Scene Of The Month - September 2021 + POLL

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 HORROR STORY: DOUBLE FEATURE, "Gaslight", September 15, 2021, Actors: Sarah Paulson, Macaulay Culkin, The Scene: TB Karen kills Mickey
Lucas: TB Karen kills Mickey, paints her magnum opus, and walks into the ocean. Though this episode was a rollercoaster filled with phenomenal performances, Sarah and Macaulay deliver a very special scene. His devoted, twisted love, her sacrifice, their pain and tragedy, all of that was very intense to watch. Also, despite of her lack of screentime, Karen became so meaningful to me. And that's wonderful. One of the best AHS scenes in years, in my opinion.

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, "Renewal" & "The Last Day", September 2 & 16, 2021, Actors: Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Marc Evan Jackson and more, The Scenes: Jake and Holt's last day conversation & Vows renewal ceremony
Justyna: There's a few great moments to highlight from the final episodes of the show. Since the vow renewal ceremony is already included, let me also mention the last exchange between Jake and Holt. The ending itself felt bittersweet in some aspects, but I wanted to give a shout-out to one of my favorite duos from the series and one last callback to the show's beginning. Holt acknowledges how much they've both changed since their first meeting and the fact that Jake finally figured out how to grow up. He's proud of the person that Jake's become and his words clearly mean the world to Peralta who's been looking up to Holt for years and considers him a father figure. They're both emotional, but display strength in their vulnerability and the actors play that balance beautifully. Holt even gets the final joke and that warm and genuinely happy smile at the end is perfect. I will definitely miss this show. Very glad that I've followed this journey from the beginning till the end. Kudos to cast & crew for all their work on the series.
Alejandra: Vows renewal ceremony - Kevin and Holt are the purest dads ever.
Folie-lex: Kevin and Raymond get the perfect redo for their wedding... Doesn't matter that they're in a rush to deadline or that they're each wearing silly costumes. They surround themselves by family (i.e. the squad) and the words they share are heartfelt and beautiful.

CHICAGO FIRE, "Head Count", September 29, 2021, Actors: Jesse Spencer, Kara Killmer
The Scene: Casey tells Brett she's amazing
Beth: After so much hesitation last season, it is just beautiful to see Casey and Brett as a full blown couple. The two characters just seem happier now that they are together and it is a wonderful thing.

CHICAGO MED, "You Can't Always Trust What You See", September 22, 2021, Actors: Oliver Platt, Steven Weber, The Scene: The opening parking lot scene
Joanna: Opening parking lot scene where they are looking at Dr. Choi's parking space. This scene really shows how Dr. Archer has no insight into his actions and his immense bias towards mental health patients and Dr. Charles. He tries to lay blame on Dr. Charles for Choi being shot because he didn't put the patient on a psych hold when it was him completing surgery on the patient that was the cause of his outburst. I also love how they have Dr. Charles push back in his strong and restrained way by having him mention that the gun was pointed at Archer, not him, when Ethan was hurt. Great way to show their growing tension and nice way for the writers to continue to develop and vilify Archer in the eyes of the viewer.

CHICAGO PD, "Closure", September 22, 2021, Actors: Jesse Lee Soffer, Tracy Spiridakos, The Scene: Jay proposes to Hailey
Jessica C: If you've heard random squeals of excitement over the last few weeks, I'll take responsibility because Upstead is engaged!! Every time we're gifted with Upstead milestones, it feels like my love for them grows tenfold. And witnessing Jay getting down on bended knee in front of Hailey is certainly no different! Hailey explained that he gives her life a sense of normalcy and stability and that she wants to be married to him while Jay shared that he's known he wants all of the same things with her for years! They protect their relationship and are very intentional when expressing how they feel and what they want which speaks not only to how deeply they love one another, but how important the relationship is to both of them. No matter what obstacles may be ahead, that kind of love is too strong to shatter. Jay & Hailey are in this thing forever!

DOOM PATROL, "Vacay Patrol", September 23, 2021, Actors: Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Skye Roberts and more, The Scene: "Forever Young" dance
Elvis: As "Forever Young" by Alphaville starts playing in the background suddenly Kay (in the Underground) starts to move to the rhythm of the song with Jane following on the surface and in mere seconds she is joined by Rita, Cliff and Victor. (Larry's absence was felt). This dance scene was so extraordinary and it came at the right moment after the team faced some very bleak and depressing events. Even though this beautiful scene was cut short by a tragic ending, it felt so good to see the team so happy and connected. "Forever Young" is that one song that absolutely melts my heart so to hear it on one of my favorite TV series is an absolute wining combo. This scene is definitely joining my "best scenes of Doom Patrol" list.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, "The Fungus Amongus", September 5, 2021, Actors: Caity Lotz, Jes Macallan and more, The Scene: Avalance's wedding
Alejandra: Sara and Ava's love saves the day as it should.

