[Pet]

Buffy - Hush - The Gentlemen are on the prowl, hovering over the ground, with their strait-jacketed lackeys running wild around UC Sunnydale. All the while those violins are shrieking. Absolutely blinding stuff.

Alias - The Telling - I defy anyone to watch the fight sequence and not be impressed.

The X Files - Leonard Betts - "You have something I need". Then Scully wakes up in the middle of the night with a nosebleed, and we see the realisation on her face...

Actually,how's about the entire thing up until season 7? I can't pick a favourite, there are too many...!

[jill_valentine]

Blackadder Goes Forth - Goodbyeee.

After all his weaselling, Blackadder finds himself stuck in the front lines anyway. Despite all his arselicking, Darling finds himself in the trenches too. Baldrick makes a desperate, pathetic, and unexpectedly moving speech asking why they can't all just go home? The shelling stops, and for a brief minute they wonder if the war has stopped. No, says Blackadder. They've stopped shelling for the push. Baldrick says he has a cunning plan, and Blackadder tells him it'll have to wait. Blackadder answers the whistle and wishes his men good luck. They all go over the top together, and suddenly Blackadder Goes Forth turns into something different entirely.

[plastic membrane]

OZ- Every episode throws up some kind of terrible violent act, but the one thats sticks with me is the first episode i ever saw, when The Warden opens his door and the guard falls through the door, his eyes gouged out. I was on the floor in utter astonishment and i knew i had to watch every episode from then on, no matter how horrific. The rythms and beats of the show are so singular, its like visual poetry. Not pretty tho'. Plus Verne Schillinger is the big daddy of badg uys. So much so that everytime i watch Spiderman im just waiting (with my eyes closed) for JK Simmons to grab Tobey Maguire and bugger him senseless over a pool table.

[jill_valentine]

Christ, Oz... the moment that burned itself into my head forever was that guy getting nailed to the gym floor. *Shudder*

[Ph3n0m]

Oz has so many memorable images - most of them, hell all of them portraying some act of violence - Prisoner Cell BLock H it aint

[doh.ie]

Originally Posted by jill_valentine

Blackadder Goes Forth - Goodbyeee.

After all his weaselling, Blackadder finds himself stuck in the front lines anyway. Despite all his arselicking, Darling finds himself in the trenches too. Baldrick makes a desperate, pathetic, and unexpectedly moving speech asking why they can't all just go home? The shelling stops, and for a brief minute they wonder if the war has stopped. No, says Blackadder. They've stopped shelling for the push. Baldrick says he has a cunning plan, and Blackadder tells him it'll have to wait. Blackadder answers the whistle and wishes his men good luck. They all go over the top together, and suddenly Blackadder Goes Forth turns into something different entirely.

Great choice - this was very high on the list of 100 Greatest TV Moments or somesuch on Ch4 or Five recently.

As for Oz, I half think their dramatic, hyper-violent deaths would've worked better if they hadn't done it almost every week. It almost becomes harder to shock after a while, or the viewer gets thoroughly desensitised to it. It may be the most violent prison wing in the US, fictionally anyway, but I find it hard to believe there is such a high mortality rate in regular prisons.

[ixoy]

Originally Posted by doh.ie

As for Oz, I half think their dramatic, hyper-violent deaths would've worked better if they hadn't done it almost every week.

Agreed. In Season 1, designed as a full mini series originally, the deaths had more impact. Glynn would investigate it and it had its importance. As the show wore on each death seemed more designed to show new and nasty ways to butcher people - but it didn't have the same emotional resonance bar a few (the previously mentioned crucifixion, the fall of Spoiler: Adibessi). Even the slaughter of season six didn't impact on me in the same way.

I will mention one more scene from Oz's final season though and that is Spoiler: Cyril O'Reilly's execution. The first one.... The whole time leading up to that was utterly heart wrenching and stunning acted. Jericho has fallen....

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but in Ally McBeal when Billy is in the court room, falls on his knees, and turns to Ally to tell her he loves her with just a look of enlightenment on his face... and then he dies. One of those real genuinely affecting TV moments. *sniffle*.

