Category Archives: Best Thing on TV This Week

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (6/8 – 6/15)

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I apologize for being late with this post once again, but I needed the extra day to get caught up on Orphan Black (and I’m so glad that I waited to post this until I did). 

This week in television started off with a penultimate episode of Game of Thrones that was possibly a little too heavy on the action sequences but somehow managed to strike a good balance with plenty of strong (and especially tragic) character beats as well. Sunday also featured a Tony Awards ceremony filled with incredible performances and plenty of deserving winners. The rest of the week’s TV offerings included another round of auditions on So You Think You Can Dance and another hilariously entertaining episode of Hollywood Game Night. The sports world also offered plenty of excitement in the form of NHL and NBA Finals, World Cup soccer, and U.S. Open golf. And Saturday’s episode of Orphan Black was filled with the plot twists, character development, and phenomenal acting that has made this show one of my favorites on television.

It was easy for me to pick the best TV episode I watched this week (that title belongs to Saturday’s Orphan Black), but it was far more challenging to pick just one moment from that episode as the single greatest one. Instead, I’m going to cheat a little bit and say that the best thing I saw on TV this week was a pair of moments that reminded me exactly why Tatiana Maslany is the greatest actress on television right now.

Sometimes we all get so wrapped up in talking about Maslany’s ability to seamlessly shift between clones that we fail to mention the real reason she’s such a good actress: Even if she only played Alison or Helena or Sarah or Cosima, she would still be deserving of critical recognition. She makes us care about each character on their own. Yes, sometimes I sit back in awe of the quantity of roles she plays, but this week, I was reminded that her true gift is in the quality she brings to each role. Watching Maslany, as Sarah, sit at Kira’s bedside as her daughter’s bone marrow was taken to give to Cosima, I found myself crying harder than this show has ever made me cry before. There was such real fear, love, and self-loathing in Maslany’s performance, and it was all shown with a subtlety that only the best actors possess. In that one moment, I forgot that there were other roles she plays on this show. I was so caught up in Sarah’s genuine and grounded emotions that everything else fell away, which is a hard thing to achieve on a show with as many plots as this one.

While Sarah’s bedside vigil reminded me that Maslany has a gift for making me care about each clone independent of the others, her turn as Rachel impersonating Sarah reminded me that the thing that really sets her apart from any other actress is the way she links so many independent characters together. From the slight changes in Sarah’s accent to the tiniest differences in her posture and gait, Maslany used her gift for subtlety to reveal to those paying attention that it wasn’t Sarah going up to see her daughter. Rewatching it again after the twist was revealed, I noticed all of those quirks, but in the moment, I was left with such a delicious feeling of eerie anticipation and total surprise. No other show gets the kind of visceral reactions out of me that Orphan Black does, and so much of the credit for that has to go to Maslany.

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (6/1 – 6/8)

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Sorry about the slight delay, friends! It was recital weekend at the dance studio where I teach, so I’m finally all caught up on the TV I missed and ready to write. 

This week in television started with an episode of Game of Thrones that shocked us all with the brutal death of a fan favorite. The week continued with a two-part episode of The Bachelorette that was more emotional than usual be because of the death of a contestant after his exit from the show. Wednesday’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance featured more auditions, Saturday’s episode of Orphan Black introduced us to a new clone (as my favorite one was left dying on the floor at the end of the episode), and the whole week was sprinkled with fantastic sporting events—from NBA and Stanley Cup Finals games to the Belmont Stakes.

The week kicked off with a flourish in the form of a fantastic Game of Thrones episode, and nothing—not even another excellent hour of Orphan Black—could top it. The most memorable Game of Thrones moment of this past week (and maybe this whole season so far) was the death of Oberyn Martell, but that wasn’t my favorite moment.

That honor belongs to Sansa’s testimony about her aunt’s death, which was a true showcase for Sophie Turner’s growing talent as an actress as well as Sansa’s ever-evolving character arc. It was such a powerful moment of catharsis to hear Sansa talk about her time with the Lannisters and with her aunt. However, this scene was about more than just catharsis. It was about Sansa doing what she does best—finding a way to survive without losing her sense of self. By lying for Littlefinger, Sansa was able to reclaim some of her power over her situation. My lasting impression of this scene is that Sansa Stark is a survivor, and it’s not by accident that she survives. This scene begins an arc that I found fascinating in the books, and I have faith that it might be even better on the show in the hands of such a capable actress.

