, Mahershala Ali and more
The Scene: The speeches at Pop's memorial
Louis Rabinowitz: Luke and Cottonmouth give their speeches about what Harlem means to them.
PITCH, "The Interim", September 29, 2016, Actors: Mark-Paul Gosselaar and more
The Scene: Mike’s speech to the team
Jessica VanWinkle: Mike’s speech to the team about being better and playing better while Ginny is on Jimmy Kimmel. Mike cares about this team, and he’s actually a pretty good mentor to Ginny. These two characters are very inspiring.
QUANTICO, "Kudove", September 25, 2016, Actors: Priyanka Chopra and more
The Scene: The beheading at the end (picked by DarkUFO)
QUARRY, "Seldom Realized", September 30, 2016, Actors: Kurt Yaeger, Jodi Balfour, Logan Marshall-Green, The Scene: Suggs attacks Joni and Quarry in their motel room (picked by DarkUFO)
SPEECHLESS, "N-e-New A-i-Aide", September 28, 2016, Actors: Cedric Yarbrough, Micah Fowler, The Scene: Kenneth helps JJ go to the bathroom
Marko Pekic: Asking for help to go to the bathroom is one of the biggest issues for disabled people and the show did a beautiful job by handling it with understanding and not making a big deal out of it. Also picked by Laura Markus
THE BLACKLIST, "Mato", September 29, 2016, Actors: James Spader, Susan Blommaert
The Scene: Red shoots Mr. Kaplan
Kollin Lore: This was the must watch 5 minute scene that The Blacklist had hyped in the days leading up to the episode. It definitely was a game changer. In it we saw Red's extreme commitment to his ideals, above all else. Mr. Kaplan betrayed him, she must die, end of discussion. The scene was beautifully written and acted. We see a ruthless, uncompromising Red, a side of the character that Spader portrays so convincingly.
Geo N: Red takes out Mr. Kaplan after walking her into a field. An extreme moment for The Blacklist as a fan favorite is gone.
THE EXORCIST, "Chapter Two: Lupus in Fabula", September 30, 2016, Actors: Alfonso Herrera, Ben Daniels, The Scene: Father Marcus and Father Tomas have a heart-to-heart
Kollin Lore: The rugged, carefree Father Marcus shows his softer side and opens up to Father Tomas about his tragic childhood. Ben Daniels as Marcus gives viewers a captivating performance in this scene, like many British actors, he has way of packing so much emotion into every word he speaks. This magical character moment is also very important to the narrative as it is the first time the two priests connect. Their united pray together only means bad news for all the demons they'll encounter.
THE GOLDBERGS, "I Heart Video Dating", September 28, 2016, Actors: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Hayley Orrantia, The Scene: Beverly comforts Erica over her heartbreak (picked by Samantha Benjamin)
THE GOOD PLACE, "Chapter 4: Jason Mendoza", September 29, 2016, Actors: Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto, The Scene: Eleanor talk about Chidi
Klutzy girl: When Eleanor's trying to convince Jason to let Chidi teach him how to be good too, she describes him as a kind and selfless nerd. They've come a long way in only four episodes, and I love how quickly they've become friends. And she clearly cares about him so I can't wait to see where this friendship goes.
THIS IS US, "The Big Three", September 27, 2016, Actors: Justin Hartley, Sterling K. Brown, Susan Kelechi Watson and more, The Scenes: The phone call & Beth's interrogation
Justyna K: It's been just two episodes and the show is already one of my favorites this fall. There were a lot of beautiful moments in this week's hour, like the scene mentioned below or the lovely conversation between Jack and Rebecca, but the phone call was such a heartwarming part and it spoke so much about the three siblings that I simply couldn't choose anything else. As soon as Kevin calls Randall, it's clear these two are not in a good place and Kevin wasn't the best of brothers. However, when he truly needs support he reaches out to his little brother and Randall is there for him in an instant. That's love, that's family. And it was such an honest and beautiful moment, with all three siblings repeating their family cheer, like their father taught them. It's a small thing that makes all the difference in the world. Beautiful performance by all actors, with a special shout-out for Justin Hartley, for showing just how much this call meant to Kevin. Kudos to cast & crew for all their work on this wonderful show. Can't wait to see the next episode!
Luana Arturi: The whole episode was brilliant once again but this scene was amazing, from the beginning where she talks about the love of her life, to William confessing he has a cat, and finally to Beth admitting she feels awful and all three of them laughing together, I love all the relationships portrayed here.
Jessica VanWinkle: The phone call between Kate, Kevin, and Randall. It was adorable. Even though it sounds like Kevin wasn't the greatest brother, he is making an effort to improve. I already love these three characters so much!
Marko Pekic: The call. It was such a simple scene with a lot of heart. Showing how close those 3 siblings are indeed.
Klutzy girl: The phone call scene was absolutely adorable. While you can tell that Kevin and Randall clearly still have problems with each other, it's sweet that they put them aside for just a few minutes. Randall comforting his brother when he needed him was sweet. And Justin Hartley made me emotional because Kevin's distress was quite clear. And on top of it, the phone call made me laugh at several points! These three siblings definitely love each other, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of their relationship.
24, "Day 8: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.", May 24, 2010, Actors: Cherry Jones and more
Bradley Adams: President Taylor declines to sign the peace treaty and asks Tim Woods to help her stop her mistake from becoming worse. I know that Jack saying goodbye to Chloe is the obvious pick, but this is the scene that always sticks with me. Cherry Jones is incredible here and her realisation that she's gone too far is so emotional.
ANGEL, "Not Fade Away", May 19, 2004, Actors: David Boreanaz, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof and more
Kollin Lore: In Wesley we see one of the most fully realized characters in not just the Buffy/Angel verse, but all of television. I can write an essay about the Shakespearean transformation of this complex character and if you Google it you'll find some great reads (or just watch Angel, if you haven't already). To summarize though, Wesley went from this bookish, pompous goof to a rugged, ruthless and angry demon hunter, over the course of 5 seasons of Angel and I think one season of Buffy. The transformation was brought on by such heartbreaking tragedy. In the finale of Angel, it was only fitting that he, of all characters, meet his demise. Wesley had gone through such insurmountable pain that death was really the only salvation for him. And so, when Illyria is holding Wesley in her arms, she asks him if she should turn back to Fred, the love of his life who she killed and possessed, and he accepted. This was something that he always denied as he didn't want to be reminded of Fred, and in his last seconds, upon his request, we see a tearful Fred holding a dying Wesley in her arms as he professes his love for her, and then, hers for him. These emotions are so powerful and raw and so real that Illyria, turning back into her demon form, is wrought with something she had never felt before - emotion, pure anger - which she takes out in one fell punch on the mage who killed him. This was one of the first scenes I had watched on television that made me genuinely bawl my eyes out, and after watching it again for the umpteenth time, it still makes me cry like crazy.
Ki Arnould: The cliffhanger ending of Angel - We discover that the team has spent the whole season worming their way into the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart, pretending to let the evil get to them, and then they unleash synchronized carnage across the board -- all ending with a final, fatal stand where we have to assume, but aren't able to confirm, that everyone dies.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, "Daybreak", March 20, 2009, Actors: Edward James Olmos, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber and more
Milo M-J: This series finale was divisive when it aired but I loved it. There were so many great, emotional moments from this so I could have picked most of them but a favourite has to be Adama leaving Galactica for the last time, knowing that his journey is done and he reached his destination. The flashback as well was a pretty effective one and showed his character growth over the entire series.
Darth Locke: So many scenes resonate, but I think for me, it's the final montage of seeing the characters begin to separate. Seeing Kara just disappear when Lee is talking, to Baltar crying because the person he was running from is the person he needed to be in order to help everyone survive, Bill showing Laura the landscape and finding a place for the cabin and where to lay her to rest, or watching Hera run in front of her parents across the grassy landscape just destroyed me, but that is how I know how powerful it was.
BOY MEETS WORLD, "Brave New World", May 5, 2000, Actors: William Daniels and more
Klutzy girl: The "class dismissed" scene at the end is iconic and emotional. Mr. Feeny loved all of them and I'm glad he got to say it. They're a family and it showed during the final scene.