LUCIFER, "My Best Fiend's Wedding" & "Goodbye, Lucifer", September 10, 2021, Actors: Tom Ellis, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Inbar Lavi and more, The Scenes: Lucifer says goodbye to Maze & Maze and Eve's wedding
Justyna: It's incredibly hard to choose just one final scene to highlight from the series' last season. So much has happened in these ten episodes that would be worth mentioning. In the end, I decided to go with Lucifer's goodbye with Maze. It's a surprising choice when I realize that these two didn't share too many memorable scenes since the show's early days. Despite their centuries-long friendship, it feels like they actually took a step away from each other a while ago and their relationship was never really the same after that. But in this moment, their history together felt more present than ever. Of all the goodbyes this felt like the most permanent and emotional one and both actors delivered wonderful performances during this last exchange. Both Lucifer and Maze are starting a new life that leads them in the opposite directions. And even though he can't exactly admit this is a goodbye, it's clear that she knows. Maze realizes the importance of this moment and it hits her much harder than she's willing to admit. The two aren't known for hugging people which is why the embrace between them means so much more. "I don't want you to worry about me anymore." "I wouldn't have any of it if it weren't for you." "You are my best friend, Maze. I just wish I'd always treated you that way before." These lines got me the most. Especially with the two trying to hide their emotions and tears behind a smile and a joke. Until they finally part ways... Also, a special shout-out to Ella confronting everyone at the wedding reception and Dan finding a way to talk to Trixie. Another two beautiful and heartbreaking moments. Kudos to cast & crew for all their wonderful work on the show.
Alejandra: Mazeve Wedding - Maze finally being with someone who chooses her made my heart very happy.

MIDNIGHT MASS, "Book III: Proverbs", September 24, 2021, Actors: Kristin Lehman, Hamish Linklater, Annarah Cymone and more, The Scene: The miracles sequence
Lucas: The Holly Holy sequence - miracles start to happen all over town. It’s the calm before the storm. Every character is happy, everyone is healing, things are changing for the better, love is in the air, and there’s a cheerful song by Neil Diamond playing. Midnight Mass might be a dark show, but I think this scene is really beautiful, and I love every second of it.

MONEY HEIST / LA CASA DE PAPEL, "Vivir muchas vidas" (Live Many Lives)", September 3, 2021, Actors: Úrsula Corberó and more, The Scene: Tokyo's death
Alejandra: I am never going to emotionally recover from this.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, "The Sting", September 7, 2021, Actors: Steve Martin, Amy Ryan, The Scene: Charles and Jan flirt with music across the courtyard
Folie-lex: As Charles and Jan each play their instruments across the courtyard, they prove that old people flirting is so cute.

RICK AND MORTY, "Rickmurai Jack", September 5, 2021, Voiced by: Justin Roiland, The Scene: Evil Morty's plan succeeds
Justyna: This final story of the season certainly took me by surprise. I was glad we finally learned Rick's backstory but it's the President Morty's plan and actions that stole the show for me. President Morty, or rather Evil Morty (as named by the fans) reveals that all he's ever wanted is to get away from the portion of the multiverse where Rick is the smartest man alive and finally be free of his restrictions. Years ago, following the death of his family and his unsuccessful search for the killer, Rick helped build the Citadel and walled off his own multiverse, creating the Central Finite Curve. A place where Mortys are supplied and many Jerrys and Beths across the multiverse are pushed to fall in love. This Morty feels trapped in the endless nightmare created by our Rick. "He's attached to us infinitely through his weakness and our forgiveness." President Morty chooses to leave, tired and sick of Rick, by any means necessary, thus making him Evil Morty. He is certainly causing a lot of pain and death around him and is far from a good guy, but I really enjoyed the fact that his plan was never about destruction or conquest, or even beating Rick, but rather setting himself and the multiverse free. The sequence where Morty's plan succeeds and he finally escapes as the "For the Damaged Coda" plays in the background, is perfectly done. Kudos!

SQUID GAME, "Red Light, Green Light (무궁화 꽃이 피던 날)", September 17, 2021, Actors: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Anupam Tripathi and more, The Scene: The first game
Justyna: In the last week of September I decided to check out Netflix's latest hit - Squid Game. I've never seen a Korean TV show before this one, but knowing the general premise and being a fan of thrillers / action dramas, I figured it's about time to expand my horizons. To be honest, I'm definitely going to need a rewatch to process everything that's happened on the show. Such a wild and memorable experience. When it comes to highlighting just one scene from the first half of the season, I couldn't help but choose the first game when the true nature of the competition is revealed. There's definitely things prior to this moment that make you worried about what's about to happen but it's not until the first player is eliminated when the stakes and tension hit an insane level. We also watch our main characters as they struggle to survive the brutal massacre and learn some key information about them on their way to the finish line. Also, Ali saves Gi-hun in the most impressive way and it's hard not to get attached to at least some of these characters and root for their survival. Kudos to cast & crew for all the great work on the show!

