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, "Inside Voices", April 6, 2018, Actors: Elizabeth Henstridge, Clark Gregg, Ruth Negga and more, The Scenes: The Experiment & The flashback at the end & Talbot and Carl save Coulson
Justyna: My favorite part of the episode was easily the team of Coulson, Talbot and Creel, but I have to highlight the scene of the experiment. Because while the recent Fitz's actions were clearly caused by his brain injury, this idea that Simmons and Elena came up with was something else completely. I felt bad for both Mack and Fitz when they were forced to watch their loved ones play with fire and risk Jemma's life for this trick. Fitz himself realizes the difficulty of his situation and there's no one really looking for solution to his injury when they all choose to act insane instead. From the beginning of the hour, there was a season two reference that I kept thinking about whenever "invincible" group was on the screen. “You know what the scariest change is, Jemma? It's you.” Fitz's mental breakdown was hard to watch and it made him quite an adversary for the team but once again it's Jemma's behavior that seems most damaging to everyone else. Such a long way from the scientist we met back in season one. I'm not sure where this plot is going but considering the main goal of the team is to change the future, I'm afraid it will cost someone his/her life in the end. I only hope that we will want to root for all our characters by the time this story ends. The entire sequence was incredibly intense and wonderfully acted, yet not easy to watch at all. Kudos to cast & crew for another memorable hour!
Klutzy girl: The flashback with Raina and Quinn that finally reveals the latter's fate. The show had seemingly forgotten about him and I absolutely love that Raina fed him to the Gravitonium. She's one of my favorite characters on this show for a reason, and that was such a great moment.
Jamie: Talbot and Carl save Coulson. I loved the interactions between Talbot and Coulson. And please let this be the last time Coulson dies.
ARROW, "Brothers in Arms", April 5, 2018, Actors: Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, The Scene: The argument between Oliver and John
Justyna: Not because of the words shared but based solely on the powerful performances by the actors, I had to highlight this confrontation. When it comes to the content, I would say Oliver's apology was far better done. He was honest and open about his feelings and he truly explained what Green Arrow meant to him and why he couldn't let go. The argument, on the other hand, started from the place of mutual respect and went downhill pretty fast. Those two old friends caused each other more pain with the words than in the fight that came next. Though Oliver may not be the best team leader, it was hard to see his best friend openly admit he doesn't believe in him anymore. That's something that can truly break a hero and shake his confidence, so it wasn't easy to watch these two on the opposite sides. The show has really torn the team apart this season and it's starting to look like not all characters will end the story with a lot of support from the fans. Both Stephen Amell and David Ramsey delivered some of their best performances yet during the scene, so kudos to the actors for their great work!
BLACK LIGHTNING, "Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion", April 3, 2018, Actors: Cress Williams and more, The Scene: Jefferson is arrested
Luana: I'm not sold on the music they used but seeing how he's treated and how much everyone respects him was damn powerful.
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, "The Box", April 1, 2018, Actors: Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Sterling K. Brown, The Scenes: Jake gets Philip to confess to the murder & Holt's little meltdown
Justyna: I absolutely love seeing Jake prove what a good detective he is, so of course his monologue which finally broke Philip and got him to confess to the murder, was my favorite part of this great episode. After spending the entire night looking for a way to catch the killer in a lie, it becomes clear how well prepared he was for the interrogation. When Jake realizes the amount of work that was needed to orchestrate a crime without the evidence of guilt, he finally understands Philip's weakness - the need to win, to be recognized for his achievement, to be the smartest person in the room. And while it may seem that such a person wouldn't fall for Peralta's final trick, it actually made a lot of sense to me. It's the little things that can drive you insane and people have their own triggers that can cause even a brilliant man to lose it for a moment. As proved by Holt's earlier meltdown over the doctorate debate. The speech was clever and wonderfully written and all the actors did such a fantastic job in the scene and the episode overall. Kudos to the entire crew, but especially to Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher and the guest star Sterling K. Brown. Just one more proof why this is the best comedy currently on TV.
Saloni: Holt's little meltdown over the correct use of doctor/doctorate. I mean, this entire episode was brilliant and Sterling K. Brown was phenomenal but this scene only proves Andre Braugher is always going to be this show's ace card. He was hilarious!
Laura: Jake gets Philip to confess in a stunning portrayal of good detective work and making Philip feel undermined. Obviously every actor on display was in full form, but man, this was quite the episode. One for the history books.