BREAKING BAD, "Felina", September 29, 2013, Actors: Bryan Cranston and more
Louis Rabinowitz: "I did it because I liked it." - Vince Gilligan termed this as the scene that justified the existence of Breaking Bad's final two episodes, and it's hard not to see why. In a simple, short sentence, all the lies and self-deception that have marked Walt's journey crumble away, leaving only the raw truth he's been running from for years; his quest was simply a selfish one, and the family excuse was just that: an excuse. It's the perfect end to Walt's tumultuous character journey, finally pulling him out of the spiral he had been in and teeing him up for an ending that had just a tiny sliver of hope in it. This wasn't a perfect finale, and a lot of people disliked the clean and definitive feel of the ending, but it's hard to fault a scene as powerful and revelatory as this.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, "Chosen", May 20, 2003, Actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar and more
Prpleight: Buffy is having a sleepless night before her epic battle. The One shows up to taunt her and she realizes she can actually win. I was having a difficult time picking between this, the epic battle sequence and the moment that she tells Spike he’s a Champion, but I chose this scene because in a way it spoke to the heart of the show. Buffy lived longer than most slayers because of the Scooby Gang. She never went to battle alone and here, in the series finale she found a way to, once again, go into battle surrounded by friends and family.
Samantha Benjamin: Buffy tells Spike he's a champion. Spike started out as a vampire with no morals, enjoyed killing people and being a general douche, albeit a funny one. He ended the show as one that cared about right & wrong, protected people even if he didn't like them or they deserved it & being seen as a champion in the eyes of the woman who for so long hated him.
BURN NOTICE, "Reckoning", September 12, 2013, Actors: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar and more
Samantha Benjamin: Michael & Fiona in the cabin with his nephew. I originally started to watch the show because Michael & Fiona's dynamic was so funny. Ending the show with them finally getting their happily ever after and the callback to the pilot with 'My name is Michael Westen, I used to be a spy until' was perfect.
CHARMED, "Forever Charmed", May 21, 2006, Actors: Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan and more
Klutzy girl: The whole family is reunited after the Ultimate Battle is fought. Leo's reunion with Piper was adorable and I loved seeing adult Chris (my favorite character) and Wyatt again. It had some issues but overall, the series finale was amazing and this is still one of my favorite scenes.
Marko Pekic: The final scene with each sister recording their future in the Book of Shadows. Just a perfect way to round up their journey.
DAWSON'S CREEK, "All Good Things... Must Come to An End", May 14, 2003, Actors: James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and more
Winston Mize: In the final moments of the series, Dawson answers a phone call from Pacey and Joey who have just watched an episode of The Creek. Dawson tells them that he's meeting someone tomorrow and Pacey and Joey figure out it's Steven Spielberg, Dawson's idol. The episode ends when the camera lingers on a picture on Dawson's desk of him and his friends before cutting to a scene of them all walking down the beach from season one.
ER, "And in the End...", April 2, 2009, Actors: Noah Wyle, Hallee Hirsh and more
Justyna K: ER was one of the first shows, if not the first, that I truly loved watching and it will always have its special place on my list. I still haven't seen the final few seasons but the first eight still remain one of my favorites on TV. It's no wonder then that when it comes to an article like this one, ER is one of the obvious choices for me. I loved that even though Carter couldn't stay for the entirety of the show, he was always there when it mattered the most and once again had such a significant role in the final hour of the series. And there were quite a few scenes I could mention here, but nothing feels just quite right like the ending itself. With the reference to the beginning and Mark's daughter Rachel coming back, this time as a medical student, it was a right place to finish, knowing that the characters will carry on. And the story goes on... With Carter and future dr. Greene where it all began.
FARSCAPE - THE PEACEKEEPER WARS, October 18, 2004, Actors: Claudia Black, Ben Browder
Aimee Hicks: Aeryn begs the comatose John to return to her and their son. It was hard to pick just one scene from this amazing conclusion to the Farscape journey. Nearly every scene was worthy of recognition. This scene, however, stood out because of how much heart went into it. Claudia Black put on one hell of a performance as Aeryn Sun begged for the man she loves to come back to her. No matter what they went through together they always found their way back to each other and Aeryn was determined that this wouldn’t be the one time they lost each other. Their love was strong and their bond unbreakable, but it was the addition of their son, a product of their immense love, that brought John back. I love how Claudia and Ben acted this scene. While most of the emotional weight rested with Claudia it didn’t stop Ben from delivering an equally poignant performance as he pulled John back to his family to embrace his son. This scene was the culmination of the intense journey these characters went on from the first seconds they met to this point. They were always a team and even in this moment they were working together to reunite their family. Aeryn fought to pull John back and he fought to get back to her. They had and still have one of the best sci-fi love stories of all time.
FRIENDS, "The Last One", May 6, 2004, Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and more
Saloni Gajjar: The final scene with them hugging/Chandler asking where they should go for coffee/final goodbye to Monica's house. I cry just thinking about it. 10 great seasons!
Marko Pekic: Ross listens to the voicemail and gets interrupted just when Rachel wants to say she loves him. Suddenly she appears behind him and they kiss. The feels!
FRINGE, "An Enemy of Fate", January 18, 2013, Actors: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble
Justyna K: Fringe was in its final season when SOTW feature started and it seems just right to go back to one of my favorite series in this special article. There are so many beautifully done, meaningful and emotional moments in the show's last hour but the one I always remember the most is the goodbye between Peter and Walter back in the lab. "You're my favorite thing, Peter. My very favorite thing" still remains my favorite quote on the show. It's beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. And it gets me every single time. From the very first season it became clear how many small and bigger things Walter cared about. But there was never anything or anyone he loved more than his son and his words at the end say it all. The relationship between these two was always the best part of the story for me and Joshua Jackson and John Noble were perfect in these interactions and scenes together. I still miss the show & it's one I keep coming back to.
Kollin Lore: If we are going with what is the most thrilling and gratifying scene in a finale, this is it. Peter and Olivia take their last stand against the Observers by storming their facility and unleashing pure havoc in the form of all of the deadly and nasty contagions they had investigated and collected over the course of the series. All while walking through the base with gas masks to watch it unfold and rescue Boyles and obtain the cube. This was such a great ode to the series, and it was so gratifying to watch these cool contagions, some of them stretching back all the way to season one, being used again, but this time for the greater good. Not only that, but the music as Olivia and Peter storm through the facility was just bad ass.
DarkUFO: Peter gets a letter with the White Tulip drawn in it.
FUTURAMA, "Meanwhile", September 4, 2013, Actors: Billy West, Katey Sagal and more
Ki Arnould: Fry and Leela always kinda danced around each other, never really engaging in a full-on relationship. Then one of the Professor's time gadgets goes awry, freezing the entire world - except for Fry and Leela. The two live a whole life together in that frozen world, traveling the breadth of the earth. Near the end of their lives the Professor appears and says he can fix it - so Fry and Leela decide to "go around again". Always been one of my favorite episodes.
GILMORE GIRLS, "Bon Voyage", May 15, 2007, Actors: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel and more
Aimee Hicks: Rory's goodbye party. Everyone felt like this wasn’t the place for the series to end. The show still had more story to tell, but all great things eventually have to come to an end and that’s what happened here. The Netflix revival is coming in a few short months, making it evident that the story was indeed not done being told, but as far as series finales go this was a nice ending. It brought all of the citizens of Stars Hollow together to say goodbye to Rory. These are the people who helped raise her and in their own ways each of them had a big impact on her life. It gave Rory a chance to once again commend her mom for all she’d done for her. Stars Hollow is and always will be her home. It was a deeply emotional but extremely hopeful scene that beautifully brought the series to a temporary end. Also picked by Ki Arnould
GRAVITY FALLS, "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls", February 15, 2016, Actors: Kristen Schaal, Alex Hirsch
Laura Markus: Mabel helps Grunkle Stan get his memories back. Hey, remember the Chuck finale? I certainly do, that left me really disappointed with the decisions they made on how they wanted to end one of my favourite shows. So when I saw Gravity Falls taking a similar approach, I was ready to throw my computer out of the window. After finally defeating Bill Cipher in a creative and clever way, it's revealed that Stanley dressed himself like Stanford in order to trick him. But in doing so, he was forced to erase all of his memories of the summer. The shot of him in the forest looking completely dazed still haunts me. The worst part is when Mabel tries to talk to him, and he doesn't remember her. However, they find out that sharing her scrapbook with him does the trick, and he slowly recovers all the memories of the wonderful adventures they partook in. I know, it's a kids show, and they probably weren't going to leave it open-ended like Chuck did. That doesn't change the fact that this finale was masterfully done and the dynamic between Mabel and Grunkle Stan was one of the best things about the show.
