After a great weekend of adventures in New York City with some of my favorite Nerdy Girls (more on that will come later this week), I’m ready to get back to business!
This week in television started strong once again, with Once Upon a Time‘s return to Storybrooke and another excellent outing for The Good Wife. Monday’s Dancing with the Stars featured some great surprises, and Castle reminded us all of the great story Castle and Beckett are writing together. Tuesday’s New Girl brought all of the cast together in some very fun ways, and The Mindy Project had one of its best episodes of the season. Nashville brought some serious emotion to Wednesday night, with Deacon and Maddie finally getting to bond as father and daughter. And I’m eagerly anticipating devouring the episodes of Parks and Recreation and Scandal I have saved on my DVR from Thursday night.
For another week, Sunday set the bar incredibly high in terms of the quality of the television shows on display. Once Upon a Time proved that Emma is more than just a prize at the point of a love triangle—she’s a mother whose journey to save her son is more important than any journey towards romance. So when Hook reassured her without any doubt that she would get her son back, “I’ve yet to see you fail,” suddenly became one of the most romantic lines this show has ever had. Emma’s role as a mother is all she can focus on right now, but it’s interesting to note that Hook was the one she let her guard down in front of when she began to doubt her ability to fulfill all that role entails. And his complete lack of doubt is exactly what she needed. Emma Swan isn’t used to people believing in her with that kind of sincerity, especially not in her as Emma rather than the Savior. But Hook gave her that—unconditional belief in her ability to save Henry, in her strength as a woman, as a mother, and as a fighter.
Yes, all the stuff about winning her heart was swoon-worthy (mainly because of Colin O’Donoghue’s gift for being completely sincere and sexy at the same time), but Once Upon a Time is a show about belief even more than it is about romance. And in this scene, Hook’s belief in Emma gave new depth to one of the most interesting relationships to develop so far in Season Three.
What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?
Nerdy Girl Notes 
Josh Charles, Josh Charles and did I mention, Josh Charles. I would like to just watch Dallas Roberts and Josh Charles eat FroYo and chat every single week. That aside, Charles conversation about his case morphing into a conversation about Alicia with her brother was my favorite moment last week. He was amazing. When he’s leaning against that window and responds and Owen is searching for answers as to what has happened with his sister and for just a brief moment Will lets down the defense mechanisms, he abandons the bravado and his entire body caves in on itself because he is truly bewildered by what has happened and he doesn’t understand it and we see the deep hurt and pain he is in. That coupled with the elevator scene where we see Will regain his footing from that unguarded moment was hands down the best thing I saw on TV last week.
Josh Charles has been on fire this entire season—and never more than in that scene with Alicia’s brother. I really hope award committees take notice of the brilliant work he’s doing this season.
Oh and p.s. – Since I depart shortly — I am going out on a limb and saying these are my favorite moments for this week in this order:
1) Peter Pan conversation and subsequent confrontation between Rumple and Pan. Robert Carlyle and Robbie Kay were a joy to watch.
2) Allison Janney – Mom still doesn’t live up to her talents but it came close tonight. Her ‘AA intervention’ with Octavia Spencer shows how broad and deep this woman’s talent is.
3) Tamala Jones – Her final scene with Espo and her desperation call to Beckett at the beginning bookend a tour de force night for Tamala.
Have a safe trip! And I love your choices!