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The Joy Of Sets: What's Your Top TV Moment?
Friday Night Lights by Bill Records/NBC
OK, so after this week, we should be all through with our season finales. David Cook is our new American Idol, those Desperate Housewives are going to be five years older (making them all roughly 108), and God only knows who Lucas proposed to on One Tree Hill. I’m dyin’ over that one. Big stuff as always. Which got me to thinking about TV’s greatest OMG moments. Here are a few of my faves...all beautifully available on DVD. What are yours?
The Friends finale — Mercifully not the oddity that Seinfeld left us with, this 10th-season kicker (seen by over 50 million fans) was as sweet as a Central Perk mocha and finally gave us hope that Ross and Rachel had a future. Of course, knowing what a tool Ross could be, he probably screwed it up months later.
Buy Friends from Amazon.com
Jordin-vs-Blake — Everyone says that Idol’s sixth finale was its weakest, but after re-screening American Idol Season Six: The Top Two, I beg to differ. With my girl Jordin Sparks battling oddball beatboxer Blake Lewis, anything could have happened. In fact, the mere fact that Lewis even made the finals is proof that season 6 was the talent show’s strangest on record. And strange is good (unless it’s my friend Cassie’s peach cobbler).
Buy American Idol from Amazon.com
Landry Kills Tyra’s Stalker — Who knew the powers-that-be could save Friday Night Lights’ second season from becoming a total soap after this little twist? Geeky boy bashes his crush’s nasty baddie in the head, they dump the body and viola! Not only do we get oodles of screen time for the insanely watchable Jesse Plemons and Adrianne Palicki, we also get an emotional payoff nobody could have seen coming. Such a frakkin’ good show.
Buy Friday Night Lights from Amazon.com
Turkeys Can’t Fly — If WKRP in Cincinnati’s first season is only remembered for Les Nessman’s Thanksgiving Day disaster, I’m cool with that. Oh the humanity.
Buy WKRP in Cincinnati from Amazon.com
Johnny Signs Off — “Around the studio, we are still on an emotional high from last night; we have not come down yet. I want to thank Robin Williams and Bette Midler for last night, for giving us an excellent show. They were absolutely sensational.” And so began Johnny Carson’s final Tonight Show monologue on May 22, 1992. Late night will never have an act classier or as missed as Mr. Carson.
Buy The Tonight Show from Amazon.com
Holocaust — Don’t judge, but I never saw this one back when it aired in 1978. Apparently Gene and Helen weren’t down with freaking out their second-grader with the truth about history’s darkest days. But now that the 30th anniversary edition has hit the shelves and I’m allowed to watch whatever I want, I dug in. My lord. Meryl Streep is astonishing (as always), James Woods isn’t creepy (like usual) and the impact of this must-see masterwork hasn’t faded a bit. God willing, neither has our collective memory so we won’t be doomed to repeat such a horrifying history.
Buy Holocaust from Amazon.com
Colonel Blake’s Chopper Goes Down — I can’t even discuss this M*A*S*H heartbreak without...please, look away.
Buy M*A*S*H from Amazon.com
So which TV bits can’t you forget? Any that just irked you to no end? Spill it, people!
Until next week, don’t hog the remote! — Damian Holbrook
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May 28, 2008 6:21 PM
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The end of "Now and Again" was great, but it really left me wanting more.
The same with the end of "Veritas: The Quest."
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May 28, 2008 9:50 PM
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Most of those you mentioned, Damian, particularly Johnny's last two shows, and the M*A*S*H finale with Henry's chopper brings tears no matter how many times I watch it, mainly because of Gary Burghoff's line delivery in that broken, thin voice.
A good OMG moment was the finale of Newhart when Suzanne Pleshette/Emily sat up in bed next to Bob Newhart/Dick...er, Bob, and the studio audience went wild. I can't imagine in this day of spoilers and the Internet a show being able to keep something like that quiet.
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May 28, 2008 11:37 PM
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biphindy, you are my TV soulmate! Now and Again and Veritas: The Quest both intrigued me when they aired, and I was so pissed that they got canceled! [And I am royally pissed that neither of them has been released on DVD!]
Other great moments: When Angel turns after he and Buffy make love; Londo becoming the man he used to be for just one moment in the climax of the Babylon 5 ep, Born to the Purple; Kirk being restrained by Spock and McCoy as Edith Keeler dies in Star Trek's all-time best ep, City on the Edge of Forever; the moment when the halo appeared over Simon Templar's head in the opening for The Saint; "Let's go to work," in the final scene of Angel, the Series, "Me, I kinda want to slay the dragon," also from the closing scenes of the Angel finale; Sam's last "We're closed" in the Cheers finale; the entire two seasons of Carnivale; River Tam pretending to be the Firefly in the Firefly ep, Objects in Space;
the entirety of Wonderfalls; "I'm a Grim Reaper. I take souls. This is who I am. Anyone got a problem with that?" George Lass - Dead Like Me; “Some pretty cool $#!+ happens by accident,” David Sanderson in the ReGenesis ep, The Cocktail; and far too many more to list here...