COUNTERPART, "No Man's Land, Part Two", April 1, 2018, Actors: Sara Serraiocco, Ulrich Thomsen and more, The Scene: Baldwin escapes the hospital and kills Aldrich in the process
Milo: I could have picked multiple scenes from Baldwin's story this episode alone before we even get to picking from the entire hour, but my vote goes to the scene where she, having taken the money from Harold Prime, decides to escape the hospital killing Aldrich's men and then finally killing Aldrich in the process, claiming that it's personal for his involvement in her counterpart's death. In a show which has two JK Simmons' it's not easy to be the scene-stealer every time you show up on screen, but Sara Serraiocco has really knocked it out of the park here, portraying one of the most compelling and memorable characters of the year so far.
GREY'S ANATOMY, "Hold Back the River", April 5, 2018, Actors: Jessica Capshaw and more
The Scene: Arizona realizes she doesn't have breast cancer (picked by Marko)
HERE AND NOW, "Yes", April 1, 2018, Actors: Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins and more
The Scene: The family dinner
Luana: This kind of conversation is exactly why I love this show.
LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, "Guest Starring John Noble", April 2, 2018, Actors: Caity Lotz, Arthur Darvill, Jes Macallan, Neal McDonough and more, The Scenes: Ava confronts Rip about the clones & Damien admits regret over killing Laurel & Sara asks young Barack Obama for advice & Sara stabs Damien & The team saves a young Barack Obama from Grodd
Samantha: Damien admits regret over killing Laurel. This week's episode was a bit of a mixed bag at times, but this was among a few scenes that were absolutely perfect and the first time I've actually respected Damien's character. He's down in the dumps over Nora, but Sara isn't going to show any sympathy to the man that murdered her sister in a mightily brutal fashion and this is one of the first times we've ever seen Damien show remorse. It doesn't take away any of the heartbreak he's caused, but at least he's actually aware of it now.
DJRiter: Ava confronts Rip about the clones. This scene is just further proof that Jes Macallan has done a great job as Ava this season and has been rightfully promoted to cast regular next season. She runs through a gamut of emotions in this tense scene with Arthur Darvill (Rip). Her indignation and anger at Rip for not telling her she was a clone was palpable as was her pain and shame when realizing that she wasn’t even the first clone that Rip had chosen, she was the 12th. She has been a great addition to a cast and show that is growing stronger and will continue to do so in making great casting choices like her.
Beth: Sara goes to a young Barack Obama for advice. I mean what other show could pull this off and have it come across as endearing? I loved that Sara bent his ear while she had him and in the end said 'I miss you'. I think most of us do Sara!
Jamie: Sara stabs Damien. So many great moments but this little scene is something I've been waiting a while for.
Sean: The team saves a young Barack Obama from Grodd. Rescuing a future US President from a massive telepathic gorilla is the kind of zany and fun over-the-top scenario that Legends of Tomorrow excels at. Despite this being the penultimate episode with major stakes, the writers are still injecting humor and having lots of fun.
LEGION, "Chapter 9", April 3, 2018, Actors: Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement and more, The Scenes: Opening Montage & The dance sequence
Laura B: Although it's still a bit unclear what this Dance off really was (a metaphor for a real battle, The Shadow King using David as a conduit to suck-up people's energy, David trying to tire The Shadow King, or all of the above), it was a wonderfully choreographed scene. The season opened with beginning to clarify some things, while yet introducing others. There was possible time travel introduced, beautiful waffle restaurant that I need to eat at, ice cream drinking games, more sad upbringings so much Kubric-like imagery again too--I'm just so excited to continue to fall down all the rabbit holes!
Milo: The dance sequence. Few shows are as unique as Legion when it comes to showcasing 'combat' scenes and this dance-off between David and the Shadow King was very awesome, rivalling Season 1's. It worked so well with the tone of the show and it didn't take us long to be thrust back into the weird world of the series. The Twin Peaks influence on this show has never been clearer.
DarkUFO: Opening Montage.
SCHITT'S CREEK, "The Rollout", April 3, 2018, Actors: Annie Murphy, Dustin Milligan, The Scene: Alexis tells Ted how she feels
Beth: The journey Alexis has taken this season especially has been magical to watch and this moment of maturity was the culmination. She had spent an afternoon with Mutt and could have easily just used him to make herself feel better, but it never even crossed her mind. She knew it was time to be honest with Ted and put her feelings out there without it being overly dramatic or expecting something, she just spoke her truth. Ted's reaction was very realistic, this woman hurt him deeply and they both took a step back and established a friendship that was lacking the first time around. The writing also stayed true to the show and Ted and Alexis concluded the talk with him telling her that she can't take a dog home which brought that signature levity right in.
