A monthly 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 the past month on TV.
AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE, "Encourage, Discourage", February 3, 2021, Actors: Daniel DiMaggio, Logan Pepper, The Scene: Cooper admits why he doesn't want to ride Oliver's bike
Folie-lex: Oliver misinterprets Cooper's refusal to ride his bike as Cooper thinking it's something "beneath him". Of course he's proven wrong when a frustrated Cooper admits he simply doesn't know how to ride a bike in the first place. It's yet another one of those regular "kid things" Cooper longs for. It's sad and tragic and yeah 'cause it's American Housewife a little bit funny too, and as usual Logan Pepper and Oliver DiMaggio hit all the right notes to makes us laugh and awe and just want to hug Cooper.
BATWOMAN, "Do Not Resuscitate", February 28, 2021, Actors: Javicia Leslie, Bevin Bru
The Scene: Ryan and Angelique break up
Marko: Once again Javicia stunned me here with her performance. The outstanding emotional delivery of all of Ryan's fears and angst were perfectly combined with the tremble in Javicia's voice and the tears in her eyes. Javicia took the role of Batwoman to a new level this season and I am here for all of it.
CHARMED, "You Can't Touch This", February 21, 2021, Actors: Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, Sarah Jeffery, The Scene: The Charmed Ones destroy the Chupa-Alma
Marko: A visually stunning and smartly written scene, the Charmed ones combined their powers in a unique way to destroy the so far unknown Monster.
MR. MAYOR, "Hearts Before Parts", February 18, 2021, Actors: Ted Danson, Missi Pyle
The Scene: Neil and Nicole break things off
Folie-lex: Neil, worried that his occasional hook up Nicole might want to get more serious after their dinner with Orly, calls her to his office to "break up". Instead she beats him to the punch and calls things off first. As the two go through the notions and reasons of their breakup, Nicole's surprisingly insightful and caring feedback and argument help Neil realise that maybe it's time to move on and start looking into serious relationships.
NANCY DREW, "The Riddle of the Broken Doll", February 24, 2021, Actor: Kennedy McMann, The Scene: Nancy takes her work home with her
Prpleight: Nancy has been sentenced to 500 hours of community service in the morgue for her break-in during season 1. For the woman who unleashed ghosts on the town it seems fitting and useful. When a recently arrived body knocks on the inside of the morgue drawer, she can't help herself. Given what we've learned about Nancy Drew, not one viewer was surprised when she opened that drawer. She then reached into the corpse's mouth, pulled something out and subsequently shoved it in her pocket. When she returned home the knocking started again. This time coming from her kitchen. I know the rule of 3. So, when she opened that third cabinet door and it looked normal, I decided the writers were playing with that rule and the corpse would be standing there when she turned around to go to her room. Instead, they waited until she was about to close the cabinet door to drop the body into the shot and they got me. After over 50 years of movie and TV viewing almost nothing makes me jump. This not only made me jump it made me consider turning on the light. THAT deserved a Kudo!
PRODIGAL SON, "Take Your Father to Work Day" & "Head Case", February 2 & 16, 2021, Actors: Tom Payne, Halston Sage, Bellamy Young, The Scenes: Malcolm tells Ainsley the truth & Malcolm admits the truth to Jessica
Prpleight: Malcolm finally tells Ainsley that she killed Nicholas Endicott. Malcolm and Ainsley's parents agree that it's time to tell Ainsley that she killed the man who was threatening her and her brother. Malcolm initially balks at the idea. Given her fugue state after stabbing Endicott, he doesn't think she can handle it. He finally decides to tell her the truth and be by her side to help her through it. He promises her everything will be okay, she counters with a blood covered blouse and the news that she's blacked out again. That was completely unexpected.
Dahne: Malcolm admits the truth to Jessica - After the shocker of last year's season finale, I thought there would be big consequences this year. So far, that's not really been the case...until this scene. Now that Jessica knows the truth and Ainsley's getting curious, things should start rolling quickly.
SUPERMAN AND LOIS, "Pilot", February 23, 2021, Actors: Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch and more, The Scene: The opening montage
Justyna: I've seen so many different Superman stories and portrayals that I wasn't quite sure whether I would enjoy watching another one so soon. And yet this show has managed to surprise me and got me interested within the first few minutes of the pilot. The recap of Clark and Lois' story so far, the one I'm used to following, is nothing more than a beginning of their new and exciting journey. I loved all the little moments with the Kent family, a wonderful "my mom made it for me" reference, the first meeting of Clark and Lois, their wedding and then the introduction of their family. To have Superman as the father in the story, not the son following in his dad's footsteps, makes the show feel different from the start and I'm genuinely curious to see it evolve. The visuals have been very memorable so far, beautifully done. And the cast has done an excellent job in these first couple of episodes. Can't wait to see what's next.
