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.
BETTER CALL SAUL, "Slip", June 5, 2017, Actor: Michael Mando, The Scene: Nacho switches out Hector's pills
Darth Locke: Michael Mando is an underrated actor IMO, being able to convey something comically amusing, but yet genuinely enduring. This scene in particular was rather intense - so dragged out by Nacho's plan, but yet filmed so realistically, I was on the edge of my seat in suspense at something that on its nose sounds simple, but clearly isn't.
DOCTOR WHO, "Empress of Mars", June 10, 2017, Actors: Anthony Calf, Adele Lynch and more, The Scene: The Colonel changes Ice Queen's mind
Justyna: This time the focus is on the guest characters of the episode and I thought the actors & writer did a great job at making them interesting to watch. There's a fight going on between the humans and the Ice Warriors with both sides doing what they think is best and no clear distinction of good or bad guys in the conflict. And this scene is the moment when it all changes. The biggest shift comes from an action taken by one man, when he shoots one of his own people who spent the whole episode making the matters worse, not expecting to survive but trying to spare the lives of his other soldiers. And the Ice Queen notices. Despite his previous choice to run away he finds the courage and strength in himself to face the Queen and do the right thing for once. She sees the warrior in him and offers a second chance for an alliance with people, a brand new beginning in the world for both races. I thought it was a well written and acted part and the Doctor's quiet understanding of the situation and hopeful wishes for peace made it work better than I expected. Kudos to cast & crew for good work on yet another episode! It's been quite a season.
FARGO, "Who Rules the Land of Denial?", June 7, 2017, Actors: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Russell Harvard, Ray Wise and more, The Scenes: The escape through the forest & Nikki chats to Paul in the "Bowling Alley"
Darth Locke: Nikki and Mr. Wrench struggle to survive in the woods. This episode was hands down my favorite episode of the season, because it was amazingly layered and connected all of Fargo together in such great ways, but the scenes with these two characters trying to survive in the woods was scary, intense, and really well-filmed. I was SO sure that at least one of them wouldn't make it out alive, but alas I am gratefully so wrong!
Jimmy: The escape through the forest. This was a thrilling, intense and scary opening to the episode. The fantastic directing and minimal use of dialogue made the scene even better.
DarkUFO: Nikki chats to Paul in the "Bowling Alley".
FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, "The New Frontier", June 4, 2017, Actors: Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis and more, The Scenes: Travis dies & Madison finds out about Travis' death
Marko: Madison finds out Travis is dead. Kim Dickens was brilliant throughout the two hour season premiere but her performance peaked the moment she found out about Travis' demise. She brought the feels.
Rachel: Travis’ shocking death and Maddie finding out about his death.
GOTHAM, "Heavydirtysoul", June 5, 2017, Actors: Robin Lord Taylor, Cory Michael Smith
The Scene: Penguin tricks Nygma one last time
Marko: It was one perfect final twist in this game of cat and mouse. I really thought they would let Nygma shoot Penguin one more time and then they blew my mind.
iZOMBIE, "Return of the Dead Guy", June 6, 2017, Actors: Rahul Kohli, Greg Finley and more, The Scenes: Drake returns & The ending
Justyna: Now that was quite a crazy episode and a shocking ending. While Liv was getting her chance to say goodbye to Drake and Blaine had one more confrontation with an old enemy, Ravi's situation was going from bad to worse. His desperate attempts to get out and get help seemed pretty hopeless with all his friends not paying enough attention to his absence. But everything changes in the last minutes of the episode when Blaine finally delivers Liv the message about Ravi's dire circumstances and the two go after him. Blaine and Liv get to the gun range just when the zombie hunters (with a hundred thousand viewers watching their actions online) decide it's time to torture Don E. And at the same time Ravi makes a stand. Despite his fear he stands up to the hunters begging them to consider the fact that the zombie they captured is still a person. Such an intense and powerful scene with a cliffhanger that makes you nervous for what's about to happen. I really like Ravi's character and I'm genuinely worried where he'll be at the end of the season. Kudos to Rahul Kohli for another great performance! All his scenes truly made this episode.
Samantha: Most of this week's episode was a dud. It was extremely frustrating that it took so long for Blaine & Liv to make their way to the gun range, but that cliffhanger! I'm glad that everyone's moved on from the Blaine/Peyton/Ravi triangle because they were all written terribly, especially Ravi. He's at his best when he's defusing the tension with his bad jokes, in the lab working on his rats & stepping into the path of danger.
