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.
AGENTS OF SHIELD, "All the Madame's Men", April 25, 2017, Actors: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet and more, The Scenes: Coulson's speech & May and Daisy escape & Ward and Daisy talk
Justyna K: With the world upside down it's truly comforting to see the same old Coulson resurfacing in the Framework. And there's something very powerful about his speech at the end. It's a call to arms, it's a fight for life and the future and as we can already see during the scene it finds its way to people and makes them want to speak up and act, showing up to help SHIELD fight againt HYDRA forces. And there's no one better to give such speech than Coulson. He's the agent of SHIELD, the one who started my love for the show in the first place and it's so good to see him coming back to himself. I did also enjoy everyone's reaction to the emergency broadcast. It only added to the meaning of Mace's sacrifice in the last episode. Also, the "alternative facts" shout-out - wow, no slowing down with these references! Speaking of, always good to hear Fury's quote, as it remains true even now: "a person can do anything once they realize they're a part of something bigger." Also the music continues to be beautifully placed in every part of the show. It has to be one of the best soundtracks for any series out there. Kudos to the entire cast & crew for another memorable episode!
Milo: Phil Coulson's speech: SHIELD has really been on a roll with this current arc and even though he may not necessarily have originally started as an agent of SHIELD in this timeline he certainly knew how to make an impression, reminding everyone what SHIELD was and what it stood for in an epic speech that really led to the fantastic end point of a great episode that really signalled the end game for this arc, kicking up the tension even further. Gregg has been consistently excellent throughout this series and this speech was one of his highlights.
Klutzy girl: Skye and Ward have an honest conversation with each other. I'm so grateful that she told him she finally understands *her* Ward because of him after all this time and it's been a long time coming. Plus, I thought it was sweet that Ward told her that he and his Skye would work through the issue of her being Hydra. This is the man Grant Ward should have been all along and the one we could have had if John Garrett hadn't kidnapped and abused him. I hope he does come out of the Framework at some point because of Project Looking Glass.
DJRiter: The scene where Daisy, now restored to her powers as Quake, and Hydra May make their escape from HQ, highlighted by an amazing bit of parkour and shooting from May and culminating in Daisy quaking Madame Hydra through the window of the high rise HQ.
Aimee: As per expectation, Daisy’s transformation back into Quake was epic. Given how seriously injured she was it’s not at all surprising that the transformation drained her so much. She quickly sunk to her knees in exhaustion. May quickly moved into action to protect the dazed and still recovering Daisy. Even in her weakened state Daisy held her own weight as they fought their way out. It was like old times with Daisy and May fighting side-by-side in epic fashion. They might be learning to trust each other again, but they were in a situation where they had no choice to trust and focus on just surviving. It was an interesting character moment that Daisy was so willing to lay back and just provide cover while May cleared the path. This is the same woman who took two bullets and still managed to quake the LMD’s who had attacked her. It goes to show how weakened Daisy knew she was and it would seem that for the sake of their survival she knew she had to play second to May. It was quite epic to watch May show off her incredible fighting prowess with the wicked cool flip that she did. Major kudos to Ming-Na Wen who nailed the physicality of this scene so well that it was breathtaking to watch. It’s a good thing that Daisy let her take point and reserved her energy because it came in handy when she delivered that one good blast which she used perfectly to take down Madame Hydra and her guards to clear the final obstacle for her and May to escape the building. An incredible episode all around, but this scene was intense and very gratifying to watch as they took down Aida. This was a brilliant and high-intensity scene.
BATES MOTEL, "The Cord", April 24, 2017, Actors: Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot
The Scene: Dylan shoots and comforts a dying Norman (picked by DarkUFO)
BETTER CALL SAUL, "Sunk Costs", April 24, 2017, Actors: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Giancarlo Esposito and more, The Scenes: Jimmy and Kim come to terms with Chuck's strategy & Mike meets Gus in the desert
Darth Locke: Jimmy and Kim come to terms with Chuck's strategy. I have always really liked Jimmy's and Kim's relationship, it's one of the things that brings a heart of gold to a character better known for his upcoming slimy criminal acts. This scene just had great dialogue, as Jimmy finally lets Kim in after pushing her away in an earlier scene, but also, I just love the shot of them positioned slightly apart and silhouetted against the glass-block-tile wall of the building at night.
Bradley: Mike meets Gus in the desert. As much as the Jimmy storyline is the most interesting aspect of Better Call Saul, Mike meeting Gus for the first time made me indescribably excited in a way that the other half of the show will probably never do.