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May 29, 2008 4:31 PM
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Nice to see someone else thinks the Cheers finale is memorable ... I have long scratched my head why it is so overlooked. I LOVE the fact, unlike so many finales, the viewer/fan was left with a feeling the gang is still there, just not on a weekly viewing basis.
Unlike the rest of the civilized TV-viewing world, no finale irked and angered me more than Seinfeld --- the show about nothing ended with a show about something ... and everything ... with every minor character from the series in the spotlight but not the four major characters. And regardless, I just hated the concept; I hope the Big Four are still doing time. Believe it or not, it was more than four years before I would even watch the show in syndication. I own the first seven volumes --- all still sealed in plastic (bought at opportune/on-sale moments).
The Dallas series finale was a huge, stinking cop-out as well.
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May 30, 2008 5:40 AM
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Question: What was the first, official and/or memorable, series finale-event?
My first thought is: The Fugitive
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May 30, 2008 5:42 AM
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Memorable series finales?
Well probably the one that will be talked about forever is of course the finale of The Sopranos.
I agree with the person who said the Cheers finale. I've also come to tolerate the Seinfeld finale over the years.
I thought the Friends finale was awful.
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Jun 2, 2008 3:49 AM
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Am I the only one who remembers the season finale where Buffy sacrificed herself and DIED!!! That was a long summer
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Jun 2, 2008 8:23 AM
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I loved the Charmed series finale. It showed closure for the Charmed Ones, and the future of their off spring.
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Jun 2, 2008 8:40 AM
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The season two finale of Grey's Anatomy... I bawl like a baby every time I see Alex lift Izzie off Denny's bed. ("Losing My Religion")
I'll never forget when Kelly Clarkson was crowned the first American Idol back in 2002.
Pam and Jim's kiss in the season two finale of The Office. ("Casino Night")
It's hard to pick a moment from Friends... I'm gonna go with the episode "The One Where Ross Finds Out" from season two when Ross and Rachel had their first real kiss.
I have no idea what season or episode it was, but the episode of ER when Carter and Lucy were stabbed by a patient (and Lucy dies) was always very shocking and memorable to me.
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Jun 2, 2008 9:58 AM
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So many great T.V. moments worth mentioning... here are but a mere few...
LOST: Season 3 finale - the first flash forward.
Felicity: So many amazing episodes, but I think two of my favorites are the 1st season finale and the one where they go out dancing at Megan's crazy club and Ben comes with "the time capsule" at the very end of the episode.
The Office: I think a better Office moment is when Jim pops in at the end of season 3 to ask Pam out 
24: Season 1 finale, when Teri dies...
Grey's Anatomy: Totally agree about the season 2 finale. But I also LOVE the linen closet scene with George and Izzie in season 3.
Ugly Betty: Season 1 finale - the last few moments when Justin is singing in the play and Hilda gets the news about Santos. SO, SO sad.
How I Met Your Mother: I think there are so many great things from this series. A few that come to mind are the season 1 finale when Ted is so happy to come home after a night with Robin, but sees Marshall sitting so sad on the steps without Lily  Also, the season 2 finale when Robin and Ted are telling Barney the stor of their break-up. Great TV.
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Jun 2, 2008 10:07 AM
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ER, the penultimate episode of season 8 entitled "On The Beach." This is the one where Mark Greene dies. I usually start losing it about halfway through this episode and never quite recover until after it's over. Anthony Edwards' performance in this episode is flawless.
A Cheer within a Cheer to TNT, who still broadcasts this episode unedited.
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Jun 2, 2008 10:13 AM
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Knots Landing had a lot of OMG moments, but my favorite was the season finale where Karen was shot. The series had been so successful that season, they extended the number of episodes beyond the intended cliff-hanger (Gary's supposed death). The excitement kept ratcheting up higher and higher, to the point where many of the major characters came together for the climax: Abby kidnapped by Wolfbridge; an emotional Val, seeing Gary alive, leaving us wondering if she would go into labor with their twins; and of course Karen collapsing in her red dress onto the hotel lobby floor. I think my friends and I were literally screaming, "Oh my god!" Now if only Knots Landing were released on DVD beyond Season 1, we might get to relive it again ...
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Jun 2, 2008 10:15 AM
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What about on Felicity when we were left waiting all summer for if she picked Ben or Noel?? My friends and I spent an entire summer debating which one she would choose.
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Jun 2, 2008 10:26 AM
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Mine is unapologetically mushy and from a mini series -
Episode 3 of The Thorn Birds when Meggie and Father Ralph FINALLY get together.
Even 25 years later - wow......
And The Doctor and Rose's farewell scene on the beach in Norway in Season 2...
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Jun 2, 2008 10:44 AM
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