TED LASSO, "Man City", September 10, 2021, Actors: Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, The Scene: Roy and Jamie hug
Chlöe: I'd never watched a single scene of Ted Lasso till this scene because it made such a massive splash on social media. Even though I had limited knowledge of the characters' arcs, this scene still made a huge impact with some great body language from Jamie Tartt as his father verbally abuses him in front of the team. Having now watched the entire series, the fact that it's Roy who goes to comfort him is perfectly framed considering his comments on Phoebe's father earlier in the episode and I will never forget the way Jamie flinched as Roy came over to him.
Folie-lex: Roy hates bullies more than anything in the world. It's why when Jamie's dad shows up and is a complete ass to his own son, suddenly Jamie being a twat is irrelevant. Roy does what he knows best and is comforting and kind. And for Jamie comfort from his childhood idol was maybe the best medicine... Phil Dunster's shock-shift-into-breakdown is brilliant, while Brett Goldstein as usual conveys everything in his body language and facial expressions.
Beth: After enduring the abuse his father has put him through his entire life, Jamie fought back and it was a VERY loaded moment. The entire team witnessed what Jamie has had to deal with and he stood alone and vulnerable after laying out his abuser, and then something amazing happened, he was shown comfort by the very last person you'd expect.... Roy. It doesn't mean they are besties, hell they probably still hate each other, but it doesn't matter because in that moment, it was just one human showing another kindness and understanding and it was beautiful.
Alejandra: Emotional chaos, best scene I have seen this year. Period.

THE MORNING SHOW, "It’s Like The Flu", September 24, 2021, Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, The Scene: The hallway fight
Giulia: The two anchors come to terms with what happened in the season 1 finale. The fight is raw and real; Bradley is very upset with Alex, because she just abandoned her and Alex realizes that she has to face the consequences of her actions, which are not all positive.

THE ROOKIE, "Life and Death", September 26, 2021, Actors: Alyssa Diaz, Melissa O'Neil, Eric Winter, The Scenes: Tim and Lucy share a "moment" & Angela talks to Jackson's grave
Folie-lex: Tim and Lucy have a "moment" - Under the most tragic of circumstances Tim and Lucy break that invisible physical barrier they have between them, as Tim offers Lucy the comforting hug she asks for... and the chemistry that fans have sensed since day one between them seems to be undeniable even to their characters anymore.
Beth: Angela talks to Jackson's grave. In an episode filled with devastation and heart pounding moments, this scene just felt comforting in a weird way. Yes, Angela was talking to Jackson's grave and it was heartbreaking, but she did it holding her newborn son, a baby that got to be home with both parents in part because of Angela's rookie Jackson. It was a great way to show that even though Jackson is no longer there, his life and spirit will live on in the people that loved him and in his namesake, Angela's son.

THE WALKING DEAD, "Out of the Ashes", September 19, 2021, Actors: Ross Marquand, Paola Lázaro, Michael James Shaw, The Scenes: Aaron's nightmare & Princess tells Mercer that he has beautiful eyelashes
Chlöe: This episode finally delivered on giving Ross Marquand screentime as Aaron is a severely underrated character on the show and gets so few moments to shine. I could have picked any one of his scenes for this, but the nightmare right at the beginning sets up the rest of the episode so well, it just pipped out the other scenes. It was a haunting sequence as he's confronted with all the demons and enemies he's encountered with the enemies overwhelming him after Gracie vanishes and is a great way to showcase his fear and the hopelessness that drives him to desperate measures to protect her and everyone else he cares about. It's heartbreaking to see him with such fear and guilt and anger at the world considering when we first met him, he was basically preaching the power of friendship.
Lisa: Princess tells Mercer that he has beautiful eyelashes.

TURNER AND HOOCH, "Witness Pup-tection", September 15, 2021, Actors: Josh Peck, Vanessa Lengies, The Scene: Erica and Scott act like dogs
Folie-lex: Erica drags Scott to the ground and makes him act like a dog just to get him to connect with his autistic witness. And we finally see Scott loosen up, and be fun and goofy and comfortable. It's an adorable scene that can't help but put a smile on your face.

WHAT IF...?, "What If... Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?", September 1, 2021, Voiced by: Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, The Scene: Dr. Strange begs for the Watcher's help
Lucas: Strange begs for the Watcher's help as the universe is destroyed and Christine dies in his arms - A powerful, tearful scene to end a dark episode. It’s the first time we see The Watcher talking to a character, in some interesting, well-written dialogue. Then, the world ends and Christine dies one last time, leaving Strange completely alone and broken. Truly memorable.

Y: THE LAST MAN, "Would the World Be Kind", September 13, 2021, Actors: Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Ben Schnetzer, The Scene: Yorick and Jennifer are reunited
Giulia: Of course no one thought that Yorick would be alive, even his mother, so to see Jennifer be completely and utterly surprised, destroyed, emotional and happy to see that her son is alive was incredible. Diane Lane knocks it out of the park in that scene, showing us how amazing she is.