Laura: Alexis tells Ted she's in love with him. Such a powerhouse performance from both actors, even if Ted didn't say much of anything. So beautiful and dramatic. I love when this show gets real. And I'm surprisingly rooting for these two.
SHADOWHUNTERS, "What Lies Beneath", April 3, 2018, Actors: Nicola Correia-Damude, David Castro, Harry Shum Jr. and more, The Scene: Maryse thanks Magnus for loving Alec & Raphael and Rosa in the park
Abi: Maryse thanks Magnus for loving Alec and hugs him. It was great to see her apologise for her past prejudices and see that her son is now the happiest he’s ever been and I love the character development that she’s displayed over the past season and a half.
Andrea: Raphael and Rosa in the park. It was the only moment we saw the two together but it was very emotional, Rosa that didn't remember and Raphael who made her remember the past, it was really good.
SUITS, "Bad Man", April 4, 2018, Actors: Patrick J. Adams, Jordan Johnson-Hinds, The Scene: Mike and Oliver make up
Jessica: After a long day, Mike comes home, only to find Oliver in the kitchen cooking instead of Rachel. With Mike and Oliver having spent the majority of the episode at odds, it was a nice scene where the two make up. Even though Oliver “lost,” he comes to the realization that if Mike had gone easy on him, he never would have learned. For the first time, Oliver felt like Mike’s equal. While Oliver’s only appeared in a handful of episodes, his and Mike’s relationship is reminiscent of the Mike and Harvey’s in the earlier seasons, with Mike shifting into the role of Harvey this time around. Viewers have seen Mike come so far from where he started, and with only a few episodes until Patrick J. Adams departs the series, it’s great to see Mike continuing to grow and mature.
THE AMERICANS, "Tchaikovsky", April 4, 2018, Actors: Keri Russell, Holly Taylor and more, The Scenes: Elizabeth and Paige's talk about spies using sex to get information & Elizabeth kills the US Army Traitor
Saloni: Elizabeth and Paige's conversation about spies using sex to get information. First of all, I loved the Tchaikovsky music playing in the background the entire time. Secondly, I am really enjoying the moments of Elizabeth training Paige we're getting with every episode. This was a complicated conversation to have with her daughter and Elizabeth gave a very nuanced, even if not fully truthful, response. Keri Russell is at the top of her game, as always, but Holly Taylor has really grown into this role well.
DarkUFO: Elizabeth kills the US Army Traitor. Also picked by Laura B
THE CROSSING, "Pilot", April 2, 2018, Actors: Steve Zahn and more
The Scene: The opening sequence in the water
Jamie: This was so beautifully shot. Really set the tone for the show.
THE GOLDBERGS, "MTV Spring Break", April 4, 2018, Actors: Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia and more, The Scenes: Adam is forced to admit he stole money from Murray & Barry and Erica get arrested
Samantha: Adam is forced to admit he stole money from Murray. I'm not sure what part of this storyline was the funniest, but Adam trying to come up with an explanation for the money before then giving up, admitting he stole it and his parents rejoicing that he's a screw up just like Erica and Barry is up there as one of my favourite ever scenes this show has produced.
Claire: Barry and Erica having a ‘rager’ at Pop’s retirement condo with just the two of them. They get arrested for stealing a knisch. This actually happened to Adam’s siblings, so funny. Love Barry and Erica scenes.
THE GOOD FIGHT, "Day 436", April 1, 2018, Actors: Rose Leslie and more, The Scene: Maia finds the dead body
Laura B: This season has been quite interesting, even trying to more evenly distribute characters and storylines by allowing some characters to take a backseat, while others are more featured in any given episode. Maia had been sidelined since the first two episodes of the season and in this episode she basically shared screen time with Lucca, as each went on their own police-ride to review them, and each having pretty intense, albeit very different experiences. It was wonderful to see Maia continue to come out of her shell as the night went on, but for her to be one to find the body in the apartment was not only continuing TGWs capacity to seamlessly shift between tones of satire/dark comedy and melodrama and scenes like this with gritty realism worked really well with this season's themes about [lawyers] facing death at every turn and forcing the characters to react to it.