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (5/25 – 6/1)

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After a couple of weeks away from my regular television viewing schedule while I was in Disney World, I came back to a TV week that didn’t feature a whole lot of new material (in no small way because last Sunday was without a new Game of Thrones episode), but what it did feature was fabulous. Monday nights in the summer are nights I spend with The Bachelorette, and last Monday featured a sweet date between Andi and Eric, which was ultimately heartbreaking with the knowledge of his tragic death after he finished filming the show. On Wednesday, So You Think You Can Dance returned with its first series of audition episodes. (For any of you wondering, I’ll be starting my SYTYCD recaps when they pick the Top 20.) And on Saturday, Orphan Black featured one big twist after another, ending on a shocking note that I don’t think anyone saw coming.

There’s nothing like Orphan Black to shake up a relatively slow TV week. Saturday’s episode will probably be most remembered for how it ended, but that wasn’t my favorite thing about it. Instead, I was drawn to the relationship between two characters who are now intrinsically linked though they have never actually met: Cosima and Kira. Cosima’s disgust and anger at finding out that Kira’s stem cells were put into her body without her knowledge and consent powered the episode’s most emotional confrontation. To see the way this woman cares for and wants to protect this little girl she never met was incredible, and it made me love Cosima even more. And then when Kira overheard Sarah and Cal talking about Cosima’s need for another of Kira’s teeth, that brave little girl pulled out her own tooth to help her sick “aunt.” Kira is a special little girl (and one of my favorite children on television), but she’s not just special because she’s the child of a clone with special healing abilities. She’s special because she can understand things far beyond her years and can act with empathy and level-headedness that even the adults around her don’t seem to possess. More than ever, I need Kira to meet Cosima, but I just hope it’s not because Dyad gets their hands on that incredible little girl.

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (5/18-5/25)

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Once again, this is Heather filling in as Katie catches up on TV after a well-earned vacation. Thanks for reading!

Wow, what a week of TV. While many shows have already finished for the season, those that remain had a particularly strong week. On Sunday, we said goodbye to The Good Wife, which left us wondering if Diane will join Florrick-Agos and if Alicia will run for State’s Attorney. We also saw Tyrion find a champion in Oberyn Martell and Lysa Arryn was pushed out the Moon Door, courtesy of Littlefinger. On Monday, Bones ended their season with a conspiracy at the FBI that left both Booth and Brennan in federal custody. On Tuesday, fish fell from the sky and Lester started embracing his darker side as Gus and Molly continue to struggle with his connection to Marvo on Fargo. Wednesday, The Americans wrapped up a fantastic second season with the reveal that the Centre wants Paige to join the KGB and only one parent is considering it. On Friday, we also said goodbye to Hannibal with a stunningly shot fight scene and the fate of 4 characters currently unknown. Finally, Saturday brought us an episode of Orphan Black in which Sarah gets answers about the past from Duncan and finds out Leekie is more involved than she previously believed.

You know it’s been a good week of television when there are so many choices for the best thing of the week. Even in one show, it can be difficult to narrow down which moment I felt was the best. After much consideration, I have finally chosen the ending scene to the season finale of The Americans.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had any luck finding a clip of the moment and my skills at search Tumblr for gifs are not nearly as good as Katie’s so I will just have to describe the scene for you.

Earlier in the episode, Philip and Elizabeth found out that the KGB wanted them to recuit their daughter to be a “second generation illegal”. They are angered by the order and made it very clear that they were not to go near Paige without their consent. However, they are torn on the merit of the idea. Philip doesn’t want his daughter anywhere near the KGB. Elizabeth, on the other hand, sees herself in Paige and wants to give her something to channel her passion into that they can bond over, rather than be driven apart.

This season has largely focused on Philip and Elizabeth as a team. They are closer than they’ve ever been as they protect their family from external threats. This issue threatens that stability. It sets up a very promising plot point for season 3 and I am sure it will bring out more fantastic acting from Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell.

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (5/11 – 5/18)

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Hi everyone, this is Heather and I’ll be filling in while Katie is away. I hope you all had a satisfying week of TV and I’m excited to give you a few thoughts of my own.  

It was a week of finales on network TV this week. On Sunday, Once Upon a Time wrapped up it’s season with Emma finding out that her home is in Storybrooke with her family. Also on Sunday, Alan Cumming reminded us all why is such a great actor and Eli Gold is such an interesting character on The Good Wife and Tyrion’s trial began on Game of Thrones. On Monday, Castle ended their season with a case of blackmail, mobsters and Beckett’s husband that concluded with more heartbreak for Beckett when Castle went missing on the way to their wedding. On Wednesday, Nashville finished their season with 2 proposals, a break-up that I hope doesn’t stick, what may be the rekindling of Gunnar and Scarlett’s professional partnership, a coming out, and a truly great performance by Hayden Panetierre. Finally, on Saturday, Sarah discovered that Rachel’s father may still be alive and is working with Helena and Leekie to free Felix and Cal discovered that Kira is very good at lying to people to protect her family on Orphan Black.