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, "The Last Ride", April 25, 2017, Actors: Andre Braugher and more, The Scene: Holt's speech
Laura: As I stated in my review, just take a moment to consider everything that Raymond Holt has been through in his career, and his life. Then think about how he would feel if the precinct really was closing. Yeah. Also think about everything that Jake and Holt have been through together, and how much Jake has grown. So, to have Holt say how he's proud of him, without any prompting from Jake himself (he wasn't even there to hear it!) was beautiful. "Loyalty to your friends and fellow officers is important, but more important is our loyalty to this city and its citizens." So well said. This show has always been about cops just trying to do their best not just for themselves and their jobs, but for the community at hand. To lose this show would be unacceptable. And to make things even better, he ended the speech with: "So I guess what I'm trying to say is let's go get drunk". Brilliant. Just brilliant.
DOCTOR WHO, "Thin Ice", April 29, 2017, Actors: Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie and more, The Scene: The Doctor's speech about the value of life
Justyna K: It's quite incredible how this show always manages to change and evolve yet somehow stays the same at its core. Just like the Doctor. His appearance and habits may differ but he's always the Doctor. And it's beautifully visible in the simple yet powerful scene right in the middle of the episode. When the Time Lord encounters the man responsible for the death of a young boy he can't help but try to make him realize just how much every life matters. The man clearly has no compassion and the lack of humanity in his behavior does not go unnoticed. Still, when the Doctor gets a chance he tells him how much value "an unimportant" life truly has. It's such a short moment but it speaks volumes about both the character and the show. And it means the world to the Doctor's new companion, Bill, who gets to see him and understand him a little better. Quite a memorable, well written scene with great performance by the main duo, Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. Kudos!
FARGO, "The Principle of Restricted Choice", April 26, 2017, Actors: Michael Stuhlbarg, David Thewlis and more, The Scenes: Sy confronts Ray & V. M. Varga moves into the Stussy offices
Darth Locke: This episode was a little slower than the first episode of the season and it featured a bunch of little scenes showcasing the cast and setting the stage for upcoming episodes. I chose this scene for Michael Stuhlbarg, mostly. Sy's a character that comes off visually and verbally hilarious often playing down anything bad and being a bit hyper, something you don't much see from the actor in his other work, but despite any of this, it's his determination and capacity to take action in contrast that makes him one of Fargo's great contradictory odd-ball characters! And then there's Ray's face when Sy rams his SUV into Ray's Corvette, not once, but twice!
DarkUFO: V. M. Varga moves into the Stussy offices. Also picked by Jimmy
FEUD, "You Mean All This Time We Could Have Been Friends?", April 23, 2017, Actors: Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon and more, The Scene: The card game
DJRiter: A scene that will likely clinch an Emmy for the show and Jessica Lange is Joan's hallucinatory card game between her, Hedda Hopper, Jack Warner and Bette Davis, each of them their younger selves. They talk of a time where they will be always young and always beautiful and ends with Bette and Joan coming to the conclusion they could have been friends. A beautifully written, acted and filmed scene.
HAWAII FIVE-0, "Wehe 'ana (Prelude)", April 28, 2017, Actors: Alex O'Loughlin, Zach Sulzbach
The Scene: Steve tucks Charlie in
Klutzy girl: After Charlie "drives" his new race car bed, Steve tucks him in. This was an incredibly adorable scene, and Steve's relationship with both of Danny's children is one of my favorite things about the show. And I love that he also gave Danny all the credit for putting the bed together in the first place.
INTO THE BADLANDS, "Leopard Stalks in Snow", April 23, 2017, Actors: Daniel Wu, Aramis Knight and more, The Scene: The Fight at the old Hotel
Darth Locke: Sunny, MK, Ava, and Bajie take on The Abotts in a Christmas Display of an old Hotel. This is my favorite episode of the season! Not only was the fighting oh-so-well choreographed, but this show can be so wonderfully diverse in both showcasing unlikely aesthetics like this beautiful display of long lost world that viewers know well, but also because the scene delivered a lot of surprises from an old magazines that seem to relate, Ava's death, and the big reveal of Bajie's past and secret abilities, all while finally reuniting Sunny and MK!
iZOMBIE, "Wag the Tongue Slowly", April 25, 2017, Actors: David Anders, Rose McIver and more, The Scenes: Blaine worries about his memories' return & The ending
Samantha: Blaine worries what will happen if his memories start to come back. I have not always been a fan of Blaine. For quite a while I've hated him because being the villain with the one-liners only gets you so far. Since he had his memory taken away though he's turned a path and this scene felt like a nice follow-up to Ravi's meltdown, as Blaine acknowledged he was a horrible person who did disgusting things and wondered how exactly he'd been set on that path and if he'd go back to it if his memories came back. Peyton's obviously living in denial because her feelings have grown for the new & improved Blaine, but it will be interesting to see how the show continues with this storyline.
