Category Archives: Best Thing on TV This Week

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/19 – 4/26)

Posted on by
2

This was a very dramatic week in the world of television. On Sunday, Once Upon a Time gave us the shocking backstory of Cruella de Vil and pushed Emma closer to darkness than ever before. Also on Sunday, big changes happened for a variety of characters on Game of Thrones, including Arya, Jamie, and Jon. Monday’s episode of Castle revisited Castle’s missing two months and seemed to finally answer the question of why he had to miss his wedding. Wednesday featured an episode of Nashville that broke everyone’s heart by taking away Deacon’s immediate hope of a new liver and taking another step toward the discovery that Juliette is suffering from postpartum depression. That same night also gave us the season finale of The Americans, which was everything the finale of an excellent season should be. Finally, Saturday’s Orphan Black spent more time developing the story of the Castor clones, and Outlander brought Jamie and Claire home to Lallybroch.

In general, this was a week of heavy, depressing television, and I don’t even watch Grey’s Anatomy anymore. (My condolences to those of you who do.) Such is the life of a TV drama fan in the weeks leading up to season finale time, so I’ve learned to treasure small moments of happiness on the dramas I watch when they happen at this time of year. Therefore, my favorite moment on TV this week is actually a pair of moments from two different dramas that offered small moments of joy in the middle of heavy episodes.

The first of these moments happened on Saturday’s excellent second episode of Orphan Black‘s third season. During the very tense episode, I was thankful for the brief scene of domestic joy we were given between Cal, Sarah, and Kira. Watching the three of them play hockey together in the home Cal hoped to share with them was lovely, and it helped counteract the sadness to come, as Sarah had to let Kira go far away with Cal as she went deeper into Helena’s disappearance. Things might be difficult for that family unit right now, but there is still the memory of that happy hockey game (and that fantastic kiss) to hold onto for characters and fans alike.

The second moment also aired on Saturday. This week on Outlander, there were many flashbacks to the horrors both Jamie and Jenny suffered at the hands of Black Jack, and the episode ended with an anxiety-inducing cliffhanger. However, throughout the hour, there were moments of such sincere love and adorable happiness that it made the heavy parts much easier to handle. This was especially true of the episode’s penultimate scene. To hear both Jamie and Claire finally tell each other “I love you” was beautiful. However, the moment I liked even more was when Jamie was describing Claire’s “round arse” and “rock-solid head.” There was something so comfortable, happy, and realistically sexy in their body language during that part of the conversation that I couldn’t help but smile. It felt like a real moment of playfulness between a husband and wife, and that made the professions of love that came after feel even sweeter.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/12 – 4/19)

Posted on by
3

This week in television started with a night of great twists on Sunday, as Once Upon a Time‘s Robin Hood-centric episode brought a major player from last season back into the game and The Good Wife upped the tension in the home stretch by bringing desperate decisions from the start of the season back to haunt Cary, Diane, and Kalinda, while Alicia was devastated by a game-changing political move. Sunday also gave us a strong season premiere for Game of Thrones, during which I was reminded again and again of the brilliance of Lena Headey. On Monday, Disney Night inspired some fantastic performances on Dancing with the Stars. Wednesday featured an episode of Nashville full of emotional moments (especially a realistically heartfelt one between Deacon and Luke) and an episode of The Americans that ended on one of the most shocking reveals in a season full of them. Finally Saturday’s season premiere of Orphan Black reminded me of all the reasons why I love Sarah Manning (and have always been wary of Delphine), and Outlander swept me away with its most romantic hour yet.

I haven’t talked much about Outlander here yet (On Twitter it’s a different story…), but Saturday’s episode was far and away my favorite thing I watched on television this week. It had the sweeping feel of a truly epic romance, and almost all of that was because of the absolutely beautiful performances by Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe. The achingly vulnerable work both actors brought to the table this week deserves all the recognition it can get.

