why iconic tv moments don't leave your brain

First off: Spoilers like you wouldn't believe.

You know when you're watching TV and something happens and you're just like: yes.  It can be dramatic or hilarious, depressing or exciting; the point is just that it's iconic, it's big, it's what you've been waiting for.  These intense moments are usually amplified by the fact that there's been a big build up.  Very few shows find the sweet balance between a slow burn and an already boiling pot.  For these scenes to have the right amount of payoff, you need to know the characters and what they're trying to accomplish.  Sometimes someone's in love and you, like them, are waiting for that perfect moment for them to express themselves.  Other times there's a mystery that's finally solved, only that's not the moment you remember; it's the aftermath that sticks with you because just when you thought you could relax, everything got worse.  And sometimes you just see comedic perfection; there's no background or deep emotional issues at play - it's just two ridiculous people being ridiculous for your entertainment.

I want to preface this list by saying there are an endless amount of these moments in general, but there are also a bunch I just couldn't find a YouTube that I wanted to use.  So while I do stand by this list, think of them more as examples of KINDS of iconic moments rather than the best ones possible.

You're excited now aren't you?  These are still awesome!  Keep reading!  They're the bestest.

1. Friends - Everyone finds out about Chandler and Monica

I'm starting out light with some classic sitcom mishap.  If you didn't watch Friends (who ARE you?), then here's a little background.  Chandler and Monica are dating... secretly.  Though, Joey knows... and Rachel knows... and now Pheobe knows.  Rachel and Pheobe JUST found out and then Chandler and Monica found out that they found out.  This is the joke the whole time, climaxing with Pheobe's line, "They don't KNOW we know they know we know."  Amazing.  So instead of talking to each other like normal people (where's the fun in that?), Pheobe tries to seduce Chandler.  He is trying to do the same?  I think?  Then... just as one of the most awkward on-screen kisses takes place, Chandler breaks away with the declaration that he loves Monica.  Now, if you've been paying attention to this show, you know that Chandler doesn't love people.  And if he does, he shuts up about it.  Commitment is his greatest fear and he hates emotions, so to say "I love you" is a big deal, to yell it in front of a group is a HUGE deal.  And for Monica, she's been waiting for this.  Her last relationship was perfect short of the guy being so old he didn't want to have kids that were younger than his grandchildren.  Then she says she loves him too.  GUYS, she loves him TOO.  This is so spectacular.  I know everyone out there is all Rose&Rachel, Ross&Rachel, and they're great but Chandler and Monica are where it's at.  They grow together and learn from each other and truly accept each other.  They have a beautiful relationship that kind of happened by accident.  This moment is the first of many that makes you laugh and say "awww" at the same time.  Before it was public, these two could say it was just sex but now it's more - and everyone knows.

2. The West Wing - Presidential Debate

Do you have any idea how hard it is to pick ONE Jed Bartlet moment?  Because it's very, very difficult.  Everything that comes out of his mouth is perfect, thank you to Martin Sheen but mostly Aaron Sorkin.  If you haven't watched The West Wing, stop reading this, get on Netflix, and do it now.  This is show is iconic all on its on.  ANYWAY, this moment in particular is one of those moments that makes you go "Boom."  Bartlet kills it.  Whether you care about politics or not, this scene will make you a) care and b) wish actual debates were like this.  Bartlet kicks this guy's ass with his MIND, which is really the beauty of every Sorkin moment.  The show itself is about the West Wing (I just blew your mind right?), but this moment is about holding on to that.  There's an election and you've been with these campaigners since the beginning, so you're fully invested.  You want a win, and in typical TWW fashion, you think you'll get it but you can't be sure.  More than that, these guys are nervous, and when they get nervous, they get quirky and energetic, so regardless of your belief that it'll be okay, you're still sitting on the edge of your seat bouncing up and down with too much adrenaline.  So you have the build up, both from earlier in the season and the moments leading up to him taking the stage.  Everyone plays a part in preparing this man and getting him on stage then he hits a grandslam.  There's something gorgeous about how he explains his opponent's stance, accepts it can be seen as valid, then explains how it's actually fundamentally flawed.  Bartlet does this again and again making him appear genial and brilliant, which he is.  Perhaps my favorite part of this whole thing isn't the second he says, "Can we have it back please?" but it's seeing everyone else react to him.  They just realized what you just realized, we got this. 