Milo: Ravi faces off the zombie truth hunters to prevent them from torturing the captured zombie. I was really worried for Ravi in this episode and the cliffhanger at the end really hasn't helped matters at all, but he played a key part here and with the tension so high this scene really worked.
Dahne: Drake returns. The cliffhanger was definitely the most intense part of the episode but I liked seeing Drake back the best. I really liked this character and, while I wish he had a more important part in the episode instead of mostly comic relief, I did appreciate some closure to his story.
THE LEFTOVERS, "The Book of Nora", June 4, 2017, Actors: Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, The Scenes: Nora tells her story to Kevin & Kevin and Nora dance
Darth Locke: It's the stories we tell ourselves that we need to help us heal, move on, and hopefully grow! I just love that this series really turned out to be this great love story about two people struggling not to just connect, but accept each other in the wake of something that can't really be proven, but felt. To see Kevin so moved by someone he sometimes just neglected, including just believing her, to Nora seemingly making a choice to be happy and tell a beautiful story, despite that we may never know how objectively real it was, made the series for me!
Marine: Nora tells her story to Kevin. A very emotional scene, beautifully directed with incredible performances from the cast. A perfect ending to a great show. Also picked by DarkUFO
Milo: Kevin and Nora dance. This scene nearly brought me to tears. It was emotional, brilliantly acted by Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon, and wonderfully set against Otis Redding's I've Got Dreams to Remember. Perfect use of a song, perfect setting, and a brilliant moment in a perfect show.
THE ORIGINALS, "A Spirit Here That Won't Be Broken", June 9, 2017, Actors: Charles Michael Davis, Claire Holt, The Scene: Rebekah kisses Marcel
Marko: I'm not a big fan of this union but Claire Holt brought it home once again. Such a powerful, emotional and most importantly believable performance from Claire.
WYNONNA EARP, "Steel Bars and Stone Walls", June 9, 2017, Actors: Tim Rozon, Melanie Scrofano, The Scene: Doc tells Wynonna it's his turn now
Samantha: Doc tells Wynonna it's his turn now and she's had enough. I'm so glad this show's back and the premiere was full of good scenes, but I think this was the best one. Having to kill Willa in the season finale is obviously still playing on Wynonna which we saw throughout the whole episode, with how determined she was to save Dolls regardless of what condition he was in & feeling bad for Waverly being caught in the drama again. Doc is usually used as the comic relief, has a strained relationship with Dolls & runs away from danger, so it was the right time for him to step up, take charge & order Wynonna to save Waverly whilst he did what was necessary with Dolls.
Darth Locke: Michael Mando is an underrated actor IMO, being able to convey something comically amusing, but yet genuinely enduring. This scene in particular was rather intense - so dragged out by Nacho's plan, but yet filmed so realistically, I was on the edge of my seat in suspense at something that on its nose sounds simple, but clearly isn't.
Justyna: This time the focus is on the guest characters of the episode and I thought the actors & writer did a great job at making them interesting to watch. There's a fight going on between the humans and the Ice Warriors with both sides doing what they think is best and no clear distinction of good or bad guys in the conflict. And this scene is the moment when it all changes. The biggest shift comes from an action taken by one man, when he shoots one of his own people who spent the whole episode making the matters worse, not expecting to survive but trying to spare the lives of his other soldiers. And the Ice Queen notices. Despite his previous choice to run away he finds the courage and strength in himself to face the Queen and do the right thing for once. She sees the warrior in him and offers a second chance for an alliance with people, a brand new beginning in the world for both races. I thought it was a well written and acted part and the Doctor's quiet understanding of the situation and hopeful wishes for peace made it work better than I expected. Kudos to cast & crew for good work on yet another episode! It's been quite a season.
Darth Locke: Nikki and Mr. Wrench struggle to survive in the woods. This episode was hands down my favorite episode of the season, because it was amazingly layered and connected all of Fargo together in such great ways, but the scenes with these two characters trying to survive in the woods was scary, intense, and really well-filmed. I was SO sure that at least one of them wouldn't make it out alive, but alas I am gratefully so wrong!
