like i am physically capable of narrowing this down

I am operating on three hours of sleep. Maybe. Possibly less. Wheeeee.


Day 09 - Best scene ever

This, this was hard. Narrowing down my favorite episode for any given show is tricky enough; best scene? In any TV show ever?

There's the Stuart & Vince scene in episode 8 of QAF UK, which is the sweetest and most roundabout declaration of love ever. (Stuart: "Poor sod. Give him six months, he'll be able to name all the Doctor
Whos. In order. William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy." Vince: "What about Paul McGann?" Stuart/Vince: "Paul McGann doesn't count.")

Or there's the very first scene with Wash in the very first episode of Firefly, which is quite possibly the greatest character introduction in the history of television. ("And we shall call it...This Land.")

Or "Shoe Money Tonight", quite possibly my favorite episode of Sports Night, which gives us Jeremy's amazing monologue to Natalie over a game of poker. ("But mostly, I want you to trust me, just once, when I tell you you have three sevens, and I have a straight.") Which vies for my other favorite scene from that show, the very end of "Sally" -- the exchange between Gordon and Casey, which takes the running gag from that episode and abruptly turns it on its head, in a shocking and utterly game-changing way.

Or the climax of Doctor Who's "Parting of the Ways", Rose as the Bad Wolf, which is just kind of glorious and terrible and heart-rending and that music makes me tear up every time.


But really, nothing quite holds a candle to the sheer emotional power and beauty of this one: The West Wing, "Two Cathedrals", Bartlet's address to God in the National Cathedral.

Bartlet: You're a son-of-a-bitch, you know that? She bought her first new car and you hit her with a drunk driver. What, was that supposed to be funny? "You can't conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God," says Graham Greene. I don't know whose ass he was kissing there 'cause I think you're just vindictive. What was Josh Lyman? A warning shot? That was my son. What did I ever do to yours except praise his glory and praise his name? There's a tropical storm that's gaining speed and power. They say we haven't had a storm this bad since you took out that tender ship of mine in the north Atlantic last year, 68 crew. Do you know what a tender ship does? Fixes the other ships. Doesn't even carry guns, just goes around, fixes the other ships and delivers the mail, that's all it can do. Gratias tibi ago, domine. Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I've committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug? 3.8 million new jobs, that wasn't good? Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new acres of land for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we're not fighting a war, I've raised three children... that's not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? Haec credam a deo pio? A deo iusto? A deo scito? Cruciatus in crucem! Tuus in terra servus nuntius fui officium perfeci. Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem!

[Walks away from the altar, lights a cigarette, takes one puff, throws it to the ground, puts it out with his foot and proceeds to leave.]

You get Hoynes!

GAH.


( the rest of the days, to keep track )