HANNIBAL, "The Wrath of the Lamb", August 29, 2015, Actors: Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy
Luana Arturi: The Cliffhanger. Before the big, final battle, there is a great conversation in which Will says "I don't know if I can save myself. Maybe that's just fine", and that will connect to the final scene which is my choice for this article. After defeating The Red Dragon together, they hold each other all bloody and wounded, and Hannibal tells Will all he ever wanted was that moment, to see him finally cross over to the dark side. And Will, feeling he is being swallowed, makes one last effort to throw both Hannibal and himself off the cliff to make sure the world can be free of both of them. I know this is a controversial finale but I don't see it ending any other way. After all, no matter how hard Will tried, he was always drawn back to Hannibal, to evil, and this was his way to make all that evil go away for good. He didn't know if he could save himself, and maybe, that was just fine.
HOUSE, "Everybody Dies", May 21, 2012, Actors: Hugh Laurie, Robert Sean Leonard
Laura Markus: House drives off with Wilson into the unknown. There will never be a finale as perfect as this. It just won't happen. This show was all about House and his life. How he looked at everything and everyone like a puzzle. People came, people went, but there was always one constant. James Evan Wilson. When news of Wilson's cancer came to light, it didn't matter what House had to do, but he was going to be there for him. He risked going back to jail just to spend more time with him. But he almost managed to be in jail for longer than Wilson's remaining months. You could see in the penultimate episode's cliffhanger just how much that was ruining him. Which basically lead to the finale and House's demons literally coming to the surface. He would've rather died than be separated from Wilson. But, of course, it's revealed in one of the best scenes of all time, House didn't actually die in that fire. Wilson's giving a rather puzzling eulogy about the man and suddenly a phone goes off in his pocket. It's not his phone, and the message reads: "SHUT UP YOU IDIOT". Which is basically House's way of saying I love you. Wilson drives back home and House is waiting there, almost like a puppy, sitting on his doorsteps. The theme of loyalty was huge between them and it was always prevalent how Wilson would always be there for House. House was rude to everybody, he drove everything and everyone he loved away. But what became quite clear in the finale was just how much he'd be there for Wilson too. Faking his death meant that he could no longer practice medicine, no longer do the one thing that kept him alive and gave him a purpose. As it turns out, though, House's real purpose in life was Wilson, it was always Wilson. House's life didn't begin until he met him at that convention all those years ago. And it'll end with Wilson - 5 months later, probably numbed out by Vicodin. This finale showed you that everyone moved on after House's "death". Taub, his wife, and Ruby are going to raise their children together. Cameron is the Head of an ER at her hospital, she's married with a child too. Chase took over House's spot, with Park and Adams as his fellows. Thirteen is probably still with the girlfriend we saw her with earlier, doing whatever she wants to do for the rest of her life, because House gave that to her. Foreman's still the Dean, but when his table shakes once more he sees House's doctor's badge. The smile he gave afterwards showed everything: House was still alive and is doing exactly what he spent the finale fighting for him to do - to spend those last few months with the person he loves. "Cancer's boring." - The last words of the series. House and Wilson, driving on motorcycles off into the sunset - the last scene of the series. The show also started with them, and it ended with them. Everything came together in this scene seamlessly, and the quality was heightened with the addition of Keep Me In Your Heart For A While & Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) as the soundtrack for the end. Fans might remember that the latter song was sung by Amber to show House that he was still hallucinating; a haunting tune which showed, once again, of Wilson's devotion to House as he picked him up from the bar and took him home. To summarize: the story of House and Wilson is certainly the best love story of our time.
Geo N: House’s final scene! It was beautifully shot with House and Wilson riding off to certain death. I love how they showed, in the final montage scene, everyone from Princeton Plainsboro Hospital whose life was touched in some way by Gregory House and how they moved on seemingly all because of House being in their lives at some point. The one with Foreman summed up what House did for everyone perfectly - It was House’s badge that ‘fixed’ Foreman’s problem with his side table just like House ‘fixes’ everyone in any way possible. It was a beautiful scene in a beautiful finale for one of television’s greatest shows ever.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, "Last Forever", March 31, 2014, Actors: Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders
Saloni Gajjar: Ted got Robin her the blue french horn, again. I'm in the minority but I always loved these two and I'm glad the characters got to live their dream out (he got a family, she got a career) and they finally found their way back to each other.
JUSTIFIED, "The Promise", April 14, 2015, Actors: Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins
Milo M-J: "We Dug Coal Together" scene between Boyd and Raylan. An emotional ending and a perfect payoff between the two characters - one of the best series finales out there and an excellent way to end it. After everything that they went through together this final scene was one of the more effective moments of an excellent series.
LEVERAGE, "The Long Goodbye Job", December 25, 2012, Actors: Timothy Hutton, Beth Riesgraf and more
Prpleight: Opening sequence: the job goes horribly wrong. I knew this was the series finale. So the idea that Hardison, Parker, and Eliot died and the ep would be about Sophie and Nate trying to escape to freedom made perfect sense. I was completely heartbroken, tears and all. The flashback/retelling of the same event from different points of view has been done a LOT. This sequence was one of the best I’ve seen.
Samantha Benjamin: Final scene where Parker is now leading the crew with Elliot & Hardison. Just recently finished a rewatch of the show as it's one of my all time favourites. All three of the characters grew so much over the 5 years from what they were in the beginning, but especially Parker. She went from someone who was all about the money, didn't want to work with anyone else, annoyed the others a lot & didn't really process feelings, to someone who cared about injustice, loved her team who loved her back just as much, considered what was right or wrong & it wasn't really a surprise when she became the new leader.
LIFE ON MARS (UK), "Episode 8", April 10, 2007, Actors: John Simm and more
Milo M-J: Sam Tyler deciding to return to the 1970s, choosing this reality over the present day one with all its modern day technology by jumping off the edge of a building. It's an emotional and effective moment that sees him get happiness and the girl, but whilst it presented more questions than it answered, it was still an effective one. That's one of my favourite endings to one of the best British TV shows out there.
LOST, "The End", May 23, 2010, Actors: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, John Terry and more
Darth Locke: During the Flashsideways, Jack reunites and converses with his Father, Christian. Between Michael Giacchino's beautiful score and just the scene itself with Jack touching the closed casket and Christian being right behind him, I could easily get as teary-eyed today, as I did when I first watched the episode. This is the scene that metaphysically explains the whole series, by pointing out that death, is just a transition, which is furthered by the characters later walking through light--a kind of time travel motif, but moreover, it's when the audience knows that story was really always about Jack coming to terms with his father and the spirituality that he feared to embrace, was something real, that life and memory could be regained and collected somewhere, and was never really lost (so long as this Island was always preserved and protected). Never again has a finale moved me so passionately.
DarkUFO: The Finale Scene with Jack dying laying next to Vincent.
Bradley Adams: Hurley appoints Ben as his number two.
MONK, "Mr. Monk and the End", December 4, 2009, Actors: Tony Shalhoub and more
Justyna K: What a wonderful story this show was! And the final hour was such an emotional and beautifully done one. It starts with one of the most heartbreaking and best acted scenes I've ever seen, thanks to the incredible Tony Shalhoub who portrayed Monk perfectly in the show's entire run. As Monk watches Trudy's video and realizes the truth, his heart breaks with every word. It's all so much and not enough at the same time. The truth was always so close to him and it's killing him to think about all that time he spent looking for answers when they were right there at his home. The truth hurts but it's Trudy's confession about how much she truly loved him that really takes Monk's breath away. These two were so perfect together and their story is one of those that I would most want to have a happy ending. Which is why I'm glad with the discovery about Trudy's daughter in the end. It's like a part of his love came back to Monk and his story ends in a good place, like he got a second chance to be happy, getting to know Trudy's daughter, making her his family. And I absolutely loved the final montage as we say goodbye to Monk. The music is perfect, as are all the memories from the show's run. It was a beautiful tribute and the perfect way to end the show. "Cause I think you're gonna miss me when I'm gone..."
ONE TREE HILL, "One Tree Hill", May 4, 2012, Actors: Bethany Joy Lenz, Sophia Bush, James Lafferty and more
Aimee Hicks: The final scene. I’ve seen a lot of series finales in my time, but this one still remains my favorite of all time. This is the series finale that all other shows should look to for guidance on how to properly end a series. The audience was allowed to see how each character evolved and the story came full circle. Where the series began is basically where it ended, just with a different generation. While the final scene also allowed the whole group to come together it also made it evident that after the series faded to black their lives still went on. None of the series regulars were left out of the narrative as the series flowed to a natural end. Everyone got the ending they deserved in the most beautifully told way possible. This series finale still remains my favorite of all time for its pure simplistic reality that was true to each character.
Saloni Gajjar: The whole cast at Jamie's basketball game years later. The final quote as they wait for him to enter the court. The whole episode, overall, was wonderful though. Quinn/Clay wedding, Nathan/Haley's dance in the rain, Julian buying Brooke's old house.