While I loved everything about the trial at the beginning of the episode (including quite possibly the coolest twist in a week full of great plot twists), the last 20 minutes are what I can’t stop watching today. (Literally—I’ve watched them 6 times, and I’m sure I’ll watch them again after I finish writing this.) Those final scenes—from Claire revealing the truth to Jamie through their final kiss—were the kind of romantic scenes that make you put your hands over your heart as tears spring to your eyes, and I firmly believe that kind of reaction to media does the body and soul a world of good. There was such love and tenderness in every moment: Jamie stroking Claire’s hair as she cried in his arms; the way he smiled as he watched her and kissed her in their scene by the fire (especially knowing after the fact that this moment of giving her pleasure and watching her enjoy it was his way of saying goodbye); the rush of emotions as he pulled her back from the stones and held her one last time; and the beautiful, overwhelming joy in his expression when she came back. It was such a perfect showcase for the depth of the chemistry between Heughan and Balfe, which I believe is the best chemistry on television right now.

If you need me, I’ll be on my couch watching those last 20 minutes again and again for the rest of my life—and probably still crying every time.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/22 – 3/29)

Posted on by
1

This week in television started off with a look into Ursula and Hook’s past on Once Upon a Time. Also on Sunday, we made it through Election Day along with all the characters on The Good Wife. On Monday, Castle gave us another great Ryan-centric episode, and Tuesday was season finale night for The Mindy Project. Wednesday featured a Nashville concert special and an episode of The Americans that highlighted the complexity of Elizabeth Jennings and the brilliance of the actress who brings her to life. And this entire week was filled with plenty of March Madness fun for basketball fans.

Some weeks, it’s incredibly difficult for me to choose my favorite TV moment of the week. And then some weeks, I know from the minute I watch a particular scene that it’s going to be nearly impossible to beat. This week was an example of the latter. There were a lot of strong moments to pick from, but none made me happier than Hook telling Emma she’s his happy ending on this week’s Once Upon a Time.

Sometimes you just want to feel good when you watch television, and that’s what this moment was all about. It was a moment of deep, almost unbelievable joy for two characters who spent so much of their lives believing that kind of happiness would never be theirs to have. Throughout the episode’s flashbacks, we were reminded that Hook spent three lifetimes in darkness and despair. But in that scene with Emma, he told her in no uncertain terms that she makes him happy enough to believe he’s living out his happy ending just by being with her. And Emma spent so much of her life believing she was never enough to make the people she loved happy just by being herself. But in that moment, she finally had someone look at her and tell her that she’s enough exactly as she is to make someone she loves happy forever.

That scene was powerful on its own merit, but was even more powerful because of who we know these characters to be and how long we know they’ve struggled to find the kind of love shown in that moment. Colin O’Donoghue and Jennifer Morrison did such a fantastic job of conveying how monumental this was for both characters without ever making it feel heavy-handed. It was the first moment of this half-season of Once Upon a Time to make me cry, and it came by those emotions honestly.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/15 – 3/22)

Posted on by
1

This week in television started off on Sunday with an exploration of Maleficent and Regina’s past on Once Upon a Time, another entertaining half-hour of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and one step closer to the big election on The Good Wife. Dancing with the Stars started its new season on Monday night, and that was followed by an episode of Castle that gave us some insight into Beckett’s view of her place in the working world. On Tuesday, The Mindy Project introduced us to Tamra’s cousin Sheena, and on Wednesday, The Americans tested Martha and “Clark’s” relationship in ways neither character was anticipating.

As any of you who regularly visit NGN probably know, there are few things in the media I love more than depictions of supportive female friendships and women encouraging other women to believe in themselves. This week, The Mindy Project gave us such a lovely example of this with the introduction of Laverne Cox’s Sheena, who helped Mindy find her confidence again. Sheena’s advice was the perfect mixture of funny and sincere, and it’s advice I hope all women watching took to heart. Talk to yourself like you talk to your friends—with kindness and encouragement rather than negativity. Be nice to yourself. And when all else fails, do your makeup, put on a fierce outfit, and fake it until you make it.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/8 – 3/15)

Posted on by
Reply

Another strong week in the world of television began on Sunday with an hour full of secrets on Once Upon a Time, a look into Jake’s relationship with his dad on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and a trip through Alicia’s mind on The Good Wife. Monday’s season finale of The Bachelor ended with a proposal in a barn (which I’m sure is very romantic for some people). On Tuesday, The Mindy Project gave us a humorous and heartfelt exploration of Danny’s Catholicism and how it will factor into his future with Mindy and their unborn son. And Wednesday’s episode of The Americans brought Martha into the spotlight in the most tense episode so far in this fantastic third season.

