five scenes/episodes...
…that made you fall in love with a show
Babylon 5, season 1. The opening credits. (Yes, they had me at "Hello").
"It was the dawn of the third age of mankind, ten years after the Earth-Minbari War.
The Babylon Project was a dream given form. Its goal: to prevent another war, by creating a place where humans and aliens can work out their differences peacefully. It's a port of call, home away from home for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs and wanderers.
Humans and aliens, wrapped in two million, five hundred thousand tons of spinning metal . . . all alone in the night.
It can be a dangerous place but it's our last best hope for peace.
This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations. The year is 2258. The name of the place is Babylon 5."
I couldn't have resisted, even if I had wanted to. Which I didn't.
The OC, season 1. The teaser for Homecoming; the Cohens+1 gathered in the kitchen, with the boys making fun of Kirsten's cooking until Trey's phone call shatters the peace. Awesome stuff.
The West Wing, season 1. The senior staff and President Bartlet playing basketball, and Toby's exasperated, "You know the thing about you, Mr. President? It isn't so much that you cheat. It's how brazenly bad you are at it."
BSG, the mini. Need I say more? No, I don't…
SGA. Season 1, 33. Canon whumping, three eps in… Life doesn't get much better than this.
…that made you fall in love with a character
BSG, early season 2. Lee sitting in a cell, his father's blood all over his arms, after he attempted mutiny.
The OC, season 1. Ryan saying, "Thank you," when Marissa says, "I love you." Perfect moment of awkwardness.
The West Wing, season 1. Sam explaining census to CJ. I'm fairly certain that's the point where I developed my Sam obsession.
SG1, season 1. Daniel being taken prisoner by Nem, who then tortures him for a knowledge Daniel doesn't know he possesses (and at the end, Daniel's weary compassion when he tells Nem that his wife died thousand of years ago).
Yeah, I don't actually have five here. What can I say… I don't fall in love so easily.
…that made you bawl your eyes out
SG1, season 5. Daniel dying. I cried, and cried, and cried, and I didn't even like that episode that much.
BTVS, season 5. The Body. Enough said.
Babylon 5, season 5. Sleeping in Light. I don't merely cry whenever I watch that one; I literally sob. Loudly. For a long, long time.
The OC, season 1. Kirsten crying, at the end of The Ties that Bind.
Veronica Mars, season 1. Leave it to Beaver. Veronica talking with Lily in the pool, saying that things should always be like this, before realizing Lilly is saying goodbye.
…that once made you laugh (or that are still making you laugh now)
Friends, season 5. Ross and Rachel coming out of the chapel in Vegas, calling themselves Mister Rachel and Misses Ross. That scene will forever be my favourite of the whole show, I think.
Firefly. The Serenity crew staring at Jayne's statue.
Lost, season 1. The guy waving that stick of dynamite around, saying "It's really unstable," three seconds before it explodes to his face. Sorry, funniest thing ever.
The West Wing, season 1. Josh's secret plan to fight inflation.
The OC, season 2. Seth's reaction when he sees Marissa and Alex together.
…that broke your heart
The OC, season 4. Ryan, in the alternate universe, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands, lost in a world he doesn't understand, and all alone. Guh.
Angel, season 1. Angel and Cordy watching Doyle's video after he sacrificed himself to save the demons.
The OC, season 4. Ryan, living in that dive bar and avoiding the Cohens-going so far as to sneak out the window to avoid Sandy.
BSG, season 3. Lee, telling his father, "I won't serve under a man who thinks I have no integrity," only to have Bill reply, "Good, I don't want a man under my command who doesn't have any."
The West Wing, season 2. Sam learning the truth about his father in SGTE, SGTJ, and getting a hug from Donna. The way he kind of leans against her was just too much…
...that you'll never forget, no matter how long you live
The West Wing, season 2. Bartlet yelling at God in Two Cathedrals.
"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," said Graham Greene. I don't know whose ass he was
kissing there because 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 last year 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. Floats around and 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 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!
You get Hoynes!"
Farscape. Crichton telling Scorpius, "I suggest you hang on to something," as Talyn is self-destructing.
BSG, the miniseries. Adama screaming Lee's name as Colonial One vanishes from the screens.
The OC, season 3. Ryan holding Marissa as she dies. Say what you will about the episode, that was… well…
DS9, season 6. Sisko selling his soul to turn the tide of the war. And being mostly okay with it.
And also, because I couldn't stop...
Five lines that made you think, for whatever reason
BTVS, season 2. Lie to me.
Buffy : Does it get easy?
Giles : What do you want me to say?
Buffy : Lie to me.
Giles : Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy : Liar.
The West Wing, season 1.
Decisions are made by those who show up.
Babylon 5. A Distant Star. Delenn to Sheridan.
"Then I will tell you a great secret, Captain. Perhaps the greatest of all time. The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this station and the nebula outside, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are starstuff, we are the universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out. And as we have both learned, sometimes the universe requires a change of perspective."
DS9, season 1, In the Hands of the Prophets.
Kira Nerys : "I heard what you said to Vedek Winn. And I just wanted to say… I don't think you're evil anymore."
Sisko: "Well, then, maybe we've made some progress after all."
BSG, season 3. The Son Also Rises. Romo Lampkin to Lee.
"You think he gave a flying frak? Joe Adama cared about one thing. Understanding why people do what they do. Why we cheat our friends, why we reward our enemies. Why we go to war, sacrificing our lives for lost causes. Why we build machines in the hope of correcting our flaws and our shortcomings. Why we forgive, defying logic and the laws of nature with one stupid little act of compassion. We're flawed. All of us. I wanted to know why, so I did what he did. I spent my life with the fallen. The corrupt. The damaged."
And finally,
five little things that ever made you glad you have a TV
Farscape. "Lava's a many splendored thing."
SG1, season 1. Jack to his team. "I suppose now is the time for me to say something profound.... Yeah, nothing comes to mind. Let's do it."
SGA, season 3. John and Teyla discussing how far he would go to protect his team.
Angel, season 1. Wesley Whyndam-Price, Rogue Demon Hunter.
My So-Called Life. The Christmas episode, with Rickie not having anywhere to live anymore and Angela looking for him, and Angela's mother talking to the ghost of a homeless girl.
There. I told you mine.
Will you tell me yours? (pictures totally optional. I just wanted some eyecandy)