Kate Sidwell: Final scene with full cast in the gym waiting for Jamie to enter the court. This finale was truly perfect in so many ways, from the little throwbacks throughout to the great music, everything was orchestrated perfectly. It’s so hard to give every character closure in just one hour with a cast so large, but somehow One Tree Hill’s finale managed to do just that with a great mix of looking back while still looking forward. This final scene is truly the only way I could picture this show ending- with the classic One Tree Hill voiceover inspirational monologue and everyone being together and happy, celebrating and cheering on Jamie. This was what the show was all about, the love and relationships between all of these amazing characters and it was the perfect way to say goodbye.
PARENTHOOD, "May God Bless and Keep You Always", January 29, 2015, Actors: Craig T. Nelson and more
Jessica VanWinkle: I don't know if I've ever cried harder during a series finale. Zeek died and we saw a glimpse of the family in the future without him. It was such a bittersweet moment- the Bravermans were still living life and their dreams were coming true, but they were going to have to live without their dad and their grandfather. It was a very emotional finale.
PENNY DREADFUL, "The Blessed Dark", June 19, 2016, Actors: Rory Kinnear, Eva Green and more
Kollin Lore: The relationship between John Clare and Ms. Ives was one of the most powerful non-romantic relationships in recent television. Here we have two lost souls, one, Ms. Ives, whose sheer beauty is unmatched by any woman around her, yet she is consumed by the inescapable monstrosity that exists within her. The other, John Clare, has the soul of a poet and is able to see beauty in places others only see pain and suffering, yet he is tormented by his grotesque appearance and his inability to fit in as a result. As Vanessa tells him, he is the most human man she has ever known, such profound words to John Clare who leads a life where he is constantly treated like he is other than human. Both characters have so much in common, but yet experience it in such a contrasting way making their bond the most poetic and poignant relationship in Penny Dreadful. After being used and tainted so much by the devil, there was no return to normalcy for Vanessa Ives, and so her death was the only way she could ever find peace of mind. It is her funeral that closes off Penny Dreadful, and as we see the procession, John Clare recites the very beautiful, but sombre "Ode on Imitations of Immortality." The show closes as he kneels by her gravesite, his most dearest and only friend, to say his final goodbye, one of the most heartbreaking and emotionally resonant final scenes in a finale in recent memory, and a fitting one at that.
PSYCH, "The Break-Up", March 26, 2014, Actors: James Roday, Dulé Hill, Maggie Lawson and more
Laura Markus: Shawn leaves a video for Gus. I'm not 100% sold on this finale, nor am I sold on the fact that there won't be a movie one day down the line to add more things to this wonderful world that Steve Franks created. But, for what they aimed to accomplish, I think this is a solid finale, certainly one of the better ones out there. And it's almost entirely for the way they structured it. Shawn and Gus have always had a symbiotic relationship. Where one leads, the other follows, no matter how dangerous the case or task at hand may be. When it's revealed that Shawn wants to leave Santa Barbara to join Juliet in San Francisco, Shawn struggles throughout the entire episode trying to figure out how exactly to break the news to Gus. He tries to keep the case that they were working on go much longer. He cherishes every moment he has with him. He doesn't even have the heart to call Gus a funny nickname. But you will notice that Shawn is talking into the camera sporadically in the finale. And then we find out why. Shawn is leaving videos for his friends and family in order to say goodbye. His videos for his dad, Lassie, Woody, and even for Dobson who's revealed to be Val Kilmer all had substantial weight to them. But none of them hit me like Gus's video hit me. Gus was ready to let go. Ready to take the job of his dreams at a pharmaceutical company, ready to meet another girl there and hopefully start the family he has always wanted. "I just suck at the real stuff. You know that. But you’re gonna be fine. You’re gonna be better than fine. I just can’t help thinking that uh, the only problem that you really had all this time… is me. And I’ve kept you from the life that you deserve, you know, that life that you’ve earned, the life that you’d have, if I hadn’t barged into your office 8 years ago and said ‘We’re gonna play detective. Whether you want to or not’. I love you man." But it's Shawn's painful words that make him change his mind and make him follow him to the ends of the earth (that being San Francisco). I just thought that entire last scene of his video was so incredibly well acted from both James Roday and Dulé Hill and it was also very powerfully written and in true character for Shawn (and later for Gus). I'm ecstatic that those two characters didn't have to say goodbye to each other. And I hope there is indeed a movie at one point with new adventures with all the characters.
Kate Sidwell: Shawn proposes to Juliet. Relationships were always at the core of this show and this finale definitely made a point to showcase them all. However, this scene featured, in my opinion, the two most important relationships, Shawn/Gus and Shawn/Juliet, perfectly. No scene showed Shawn’s growth more than his act of commitment proposing to Juliet. Everything was perfect, it was equal parts heartwarming and hilarious, with Gus standing right there throwing in his own comments throughout. This final scene let us know that they'll all be okay and will continue on their adventures together even after the credits roll. There were many great moments in this episode that were worth mentioning, especially Shawn’s emotional goodbye videos to both Gus and Lassiter. It showed a different side of Shawn and I especially loved when he was about to come clean to Lassiter but before he could, Lassiter ejected the CD and broke it. It really shows how far they came throughout the course of the show and it was beautiful to watch.
REVENGE, "Two Graves", May 10, 2015, Actors: Emily VanCamp, Madeleine Stowe, James Tupper
Kate Sidwell: David shoots Victoria, then Victoria shoots Emily/Amanda. This show was such a roller coaster, full of dramatic twists and turns, so it’s only fitting that something like this would happen in the series finale. When Emily goes to shoot Victoria and finally end her journey for revenge, her father, David, ends up doing it instead, in order to save her soul. However, Victoria turns the tables and in her final moments, shoots Emily as well. The scene ends with them both lying in pools of blood, dying. It was exciting and dramatic, and it honestly left you wondering whether or not the whole series would end with both of them dead. Of course, Emily couldn't go out that way and she survives and has some beautiful scenes at the end of the episode with Nolan and her wedding to Jack. However, in true Revenge fashion, I had to go with the shooting scene. I also loved the little bit they put at the end when Emily wakes up from a dream, that in order to save her life they had to give her Victoria's heart. We’re left wondering if it was truly a dream or not and it put an interesting spin on the final moments of the series.
SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH, "Soul Mates", April 24, 2003, Actors: Melissa Joan Hart, Nate Richert
Klutzy girl: Sabrina runs out on her wedding to be with Harvey again - at the exact time they met all those years ago. They're still one of my favorite ships and I have the song stuck in my head years later (will forever associate it with the scene too). I'm so glad they got a happy ending.
THE NEWSROOM, "What Kind of Day Has It Been", December 14, 2014, Actors: Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer and more
Luana Arturi: Will wants to live for a long, long time. Every scene from this episode was great, an ode to every single character and a great way to conclude every personal storyline in a beautiful way, from the flashbacks to Leon convincing Pruit to keep Mac on and make her President of ACN, but I especially love those related to Will finding out he's going to be a father. Which brings me to my chosen scene where Will begs his staff to take care of his health and make sure he lives a long life (and enjoy being a father for as much time as possible). This scene is made hilarious when he asks Kendra to slap him every time she sees him with a cigarette in his mouth but also endearing as we see him ecstatic and confused about the whole thing speaking franticly about his sudden interest in heath, giving his secret up in a very sweet way. I think this particular scene shows how far they've all come, but especially Will, who was known to be a douchbag and ended up being beloved by everyone.
THE SECRET CIRCLE, "Family", May 10, 2012, Actors: Britt Robertson, Shelley Hennig and more
Marko Pekic: Diana and Cassie joining forces and defeating their father. The two sisters joining forces was a beautiful moment and showed their real strength.
THE WEST WING, "Tomorrow", May 14, 2006, Actors: Bradley Whitford, Janel Moloney and more
Jessica VanWinkle: The transition from the Bartlet administration to the Santos administration made the finale very memorable. We had to say goodbye to some of the characters as they moved away from the White House, but others (Josh, Donna, Sam) stayed for the new administration. It was a nice way to show that the White House and the work was going to continue even though we wouldn't get to see it anymore.
XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, "A Friend in Need", June 18, 2001, Actors: Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor
Donna Chidley: As Xena and Gabrielle sit on the rocks watching the sunset and Xena fades away nothing Gabrielle can do this time to get her back. Still gets me every time.
AMERICAN HORROR STORY, "Chapter 3", September 28, 2016, Actors: Kathy Bates and more
The Scene: The Butcher comes back
DarkUFO: Kathy Bates as The Butcher comes back and kills everyone, sparring her son.