THE EXPANSE, "Nemesis Games", February 2, 2021, Actors: Dominique Tipper, Frankie Adams, Cas Anvar, The Scene: Naomi's rescue / Alex's death
Justyna: It's hard to believe it's been a month already since this season finale aired. There's quite a few memorable moments from the hour that I could mention in the article but nothing hit me quite as much as watching Naomi's rescue, going from the terrifying emptiness to hope, only to end the scene with the shot of Alex dying of stroke. I certainly expected Alex's story to take a sudden turn due to the behind-the-scenes situation, but I still did not see this one coming. Not in this particular moment for sure. Spending half of the season watching Naomi's brutal experience on Chetzemoka didn't make the part where she's just floating in empty space, surrounded by darkness and complete silence any easier to see. I really enjoyed the way the entire sequence was shot, almost from Naomi's perspective, like we're right there next to her, unable to see whether any help is coming. And then Bobbie's voice breaks the silence and hope is restored. Such a powerful and emotional moment. And then, right when there's actually a chance to get our Rocinante crew back together again we lose our pilot in such a sudden and heartbreaking way. Considering the circumstances I think Alex's departure was handled really well. He dies as a hero, sacrificing his life to save a loved one. The entire sequence is certainly one of the most memorable scenes of the season for me. Can't wait to see what happens next. Kudos!
THE ROOKIE, "Lockdown", February 14, 2021, Actors: Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin Jr.
The Scene: Grey tells Jackson he's proud of him
Folie-lex: After Stanton's takedown (which had to escalate to Jackson almost getting beaten up to death by some street thugs) Grey visits the young rookie at the hopsital to let him know how proud he is of him. While I'm sure we're not completely done with Stanton, it was a great scene to conclude this arc. Titus and Richard brought their A-game, as they have throughout this storyline.
THIS IS US, "The Ride", February 23, 2021, Actors: Milo Ventimiglia, Justin Hartley
The Scene: Kevin daydreams about Jack meeting his kids
Marko: In a really terrific ensemble, Justin Hartley is often underappreciated but from the emotional journey Kevin went on since season 2 and Justin's breakout performance, Justin is really delivering one strong performance after another. Once again in this episode, Justin proved the emotional range he has and the way he understands Kevin to the core. The scenes of the Big Three with Jack are so rare and this one was perfect from start to finish.
WANDAVISION, "Breaking the Fourth Wall" & "Previously On", February 19 & 26, 2021, Actors: Elizabeth Olsen, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris and more, The Scenes: Monica breaks through the barrier & Agatha calls Wanda the Scarlet Witch & Wanda "can't feel" Vision & Wanda changes Westview
Justyna: So many of my favorite scenes are already included in the article but there's at least one more I couldn't help but add to the list. That is Monica breaking through the barrier. I love that in addition to exploring Wanda and Vision's story, the show has also introduced us to a new hero, one that I hope to see more of in the future MCU shows and movies. This is such a great origin story. We've known Monica since she was a kid on "Captain Marvel" but she really got to shine in this show. From the moment she returns after the Hulk's snap we learn exactly what kind of person she is - strong, determined, compassionate, brave and heroic. Despite Wanda's actions, she truly wants to help her, just as much as everyone else trapped in Westview. When her initial attempt to break through the barrier (in the SWORD vehicle) fails, she risks her life to break through on her own. The sequence of her entering the Hex, with the memories of her life flashing before her eyes, as the viewers hear the most memorable lines about her story so far, is beautifully done. I especially love the line: "Your mom's lucky. When they were handing out kids they gave her the toughest one." Couldn't possibly be more true when watching Monica emerging as a hero, fully aware of who she is despite getting inside Westview. Kudos to cast & crew for all their fantastic work on the scene and show overall. As a side note: a quick shoutout to the moment when "Pietro" arrives. It's a very short scene, but the fans' initial reaction to it was fantastic.
Shirleena: After Wanda creates her alternate reality she hears her twin boys screaming for her help outside. Agatha Harkness has the boys by the neck and tells Wanda she was supposed to be a myth, to have powers of spontaneous creation means only one thing. Wanda is the Scarlet Witch.