There were plenty of great moments to choose from as my favorite of the week—from Danny letting go of his Catholic guilt because he’s never been happier on The Mindy Project to Elizabeth and Philip opening up to each other about their children on The Americans. However, my favorite moment of the week was a moment that brought a character farther in their development than I ever could have hoped for this soon into their journey of redemption—and that moment was Regina apologizing to Geppetto on Once Upon a Time.

Regina’s story is developing into a beautiful story of choosing to be better than who you once were, and this scene epitomized that theme. Lana Parrilla brought such sincerity to Regina’s apology, and I was incredibly moved by the way this scene showed that growing as a person isn’t a perfect journey; you’ll have missteps and setbacks and relapses into dark places because you’re human, but the important thing is to choose to move beyond those moments of giving in to your worst self and choosing to be better afterwards. Regina isn’t a perfect person, but the important thing is she’s acknowledging that now and making the conscious choice to be a better version of herself. That’s how you change the way the world sees you; that’s how you find hope. And that’s a story I can believe in.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/1 – 3/8)

Posted on by
7

As beloved shows ended last week and this week, plenty of old favorites returned to fill the void. On Sunday, Once Upon a Time came back with self-awareness, sweet moments, and some pretty big secrets. Sunday also featured the much-anticipated return of The Good Wife and a wedding extravaganza on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Tuesday’s episode of The Mindy Project dealt with some big misunderstandings and ended with a big step forward for Mindy and Danny. On Wednesday, Deacon’s secret was finally revealed to Rayna on Nashville, Philip and Elizabeth faced turning points with the teenage girls in their lives on The Americans, and Harvey and Donna’s relationship changed in a major way on Suits. Finally, Saturday gave us Chris Hemsworth’s very funny turn as host on Saturday Night Live.

When I thought about my favorite moment on television this week, I was torn between one that was deeply dramatic and one that was as silly as it gets. On the dramatic front, I still find myself getting emotional about the ending to Wednesday’s Nashville. Connie Britton has been aces this season, and her heartbreakingly realistic tears in response to Deacon telling Rayna he has cancer were so powerful. Yes, the slap is what everyone is probably still talking about—and deservedly so—but I was completely captivated by the moment after when she flung herself into his arms. It was the best example I’ve seen in a long time of the way the strength of Nashville’s cast allows its most melodramatic moments to feel grounded and, thus, even more devastating.

However, sometimes the best thing I saw on TV was simply the thing that made me smile the most. And this week, nothing made me smile like Rumplestiltskin, Cruella de Vil, and Ursula going through a fast food drive-thru in Cruella’s car on Once Upon a Time. The quick change from the three characters making villainous plans to two of the Queens of Darkness ordering chicken to go was an example of something only Once Upon a Time could do. Watching the fairytale characters we grew up with navigate the modern world has always been one of the most charming aspects of this show, and I was thrilled to see it presented in this midseason premiere in such a fun way.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (2/22 – 3/1)

Posted on by
2

This was one of the hardest “Best Thing on TV This Week” posts I’ve done in a long time. Sunday’s Oscar telecast was filled with inspiring speeches and two great musical numbers: Neil Patrick Harris’s opening and Lady Gaga’s powerhouse Sound of Music medley. Monday’s Castle took us on a trip to “Mars,” and it also featured a beautiful moment from Martha that allowed us to reflect on how much that character has grown since the show’s early days.