Klutzy girl: Bow's ultrasound made me emotional. The family getting worried when they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat - and their relief when they finally did - caused me some some emotional distress. I love that the whole family gathered for this moment.
BLINDSPOT, "Hero Fears Imminent Rot", September 28, 2016, Actors: Jaimie Alexander and more
The Scene: Jane decides not to shoot and kill her target
Geo N: This shows us that Jane wants to be good and be a part of the FBI, even if it means she has to betray her family.
Laura Markus: Did you watch the debate? You really didn't have to when you had Brooklyn Nine-Nine tackling similar issues in a lot more respectful and tasteful ways. Take homophobia for example. When Jake and Holt are stuck in the sheriff's jail, and after a brawl doesn't do the trick to help them escape, Jake figures out a sure-fire way that'll let them loose. There's nothing a white man like that sheriff (played by Parks n' Rec's Jerry) would hate more than two men kissing. And boy, oh boy, does it work. There's nothing sexual meant by this, it's literally just two men standing with their lips on one another. They even have a conversation while it's happening. But it speaks volumes in a great way. Bravo to the actors because that scene was one of the best things I have ever seen in my entire life.
CODE BLACK, "Second Year", September 28, 2016, Actors: Rob Lowe and more
The Scene: Ethan talks to Kaya about grief
Marko Pekic: I was so sceptic after hearing Rob got cast as the new male lead but he totally proved me wrong. He added a new side to this already very emotional show.
CRIMINAL MINDS, "The Crimson King", September 28, 2016, Actors: Aisha Tyler, A. J. Cook
The Scene: Tara talks to JJ and leaves with Brian
Samantha Benjamin: After helping Brian to surrender, Tara decides to ride downtown with him and JJ tells her she did a good job.
Justyna K: The show continues to make a great impression on me. The story is interesting and the actors do an excellent work with the characters. This week the moment that stood out for me the most is the final montage. After a long, emotional and hard first day, Tom finally gets his chance to do what he wanted from the start, he visits the site of the explosion and thanks all the first responders for everything they're doing. This time without any cameras, reporters, questions and speeches, he gets to be the best version of himself, just the right leader for the people during this painful time. What makes these final minutes even more special is Seth's part of the story. With the civil rights abuses all over the country, he's tired and hurt, and wants to take a moment to say goodbye to his fallen friends. He stops in front of the White House, at the site of Memorial for all the victims of the recent attack, only to be noticed by one of the cops. Seth expects the worst, considering what's been happening earlier that day, but the cop reaches out to him and asks him if he lost anyone. "I lost everyone" was such a heartbreaking statement, but the support between all the people standing and praying, and saying their goodbyes together was a beautifully sad and moving scene. Kudos to cast & crew for the great performances, the music and setting that make this moment my choice for SOTW.
Luana Arturi: I know they're not doing anything groundbreaking here but the scenes where Tom finds his voice are awesome to watch, and this particular one is made better not only because of what was at stake and Kiefer Sutherland's acting but also Michael Gaston killed it and is always entertaining to watch (I have no idea why this guy hasn't played bigger roles yet).
GREY'S ANATOMY, "Catastrophe and the Cure", September 29, 2016, Actors: Sarah Drew, Jesse Williams, The Scene: Jackson and April get Harriet to fall asleep
Luana Arturi: They can be annoying sometimes but, afer all they've been through, I'm hoping this sweet scene means they can find a way to be finally happy.
Laura Markus: Oh, Jack Falahee. You earned yourself a POTM nomination for that glorious scene. Although this episode was filled with many fantastic scenes, this one takes the cake for me. Connor takes it so personally when the board won't listen to Irene and instead questions her motives for requesting parole. Annalise tries to shut him up at first but she later lets him keep going. That kind of passion we haven't seen from Connor since the early days. I really like how this episode brought him back into the world of law, it made him want to be a student again and I really appreciated it. He got so fired up about this case and immediately panicked about it later. But for my money, and apparently Conrad Ricamora's, who tweeted about it later, Connor could be one of the most fierce lawyers out there one day. That is, if he can survive until that point. Bravo to everyone involved in this episode and scene.
LUKE CAGE, "Just to Get a Rep", September 30, 2016, Actors: Mike Colter, Mahershala Ali and more
The Scene: The speeches at Pop's memorial
Louis Rabinowitz: Luke and Cottonmouth give their speeches about what Harlem means to them.
PITCH, "The Interim", September 29, 2016, Actors: Mark-Paul Gosselaar and more
The Scene: Mike’s speech to the team
Jessica VanWinkle: Mike’s speech to the team about being better and playing better while Ginny is on Jimmy Kimmel. Mike cares about this team, and he’s actually a pretty good mentor to Ginny. These two characters are very inspiring.
QUANTICO, "Kudove", September 25, 2016, Actors: Priyanka Chopra and more
The Scene: The beheading at the end (picked by DarkUFO)
QUARRY, "Seldom Realized", September 30, 2016, Actors: Kurt Yaeger, Jodi Balfour, Logan Marshall-Green, The Scene: Suggs attacks Joni and Quarry in their motel room (picked by DarkUFO)
Marko Pekic: Asking for help to go to the bathroom is one of the biggest issues for disabled people and the show did a beautiful job by handling it with understanding and not making a big deal out of it. Also picked by Laura Markus
The Scene: Red shoots Mr. Kaplan
Kollin Lore: This was the must watch 5 minute scene that The Blacklist had hyped in the days leading up to the episode. It definitely was a game changer. In it we saw Red's extreme commitment to his ideals, above all else. Mr. Kaplan betrayed him, she must die, end of discussion. The scene was beautifully written and acted. We see a ruthless, uncompromising Red, a side of the character that Spader portrays so convincingly.
Geo N: Red takes out Mr. Kaplan after walking her into a field. An extreme moment for The Blacklist as a fan favorite is gone.
Kollin Lore: The rugged, carefree Father Marcus shows his softer side and opens up to Father Tomas about his tragic childhood. Ben Daniels as Marcus gives viewers a captivating performance in this scene, like many British actors, he has way of packing so much emotion into every word he speaks. This magical character moment is also very important to the narrative as it is the first time the two priests connect. Their united pray together only means bad news for all the demons they'll encounter.
THE GOLDBERGS, "I Heart Video Dating", September 28, 2016, Actors: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Hayley Orrantia, The Scene: Beverly comforts Erica over her heartbreak (picked by Samantha Benjamin)
Klutzy girl: When Eleanor's trying to convince Jason to let Chidi teach him how to be good too, she describes him as a kind and selfless nerd. They've come a long way in only four episodes, and I love how quickly they've become friends. And she clearly cares about him so I can't wait to see where this friendship goes.
Justyna K: It's been just two episodes and the show is already one of my favorites this fall. There were a lot of beautiful moments in this week's hour, like the scene mentioned below or the lovely conversation between Jack and Rebecca, but the phone call was such a heartwarming part and it spoke so much about the three siblings that I simply couldn't choose anything else. As soon as Kevin calls Randall, it's clear these two are not in a good place and Kevin wasn't the best of brothers. However, when he truly needs support he reaches out to his little brother and Randall is there for him in an instant. That's love, that's family. And it was such an honest and beautiful moment, with all three siblings repeating their family cheer, like their father taught them. It's a small thing that makes all the difference in the world. Beautiful performance by all actors, with a special shout-out for Justin Hartley, for showing just how much this call meant to Kevin. Kudos to cast & crew for all their work on this wonderful show. Can't wait to see the next episode!
Luana Arturi: The whole episode was brilliant once again but this scene was amazing, from the beginning where she talks about the love of her life, to William confessing he has a cat, and finally to Beth admitting she feels awful and all three of them laughing together, I love all the relationships portrayed here.
Jessica VanWinkle: The phone call between Kate, Kevin, and Randall. It was adorable. Even though it sounds like Kevin wasn't the greatest brother, he is making an effort to improve. I already love these three characters so much!
Marko Pekic: The call. It was such a simple scene with a lot of heart. Showing how close those 3 siblings are indeed.
Klutzy girl: The phone call scene was absolutely adorable. While you can tell that Kevin and Randall clearly still have problems with each other, it's sweet that they put them aside for just a few minutes. Randall comforting his brother when he needed him was sweet. And Justin Hartley made me emotional because Kevin's distress was quite clear. And on top of it, the phone call made me laugh at several points! These three siblings definitely love each other, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of their relationship.
SCENE OF THE WEEK SPECIAL - BEST SCENES FROM SERIES FINALESIt's the 200th article and we want to celebrate with you by sharing some of our best, most memorable and worthy of recognition scenes from the finale episodes of the shows that already ended their run before this fall. Join us in the comments and here's to another 100th! Thanks for reading, couldn't have done it without you all!