Folie-lex: Wanda "can't feel" Vision - After Hayward lets Wanda know that she can't take Vision's body to bury him he does allow her to say goodbye and shows her Vision's pieces as the SWORD scientists are tearing him apart. A devastated Wanda breaks in the lab to be close to Vision. Her heart breaks even more when she realises she's lost her connection to him. Another moment where Elizabeth knocks it out of the ballpark.
Marko: Wanda changes Westview. In an episode full of emotional moments, Elizabeth Olsen surpassed everything she has done so far in the show and delivered an emotional breakdown like no other. The magnitude of Wanda's emotions transferred through the screen leaving me trembling. As the visuals supported Wanda's emotional outburst this scene highlighted all the pain she was experiencing.
Folie-lex: Oliver misinterprets Cooper's refusal to ride his bike as Cooper thinking it's something "beneath him". Of course he's proven wrong when a frustrated Cooper admits he simply doesn't know how to ride a bike in the first place. It's yet another one of those regular "kid things" Cooper longs for. It's sad and tragic and yeah 'cause it's American Housewife a little bit funny too, and as usual Logan Pepper and Oliver DiMaggio hit all the right notes to makes us laugh and awe and just want to hug Cooper.
BATWOMAN, "Do Not Resuscitate", February 28, 2021, Actors: Javicia Leslie, Bevin Bru
The Scene: Ryan and Angelique break up
Marko: Once again Javicia stunned me here with her performance. The outstanding emotional delivery of all of Ryan's fears and angst were perfectly combined with the tremble in Javicia's voice and the tears in her eyes. Javicia took the role of Batwoman to a new level this season and I am here for all of it.
CHARMED, "You Can't Touch This", February 21, 2021, Actors: Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, Sarah Jeffery, The Scene: The Charmed Ones destroy the Chupa-Alma
Marko: A visually stunning and smartly written scene, the Charmed ones combined their powers in a unique way to destroy the so far unknown Monster.
MR. MAYOR, "Hearts Before Parts", February 18, 2021, Actors: Ted Danson, Missi Pyle
The Scene: Neil and Nicole break things off
Folie-lex: Neil, worried that his occasional hook up Nicole might want to get more serious after their dinner with Orly, calls her to his office to "break up". Instead she beats him to the punch and calls things off first. As the two go through the notions and reasons of their breakup, Nicole's surprisingly insightful and caring feedback and argument help Neil realise that maybe it's time to move on and start looking into serious relationships.
Prpleight: Nancy has been sentenced to 500 hours of community service in the morgue for her break-in during season 1. For the woman who unleashed ghosts on the town it seems fitting and useful. When a recently arrived body knocks on the inside of the morgue drawer, she can't help herself. Given what we've learned about Nancy Drew, not one viewer was surprised when she opened that drawer. She then reached into the corpse's mouth, pulled something out and subsequently shoved it in her pocket. When she returned home the knocking started again. This time coming from her kitchen. I know the rule of 3. So, when she opened that third cabinet door and it looked normal, I decided the writers were playing with that rule and the corpse would be standing there when she turned around to go to her room. Instead, they waited until she was about to close the cabinet door to drop the body into the shot and they got me. After over 50 years of movie and TV viewing almost nothing makes me jump. This not only made me jump it made me consider turning on the light. THAT deserved a Kudo!
Prpleight: Malcolm finally tells Ainsley that she killed Nicholas Endicott. Malcolm and Ainsley's parents agree that it's time to tell Ainsley that she killed the man who was threatening her and her brother. Malcolm initially balks at the idea. Given her fugue state after stabbing Endicott, he doesn't think she can handle it. He finally decides to tell her the truth and be by her side to help her through it. He promises her everything will be okay, she counters with a blood covered blouse and the news that she's blacked out again. That was completely unexpected.
Dahne: Malcolm admits the truth to Jessica - After the shocker of last year's season finale, I thought there would be big consequences this year. So far, that's not really been the case...until this scene. Now that Jessica knows the truth and Ainsley's getting curious, things should start rolling quickly.
Justyna: I've seen so many different Superman stories and portrayals that I wasn't quite sure whether I would enjoy watching another one so soon. And yet this show has managed to surprise me and got me interested within the first few minutes of the pilot. The recap of Clark and Lois' story so far, the one I'm used to following, is nothing more than a beginning of their new and exciting journey. I loved all the little moments with the Kent family, a wonderful "my mom made it for me" reference, the first meeting of Clark and Lois, their wedding and then the introduction of their family. To have Superman as the father in the story, not the son following in his dad's footsteps, makes the show feel different from the start and I'm genuinely curious to see it evolve. The visuals have been very memorable so far, beautifully done. And the cast has done an excellent job in these first couple of episodes. Can't wait to see what's next.