In my other shows of the week, Monday also brought us the series finale of Star-Crossed which ended on a cliff-hanger with at least one character’s life at risk and the promise of more Atrians coming to Earth. Tuesday brought us the series finale of Trophy Wife, which may not have been its strongest episode but the final scene captured exactly what the show is about, as well as the season finale of Chicago Fire and all of the tears that seem to come with this show weekly. On Wednesday, we said goodbye to Chatswin as Suburgatory aired its final episode.

For me, there wasn’t really any competition for the Best Thing I Saw this week. I loved Once Upon a Time’s season finale and the scene where Emma gets her magic back in particular.

I regularly have a lot of emotions about the fictional characters I watch every week. I am frustrated with them when they make bad decisions, I am sad when bad things happen to them, I am happy when something works out for them, and sometimes I am unbelievably proud of their growth as a character. This moment was one of those that made me incredibly proud of the journey Emma Swan has been on in the first three seasons of Once Upon a Time. She finally feels like she has a home. She doesn’t have to be a lost girl any more.

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (5/4 – 5/11)

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Penultimate episodes and season finales were all over the TV landscape this week, leading to what was one of the most high-quality weeks I’ve seen as a television viewer in quite some time. Once Upon a Time aired its penultimate episode on Sunday, bringing Regina’s arc to its peak as Emma’s arc hit its pre-finale low point. Also on Sunday, The Good Wife reminded me that there may be no greater group of female characters on one show, and Game of Thrones continued to add more depth to Cersei’s character as her second son was crowned king. On Monday, Castle gave us the conclusion to an arc six seasons in the making as Beckett put the man behind her mother’s death behind bars. And Tuesday presented us with a pair of finales: New Girl‘s cruise ship adventure and The Mindy Project’s ode to romantic comedies. Finally, Saturday’s Orphan Black might have featured Tatiana Maslany’s greatest work yet, and Charlize Theron proved that she really can do everything (except sing) when she hosted Saturday Night Live.

When picking this week’s greatest moment, I was torn between dramatic perfection and pure happiness. The former was found in Saturday’s climactic Orphan Black reunion between Sarah and Helena. It was almost too tense to watch, but I couldn’t look away. And to think that both parties in that scene were played by the same woman made it even more impressive.

But in the end, I chose to reward the moment that brought me the most joy, and that was the conclusion of Tuesday’s finale of The Mindy Project. Watching Danny and Mindy create their own romantic comedy moment was a thing of perfectly imperfect beauty. The references to everything from An Affair to Remember to When Harry Met Sally made me smile, but this was also a story that stood on its own as perhaps the most satisfying romantic comedy to be written in the last few years. It was such a nice feeling to watch the final minutes of a season finale and feel nothing but happiness, knowing that the rug wasn’t going to get pulled out from under me; this was going to end on a good note. The chemistry between Mindy Kaling and Chris Messina was put to such perfect use in this scene, and it was impossible to keep from smiling at Danny’s sincerity when he told Mindy that he loved her and they started talking about how many kids they’re going to have. The road for these two characters isn’t going to be perfect, but if what’s coming next season is anything like this finale, it’s going to be a road I will happily travel every week.

If you want to relive this wonderful moment again, click this (because Tumblr is the best, especially when networks want to hide an episode’s best scenes). 

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/27 – 5/4)

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This week began the final push towards many popular shows’ season finales. On Once Upon a Time, many major plot threads came to a head in Sunday’s episode—including who cast and who would break the latest curse, what would happen when Hook’s curse was revealed, and how would Henry regain his memories. Sunday night’s stellar TV lineup continued with another strong episode of The Good Wife (featuring Laura Benanti!) and some beautiful scenes between some of my favorite characters on Game of Thrones. Monday brought us Latin night on Dancing with the Stars and a Castle episode that featured wedding party plans, Scrabble upsets, and strip poker. Tuesday’s episode of New Girl brought Jess and Cece’s friendship to the forefront and The Mindy Project showed Mindy and Danny facing their complicated relationship. Wednesday’s Nashville took Juliette’s character a big step in the wrong direction; Thursday saw Burke’s return to the world of Grey’s Anatomy; and Saturday featured an episode of Orphan Black that introduced us to Kira’s father and an episode of Saturday Night Live that proved just how funny Andrew Garfield can be.

All in all, it was a thoroughly entertaining week in television. But the moment that has stayed with me the most was the beautiful final scene between Jaime and Brienne on Sunday’s Game of Thrones. I’ve already written extensively about how thrilled I was with the show’s take on the “Oathkeeper” moment, so I’ll will spare you all any redundant analysis. All I’ll add is that this scene only gets richer with repeated viewings. The nuances Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gwendoline Christie brought to this scene—and this relationship as a whole—elevated it to a new level of warmth, intimacy, and love. On a show that doesn’t have a lot of healthy relationships between men and women, this moment was a beacon of genuine light.