Bradley Adams: President Taylor declines to sign the peace treaty and asks Tim Woods to help her stop her mistake from becoming worse. I know that Jack saying goodbye to Chloe is the obvious pick, but this is the scene that always sticks with me. Cherry Jones is incredible here and her realisation that she's gone too far is so emotional.
Kollin Lore: In Wesley we see one of the most fully realized characters in not just the Buffy/Angel verse, but all of television. I can write an essay about the Shakespearean transformation of this complex character and if you Google it you'll find some great reads (or just watch Angel, if you haven't already). To summarize though, Wesley went from this bookish, pompous goof to a rugged, ruthless and angry demon hunter, over the course of 5 seasons of Angel and I think one season of Buffy. The transformation was brought on by such heartbreaking tragedy. In the finale of Angel, it was only fitting that he, of all characters, meet his demise. Wesley had gone through such insurmountable pain that death was really the only salvation for him. And so, when Illyria is holding Wesley in her arms, she asks him if she should turn back to Fred, the love of his life who she killed and possessed, and he accepted. This was something that he always denied as he didn't want to be reminded of Fred, and in his last seconds, upon his request, we see a tearful Fred holding a dying Wesley in her arms as he professes his love for her, and then, hers for him. These emotions are so powerful and raw and so real that Illyria, turning back into her demon form, is wrought with something she had never felt before - emotion, pure anger - which she takes out in one fell punch on the mage who killed him. This was one of the first scenes I had watched on television that made me genuinely bawl my eyes out, and after watching it again for the umpteenth time, it still makes me cry like crazy.
Ki Arnould: The cliffhanger ending of Angel - We discover that the team has spent the whole season worming their way into the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart, pretending to let the evil get to them, and then they unleash synchronized carnage across the board -- all ending with a final, fatal stand where we have to assume, but aren't able to confirm, that everyone dies.
Milo M-J: This series finale was divisive when it aired but I loved it. There were so many great, emotional moments from this so I could have picked most of them but a favourite has to be Adama leaving Galactica for the last time, knowing that his journey is done and he reached his destination. The flashback as well was a pretty effective one and showed his character growth over the entire series.
Darth Locke: So many scenes resonate, but I think for me, it's the final montage of seeing the characters begin to separate. Seeing Kara just disappear when Lee is talking, to Baltar crying because the person he was running from is the person he needed to be in order to help everyone survive, Bill showing Laura the landscape and finding a place for the cabin and where to lay her to rest, or watching Hera run in front of her parents across the grassy landscape just destroyed me, but that is how I know how powerful it was.
Klutzy girl: The "class dismissed" scene at the end is iconic and emotional. Mr. Feeny loved all of them and I'm glad he got to say it. They're a family and it showed during the final scene.
Louis Rabinowitz: "I did it because I liked it." - Vince Gilligan termed this as the scene that justified the existence of Breaking Bad's final two episodes, and it's hard not to see why. In a simple, short sentence, all the lies and self-deception that have marked Walt's journey crumble away, leaving only the raw truth he's been running from for years; his quest was simply a selfish one, and the family excuse was just that: an excuse. It's the perfect end to Walt's tumultuous character journey, finally pulling him out of the spiral he had been in and teeing him up for an ending that had just a tiny sliver of hope in it. This wasn't a perfect finale, and a lot of people disliked the clean and definitive feel of the ending, but it's hard to fault a scene as powerful and revelatory as this.
Prpleight: Buffy is having a sleepless night before her epic battle. The One shows up to taunt her and she realizes she can actually win. I was having a difficult time picking between this, the epic battle sequence and the moment that she tells Spike he’s a Champion, but I chose this scene because in a way it spoke to the heart of the show. Buffy lived longer than most slayers because of the Scooby Gang. She never went to battle alone and here, in the series finale she found a way to, once again, go into battle surrounded by friends and family.
Samantha Benjamin: Buffy tells Spike he's a champion. Spike started out as a vampire with no morals, enjoyed killing people and being a general douche, albeit a funny one. He ended the show as one that cared about right & wrong, protected people even if he didn't like them or they deserved it & being seen as a champion in the eyes of the woman who for so long hated him.
Samantha Benjamin: Michael & Fiona in the cabin with his nephew. I originally started to watch the show because Michael & Fiona's dynamic was so funny. Ending the show with them finally getting their happily ever after and the callback to the pilot with 'My name is Michael Westen, I used to be a spy until' was perfect.
Klutzy girl: The whole family is reunited after the Ultimate Battle is fought. Leo's reunion with Piper was adorable and I loved seeing adult Chris (my favorite character) and Wyatt again. It had some issues but overall, the series finale was amazing and this is still one of my favorite scenes.
Marko Pekic: The final scene with each sister recording their future in the Book of Shadows. Just a perfect way to round up their journey.
Winston Mize: In the final moments of the series, Dawson answers a phone call from Pacey and Joey who have just watched an episode of The Creek. Dawson tells them that he's meeting someone tomorrow and Pacey and Joey figure out it's Steven Spielberg, Dawson's idol. The episode ends when the camera lingers on a picture on Dawson's desk of him and his friends before cutting to a scene of them all walking down the beach from season one.
Justyna K: ER was one of the first shows, if not the first, that I truly loved watching and it will always have its special place on my list. I still haven't seen the final few seasons but the first eight still remain one of my favorites on TV. It's no wonder then that when it comes to an article like this one, ER is one of the obvious choices for me. I loved that even though Carter couldn't stay for the entirety of the show, he was always there when it mattered the most and once again had such a significant role in the final hour of the series. And there were quite a few scenes I could mention here, but nothing feels just quite right like the ending itself. With the reference to the beginning and Mark's daughter Rachel coming back, this time as a medical student, it was a right place to finish, knowing that the characters will carry on. And the story goes on... With Carter and future dr. Greene where it all began.
Aimee Hicks: Aeryn begs the comatose John to return to her and their son. It was hard to pick just one scene from this amazing conclusion to the Farscape journey. Nearly every scene was worthy of recognition. This scene, however, stood out because of how much heart went into it. Claudia Black put on one hell of a performance as Aeryn Sun begged for the man she loves to come back to her. No matter what they went through together they always found their way back to each other and Aeryn was determined that this wouldn’t be the one time they lost each other. Their love was strong and their bond unbreakable, but it was the addition of their son, a product of their immense love, that brought John back. I love how Claudia and Ben acted this scene. While most of the emotional weight rested with Claudia it didn’t stop Ben from delivering an equally poignant performance as he pulled John back to his family to embrace his son. This scene was the culmination of the intense journey these characters went on from the first seconds they met to this point. They were always a team and even in this moment they were working together to reunite their family. Aeryn fought to pull John back and he fought to get back to her. They had and still have one of the best sci-fi love stories of all time.
Saloni Gajjar: The final scene with them hugging/Chandler asking where they should go for coffee/final goodbye to Monica's house. I cry just thinking about it. 10 great seasons!
Marko Pekic: Ross listens to the voicemail and gets interrupted just when Rachel wants to say she loves him. Suddenly she appears behind him and they kiss. The feels!
Justyna K: Fringe was in its final season when SOTW feature started and it seems just right to go back to one of my favorite series in this special article. There are so many beautifully done, meaningful and emotional moments in the show's last hour but the one I always remember the most is the goodbye between Peter and Walter back in the lab. "You're my favorite thing, Peter. My very favorite thing" still remains my favorite quote on the show. It's beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. And it gets me every single time. From the very first season it became clear how many small and bigger things Walter cared about. But there was never anything or anyone he loved more than his son and his words at the end say it all. The relationship between these two was always the best part of the story for me and Joshua Jackson and John Noble were perfect in these interactions and scenes together. I still miss the show & it's one I keep coming back to.
Kollin Lore: If we are going with what is the most thrilling and gratifying scene in a finale, this is it. Peter and Olivia take their last stand against the Observers by storming their facility and unleashing pure havoc in the form of all of the deadly and nasty contagions they had investigated and collected over the course of the series. All while walking through the base with gas masks to watch it unfold and rescue Boyles and obtain the cube. This was such a great ode to the series, and it was so gratifying to watch these cool contagions, some of them stretching back all the way to season one, being used again, but this time for the greater good. Not only that, but the music as Olivia and Peter storm through the facility was just bad ass.
DarkUFO: Peter gets a letter with the White Tulip drawn in it.