Tuesday’s episode of The Mindy Project tackled the morning sickness sitcom cliche, but the night was really about two big finales. On Agent Carter, Peggy said one last farewell to the love of her life and reminded us that we need to know our own value rather than relying on others for validation. And on Parks and Recreation, we took one last ride into the future with these characters in a series finale that reflected everything that was good and special about the show as a whole.

Wednesday night featured a trifecta of 10 p.m. dramas that brought their A-games this week. On Nashville, Rayna proved why she should ultimately be remembered for the way she defends and protects the other women around her. On The Americans, Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell broke my heart once again with their vulnerability and honesty in the final scene of a very painful hour. And on Suits, the possibility of Donna going to prison forced Harvey to confront how much she means to him, leading to a moment I doubted we’d ever see: Harvey admitting to Donna that he loves her.

Deciding between the endings of The Americans, Suits, and Parks and Rec was one of the toughest choices I’ve had to make for one of these posts. In the end, though, this is my last chance to choose a Parks and Rec moment, so I had to follow my heart.

The entirety of “One Last Ride” was beautiful, but if I had to single out my favorite moment, it had to be Ben telling the whole gang that Leslie was running for governor. In that moment, I was given one last chance to fall in love with Ben Wyatt all over again. I’ve found so much hope in the way this character was written, and it was wonderful to see his story end with one final moment of support for his wife and her dreams. From that scene on, I couldn’t have stopped crying if I wanted to. It’s a rare thing for a series finale to leave a diehard fan completely satisfied, but I can honestly say Parks and Rec ended perfectly. I’m still so sad it’s over, but I’m also still so happy it went out on such a high note.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (2/15 – 2/22)

Posted on by
Reply

This week in television kicked off with another strong episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine that focused on developing the dynamic between Jake and Holt, which is always a winning combination of characters to focus on. On Monday, Castle wrapped up its latest two-parter with a stunning psychological thriller. Tuesday featured a pair of penultimate episodes, as Agent Carter sped toward this season’s finish line with a literal bang and Parks and Recreation focused on its supporting characters in the last two episodes before its series finale. Also on Tuesday, The Mindy Project brought Mindy back to New York and brought her and Danny’s little secret out into the open within the practice. Finally, Wednesday gave us another compelling hour of Suits, an episode of Nashville that made me cry more than once, and a stunning examination of honesty and innocence on The Americans.

This was another week of standout episodes and moments on television—from Nathan Fillion’s amazing work on Castle to Deacon’s tears while watching Maddie play the guitar on Nashville. However, one moment stood out above all the others, making me want to stand up and cheer as it unfolded—and that was Peggy’s astute examination of how the men around her view her on Agent Carter.

Agent Carter has never shied away from directly addressing the sexism women faced in Peggy’s time and still face today, but this was perhaps its most scathing takedown of sexist attitudes yet. The men around Peggy—even the ones who seemed to genuinely respect her, like Sousa—couldn’t see beyond their own preconceptions about women to even attempt to understand Peggy as a person and not just as a stereotype. Men have tried and often still try to write women’s stories for them, forcing women into narratives of their choosing instead of accepting that women can be complex human beings with unique stories and motivations that don’t always revolve around men. To the men around her, Peggy needed to be a character in their stories rather than the main character in her own—she was the lost soul taken in, the damsel in distress, or the romantic interest. And when she didn’t fit those narratives, they crafted new ones to paint her as a supporting character in Howard Stark’s story. But Peggy was having none of that, and the depth of her righteous anger over their lack of respect resonated so strongly with me, and you could feel it resonating so strongly with Hayley Atwell as she delivered each powerful line.