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/20 – 4/27)

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This week in television featured the return of some beloved shows and the finales of others. Sunday night began with an episode of Once Upon a Time that might have featured the most character development on the show to date. The night continued with another strong episode of The Good Wife and one of the most controversial episodes of Game of Thrones in the show’s history. Monday brought a lot of fun to our living rooms with “party anthem” night on Dancing with the Stars and a new Castle episode that took the characters back to the 1970s to solve a cold case. Tuesday’s episode of The Mindy Project served as a potent reminder of just how wonderful Mindy and Danny could be together, and Wednesday’s Nashville concert special featured the show’s best songs performed by its talented cast. On Thursday, the sixth season of Parks and Recreation ended with huge leaps forward for all of its characters, and Saturday’s episode of Orphan Black was yet another thrill-a-minute way to spend an hour.

From every scene with Regina on Once Upon a Time to Alison drinking with Felix on Orphan Black, there were a plethora of great moments to choose from this week. But the best of the best came to us courtesy of Parks and Rec‘s season finale. The conclusion of the Unity Concert, with all of the episode’s guest stars joining a reunited Mouse Rat and Duke Silver onstage, was a huge dose of the kind of positive energy that only this show can provide. The joy on each character’s face was a perfect representation of this show’s ability to spread happiness, and I’ve been singing “5,000 Candles in the Wind” with a smile ever since Thursday night.

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

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/13 – 4/20)

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This week in television started off with another emotionally draining Sunday night, which included a look into the effects of Hook’s year without Emma on Once Upon a Time; a dramatic confrontation between Alicia and Peter on The Good Wife, and another wedding for the ages on Game of Thrones. Monday’s Dancing with the Stars provided some relief in the form of “Disney Night.” On Tuesday, New Girl attempted to deal with the fallout from Nick and Jess’s breakup, and The Mindy Project showed us Mindy and Danny struggling to move on from their brief time together. Thursday’s Parks and Recreation ended on one of the happiest notes in the show’s happy history, while Scandal‘s season finale used a variety of means to break audiences’ hearts. And Saturday’s Orphan Black season premiere hit the ground running and never looked back, with more twists and intrigue than ever before.

There were a plethora of great moments on television this week—from Joffrey finally meeting his end on Game of Thrones to Sarah knocking out Rachel on Orphan Black. However, there are times when my favorite thing on TV isn’t so much one moment but rather what an actor does over the course of an entire hour. That’s how I feel about Colin O’Donoghue’s work in this week’s Once Upon a Time. His ability to make a charming swashbuckler so earnest has always been one of the things that’s drawn me to Hook as a character, and he was at his best in “The Jolly Roger.” The scene where Hook begs Ariel/Zelena for a chance to atone for his sins and confesses his love for Emma was O’Donoghue’s finest work on the show to date. It was a heartbreaking picture of raw vulnerability, and it was another example of the fact that Once Upon a Time‘s most compelling moments occur when its talented cast is allowed to tap into very real emotions in the middle of the fairytale action around them.

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

 

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/6 – 4/13)

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This week in television started off on Sunday with a trip into Zelena’s past on Once Upon a Time and the triumphant return of Game of Thrones. Monday’s episode of Dancing with the Stars shook up the show’s partnerships with varying degrees of success, and Tuesday’s hour of The Mindy Project broke all of our hearts but may have featured the comedy’s finest acting to date. And Thursday provided a trifecta of excellent episodes: A new addition to the Knope-Wyatt family was revealed on Parks and Recreation; the Suits season finale saw the end of both Scottie and Mike’s time as Pearson-Specter lawyers; and the lives of multiple important characters are hanging in the balance after Scandal‘s penultimate episode of the season.

I was going to choose Mindy and Danny’s terribly realistic breakup scene as the best moment of the week because Mindy Kaling and Chris Messina were just so good in it. However, it’s time I chose something uplifting again—and I am so thankful for Parks and Rec‘s happy pregnancy reveal, which took what could have been an ordinary episode and elevated it to one of the show’s turning points. Leslie revealing her pregnancy to Ben (just by saying she had good news for him) was the perfect showcase for Amy Poehler and Adam Scott’s warm chemistry and underrated talent for handling emotional moments with realism and sincerity. The subtlety, love, and genuine happiness in that scene was like comfort food for the soul after so many weeks of depressing television.

Because NBC doesn’t like to let me share their videos, relive the joy again by watching this scene over at EW.com! 

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