THE MAGICIANS, "Will You Play With Me?", April 4, 2018, Actors: Jason Ralph, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Hale Appleman and more, The Scene: The final montage
Jessica: The final montage of the episode where viewers get a glimpse into the new personas of the cast. The entire season finale of The Magicians was insane, but the ending of the episode was definitely my favorite. While the gang succeeded in turning magic back on, they were ultimately betrayed by Dean Fogg and Irene McAllistair, who at the request of the Library, put a siphon on magic. We then jump forward and learn that Brakebills is up and running, but magic is being rationed, so I was expecting our heroes to be back studying at Brakebills and trying to figure out how to rectify the situation. Of course, that would have been a complete rehash of the season two finale, so I was intrigued to learn that our favorite characters are now living in the “Muggle” world, with no memory nor idea they are magicians along with completely new identities and personalities. Viewers got brief glimpses of who our favorite characters are now – except for Alice who is imprisoned by the Library and Eliot who is essentially possessed – and I can’t wait to see what and who these characters will be next season. The Magicians always finds new ways to surprise me, and I wish season four was here already. As a side note, I loved the reference to Margo’s new name as Janet.
THE MIDDLE, "Thank You for Not Kissing", April 3, 2018, Actors: Neil Flynn, Atticus Shaffer
The Scene: Mike's talk to Brick (picked by Marko)
THE TERROR, "The Ladder", April 2, 2018, Actors: Ciarán Hinds and more
The Scene: Franklin is killed by the Monster (picked by DarkUFO)
UNREAL, "Transference", April 2, 2018, Actors: Barclay Hope, Shiri Appleby and more, The Scene: Rachel's father breaks down in front of everybody
Jessica: When Rachel’s dad breaks down in front of the cast and crew. After learning the toll Rachel’s job at Everlasting has taken on her – she was hospitalized after all – Asa Goldberg, who’s detoxing from lithium, breaks down in front of the entire cast and crew. Most of his outrage is directed toward Quinn, who Asa believes is responsible for poisoning his daughter. He so desperately wants to protect Rachel this time around, feeling like he failed to protect her in the past. In his mind, Asa believes that by saving Rachel from the evil Quinn, he will be able to resolve twenty years of pent up guilt over Rachel being raped. She was raped in her own home – a place that should have been safe – but wasn’t. Barclay Hope brings such emotion and pain to this monologue, something that is so much more impressive when viewers remember this is the same man who played Clifford Blossom on Riverdale.
Luana: Barclay Hope has been killing it this season, how he's losing it thinking about what happened to Rachel in her past, and how everyone reacted to realizing what it was. "It happened in MY house."
WILL & GRACE, "It's a Family Affair", April 5, 2018, Actors: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and more, The Scenes: Will and Grace find his mom and her dad in bed together & Malcolm and Karen kiss through Smitty
Claire: Will and Grace finding his mom and her dad in bed together...Grace and Will trying to figure out what is in bed with them. It’s one of the beagles, so funny.
Marko: Malcolm and Karen kiss through Smitty.
YOUNG SHELDON, "Jiu-Jitsu, Bubble Wrap, and Yoo-Hoo", April 5, 2018, Actors: Iain Armitage, Montana Jordan and more, The Scene: Georgie finds out who has been bullying Sheldon
Claire: Georgie finding out it is a sweet-looking, little girl who has been bullying Sheldon, who is hiding from her behind a garbage can. I like when Georgie and Sheldon have nice brother moments.
Justyna: My favorite part of the episode was easily the team of Coulson, Talbot and Creel, but I have to highlight the scene of the experiment. Because while the recent Fitz's actions were clearly caused by his brain injury, this idea that Simmons and Elena came up with was something else completely. I felt bad for both Mack and Fitz when they were forced to watch their loved ones play with fire and risk Jemma's life for this trick. Fitz himself realizes the difficulty of his situation and there's no one really looking for solution to his injury when they all choose to act insane instead. From the beginning of the hour, there was a season two reference that I kept thinking about whenever "invincible" group was on the screen. “You know what the scariest change is, Jemma? It's you.” Fitz's mental breakdown was hard to watch and it made him quite an adversary for the team but once again it's Jemma's behavior that seems most damaging to everyone else. Such a long way from the scientist we met back in season one. I'm not sure where this plot is going but considering the main goal of the team is to change the future, I'm afraid it will cost someone his/her life in the end. I only hope that we will want to root for all our characters by the time this story ends. The entire sequence was incredibly intense and wonderfully acted, yet not easy to watch at all. Kudos to cast & crew for another memorable hour!