Laura: It was kind of a boring episode but the ending really packed a punch. They track down a guy who owns a shooting range who left scathing comments about how the zombie apocalypse is upon us and what he's going to do. It was so intense as Liv had to just stand there and take this, all the while the man is holding a gun and shooting at the targets. To think that this show could be setting up a huge zombie vs. human war is amazing. I just hope we get to see it to its potential.
MOM, "A Cricket and a Hedge Made of Gold", April 27, 2017, Actors: Anna Faris, Allison Janney and more, The Scene: Christy reveals that she had been raped
Aimee: This is a comedy series, but it knows when to be serious. It finds a way to infuse lighter moments, but it never loses focus on the serious situation. That’s exactly what happened in this episode when it was revealed that Christy had been raped. The acting from all involved was superb and the writing was poignant and respectful. They conveyed that Christy still felt like a victim, but by the end of the episode she took back her power from the sick bastard that had violated her. While that scene was particularly poignant this scene was perhaps even more important because it showed the overall reactions from everyone. Wendy and Jill had the frame of mind to follow her home after seeing her highly unusual reaction to the guy that entered the meeting. They knew something was wrong and were determined to not let her be alone with whatever was going on. They were firm that they weren’t going to leave her forcing her to let them in. As recovering alcoholics they knew what that look of pain in Christy’s eyes could potentially lead to and they weren’t going to leave her alone. When they finally got Christy to open up their reactions were of anger at the guy and concern for her. Jill probably had the best reaction as she was clearly angry at what had happened to her friend all those years ago. The superbly acted reaction by Jaime Pressly and the way Beth Hall wonderfully handled Wendy’s reaction all helped to elevate this scene and its importance. It was great the way they had Bonnie come in all ticked off at being left behind only for her reaction and demeanor to change on a dime when she learned the guy that had hurt her daughter was at the meeting. The anger and fierce protectiveness that Allison Janney portrayed was spot on. But the MVP of this scene was without a single question, Anna Faris. This was a horrific event from Christy’s past and the emotional rollercoaster ride of anger and fear and frustration that she bounced between throughout this scene and this entire episode was incredible. In the end, Christy took back the power from her rapist while being fully supported by her friends and mom the entire time. Major respect to the show and all the performers for this superb scene and exceptional episode.
RIVERDALE, "Chapter Eleven: To Riverdale and Back Again", April 27, 2017, Actor: Cole Sprouse, The Scene: Jughead breaks down in the trailer
Samantha: This episode was sort of a return to form for Riverdale, and Jughead breaking down in the trailer after his father was arrested was devastating. It was only a brief scene but it packed so much emotion. Jughead was so optimistic that his dad had turned over a new leaf, wanting to move back in with him & then considering moving to be reunited with his mum & brother, to then find out his friends had been going behind his back in a misguided attempt at caring for him and then his father's arrested? I felt absolutely terrible for Jughead and we really felt his rage as he continued where the police had left off smashing up the trailer park, which transitioned into sadness as he went to his knees.
SILICON VALLEY, "Success Failure", April 23, 2017, Actors: Thomas Middleditch and more, The Scene: Richard announces he's leaving Pied Piper
Milo: In an episode full of great moments, this one really stood out for me. As Richard decided he was quitting he decided to let himself in through the back door only to find out that the group was standing up waiting for him to arrive in from the back door was perfect, and as he announced his resignation from CEO at the same time as the group planned to fire him was perfectly timed, especially with Jared arriving through the front door moments later having tried to warn Richard about what the group planned to do in advance, just allowed for some great moments of comedy that really paid off.
SPEECHLESS, "R-u-n-Runaway", April 26, 2017, Actors: Minnie Driver, Micah Fowler and more, The Scene: Maya introduces JJ to Lee
Samantha: I absolutely love Speechless. I could've honestly chosen every scene of this episode because it really is balancing serious with humor so well, but I felt this scene where Maya introduced JJ to Lee was so incredibly important. JJ's family tries their best to support him but at the end of the day, they have no idea what life is actually like for him. Being introduced to Lee and seeing him with a girlfriend, living an independent life and enjoying himself was a real eye opener for JJ that he may be disabled but that doesn't mean he can't live his life as he chooses and scenes like this is why Speechless is so great.