3. Veronica Mars - Keith saves Veronica

Another show that had a lot of great options - Veronica Mars.  While I love love-triangles more than the next guy, my favorite relationship on this show might have to be between Veronica and her dad.  It's unbreakable and more solid than anything else on this show.  Plus, though she acts tough, Veronica is only 17 and she needs her dad; it's nice to watch her need somebody.  Her mom left her and her dad stayed; the way VMars sees it, "The hero is the one who stays."  They're each other's rock.  So with that said, this scene puts it all in danger.  Veronica figures out who killed her best friend and is then attacked by the murderer himself.  Classic.  Luckily, she called her dad with the news and he guesses which route she'd take (so in synch), so he goes looking for her when she doesn't show up at home.  Then, the badass that he is, he saves her life.  The show is called "Veronica Mars," so it's not like you actually think she'll die, but I thought he might.  Or she'd get horribly injured or I don't know, something else terrible would happen.   Honestly, the beauty of this moment comes from his lack of hesitation and her screaming "Dad!"  Veronice doesn't get scared, we just watched a season of her being fearless, and now she's trapped and surrounded by fire: she's terrified.  As she well should be, but it hits you harder because you've never seen her afraid before.  The whole moment reminds you how much they love each other and how much the need each other.  They're kind of all they have, this is it, father and daughter, no more and no less.  They will fight for this, more than they'd fight for anything else.  So when he runs into that fire and gets his little girl only to have the tables turn immediately, forcing her to put the flames out and still stop the killer... I mean that's intense.  I have goosebumps just remembering it and I didn't even watch the scene before writing this.  Veronica and Keith: the real VMars love story.

4. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - The opening scene

If you haven't seen this scene, then you obviously didn't go to school to study television.  Yes, I also watched this series, but this moment is shown in lecture after lecture.  This is primarily because of what he's saying.  As they point out, it's all true and no one wants to admit it.  This is one of those great events in TV history where a guy is saying what we're all thinking.  It may not be true anymore, but it was and it probably will be again.  TV loses its character and its life, it becomes listless and easy.  Though I think there's more to this moment than the words coming out of his mouth because this is the pilot, this is the beginning; you don't know anyone yet and you also don't care, but here's a guy laying it all on the line.  You can be sure he gets fired for this, so think about the risk he's taking.  Regardless of WHAT he's saying, he's saying it.  He cares enough to go out there in front of millions and end his own career.  That takes balls.  And means it must be worth it.  This isn't a show I'd force on anyone, but this is powerful because the moment he takes this risk, the rest of his crew are right there with him.  You understand the loyalty and the mindset of this world without even meaning to.  You've been Sorkin'd.

5. The Vampire Diaries - Elena sets her house on fire

Elena has lost her mom, her dad, her aunt, her guardian, and now her brother.  Her mom and dad drowned in front of her when their car went of a bridge.  Her aunt was murdered while Elena was trapped nearby and forced to watch.  Her guardian went insane, tried to kill her, and then came to only to realize he had to die - at least they got to say goodbye?  Then her brother Jeremy, the only family she had left, ups and gets himself murdered too.  At least she only finds him a few seconds later so she didn't see the death?  Yeah, I thought that was weak too.  This all happens mid-season four, so we know Elena by now.  She's generous and sweet, fierce when she's fighting for someone else, full of guilt, and dangerously compassionate, so when she's left with no one, with nothing, she can't handle it.  We've watched her break down before, but she's usually found something to grab onto and believe in.  Most of the time, that's Jeremy.  Major issues now: Jeremy is dead and she's a vampire.  So all those traits of hers are intesified and overwhelming.  The acting in this scene blows me away because a ridiculous range of emotions are hit: fear, desperation, anguish.  So when Damon tells her to "turn it off," she does.  And BAM.  The Elena you knew is gone.  Her face loses every single tinge of emotion that was just breaking your heart.  Not only is Jeremy gone, another character you loved, but Elena is too.  The Gilberts are no more.  I'd also like to mention the editing/cinematography of this scene because it's incredible.  She's down on the ground, broken, with shockingly little hope of being put back together.

(You really need to see what happens next for the full effect...)

6. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Nightman/Dayman song was born

Mood change, amiright?  I don't have much to say about this moment other than I know the words to this song and they make me happy everytime.  One of my favorite parts of It's Always Sunny is their inside jokes.  When you've seen every episode, there are certain things you're "in" on.  This is one of them.  Nightman and Dayman are flawless and here you see them come together in an impeccable musical union.  Anytime the song plays again, you'll smile.  I promise.



7. Friday Night Lights - Any time anything happens ever

I was going to choose Coach's pilot speech then I was going to use his State's speech then I remembered the moment he makes them run in the rain then I remembered the Mud Bowl then I remembered the Lions being formed THEN I realized none of these are on YouTube, which is a travesty.  But then I saw this video and yes it's for Emmy consideration, so it's perfect but also... this IS the show.  It's every emotion in every moment.  It's teamwork and struggle and speeches and love.  There's something in the nature of this show that's almost painfully genuine, maybe it comes from the actors having very loose guidelines for what to say in each scene or maybe it comes from the fact that this is such a real world or maybe it's how natural these characters are.  They try so hard to be better.  Better fathers and mothers, better daughters and sons, better friends and players, better Texans and Christians.  Just better.  And they strive for it as if their lives depend on it.  So whether you're watching Coach give a pep talk or Landry tutor Tyra, Matt practice til the sun goes down or Riggins clean himself up, Smash hug his mama or Tammy stand up for herself, you believe in them.  You believe in them with everything you didn't know you had.  Because this is a TV show and they aren't real and this game never happened, but FNL sucks you in and makes you have faith.  Faith in what?  I don't know.  Everything.  All of it.  It's inspirational moment after inspirational moment purely because you're watching people try, just like you're trying.  They want and they need and they try only to mess up over and over again, but their world keeps spinning so they get back up and they try some more.  And each and every time they do it with clear eyes and full hearts.

 

Can't lose.