Klutzy girl: The flashback with Raina and Quinn that finally reveals the latter's fate. The show had seemingly forgotten about him and I absolutely love that Raina fed him to the Gravitonium. She's one of my favorite characters on this show for a reason, and that was such a great moment.
Jamie: Talbot and Carl save Coulson. I loved the interactions between Talbot and Coulson. And please let this be the last time Coulson dies.
Justyna: Not because of the words shared but based solely on the powerful performances by the actors, I had to highlight this confrontation. When it comes to the content, I would say Oliver's apology was far better done. He was honest and open about his feelings and he truly explained what Green Arrow meant to him and why he couldn't let go. The argument, on the other hand, started from the place of mutual respect and went downhill pretty fast. Those two old friends caused each other more pain with the words than in the fight that came next. Though Oliver may not be the best team leader, it was hard to see his best friend openly admit he doesn't believe in him anymore. That's something that can truly break a hero and shake his confidence, so it wasn't easy to watch these two on the opposite sides. The show has really torn the team apart this season and it's starting to look like not all characters will end the story with a lot of support from the fans. Both Stephen Amell and David Ramsey delivered some of their best performances yet during the scene, so kudos to the actors for their great work!
BLACK LIGHTNING, "Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion", April 3, 2018, Actors: Cress Williams and more, The Scene: Jefferson is arrested
Luana: I'm not sold on the music they used but seeing how he's treated and how much everyone respects him was damn powerful.
Justyna: I absolutely love seeing Jake prove what a good detective he is, so of course his monologue which finally broke Philip and got him to confess to the murder, was my favorite part of this great episode. After spending the entire night looking for a way to catch the killer in a lie, it becomes clear how well prepared he was for the interrogation. When Jake realizes the amount of work that was needed to orchestrate a crime without the evidence of guilt, he finally understands Philip's weakness - the need to win, to be recognized for his achievement, to be the smartest person in the room. And while it may seem that such a person wouldn't fall for Peralta's final trick, it actually made a lot of sense to me. It's the little things that can drive you insane and people have their own triggers that can cause even a brilliant man to lose it for a moment. As proved by Holt's earlier meltdown over the doctorate debate. The speech was clever and wonderfully written and all the actors did such a fantastic job in the scene and the episode overall. Kudos to the entire crew, but especially to Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher and the guest star Sterling K. Brown. Just one more proof why this is the best comedy currently on TV.
Saloni: Holt's little meltdown over the correct use of doctor/doctorate. I mean, this entire episode was brilliant and Sterling K. Brown was phenomenal but this scene only proves Andre Braugher is always going to be this show's ace card. He was hilarious!
Laura: Jake gets Philip to confess in a stunning portrayal of good detective work and making Philip feel undermined. Obviously every actor on display was in full form, but man, this was quite the episode. One for the history books.
Milo: I could have picked multiple scenes from Baldwin's story this episode alone before we even get to picking from the entire hour, but my vote goes to the scene where she, having taken the money from Harold Prime, decides to escape the hospital killing Aldrich's men and then finally killing Aldrich in the process, claiming that it's personal for his involvement in her counterpart's death. In a show which has two JK Simmons' it's not easy to be the scene-stealer every time you show up on screen, but Sara Serraiocco has really knocked it out of the park here, portraying one of the most compelling and memorable characters of the year so far.
GREY'S ANATOMY, "Hold Back the River", April 5, 2018, Actors: Jessica Capshaw and more
The Scene: Arizona realizes she doesn't have breast cancer (picked by Marko)
HERE AND NOW, "Yes", April 1, 2018, Actors: Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins and more
The Scene: The family dinner
Luana: This kind of conversation is exactly why I love this show.
Samantha: Damien admits regret over killing Laurel. This week's episode was a bit of a mixed bag at times, but this was among a few scenes that were absolutely perfect and the first time I've actually respected Damien's character. He's down in the dumps over Nora, but Sara isn't going to show any sympathy to the man that murdered her sister in a mightily brutal fashion and this is one of the first times we've ever seen Damien show remorse. It doesn't take away any of the heartbreak he's caused, but at least he's actually aware of it now.