If you haven’t watched this scene yet—and even if you haven’t watched Agent Carter yet—I strongly encourage you to watch this video and appreciate this moment and this show for its proudly feminist viewpoint.

http://abc.go.com/embed/VDKA0_d1xlxy9c

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (2/8 – 2/15)

Posted on by
4

This week in television was jam-packed with excellent episodes and memorable moments. Sunday’s episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine featured fun bonding experiences for every member of the team at the 99, especially Gina and Captain Holt. There was nothing fun about the police work that took place on Monday’s episode of Castle, as Jerry Tyson and Kelly Neiman were back to torment the team at the 12th precinct. On Tuesday, Peggy’s sneaking around finally caught up with her on Agent Carter—despite some wonderful help from Angie. And Tuesday’s comedies were at the top of their game, with Parks and Recreation brilliantly balancing sincerity and satire and The Mindy Project featuring one of its best and most emotional endings ever. On Wednesday, Louis and Mike finally reached an understanding on Suits; family drama was everywhere on Nashville; and The Americans continued to explore the idea of finding intimacy in the most unexpected situations after Elizabeth faced another very close call. Finally, NBC gave us the perfect precursor to tonight’s celebration of Saturday Night Live‘s 40th anniversary by re-airing the first episode of the show on Saturday night.

There were so many standout scenes on television this week that I wanted list all of my runners-up for the best moment, because in any other week, any of these would have probably have been the best thing I saw:

  • Castle confronting Jerry Tyson alone in the interrogation room on Castle, which featured some of Nathan Fillion’s best work on the show to date.
  • Leslie and Ben perfectly bringing to light the ridiculously sexist questions asked of women in politics and working mothers in general on Parks and Rec.
  • Danny discovering he’s going to be a father and then rushing through New York City to find Mindy as Beyonce’s “XO” played on The Mindy Project.
  • Louis telling Mike he’s not a fraud on Suits.

While all of these moments were incredible, and many of them made me cry or cheer, there’s one scene that aired this week that I’d consider one of the best scenes I’ve ever watched on television—and that was the tooth extraction scene (and the hug that came before it) on The Americans.

This scene could have been memorable for its gruesome nature, and for some that’s probably how it will always be remembered. However, the reason I think it’s one of the best TV scenes I’ve ever watched is because it took what could have been a disturbing moment of pain and turned it into a moving moment of trust because of the care the director brought to the scene and the emotional depth Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys brought to it. It’s always risky to film scenes with no dialogue, and this scene’s content was risky to begin with. However, this moment was all about trust—the trust the director had in his actors, the trust the actors had in each other, and the trust the characters displayed onscreen. That trust created a moment of startling intimacy the likes of which I’ve never seen before—a love scene that only The Americans could give us.

Due to the brutal nature of this scene, I’m going to post some links to it instead of embedding a video of it here:

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (2/1 – 2/8)

Posted on by
6

This week in the TV world started with a very dramatic Super Bowl—and I’m not just talking about Katy Perry’s halftime show (or that exceedingly depressing Nationwide commercial). On Monday, Castle continued its strong streak of episodes in its P.I. arc. Tuesday’s Agent Carter took the team to Russia, and big changes were in store for character on both Parks and Recreation and The Mindy Project. Wednesday gave us a strong post-hiatus return for Nashville, another episode of Suits dealing with Louis’s feelings of betrayal and how it impacts the whole firm, and one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen on television on another completely compelling hour of The Americans.

There were a plethora of strong moments on television this week, but sometimes you just have to stop and single out one actor for their performance throughout an episode. This week, there was nothing that impressed me more than the heartbreaking work Connie Britton did on the latest episode of Nashville.

Nashville is a nighttime soap opera, but it’s grounded by some surprisingly honest and heartfelt performances. And this week, Britton’s performance was a thing of sincere beauty. She made me feel every bit of Rayna’s exhaustion and regret that she let things get so far with Luke before calling off their wedding. There was one moment when she went to hug her sister and her face crumbled into genuinely ugly tears (which I didn’t know an actress as beautiful as Britton could cry), and it was some the most realistic crying I have ever seen on television.

And then there was her scene with Deacon at the end of the episode. Declarations of love can often be so cheesy and overwrought, but both Britton and Charles Esten played Rayna’s confession that she still loved Deacon with the perfect amount of restraint. It was soft and simple, and that made it feel so genuine. There was such honest emotion and warmth between them in that moment, making it a scene I could watch over and over again, finding new things to love each time. On a show where it could be easy to veer into melodramatic performances, I’m always impressed by the grounded honesty shown in Nashville‘s best moments.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?