Ki Arnould: Fry and Leela always kinda danced around each other, never really engaging in a full-on relationship. Then one of the Professor's time gadgets goes awry, freezing the entire world - except for Fry and Leela. The two live a whole life together in that frozen world, traveling the breadth of the earth. Near the end of their lives the Professor appears and says he can fix it - so Fry and Leela decide to "go around again". Always been one of my favorite episodes.
Aimee Hicks: Rory's goodbye party. Everyone felt like this wasn’t the place for the series to end. The show still had more story to tell, but all great things eventually have to come to an end and that’s what happened here. The Netflix revival is coming in a few short months, making it evident that the story was indeed not done being told, but as far as series finales go this was a nice ending. It brought all of the citizens of Stars Hollow together to say goodbye to Rory. These are the people who helped raise her and in their own ways each of them had a big impact on her life. It gave Rory a chance to once again commend her mom for all she’d done for her. Stars Hollow is and always will be her home. It was a deeply emotional but extremely hopeful scene that beautifully brought the series to a temporary end. Also picked by Ki Arnould
Laura Markus: Mabel helps Grunkle Stan get his memories back. Hey, remember the Chuck finale? I certainly do, that left me really disappointed with the decisions they made on how they wanted to end one of my favourite shows. So when I saw Gravity Falls taking a similar approach, I was ready to throw my computer out of the window. After finally defeating Bill Cipher in a creative and clever way, it's revealed that Stanley dressed himself like Stanford in order to trick him. But in doing so, he was forced to erase all of his memories of the summer. The shot of him in the forest looking completely dazed still haunts me. The worst part is when Mabel tries to talk to him, and he doesn't remember her. However, they find out that sharing her scrapbook with him does the trick, and he slowly recovers all the memories of the wonderful adventures they partook in. I know, it's a kids show, and they probably weren't going to leave it open-ended like Chuck did. That doesn't change the fact that this finale was masterfully done and the dynamic between Mabel and Grunkle Stan was one of the best things about the show.
Luana Arturi: The Cliffhanger. Before the big, final battle, there is a great conversation in which Will says "I don't know if I can save myself. Maybe that's just fine", and that will connect to the final scene which is my choice for this article. After defeating The Red Dragon together, they hold each other all bloody and wounded, and Hannibal tells Will all he ever wanted was that moment, to see him finally cross over to the dark side. And Will, feeling he is being swallowed, makes one last effort to throw both Hannibal and himself off the cliff to make sure the world can be free of both of them. I know this is a controversial finale but I don't see it ending any other way. After all, no matter how hard Will tried, he was always drawn back to Hannibal, to evil, and this was his way to make all that evil go away for good. He didn't know if he could save himself, and maybe, that was just fine.
Laura Markus: House drives off with Wilson into the unknown. There will never be a finale as perfect as this. It just won't happen. This show was all about House and his life. How he looked at everything and everyone like a puzzle. People came, people went, but there was always one constant. James Evan Wilson. When news of Wilson's cancer came to light, it didn't matter what House had to do, but he was going to be there for him. He risked going back to jail just to spend more time with him. But he almost managed to be in jail for longer than Wilson's remaining months. You could see in the penultimate episode's cliffhanger just how much that was ruining him. Which basically lead to the finale and House's demons literally coming to the surface. He would've rather died than be separated from Wilson. But, of course, it's revealed in one of the best scenes of all time, House didn't actually die in that fire. Wilson's giving a rather puzzling eulogy about the man and suddenly a phone goes off in his pocket. It's not his phone, and the message reads: "SHUT UP YOU IDIOT". Which is basically House's way of saying I love you. Wilson drives back home and House is waiting there, almost like a puppy, sitting on his doorsteps. The theme of loyalty was huge between them and it was always prevalent how Wilson would always be there for House. House was rude to everybody, he drove everything and everyone he loved away. But what became quite clear in the finale was just how much he'd be there for Wilson too. Faking his death meant that he could no longer practice medicine, no longer do the one thing that kept him alive and gave him a purpose. As it turns out, though, House's real purpose in life was Wilson, it was always Wilson. House's life didn't begin until he met him at that convention all those years ago. And it'll end with Wilson - 5 months later, probably numbed out by Vicodin. This finale showed you that everyone moved on after House's "death". Taub, his wife, and Ruby are going to raise their children together. Cameron is the Head of an ER at her hospital, she's married with a child too. Chase took over House's spot, with Park and Adams as his fellows. Thirteen is probably still with the girlfriend we saw her with earlier, doing whatever she wants to do for the rest of her life, because House gave that to her. Foreman's still the Dean, but when his table shakes once more he sees House's doctor's badge. The smile he gave afterwards showed everything: House was still alive and is doing exactly what he spent the finale fighting for him to do - to spend those last few months with the person he loves. "Cancer's boring." - The last words of the series. House and Wilson, driving on motorcycles off into the sunset - the last scene of the series. The show also started with them, and it ended with them. Everything came together in this scene seamlessly, and the quality was heightened with the addition of Keep Me In Your Heart For A While & Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) as the soundtrack for the end. Fans might remember that the latter song was sung by Amber to show House that he was still hallucinating; a haunting tune which showed, once again, of Wilson's devotion to House as he picked him up from the bar and took him home. To summarize: the story of House and Wilson is certainly the best love story of our time.
Geo N: House’s final scene! It was beautifully shot with House and Wilson riding off to certain death. I love how they showed, in the final montage scene, everyone from Princeton Plainsboro Hospital whose life was touched in some way by Gregory House and how they moved on seemingly all because of House being in their lives at some point. The one with Foreman summed up what House did for everyone perfectly - It was House’s badge that ‘fixed’ Foreman’s problem with his side table just like House ‘fixes’ everyone in any way possible. It was a beautiful scene in a beautiful finale for one of television’s greatest shows ever.
Saloni Gajjar: Ted got Robin her the blue french horn, again. I'm in the minority but I always loved these two and I'm glad the characters got to live their dream out (he got a family, she got a career) and they finally found their way back to each other.
Milo M-J: "We Dug Coal Together" scene between Boyd and Raylan. An emotional ending and a perfect payoff between the two characters - one of the best series finales out there and an excellent way to end it. After everything that they went through together this final scene was one of the more effective moments of an excellent series.
Prpleight: Opening sequence: the job goes horribly wrong. I knew this was the series finale. So the idea that Hardison, Parker, and Eliot died and the ep would be about Sophie and Nate trying to escape to freedom made perfect sense. I was completely heartbroken, tears and all. The flashback/retelling of the same event from different points of view has been done a LOT. This sequence was one of the best I’ve seen.
Samantha Benjamin: Final scene where Parker is now leading the crew with Elliot & Hardison. Just recently finished a rewatch of the show as it's one of my all time favourites. All three of the characters grew so much over the 5 years from what they were in the beginning, but especially Parker. She went from someone who was all about the money, didn't want to work with anyone else, annoyed the others a lot & didn't really process feelings, to someone who cared about injustice, loved her team who loved her back just as much, considered what was right or wrong & it wasn't really a surprise when she became the new leader.
Milo M-J: Sam Tyler deciding to return to the 1970s, choosing this reality over the present day one with all its modern day technology by jumping off the edge of a building. It's an emotional and effective moment that sees him get happiness and the girl, but whilst it presented more questions than it answered, it was still an effective one. That's one of my favourite endings to one of the best British TV shows out there.
Darth Locke: During the Flashsideways, Jack reunites and converses with his Father, Christian. Between Michael Giacchino's beautiful score and just the scene itself with Jack touching the closed casket and Christian being right behind him, I could easily get as teary-eyed today, as I did when I first watched the episode. This is the scene that metaphysically explains the whole series, by pointing out that death, is just a transition, which is furthered by the characters later walking through light--a kind of time travel motif, but moreover, it's when the audience knows that story was really always about Jack coming to terms with his father and the spirituality that he feared to embrace, was something real, that life and memory could be regained and collected somewhere, and was never really lost (so long as this Island was always preserved and protected). Never again has a finale moved me so passionately.
DarkUFO: The Finale Scene with Jack dying laying next to Vincent.
Bradley Adams: Hurley appoints Ben as his number two.
Justyna K: What a wonderful story this show was! And the final hour was such an emotional and beautifully done one. It starts with one of the most heartbreaking and best acted scenes I've ever seen, thanks to the incredible Tony Shalhoub who portrayed Monk perfectly in the show's entire run. As Monk watches Trudy's video and realizes the truth, his heart breaks with every word. It's all so much and not enough at the same time. The truth was always so close to him and it's killing him to think about all that time he spent looking for answers when they were right there at his home. The truth hurts but it's Trudy's confession about how much she truly loved him that really takes Monk's breath away. These two were so perfect together and their story is one of those that I would most want to have a happy ending. Which is why I'm glad with the discovery about Trudy's daughter in the end. It's like a part of his love came back to Monk and his story ends in a good place, like he got a second chance to be happy, getting to know Trudy's daughter, making her his family. And I absolutely loved the final montage as we say goodbye to Monk. The music is perfect, as are all the memories from the show's run. It was a beautiful tribute and the perfect way to end the show. "Cause I think you're gonna miss me when I'm gone..."