THE 100, "DNR", April 26, 2017, Actors: Lindsey Morgan, Richard Harmon, The Scene: Raven and Murphy say goodbye
Justyna K: It was another memorable episode with quite a few developments and some great scenes to mention in the article. I was glad to watch Octavia's return at the end of the hour, Jaha choosing to let those who don't want to be saved stay behind (while thinking of Wells) and Bellamy's goodbye with Jasper and Harper. But it's the goodbye between Raven and Murphy that both surprised me the most and made the biggest impression this time. First of all, both the actors, Lindsey Morgan and Richard Harmon, did a wonderful job in the scene, showing just how their characters must have felt in this moment. Raven's condition turned out to be the hardest surprise in the season for me. She's easily one of the most interesting and developed characters on the show and seeing her fade away and slowly lose herself is quite heartbreaking. She's been through so much and helped so many people and in the end there's barely a chance for her left. When she tells Murphy what it feels like to lose her mind and that her last wish is to stay behind and spacewalk one more time it's clear that she's trying to make peace with the cruel fate and asks her friends to let her go. On his part, Murphy feels guilty for his role in Raven's pain and for once truly apologizes for his actions, accepting her wish and saying goodbye with a heavy heart. The dynamics between these two characters have changed so much and evolved into an unexpected friendship, making this an even harder scene to watch. I do hope there's still even a smallest chance to alter Raven's fate. Can't wait to see what's next in her story. Kudos!
THE LEFTOVERS, "Don't Be Ridiculous", April 23, 2017, Actors: Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Chris Zylka, The Scenes: Nora and Tom talk in the car & Kevin tries to suffocate himself
Luana: This whole episode shined a light on what it's like to be Nora Cursed and just how deep that goes for her. Carrie Coon was amazing throughout the episode. Her hope and the heartbreaking disbelief when she sees her children, and the possibility of seeing them again right in front of her, was masterful. But, I have to pick the scene where Tom tells her that, when he left Lily at Kevin's doorstep, he didn't even know she existed. That was not only very harsh but it truly showed just how cursed she is, how she wasn't even in the equation for Tom and yet she's the one left in pieces now that Lily is gone. This show is just too good to be ending.
DarkUFO: Kevin trying to suffocate himself with the plastic bag.
THE ORIGINALS, "Bag of Cobras", April 28, 2017, Actors: Riley Voelkel, Christina Moses, The Scene: Freya and Keelin talk after the party
Aimee: There were so many great scenes in this episode it’s almost impossible to pick just one. The best I can do is go with the scene that I am likely to want to watch more than once and the other two contenders for my scene of the week entry were so incredible and intense, but unlikely that I would be inspired to want to watch them again. Those scenes were where Hayley and Freya summoned up images from the day Hayley’s family were murdered and the one where Elijah ripped out Dominic’s heart. Great scenes, but they were so intense that outside of a regular total rewatch of the episode I’m not likely to seek them out to watch again. So I have to go with this lighter and less intense scene between Freya and Keelin. There has been a lot of talk regarding why Keelin would stick around despite being free. Well, it’s simple, she’s developed feelings for Freya and wants to see where things go. As to how those feeling developed that’s slightly more complicated, but likely has to do with her being attracted to strong women. It’s also worth noting that she did leave and wasn’t being pursued or compelled when she returned to Freya’s side in the prior episode. She was free to go with a cure to her curse in her possession. Many have cried out about Stockholm Syndrome, but that would require Keelin having felt like a victim and I get a distinct impression that never occurred. She’s a strong wolf capable of holding her own in a fight and never seemed truly fearful. She was angry about the situation because she’d had Hayley’s word of freedom, but at the same time I think she realized what was going on and that she herself wouldn’t act much differently in their positions. While they showed her a tiny bit of compassion when Hayley tried to free her and when Freya treated her wounds that’s about where the compassion ended. In a truly fascinating twist of the story it was actually Keelin who expressed compassion to Freya that turned the tides. She was freed because she got through to Freya and given Freya’s own experience with captivity (far longer than Keelin’s) I think Freya realized that she was, in essence, repeating the horrors that were done to her and retreated on her poor decisions regarding Keelin. It was to the point where she even apologized for all she did in a very sincere way. That all leads to this scene where Freya was once again apologizing for her family and Keelin was once again kind and understanding. She’s even got Freya to the point where she’s super shy and almost acts like a smitten teenager when around her. There is definitely an attraction, but first off they are building a friendship which Freya desperately needs in her life. While it’d be nice to see Freya get someone in her life that’s just a friend it’s almost more important to see her with someone who can love her for all her flaws and all the flaws of her family. Through Keelin’s kindness, she’s helping Freya evolve. For now, scenes like this where they are just connecting and building a foundation are lovely to watch. Whatever comes of their connection, whether it ends in a relationship or not, it’s a very important bond for Freya to have in her life. It’s nice to see that Freya has someone who she could go out with and for a little while just be a normal person having fun with a friend. A lovely scene in a dark and intense episode.