Jimmy: The escape through the forest. This was a thrilling, intense and scary opening to the episode. The fantastic directing and minimal use of dialogue made the scene even better.
DarkUFO: Nikki chats to Paul in the "Bowling Alley".
Marko: Madison finds out Travis is dead. Kim Dickens was brilliant throughout the two hour season premiere but her performance peaked the moment she found out about Travis' demise. She brought the feels.
Rachel: Travis’ shocking death and Maddie finding out about his death.
GOTHAM, "Heavydirtysoul", June 5, 2017, Actors: Robin Lord Taylor, Cory Michael Smith
The Scene: Penguin tricks Nygma one last time
Marko: It was one perfect final twist in this game of cat and mouse. I really thought they would let Nygma shoot Penguin one more time and then they blew my mind.
Justyna: Now that was quite a crazy episode and a shocking ending. While Liv was getting her chance to say goodbye to Drake and Blaine had one more confrontation with an old enemy, Ravi's situation was going from bad to worse. His desperate attempts to get out and get help seemed pretty hopeless with all his friends not paying enough attention to his absence. But everything changes in the last minutes of the episode when Blaine finally delivers Liv the message about Ravi's dire circumstances and the two go after him. Blaine and Liv get to the gun range just when the zombie hunters (with a hundred thousand viewers watching their actions online) decide it's time to torture Don E. And at the same time Ravi makes a stand. Despite his fear he stands up to the hunters begging them to consider the fact that the zombie they captured is still a person. Such an intense and powerful scene with a cliffhanger that makes you nervous for what's about to happen. I really like Ravi's character and I'm genuinely worried where he'll be at the end of the season. Kudos to Rahul Kohli for another great performance! All his scenes truly made this episode.
Samantha: Most of this week's episode was a dud. It was extremely frustrating that it took so long for Blaine & Liv to make their way to the gun range, but that cliffhanger! I'm glad that everyone's moved on from the Blaine/Peyton/Ravi triangle because they were all written terribly, especially Ravi. He's at his best when he's defusing the tension with his bad jokes, in the lab working on his rats & stepping into the path of danger.
Milo: Ravi faces off the zombie truth hunters to prevent them from torturing the captured zombie. I was really worried for Ravi in this episode and the cliffhanger at the end really hasn't helped matters at all, but he played a key part here and with the tension so high this scene really worked.
Dahne: Drake returns. The cliffhanger was definitely the most intense part of the episode but I liked seeing Drake back the best. I really liked this character and, while I wish he had a more important part in the episode instead of mostly comic relief, I did appreciate some closure to his story.
Darth Locke: It's the stories we tell ourselves that we need to help us heal, move on, and hopefully grow! I just love that this series really turned out to be this great love story about two people struggling not to just connect, but accept each other in the wake of something that can't really be proven, but felt. To see Kevin so moved by someone he sometimes just neglected, including just believing her, to Nora seemingly making a choice to be happy and tell a beautiful story, despite that we may never know how objectively real it was, made the series for me!
Marine: Nora tells her story to Kevin. A very emotional scene, beautifully directed with incredible performances from the cast. A perfect ending to a great show. Also picked by DarkUFO
Milo: Kevin and Nora dance. This scene nearly brought me to tears. It was emotional, brilliantly acted by Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon, and wonderfully set against Otis Redding's I've Got Dreams to Remember. Perfect use of a song, perfect setting, and a brilliant moment in a perfect show.
THE ORIGINALS, "A Spirit Here That Won't Be Broken", June 9, 2017, Actors: Charles Michael Davis, Claire Holt, The Scene: Rebekah kisses Marcel
Marko: I'm not a big fan of this union but Claire Holt brought it home once again. Such a powerful, emotional and most importantly believable performance from Claire.
Samantha: Doc tells Wynonna it's his turn now and she's had enough. I'm so glad this show's back and the premiere was full of good scenes, but I think this was the best one. Having to kill Willa in the season finale is obviously still playing on Wynonna which we saw throughout the whole episode, with how determined she was to save Dolls regardless of what condition he was in & feeling bad for Waverly being caught in the drama again. Doc is usually used as the comic relief, has a strained relationship with Dolls & runs away from danger, so it was the right time for him to step up, take charge & order Wynonna to save Waverly whilst he did what was necessary with Dolls.
