Television – or “screens,” as parents everywhere now refer to them – has endured its fair share of criticism over the years. It makes us fat, it gives us unrealistic expectations, it might be depressing us and we’re getting lazy.
Ok, fine, I’m not a doctor so I can’t really refute any of that.
What I do know is that art is important to us as individuals and as a culture, and as the years have rolled on, television has, in many, many moments, elevated itself to those kinds of levels.
So, when Tze Chun, the showrunner on the new HBO Max series Gremlins, asked people to share the moments that changed their perception of television, people had some really great answers.
Image Credit: Ruin My Week
WARNING: There are spoilers ahead, so if there are big shows you’ve yet to watch, consider this your fair warning to turn back now (or forever hold your peace).
12. Always a “hold your breath” kind of moment.
Fleabag definitely pulled it off.
The exact moment of this scene when Phoebe Waller-Bridge broke the fourth wall pic.twitter.com/N5sXpBZ4i1
— Honestly, M (@honestly_m_) January 27, 2021
11. This scene from Game of Thrones.
Even as someone who had read the books, I was on the edge of my seat.
Image Credit: Ruin My Week
10. A “can’t look away from the car wreck” moment.
Black Mirror has pretty much made that their brand.
Couldn’t believe they’d go through with it. pic.twitter.com/NkYCVBOD6w
— Mr Meh. (@MyLovelyCrocs) January 28, 2021
9. I submit that there were many of these moments in Buffy.
It was the show that hooked a generation on television.
Image Credit: Ruin My Week
8. My heart hurts just thinking about it.
Futurama is never afraid to go there.
Jurassic Bark, Futurama S4E7
I can’t revisit this episode but I love Futurama so so much. pic.twitter.com/6tlGXR0MwG— Schrödinger’s Snapchat He/Him (@JerbearFreeman) January 27, 2021
7. Threads showed people, in detail, their worst nightmare.
And it was right there in their homes.
Image Credit: Ruin My Week
6. That’s quite an endorsement.
I’m going to have to watch it now.
5. From the title on down, it was one brilliant deception.
Time stopped, just for a moment.
I do not think I have ever seen a tv show that advertised itself as a show about one thing for over a year, and was lying about it, for maximum impact. It was less of a “plot twist” and more of a concentrated disinformation campaign and it was BRILLIANT. pic.twitter.com/03hRvXB30X
— Kayla Ancrum✨Pre-Order DARLlNG✨ (@KaylaAncrum) January 27, 2021
4. Television didn’t end with The Sopranos.
Though it if had, we’d have plenty of great material.
3. Weeds was iconic all the way around.
This line is a hall of famer for sure, though.
ANDY: Hey, Lupita, settle an argument for us. What do you call the thing between the dick and the asshole?
LUPITA: The coffee table. pic.twitter.com/SgRVFZWYOQ— 𝙿𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚁. 𝙵𝚎𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚝𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 (@prex4) January 27, 2021
2. Claire Danes made us all feel normal.
Even when that was totally weird.
1. Finishing a series is notoriously hard.
Six Feet Under proved you can do it well, and with an emotional punch.
Finale of Six Feet Under changed how moving the end of a series could be. pic.twitter.com/a4mQLJSXxc
— Mandy (@ThatLushMandy) January 27, 2021
These are some really great submissions, I think.
What’s your watershed moment when it comes to television? Tell us down in the comments!