TRAINING DAY, "Sunset", April 29, 2017, Actors: Bill Paxton, Julie Benz, The Scene: Holly says goodbye to Frank
DJRiter: In what was easily the best episode of the series directed by Larry Teng, known for directing some of Supergirl's strongest episodes, highlight was strong finishing scene between Bill Paxton and Julie Benz - Holly decides to get out of escort business and leave LA, telling him Billy will understand, to which Frank replies, "A man that walks away from a job unfinished isn't a man worth loving." Holly says good-bye and tearfully walks away. Frank goes after her and grabs her telling her she's still his informant and if she leaves LA he'll arrest her. Holly turns and tells Frank, "I love you too, Frank." The scene ends with them in a passionate kiss.
VEEP, "Library", April 23, 2017, Actors: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sarah Sutherland, Clea DuVall, The Scene: Catherine and Marjorie reveal their plans to Selina
Klutzy girl: Catherine and Marjorie reveal to Selina and her team that they're planning on having a baby. The fact that they didn't clarify at first that neither one of them is pregnant yet and confused everyone was hilarious but I'm so excited to see them take this journey this season. And Grandma!Selina should be fun to watch.
Justyna K: With the world upside down it's truly comforting to see the same old Coulson resurfacing in the Framework. And there's something very powerful about his speech at the end. It's a call to arms, it's a fight for life and the future and as we can already see during the scene it finds its way to people and makes them want to speak up and act, showing up to help SHIELD fight againt HYDRA forces. And there's no one better to give such speech than Coulson. He's the agent of SHIELD, the one who started my love for the show in the first place and it's so good to see him coming back to himself. I did also enjoy everyone's reaction to the emergency broadcast. It only added to the meaning of Mace's sacrifice in the last episode. Also, the "alternative facts" shout-out - wow, no slowing down with these references! Speaking of, always good to hear Fury's quote, as it remains true even now: "a person can do anything once they realize they're a part of something bigger." Also the music continues to be beautifully placed in every part of the show. It has to be one of the best soundtracks for any series out there. Kudos to the entire cast & crew for another memorable episode!
Milo: Phil Coulson's speech: SHIELD has really been on a roll with this current arc and even though he may not necessarily have originally started as an agent of SHIELD in this timeline he certainly knew how to make an impression, reminding everyone what SHIELD was and what it stood for in an epic speech that really led to the fantastic end point of a great episode that really signalled the end game for this arc, kicking up the tension even further. Gregg has been consistently excellent throughout this series and this speech was one of his highlights.
Klutzy girl: Skye and Ward have an honest conversation with each other. I'm so grateful that she told him she finally understands *her* Ward because of him after all this time and it's been a long time coming. Plus, I thought it was sweet that Ward told her that he and his Skye would work through the issue of her being Hydra. This is the man Grant Ward should have been all along and the one we could have had if John Garrett hadn't kidnapped and abused him. I hope he does come out of the Framework at some point because of Project Looking Glass.
DJRiter: The scene where Daisy, now restored to her powers as Quake, and Hydra May make their escape from HQ, highlighted by an amazing bit of parkour and shooting from May and culminating in Daisy quaking Madame Hydra through the window of the high rise HQ.
Aimee: As per expectation, Daisy’s transformation back into Quake was epic. Given how seriously injured she was it’s not at all surprising that the transformation drained her so much. She quickly sunk to her knees in exhaustion. May quickly moved into action to protect the dazed and still recovering Daisy. Even in her weakened state Daisy held her own weight as they fought their way out. It was like old times with Daisy and May fighting side-by-side in epic fashion. They might be learning to trust each other again, but they were in a situation where they had no choice to trust and focus on just surviving. It was an interesting character moment that Daisy was so willing to lay back and just provide cover while May cleared the path. This is the same woman who took two bullets and still managed to quake the LMD’s who had attacked her. It goes to show how weakened Daisy knew she was and it would seem that for the sake of their survival she knew she had to play second to May. It was quite epic to watch May show off her incredible fighting prowess with the wicked cool flip that she did. Major kudos to Ming-Na Wen who nailed the physicality of this scene so well that it was breathtaking to watch. It’s a good thing that Daisy let her take point and reserved her energy because it came in handy when she delivered that one good blast which she used perfectly to take down Madame Hydra and her guards to clear the final obstacle for her and May to escape the building. An incredible episode all around, but this scene was intense and very gratifying to watch as they took down Aida. This was a brilliant and high-intensity scene.