[grumpytrousers]

If I were to pick a good scene from a show that's relatively 'off the beaten track' it'd have to be the scene towards the end of Episode 5 of the first episode of Phoenix Nights...

Jerry, the compere, might or might not have cancer and he's in a bad way. Consummate showman that he is, he carries on entertaining; this night it's the 'Alternative Comedy' night. Jesus, it's dire. Anyway he comes out to try and get the next act on, and a few 'stewdents' in the audience start to heckle him. Camera closes up on him, you see the beads of sweat on his forehead and he stops, looks at 'em and launches into a genuinely funny series of jokes, all of which you've heard before but all still funny. "Not funny", quoth the 'lead' student and asks for his money back. A refund is not forthcoming which apparantly isn't fair. "I wanna moonwalk son, but lifes a ****house" says Brian Potter, the wheelchair bound owner.
Student goes to thump Jerry and Brian says "You hit him, you hit me".

Chorus of "And me" from around the club.

It's a really well directed slice of drama/comedy/pathos/toiletjokes and blokeish solidarity all rolled into 5 minutes and each time I see it, I marvel at it

[doh.ie]

Originally Posted by ixoy

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but in Ally McBeal when Billy is in the court room, falls on his knees, and turns to Ally to tell her he loves her with just a look of enlightenment on his face... and then he dies. One of those real genuinely affecting TV moments. *sniffle*.

Ally McBeal lost me very early on by just being too damn eccentric. I find David E Kelley's work to be outstanding 90% of the time - I loved Picket Fences which always managed to stay grounded despite the madness, and The Practice has had exceptional television moments.

Anyway, as for Ally, I'm (re)making an exception next month for an episode titled, "9/11" which TV3 will get around to. It was apparently so well received in the US that Fox ran it twice over the Christmas period in 2001, so I'm curious as to whether it was any good or not.

Couple of dramas touched on that at the time - West Wing, the wohjous 7th Heaven did a tribute of sorts, Touched by an Angel did a nice piece on it (seriously!), and that of Third Watch ("September 10th") mentioned by Jill already, I think, being the finest.

[ixoy]

Originally Posted by doh.ie

Ally McBeal lost me very early on by just being too damn eccentric. I find David E Kelley's work to be outstanding 90% of the time - I loved Picket Fences which always managed to stay grounded despite the madness, and The Practice has had exceptional television moments.

I'll assume you dislike a certain type of eccentricity right? Otherwise you'd miss out on shows like 'Twin Peaks' and 'Carnivalé'. I don't mind eccentric as long as it fits within the reality of the show, as it did with Cooper and Co.

Anyway, as for Ally, I'm (re)making an exception next month for an episode titled, "9/11" which TV3 will get around to. It was apparently so well received in the US that Fox ran it twice over the Christmas period in 2001, so I'm curious as to whether it was any good or not.

I hope that's not the sentimental crap I seem to remember it being. I found it cloying and almost exploitive... but I hope I'm wrong...

I actually saw one of the best images of it last night in the season 3 opener of 'The Wire'. It's an image rather than a direct link but it works all the same. Also it gives me another chance to plug 'The Wire' as one of, if not the, most intelligent shows currently airing. Although I'd not recommend people try and leap in at the third season... this is a show that needs to be seen from the outset...

[doh.ie]

Originally Posted by ixoy

I'll assume you dislike a certain type of eccentricity right? Otherwise you'd miss out on shows like 'Twin Peaks' and 'Carnivalé'. I don't mind eccentric as long as it fits within the reality of the show, as it did with Cooper and Co.

Exactly. I loved Twin Peaks and Carnivale was my favourite show of all last year - the McBeal form of eccentricity was just a bit too much for my taste. Ladies with logs, I can handle (just point me to the axe, I'll cut some more) but ladies with dancing babies who sleep with bean bag men, I'll take my leave.

Originally Posted by ixoy

"I hope that's not the sentimental crap I seem to remember it being. I found it cloying and almost exploitive... but I hope I'm wrong..."

Erk. So do I. I trust your opinion more than that of Anonymous Reviewer from wherever I read that it was decent. I did wonder why Fox repeated it, figuring it must say something about its quality. I hope it wasn't a case of "Oh, it's Christmas - we need schmaltzy programming - give 'em McBeal's September 11th analogy again..."