Aimee Hicks: The final scene. I’ve seen a lot of series finales in my time, but this one still remains my favorite of all time. This is the series finale that all other shows should look to for guidance on how to properly end a series. The audience was allowed to see how each character evolved and the story came full circle. Where the series began is basically where it ended, just with a different generation. While the final scene also allowed the whole group to come together it also made it evident that after the series faded to black their lives still went on. None of the series regulars were left out of the narrative as the series flowed to a natural end. Everyone got the ending they deserved in the most beautifully told way possible. This series finale still remains my favorite of all time for its pure simplistic reality that was true to each character.
Saloni Gajjar: The whole cast at Jamie's basketball game years later. The final quote as they wait for him to enter the court. The whole episode, overall, was wonderful though. Quinn/Clay wedding, Nathan/Haley's dance in the rain, Julian buying Brooke's old house.
Kate Sidwell: Final scene with full cast in the gym waiting for Jamie to enter the court. This finale was truly perfect in so many ways, from the little throwbacks throughout to the great music, everything was orchestrated perfectly. It’s so hard to give every character closure in just one hour with a cast so large, but somehow One Tree Hill’s finale managed to do just that with a great mix of looking back while still looking forward. This final scene is truly the only way I could picture this show ending- with the classic One Tree Hill voiceover inspirational monologue and everyone being together and happy, celebrating and cheering on Jamie. This was what the show was all about, the love and relationships between all of these amazing characters and it was the perfect way to say goodbye.
Jessica VanWinkle: I don't know if I've ever cried harder during a series finale. Zeek died and we saw a glimpse of the family in the future without him. It was such a bittersweet moment- the Bravermans were still living life and their dreams were coming true, but they were going to have to live without their dad and their grandfather. It was a very emotional finale.
Kollin Lore: The relationship between John Clare and Ms. Ives was one of the most powerful non-romantic relationships in recent television. Here we have two lost souls, one, Ms. Ives, whose sheer beauty is unmatched by any woman around her, yet she is consumed by the inescapable monstrosity that exists within her. The other, John Clare, has the soul of a poet and is able to see beauty in places others only see pain and suffering, yet he is tormented by his grotesque appearance and his inability to fit in as a result. As Vanessa tells him, he is the most human man she has ever known, such profound words to John Clare who leads a life where he is constantly treated like he is other than human. Both characters have so much in common, but yet experience it in such a contrasting way making their bond the most poetic and poignant relationship in Penny Dreadful. After being used and tainted so much by the devil, there was no return to normalcy for Vanessa Ives, and so her death was the only way she could ever find peace of mind. It is her funeral that closes off Penny Dreadful, and as we see the procession, John Clare recites the very beautiful, but sombre "Ode on Imitations of Immortality." The show closes as he kneels by her gravesite, his most dearest and only friend, to say his final goodbye, one of the most heartbreaking and emotionally resonant final scenes in a finale in recent memory, and a fitting one at that.
Laura Markus: Shawn leaves a video for Gus. I'm not 100% sold on this finale, nor am I sold on the fact that there won't be a movie one day down the line to add more things to this wonderful world that Steve Franks created. But, for what they aimed to accomplish, I think this is a solid finale, certainly one of the better ones out there. And it's almost entirely for the way they structured it. Shawn and Gus have always had a symbiotic relationship. Where one leads, the other follows, no matter how dangerous the case or task at hand may be. When it's revealed that Shawn wants to leave Santa Barbara to join Juliet in San Francisco, Shawn struggles throughout the entire episode trying to figure out how exactly to break the news to Gus. He tries to keep the case that they were working on go much longer. He cherishes every moment he has with him. He doesn't even have the heart to call Gus a funny nickname. But you will notice that Shawn is talking into the camera sporadically in the finale. And then we find out why. Shawn is leaving videos for his friends and family in order to say goodbye. His videos for his dad, Lassie, Woody, and even for Dobson who's revealed to be Val Kilmer all had substantial weight to them. But none of them hit me like Gus's video hit me. Gus was ready to let go. Ready to take the job of his dreams at a pharmaceutical company, ready to meet another girl there and hopefully start the family he has always wanted. "I just suck at the real stuff. You know that. But you’re gonna be fine. You’re gonna be better than fine. I just can’t help thinking that uh, the only problem that you really had all this time… is me. And I’ve kept you from the life that you deserve, you know, that life that you’ve earned, the life that you’d have, if I hadn’t barged into your office 8 years ago and said ‘We’re gonna play detective. Whether you want to or not’. I love you man." But it's Shawn's painful words that make him change his mind and make him follow him to the ends of the earth (that being San Francisco). I just thought that entire last scene of his video was so incredibly well acted from both James Roday and Dulé Hill and it was also very powerfully written and in true character for Shawn (and later for Gus). I'm ecstatic that those two characters didn't have to say goodbye to each other. And I hope there is indeed a movie at one point with new adventures with all the characters.
Kate Sidwell: Shawn proposes to Juliet. Relationships were always at the core of this show and this finale definitely made a point to showcase them all. However, this scene featured, in my opinion, the two most important relationships, Shawn/Gus and Shawn/Juliet, perfectly. No scene showed Shawn’s growth more than his act of commitment proposing to Juliet. Everything was perfect, it was equal parts heartwarming and hilarious, with Gus standing right there throwing in his own comments throughout. This final scene let us know that they'll all be okay and will continue on their adventures together even after the credits roll. There were many great moments in this episode that were worth mentioning, especially Shawn’s emotional goodbye videos to both Gus and Lassiter. It showed a different side of Shawn and I especially loved when he was about to come clean to Lassiter but before he could, Lassiter ejected the CD and broke it. It really shows how far they came throughout the course of the show and it was beautiful to watch.
Kate Sidwell: David shoots Victoria, then Victoria shoots Emily/Amanda. This show was such a roller coaster, full of dramatic twists and turns, so it’s only fitting that something like this would happen in the series finale. When Emily goes to shoot Victoria and finally end her journey for revenge, her father, David, ends up doing it instead, in order to save her soul. However, Victoria turns the tables and in her final moments, shoots Emily as well. The scene ends with them both lying in pools of blood, dying. It was exciting and dramatic, and it honestly left you wondering whether or not the whole series would end with both of them dead. Of course, Emily couldn't go out that way and she survives and has some beautiful scenes at the end of the episode with Nolan and her wedding to Jack. However, in true Revenge fashion, I had to go with the shooting scene. I also loved the little bit they put at the end when Emily wakes up from a dream, that in order to save her life they had to give her Victoria's heart. We’re left wondering if it was truly a dream or not and it put an interesting spin on the final moments of the series.
Klutzy girl: Sabrina runs out on her wedding to be with Harvey again - at the exact time they met all those years ago. They're still one of my favorite ships and I have the song stuck in my head years later (will forever associate it with the scene too). I'm so glad they got a happy ending.
Luana Arturi: Will wants to live for a long, long time. Every scene from this episode was great, an ode to every single character and a great way to conclude every personal storyline in a beautiful way, from the flashbacks to Leon convincing Pruit to keep Mac on and make her President of ACN, but I especially love those related to Will finding out he's going to be a father. Which brings me to my chosen scene where Will begs his staff to take care of his health and make sure he lives a long life (and enjoy being a father for as much time as possible). This scene is made hilarious when he asks Kendra to slap him every time she sees him with a cigarette in his mouth but also endearing as we see him ecstatic and confused about the whole thing speaking franticly about his sudden interest in heath, giving his secret up in a very sweet way. I think this particular scene shows how far they've all come, but especially Will, who was known to be a douchbag and ended up being beloved by everyone.
Marko Pekic: Diana and Cassie joining forces and defeating their father. The two sisters joining forces was a beautiful moment and showed their real strength.
Jessica VanWinkle: The transition from the Bartlet administration to the Santos administration made the finale very memorable. We had to say goodbye to some of the characters as they moved away from the White House, but others (Josh, Donna, Sam) stayed for the new administration. It was a nice way to show that the White House and the work was going to continue even though we wouldn't get to see it anymore.
Donna Chidley: As Xena and Gabrielle sit on the rocks watching the sunset and Xena fades away nothing Gabrielle can do this time to get her back. Still gets me every time.