BATES MOTEL, "The Cord", April 24, 2017, Actors: Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot
The Scene: Dylan shoots and comforts a dying Norman (picked by DarkUFO)
Darth Locke: Jimmy and Kim come to terms with Chuck's strategy. I have always really liked Jimmy's and Kim's relationship, it's one of the things that brings a heart of gold to a character better known for his upcoming slimy criminal acts. This scene just had great dialogue, as Jimmy finally lets Kim in after pushing her away in an earlier scene, but also, I just love the shot of them positioned slightly apart and silhouetted against the glass-block-tile wall of the building at night.
Bradley: Mike meets Gus in the desert. As much as the Jimmy storyline is the most interesting aspect of Better Call Saul, Mike meeting Gus for the first time made me indescribably excited in a way that the other half of the show will probably never do.
Laura: As I stated in my review, just take a moment to consider everything that Raymond Holt has been through in his career, and his life. Then think about how he would feel if the precinct really was closing. Yeah. Also think about everything that Jake and Holt have been through together, and how much Jake has grown. So, to have Holt say how he's proud of him, without any prompting from Jake himself (he wasn't even there to hear it!) was beautiful. "Loyalty to your friends and fellow officers is important, but more important is our loyalty to this city and its citizens." So well said. This show has always been about cops just trying to do their best not just for themselves and their jobs, but for the community at hand. To lose this show would be unacceptable. And to make things even better, he ended the speech with: "So I guess what I'm trying to say is let's go get drunk". Brilliant. Just brilliant.
Justyna K: It's quite incredible how this show always manages to change and evolve yet somehow stays the same at its core. Just like the Doctor. His appearance and habits may differ but he's always the Doctor. And it's beautifully visible in the simple yet powerful scene right in the middle of the episode. When the Time Lord encounters the man responsible for the death of a young boy he can't help but try to make him realize just how much every life matters. The man clearly has no compassion and the lack of humanity in his behavior does not go unnoticed. Still, when the Doctor gets a chance he tells him how much value "an unimportant" life truly has. It's such a short moment but it speaks volumes about both the character and the show. And it means the world to the Doctor's new companion, Bill, who gets to see him and understand him a little better. Quite a memorable, well written scene with great performance by the main duo, Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. Kudos!
Darth Locke: This episode was a little slower than the first episode of the season and it featured a bunch of little scenes showcasing the cast and setting the stage for upcoming episodes. I chose this scene for Michael Stuhlbarg, mostly. Sy's a character that comes off visually and verbally hilarious often playing down anything bad and being a bit hyper, something you don't much see from the actor in his other work, but despite any of this, it's his determination and capacity to take action in contrast that makes him one of Fargo's great contradictory odd-ball characters! And then there's Ray's face when Sy rams his SUV into Ray's Corvette, not once, but twice!
DarkUFO: V. M. Varga moves into the Stussy offices. Also picked by Jimmy
DJRiter: A scene that will likely clinch an Emmy for the show and Jessica Lange is Joan's hallucinatory card game between her, Hedda Hopper, Jack Warner and Bette Davis, each of them their younger selves. They talk of a time where they will be always young and always beautiful and ends with Bette and Joan coming to the conclusion they could have been friends. A beautifully written, acted and filmed scene.
HAWAII FIVE-0, "Wehe 'ana (Prelude)", April 28, 2017, Actors: Alex O'Loughlin, Zach Sulzbach
The Scene: Steve tucks Charlie in
Klutzy girl: After Charlie "drives" his new race car bed, Steve tucks him in. This was an incredibly adorable scene, and Steve's relationship with both of Danny's children is one of my favorite things about the show. And I love that he also gave Danny all the credit for putting the bed together in the first place.
Darth Locke: Sunny, MK, Ava, and Bajie take on The Abotts in a Christmas Display of an old Hotel. This is my favorite episode of the season! Not only was the fighting oh-so-well choreographed, but this show can be so wonderfully diverse in both showcasing unlikely aesthetics like this beautiful display of long lost world that viewers know well, but also because the scene delivered a lot of surprises from an old magazines that seem to relate, Ava's death, and the big reveal of Bajie's past and secret abilities, all while finally reuniting Sunny and MK!
Samantha: Blaine worries what will happen if his memories start to come back. I have not always been a fan of Blaine. For quite a while I've hated him because being the villain with the one-liners only gets you so far. Since he had his memory taken away though he's turned a path and this scene felt like a nice follow-up to Ravi's meltdown, as Blaine acknowledged he was a horrible person who did disgusting things and wondered how exactly he'd been set on that path and if he'd go back to it if his memories came back. Peyton's obviously living in denial because her feelings have grown for the new & improved Blaine, but it will be interesting to see how the show continues with this storyline.