DJRiter: Ava confronts Rip about the clones. This scene is just further proof that Jes Macallan has done a great job as Ava this season and has been rightfully promoted to cast regular next season. She runs through a gamut of emotions in this tense scene with Arthur Darvill (Rip). Her indignation and anger at Rip for not telling her she was a clone was palpable as was her pain and shame when realizing that she wasn’t even the first clone that Rip had chosen, she was the 12th. She has been a great addition to a cast and show that is growing stronger and will continue to do so in making great casting choices like her.
Beth: Sara goes to a young Barack Obama for advice. I mean what other show could pull this off and have it come across as endearing? I loved that Sara bent his ear while she had him and in the end said 'I miss you'. I think most of us do Sara!
Jamie: Sara stabs Damien. So many great moments but this little scene is something I've been waiting a while for.
Sean: The team saves a young Barack Obama from Grodd. Rescuing a future US President from a massive telepathic gorilla is the kind of zany and fun over-the-top scenario that Legends of Tomorrow excels at. Despite this being the penultimate episode with major stakes, the writers are still injecting humor and having lots of fun.
Laura B: Although it's still a bit unclear what this Dance off really was (a metaphor for a real battle, The Shadow King using David as a conduit to suck-up people's energy, David trying to tire The Shadow King, or all of the above), it was a wonderfully choreographed scene. The season opened with beginning to clarify some things, while yet introducing others. There was possible time travel introduced, beautiful waffle restaurant that I need to eat at, ice cream drinking games, more sad upbringings so much Kubric-like imagery again too--I'm just so excited to continue to fall down all the rabbit holes!
Milo: The dance sequence. Few shows are as unique as Legion when it comes to showcasing 'combat' scenes and this dance-off between David and the Shadow King was very awesome, rivalling Season 1's. It worked so well with the tone of the show and it didn't take us long to be thrust back into the weird world of the series. The Twin Peaks influence on this show has never been clearer.
DarkUFO: Opening Montage.
Beth: The journey Alexis has taken this season especially has been magical to watch and this moment of maturity was the culmination. She had spent an afternoon with Mutt and could have easily just used him to make herself feel better, but it never even crossed her mind. She knew it was time to be honest with Ted and put her feelings out there without it being overly dramatic or expecting something, she just spoke her truth. Ted's reaction was very realistic, this woman hurt him deeply and they both took a step back and established a friendship that was lacking the first time around. The writing also stayed true to the show and Ted and Alexis concluded the talk with him telling her that she can't take a dog home which brought that signature levity right in.
Laura: Alexis tells Ted she's in love with him. Such a powerhouse performance from both actors, even if Ted didn't say much of anything. So beautiful and dramatic. I love when this show gets real. And I'm surprisingly rooting for these two.
Abi: Maryse thanks Magnus for loving Alec and hugs him. It was great to see her apologise for her past prejudices and see that her son is now the happiest he’s ever been and I love the character development that she’s displayed over the past season and a half.
Andrea: Raphael and Rosa in the park. It was the only moment we saw the two together but it was very emotional, Rosa that didn't remember and Raphael who made her remember the past, it was really good.
Jessica: After a long day, Mike comes home, only to find Oliver in the kitchen cooking instead of Rachel. With Mike and Oliver having spent the majority of the episode at odds, it was a nice scene where the two make up. Even though Oliver “lost,” he comes to the realization that if Mike had gone easy on him, he never would have learned. For the first time, Oliver felt like Mike’s equal. While Oliver’s only appeared in a handful of episodes, his and Mike’s relationship is reminiscent of the Mike and Harvey’s in the earlier seasons, with Mike shifting into the role of Harvey this time around. Viewers have seen Mike come so far from where he started, and with only a few episodes until Patrick J. Adams departs the series, it’s great to see Mike continuing to grow and mature.
Saloni: Elizabeth and Paige's conversation about spies using sex to get information. First of all, I loved the Tchaikovsky music playing in the background the entire time. Secondly, I am really enjoying the moments of Elizabeth training Paige we're getting with every episode. This was a complicated conversation to have with her daughter and Elizabeth gave a very nuanced, even if not fully truthful, response. Keri Russell is at the top of her game, as always, but Holly Taylor has really grown into this role well.
DarkUFO: Elizabeth kills the US Army Traitor. Also picked by Laura B
THE CROSSING, "Pilot", April 2, 2018, Actors: Steve Zahn and more
The Scene: The opening sequence in the water
Jamie: This was so beautifully shot. Really set the tone for the show.
