On the Scene
A single scene opens avenues for analysis and/or interpretation
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These Iconic Scenes From The X-Files Ask if We Are Alone in the Universe
The X-Files has its fair share of great monologues, and those that close ‘Jose Chung’s From Outer Space’ and ‘Max’ are among the most beloved. The former is a wry narration of how the residents of Klass County went on with their lives following a close encounter—this ranges from starting a cult to becoming an […] More
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Buffy’s Graduation Scene Signals the Ascension of the Series
There are a lot of memorable parts of the Season 3 finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “Graduation Day, Part 2”. From beginning to end, the episode represents some of the show’s best writing and character development. But Buffy’s graduation scene, featuring the climactic battle between the Scoobys and the Mayor and his minions as […] More
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in On the Scene
You Are Mine: What The Chosen Says About Value and Power
The Chosen is the world’s first multi-season television program based on the life of Christ. It is also the largest crowdfunded project of all time. The Chosen tells the story of the last three years of Jesus Christ’s life from the perspective of those who knew him best: his disciples and their families. In The […] More
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Just You and I Makes Three: The Ballad of James Hurley
When Twin Peaks: The Return Part 13 ended with James Hurley on stage at the Roadhouse singing “Just You” many fans felt as though they were being trolled. The song is infamously divisive, and here it was being presented in the same space that had previously been held by the Chromatics, [The] Nine Inch Nails, […] More
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The West Wing National Cathedral Scene: Bartlet’s Psalm of Lamentation
The West Wing National Cathedral scene is a spectacular feat of television hinging on Martin Sheen’s brilliant performance. The build is slow but the pace is just right and the payoff is perfect. We see Mrs. Landingham’s funeral near the beginning of “Two Cathedrals” and the tension is already palpable. Throughout the episode, President Josiah […] More
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in On the Scene
The Everything Mop Scene from Modern Family Is the Perfect Gift
Modern Family is a mockumentary style sitcom about one extended family living in suburban California. It is the ultimate kind of comfort television, adored for its silliness and unrelenting optimism. I started watching the show when it was in its seventh season (admittedly just so that I’d have something to talk about with a guy […] More
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George’s Winter of Discontent in The Beatles: Get Back
As Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back opens, a bit of nondiegetic text reminds viewers of the scope of his project before addressing that of the Beatles’. “The ‘Get Back’ project in January 1969,” the text declares, “produced over 60 hours of film footage and 150 hours of audio recordings.” A second line follows: “Numerous […] More
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in On the Scene
Penny Dreadful: Vanessa Ives & the Priest
Beyond the great seasons and episodes of TV, sometimes a single scene sticks in the mind. In this article series, we’ll be looking at such scenes, how they are crafted to inform the show around them, and what makes them indelible. This week, Daniel Siuba looks at a scene from the end of the first […] More
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in On the Scene
Two Wandas? About That Last WandaVision Scene
In the final mid-credits scene of WandaVision, we zoom in on Wanda and a small cottage surrounded by mountains, nature, and a complete lack of drama. It is an isolated location where she can’t mind control anyone. Wanda is sitting on her porch and is mostly still. She goes inside and takes a tea kettle […] More