Laura: It was kind of a boring episode but the ending really packed a punch. They track down a guy who owns a shooting range who left scathing comments about how the zombie apocalypse is upon us and what he's going to do. It was so intense as Liv had to just stand there and take this, all the while the man is holding a gun and shooting at the targets. To think that this show could be setting up a huge zombie vs. human war is amazing. I just hope we get to see it to its potential.
Aimee: This is a comedy series, but it knows when to be serious. It finds a way to infuse lighter moments, but it never loses focus on the serious situation. That’s exactly what happened in this episode when it was revealed that Christy had been raped. The acting from all involved was superb and the writing was poignant and respectful. They conveyed that Christy still felt like a victim, but by the end of the episode she took back her power from the sick bastard that had violated her. While that scene was particularly poignant this scene was perhaps even more important because it showed the overall reactions from everyone. Wendy and Jill had the frame of mind to follow her home after seeing her highly unusual reaction to the guy that entered the meeting. They knew something was wrong and were determined to not let her be alone with whatever was going on. They were firm that they weren’t going to leave her forcing her to let them in. As recovering alcoholics they knew what that look of pain in Christy’s eyes could potentially lead to and they weren’t going to leave her alone. When they finally got Christy to open up their reactions were of anger at the guy and concern for her. Jill probably had the best reaction as she was clearly angry at what had happened to her friend all those years ago. The superbly acted reaction by Jaime Pressly and the way Beth Hall wonderfully handled Wendy’s reaction all helped to elevate this scene and its importance. It was great the way they had Bonnie come in all ticked off at being left behind only for her reaction and demeanor to change on a dime when she learned the guy that had hurt her daughter was at the meeting. The anger and fierce protectiveness that Allison Janney portrayed was spot on. But the MVP of this scene was without a single question, Anna Faris. This was a horrific event from Christy’s past and the emotional rollercoaster ride of anger and fear and frustration that she bounced between throughout this scene and this entire episode was incredible. In the end, Christy took back the power from her rapist while being fully supported by her friends and mom the entire time. Major respect to the show and all the performers for this superb scene and exceptional episode.
Samantha: This episode was sort of a return to form for Riverdale, and Jughead breaking down in the trailer after his father was arrested was devastating. It was only a brief scene but it packed so much emotion. Jughead was so optimistic that his dad had turned over a new leaf, wanting to move back in with him & then considering moving to be reunited with his mum & brother, to then find out his friends had been going behind his back in a misguided attempt at caring for him and then his father's arrested? I felt absolutely terrible for Jughead and we really felt his rage as he continued where the police had left off smashing up the trailer park, which transitioned into sadness as he went to his knees.
Milo: In an episode full of great moments, this one really stood out for me. As Richard decided he was quitting he decided to let himself in through the back door only to find out that the group was standing up waiting for him to arrive in from the back door was perfect, and as he announced his resignation from CEO at the same time as the group planned to fire him was perfectly timed, especially with Jared arriving through the front door moments later having tried to warn Richard about what the group planned to do in advance, just allowed for some great moments of comedy that really paid off.
Samantha: I absolutely love Speechless. I could've honestly chosen every scene of this episode because it really is balancing serious with humor so well, but I felt this scene where Maya introduced JJ to Lee was so incredibly important. JJ's family tries their best to support him but at the end of the day, they have no idea what life is actually like for him. Being introduced to Lee and seeing him with a girlfriend, living an independent life and enjoying himself was a real eye opener for JJ that he may be disabled but that doesn't mean he can't live his life as he chooses and scenes like this is why Speechless is so great.
Justyna K: It was another memorable episode with quite a few developments and some great scenes to mention in the article. I was glad to watch Octavia's return at the end of the hour, Jaha choosing to let those who don't want to be saved stay behind (while thinking of Wells) and Bellamy's goodbye with Jasper and Harper. But it's the goodbye between Raven and Murphy that both surprised me the most and made the biggest impression this time. First of all, both the actors, Lindsey Morgan and Richard Harmon, did a wonderful job in the scene, showing just how their characters must have felt in this moment. Raven's condition turned out to be the hardest surprise in the season for me. She's easily one of the most interesting and developed characters on the show and seeing her fade away and slowly lose herself is quite heartbreaking. She's been through so much and helped so many people and in the end there's barely a chance for her left. When she tells Murphy what it feels like to lose her mind and that her last wish is to stay behind and spacewalk one more time it's clear that she's trying to make peace with the cruel fate and asks her friends to let her go. On his part, Murphy feels guilty for his role in Raven's pain and for once truly apologizes for his actions, accepting her wish and saying goodbye with a heavy heart. The dynamics between these two characters have changed so much and evolved into an unexpected friendship, making this an even harder scene to watch. I do hope there's still even a smallest chance to alter Raven's fate. Can't wait to see what's next in her story. Kudos!