I actually saw one of the best images of it last night in the season 3 opener of 'The Wire'. It's an image rather than a direct link but it works all the same. Also it gives me another chance to plug 'The Wire' as one of, if not the, most intelligent shows currently airing. Although I'd not recommend people try and leap in at the third season... this is a show that needs to be seen from the outset...

Ah, The Wire. Wicked show - can't wait to start back again. You're right - more intelligent than most of what's currently out there, at least in cop dramas, which begs the question - why didn't it receive more Emmy nods?

[JBoyle4eva]

Originally Posted by jill_valentine

Blackadder Goes Forth - Goodbyeee.

I wasn't born when this was on(I think ) But when BBc's Best British Sitcom series was running, I watched the special on Blackadder, and the reason that episode ended with no credits was because the production team felt they could take credit for the last scene. Very powerful wrok that scene!

Also, a outstanding moment for me was on Survivor: all-Stars when Jenna M. was contemplating for three days on wether to go home or not, as her mum suffered from cancer. Her tribe(Mogo Mogo) were telling that things will be ok, but if she wants to quit, she should quit. Then, at the immunity challenge, she just broke down and said "I want to go home". Amber from Chapera tribe just ran over to hug her, and then jeff(the presenter) wanted to hear what everyone else thought, and everyone was saying how they said goodbye to their families, and Tom(chapera) nearly roke down trying to say that he told his family that if something happened: DON'T Call him, he'll be there when he gets there. Then, Jenna was leaving the game at the challenge, and she hugged everyone, and we see her walk towards a boat, and we see her in the boat, driving off. all the castaways are left distraught, and we then see a message "Jenna was immdiately rushed to her mother's bedisde. However, Jenna's mum last her long battle with cancer 8 days later!"

That was the most heart feeling episode of any program ever as that was real life, and it was such a bizarre end to her tale. Soemone in heaven must've been telling her to go home.

[lt_cmdr_worf]

Time to update this thread.

The end of Battlestar Galactica season 3 with "All About the Watchtower" playing and Starbuck saying she found Earth.
The meteor shower in Smallville season 4 finale "Commencement"
CSI Miami season 6 "Rio", the teaser.
The OC season 2 finale when Trey gets shot.

[KnifeWRENCH]

Oldish thread, but an interesting one.

Originally Posted by jill_valentine

*Friends. The one where Ross and Rachel break up.
Say what you will about Friends (And you'll probably be right) there was some intense acting in this. After all the pizza and leg wax jokes stop, and it gets right down to the dirty business of a savage break up, its like a play, only interesting. Two people in a room, having a messy row and breaking up, while their friends can only listen from the next room. And thats it.

+1, that was a fantastic episode. I'm amazed Jennifer Ansiton didn't win an Emmy for that, her performance in those scenes were stunning.

Scrubs - My Lunch (Series 5, Episode 20)
Love this whole episode but especially the last scenes.
Spoiler: Dr. Cox gives three patients organ transplants from a patient Jill Tracy, who was thought to have died of a cocaine overdose. However, he discovers afterwards that Jill had rabies, and now all three transplant patients are infected. The first two patients, who were in dire need of a new heart and liver respectively, die quickly. Cox and Carla desparately try to save the third patient (a close friend of Cox) but he dies also. Dr. Cox feels incredibly guilty because his friend needed a kidney but could have waited a long time for it. It ends with JD trying to console him but Cox just walks out of the hospital. The Frays' "How To Save A Life" is playing in the backgroubnd, and while I'm not a huge fan of that song it was perfect for that final scene."

[ziedth]

God there is a couple alright,

Scrubs "My Screw up": As mentioned great seen closest I ever came to crying at TV

Buffy "The Wish": Great ending to that episode, I also Liked the ending of season 5 I think when Giles Spoiler: Kills that Demi-god young one by choking ya man

Angel: Ending to the show in the alley was top notch

Prison break: Spoiler: Where mahone Tourchers Wyatt to death then kills him the lead up and that scene where prob my fav in the las year

Lost "The Long Con": When you realise Seywer has been Spoiler: Playing jack and locke against each other to get his hands on all the guns Guy was instantly my hero at that point