Samantha: Adam is forced to admit he stole money from Murray. I'm not sure what part of this storyline was the funniest, but Adam trying to come up with an explanation for the money before then giving up, admitting he stole it and his parents rejoicing that he's a screw up just like Erica and Barry is up there as one of my favourite ever scenes this show has produced.
Claire: Barry and Erica having a ‘rager’ at Pop’s retirement condo with just the two of them. They get arrested for stealing a knisch. This actually happened to Adam’s siblings, so funny. Love Barry and Erica scenes.
Laura B: This season has been quite interesting, even trying to more evenly distribute characters and storylines by allowing some characters to take a backseat, while others are more featured in any given episode. Maia had been sidelined since the first two episodes of the season and in this episode she basically shared screen time with Lucca, as each went on their own police-ride to review them, and each having pretty intense, albeit very different experiences. It was wonderful to see Maia continue to come out of her shell as the night went on, but for her to be one to find the body in the apartment was not only continuing TGWs capacity to seamlessly shift between tones of satire/dark comedy and melodrama and scenes like this with gritty realism worked really well with this season's themes about [lawyers] facing death at every turn and forcing the characters to react to it.
Jessica: The final montage of the episode where viewers get a glimpse into the new personas of the cast. The entire season finale of The Magicians was insane, but the ending of the episode was definitely my favorite. While the gang succeeded in turning magic back on, they were ultimately betrayed by Dean Fogg and Irene McAllistair, who at the request of the Library, put a siphon on magic. We then jump forward and learn that Brakebills is up and running, but magic is being rationed, so I was expecting our heroes to be back studying at Brakebills and trying to figure out how to rectify the situation. Of course, that would have been a complete rehash of the season two finale, so I was intrigued to learn that our favorite characters are now living in the “Muggle” world, with no memory nor idea they are magicians along with completely new identities and personalities. Viewers got brief glimpses of who our favorite characters are now – except for Alice who is imprisoned by the Library and Eliot who is essentially possessed – and I can’t wait to see what and who these characters will be next season. The Magicians always finds new ways to surprise me, and I wish season four was here already. As a side note, I loved the reference to Margo’s new name as Janet.
THE MIDDLE, "Thank You for Not Kissing", April 3, 2018, Actors: Neil Flynn, Atticus Shaffer
The Scene: Mike's talk to Brick (picked by Marko)
THE TERROR, "The Ladder", April 2, 2018, Actors: Ciarán Hinds and more
The Scene: Franklin is killed by the Monster (picked by DarkUFO)
Jessica: When Rachel’s dad breaks down in front of the cast and crew. After learning the toll Rachel’s job at Everlasting has taken on her – she was hospitalized after all – Asa Goldberg, who’s detoxing from lithium, breaks down in front of the entire cast and crew. Most of his outrage is directed toward Quinn, who Asa believes is responsible for poisoning his daughter. He so desperately wants to protect Rachel this time around, feeling like he failed to protect her in the past. In his mind, Asa believes that by saving Rachel from the evil Quinn, he will be able to resolve twenty years of pent up guilt over Rachel being raped. She was raped in her own home – a place that should have been safe – but wasn’t. Barclay Hope brings such emotion and pain to this monologue, something that is so much more impressive when viewers remember this is the same man who played Clifford Blossom on Riverdale.
Luana: Barclay Hope has been killing it this season, how he's losing it thinking about what happened to Rachel in her past, and how everyone reacted to realizing what it was. "It happened in MY house."
WILL & GRACE, "It's a Family Affair", April 5, 2018, Actors: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and more, The Scenes: Will and Grace find his mom and her dad in bed together & Malcolm and Karen kiss through Smitty
Claire: Will and Grace finding his mom and her dad in bed together...Grace and Will trying to figure out what is in bed with them. It’s one of the beagles, so funny.
Marko: Malcolm and Karen kiss through Smitty.
YOUNG SHELDON, "Jiu-Jitsu, Bubble Wrap, and Yoo-Hoo", April 5, 2018, Actors: Iain Armitage, Montana Jordan and more, The Scene: Georgie finds out who has been bullying Sheldon
Claire: Georgie finding out it is a sweet-looking, little girl who has been bullying Sheldon, who is hiding from her behind a garbage can. I like when Georgie and Sheldon have nice brother moments.