Luana: This whole episode shined a light on what it's like to be Nora Cursed and just how deep that goes for her. Carrie Coon was amazing throughout the episode. Her hope and the heartbreaking disbelief when she sees her children, and the possibility of seeing them again right in front of her, was masterful. But, I have to pick the scene where Tom tells her that, when he left Lily at Kevin's doorstep, he didn't even know she existed. That was not only very harsh but it truly showed just how cursed she is, how she wasn't even in the equation for Tom and yet she's the one left in pieces now that Lily is gone. This show is just too good to be ending.
DarkUFO: Kevin trying to suffocate himself with the plastic bag.
Aimee: There were so many great scenes in this episode it’s almost impossible to pick just one. The best I can do is go with the scene that I am likely to want to watch more than once and the other two contenders for my scene of the week entry were so incredible and intense, but unlikely that I would be inspired to want to watch them again. Those scenes were where Hayley and Freya summoned up images from the day Hayley’s family were murdered and the one where Elijah ripped out Dominic’s heart. Great scenes, but they were so intense that outside of a regular total rewatch of the episode I’m not likely to seek them out to watch again. So I have to go with this lighter and less intense scene between Freya and Keelin. There has been a lot of talk regarding why Keelin would stick around despite being free. Well, it’s simple, she’s developed feelings for Freya and wants to see where things go. As to how those feeling developed that’s slightly more complicated, but likely has to do with her being attracted to strong women. It’s also worth noting that she did leave and wasn’t being pursued or compelled when she returned to Freya’s side in the prior episode. She was free to go with a cure to her curse in her possession. Many have cried out about Stockholm Syndrome, but that would require Keelin having felt like a victim and I get a distinct impression that never occurred. She’s a strong wolf capable of holding her own in a fight and never seemed truly fearful. She was angry about the situation because she’d had Hayley’s word of freedom, but at the same time I think she realized what was going on and that she herself wouldn’t act much differently in their positions. While they showed her a tiny bit of compassion when Hayley tried to free her and when Freya treated her wounds that’s about where the compassion ended. In a truly fascinating twist of the story it was actually Keelin who expressed compassion to Freya that turned the tides. She was freed because she got through to Freya and given Freya’s own experience with captivity (far longer than Keelin’s) I think Freya realized that she was, in essence, repeating the horrors that were done to her and retreated on her poor decisions regarding Keelin. It was to the point where she even apologized for all she did in a very sincere way. That all leads to this scene where Freya was once again apologizing for her family and Keelin was once again kind and understanding. She’s even got Freya to the point where she’s super shy and almost acts like a smitten teenager when around her. There is definitely an attraction, but first off they are building a friendship which Freya desperately needs in her life. While it’d be nice to see Freya get someone in her life that’s just a friend it’s almost more important to see her with someone who can love her for all her flaws and all the flaws of her family. Through Keelin’s kindness, she’s helping Freya evolve. For now, scenes like this where they are just connecting and building a foundation are lovely to watch. Whatever comes of their connection, whether it ends in a relationship or not, it’s a very important bond for Freya to have in her life. It’s nice to see that Freya has someone who she could go out with and for a little while just be a normal person having fun with a friend. A lovely scene in a dark and intense episode.
DJRiter: In what was easily the best episode of the series directed by Larry Teng, known for directing some of Supergirl's strongest episodes, highlight was strong finishing scene between Bill Paxton and Julie Benz - Holly decides to get out of escort business and leave LA, telling him Billy will understand, to which Frank replies, "A man that walks away from a job unfinished isn't a man worth loving." Holly says good-bye and tearfully walks away. Frank goes after her and grabs her telling her she's still his informant and if she leaves LA he'll arrest her. Holly turns and tells Frank, "I love you too, Frank." The scene ends with them in a passionate kiss.
VEEP, "Library", April 23, 2017, Actors: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sarah Sutherland, Clea DuVall, The Scene: Catherine and Marjorie reveal their plans to Selina
Klutzy girl: Catherine and Marjorie reveal to Selina and her team that they're planning on having a baby. The fact that they didn't clarify at first that neither one of them is pregnant yet and confused everyone was hilarious but I'm so excited to see them take this journey this season. And Grandma!Selina should be fun to watch.