Justyna: It's hard to believe it's been a month already since this season finale aired. There's quite a few memorable moments from the hour that I could mention in the article but nothing hit me quite as much as watching Naomi's rescue, going from the terrifying emptiness to hope, only to end the scene with the shot of Alex dying of stroke. I certainly expected Alex's story to take a sudden turn due to the behind-the-scenes situation, but I still did not see this one coming. Not in this particular moment for sure. Spending half of the season watching Naomi's brutal experience on Chetzemoka didn't make the part where she's just floating in empty space, surrounded by darkness and complete silence any easier to see. I really enjoyed the way the entire sequence was shot, almost from Naomi's perspective, like we're right there next to her, unable to see whether any help is coming. And then Bobbie's voice breaks the silence and hope is restored. Such a powerful and emotional moment. And then, right when there's actually a chance to get our Rocinante crew back together again we lose our pilot in such a sudden and heartbreaking way. Considering the circumstances I think Alex's departure was handled really well. He dies as a hero, sacrificing his life to save a loved one. The entire sequence is certainly one of the most memorable scenes of the season for me. Can't wait to see what happens next. Kudos!
THE ROOKIE, "Lockdown", February 14, 2021, Actors: Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin Jr.
The Scene: Grey tells Jackson he's proud of him
Folie-lex: After Stanton's takedown (which had to escalate to Jackson almost getting beaten up to death by some street thugs) Grey visits the young rookie at the hopsital to let him know how proud he is of him. While I'm sure we're not completely done with Stanton, it was a great scene to conclude this arc. Titus and Richard brought their A-game, as they have throughout this storyline.
THIS IS US, "The Ride", February 23, 2021, Actors: Milo Ventimiglia, Justin Hartley
The Scene: Kevin daydreams about Jack meeting his kids
Marko: In a really terrific ensemble, Justin Hartley is often underappreciated but from the emotional journey Kevin went on since season 2 and Justin's breakout performance, Justin is really delivering one strong performance after another. Once again in this episode, Justin proved the emotional range he has and the way he understands Kevin to the core. The scenes of the Big Three with Jack are so rare and this one was perfect from start to finish.
Justyna: So many of my favorite scenes are already included in the article but there's at least one more I couldn't help but add to the list. That is Monica breaking through the barrier. I love that in addition to exploring Wanda and Vision's story, the show has also introduced us to a new hero, one that I hope to see more of in the future MCU shows and movies. This is such a great origin story. We've known Monica since she was a kid on "Captain Marvel" but she really got to shine in this show. From the moment she returns after the Hulk's snap we learn exactly what kind of person she is - strong, determined, compassionate, brave and heroic. Despite Wanda's actions, she truly wants to help her, just as much as everyone else trapped in Westview. When her initial attempt to break through the barrier (in the SWORD vehicle) fails, she risks her life to break through on her own. The sequence of her entering the Hex, with the memories of her life flashing before her eyes, as the viewers hear the most memorable lines about her story so far, is beautifully done. I especially love the line: "Your mom's lucky. When they were handing out kids they gave her the toughest one." Couldn't possibly be more true when watching Monica emerging as a hero, fully aware of who she is despite getting inside Westview. Kudos to cast & crew for all their fantastic work on the scene and show overall. As a side note: a quick shoutout to the moment when "Pietro" arrives. It's a very short scene, but the fans' initial reaction to it was fantastic.
Shirleena: After Wanda creates her alternate reality she hears her twin boys screaming for her help outside. Agatha Harkness has the boys by the neck and tells Wanda she was supposed to be a myth, to have powers of spontaneous creation means only one thing. Wanda is the Scarlet Witch.
Folie-lex: Wanda "can't feel" Vision - After Hayward lets Wanda know that she can't take Vision's body to bury him he does allow her to say goodbye and shows her Vision's pieces as the SWORD scientists are tearing him apart. A devastated Wanda breaks in the lab to be close to Vision. Her heart breaks even more when she realises she's lost her connection to him. Another moment where Elizabeth knocks it out of the ballpark.
Marko: Wanda changes Westview. In an episode full of emotional moments, Elizabeth Olsen surpassed everything she has done so far in the show and delivered an emotional breakdown like no other. The magnitude of Wanda's emotions transferred through the screen leaving me trembling. As the visuals supported Wanda's emotional outburst this scene highlighted all the pain she was experiencing.
