Vote for the Fifth Annual Feelies!

Posted by Kim and Sage

It’s the second most wonderful time of the year!! (The MOST wonderful time of the year being Most Handsome Young Man; you guys aren’t even ready for it this year.) The fifth annual Feelies are upon us, where we celebrate the best and brightest of the past television season. There is so much quality TV out there that it is more than a little bit overwhelming at times. But as our favorite band says, “too much is never enough.” We may have culled this list of nominees, but the choice is up to you, dear readers. Be ruthless in your choices, mount your campaigns, and stump for your faves. Voting will be open until this Friday at 2 PM EST. You can vote once an hour. Don’t let your faves miss out on the most coveted award in all the land! And the nominees are…. — Kim

All kinds of spoilers ahead! Don’t say we didn’t warn ya.

Best Comedy

Atlanta 
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
GLOW
The Good Place
Speechless 

We all wondered if there was any way The Good Place could continue to surprise us or maintain its momentum after the massive twist of the season one finale. It was a stupid question really, as Mike Schur’s shows always get BETTER with age. Season two was a ride, from the journey that Michael took emotionally to the love triangles to that humdinger of finale that just HAD to have Ted Danson get behind a bar and casually toss a towel over his shoulder. We can’t wait to see what’s next. Sage and I will never stop banging the pots and pans for Speechless, the funniest, most heartfelt, most unappreciated comedy on television. Why aren’t more people losing their mind over how damn delightful this show is? It’s a mystery. While season two of GLOW took a few episodes to find its stride, once it did, it didn’t slow down for a second. From Debbie and Ruth’s frenemy-ship coming to a head to quite possibly the best use of “FUCK THAT GUY” in recent history to the incredibly bold way “The Good Twin” bucked the entire narrative mold, the entire ensemble was in top form. I think what I appreciated the most about the season was that GLOW knew the story it wanted to tell and the show never sacrificed the little character moments that made the whole thing worth the while. — Kim

Atlanta returned this year with “Robbin’ Season,” a fearlessly dark and introspective set of episodes that put our favorite Georgia residents in very real danger, developed character in innovative ways, and made perfect use of Katt Williams. Donald Glover is not only a very handsome young man (hint hint), he’s one of our generation’s artistic geniuses. All you need to know about why Brooklyn Nine-Nine deserves a nomination is how the internet collectively lost its shit when Fox announced its cancellation. As solid as it’s ever been, the comedy features one of the best ensembles of TV and a social wokeness that’s more than just performative. And look, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is going to be on this list until it’s permanently off the air (so sooner than we’d like). In its third of four planned seasons, Rebecca Bunch hit rock bottom, but the show itself hit its creative height. –Sage

 

Best Drama

Orphan Black
Pose
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Twin Peaks 
Wynonna Earp 

After four increasingly dense and complex seasons of build-up, there was a lot of expectation of Orphan Black when it came to sticking the landing in a satisfying manner. We never should have worried though. The final season was a triumph, both in story and in performance. I don’t think we will ever see a show like it ever again, though many will inevitably try. A lot of us pondered whether or not This Is Us would hit a sophomore slump, especially after the downer that was the season one finale. While Jack’s impending death cast a large shadow over the first half of the season, the performances still remained top-notch. And THEN TIU bucked expectations and actually handled Jack’s death in a beautifully subtle way that painted a portrait of grief and loss without hitting you over the head with it. The show soared in the back half, free from the “mystery” and set itself up perfectly for season three with a whole bunch of new questions and glimpses of the future, rather than dwelling on the past. There was a similar expectation on season two of Stranger Things, which launched straight into the pop culture hall of fame with its magnificent season one. The show didn’t rest on its laurels, nor did it try to repeat itself; it took chances, including ones that were controversial (Eleven’s standalone punk-emo episode) and it mixed up the pairings that we’d grown comfortable with (did ANYONE see the Steve and Dustin brOTP coming?). Finally, if you look up “pure”in the dictionary, you’ll find a link to the last ten minutes of the season finale. –Kim

Adding another feather to his cap, Ryan Murphy and his fellow showrunners gave us Pose this year. And considering that the casting and the creative makeup of the show were groundbreaking, it didn’t even have to be as good as it was! But the unapologetically sentimental first season was a visual gift (those costumes!), a long overdue mainstream exploration of a decidedly not mainstream experience, and a tissue box and a half of tears. I had no idea what to expect from the return of Twin Peaks, and all these months later, I’m still not sure exactly what we got. But I know that it was a feast for the senses and a complete mindfuck, led effortlessly by Kyle McLachlan’s multifaceted performance. Are you watching Wynonna Earp yet though? It’s truly got everything, including, in this season, a very pregnant foul-mouthed heroine. –Sage

 

Best Actress in a Comedy

Kristen Bell as Eleanor Shellstrop, The Good Place
Rachel Bloom as Rebecca Bunch, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Alison Brie as Ruth Wilder, GLOW
Minnie Driver as Maya DiMeo, Speechless
Debra Messing as Grace Adler, Will & Grace
Gina Rodriguez as Jane Villanueva, Jane the Virgin 

Gina Rodriguez is a two-time Feelies winner, with back to back wins in 2015 and 2016. There’s a reason we nominate her every year, y’all. Gina continues to be give one of the most vibrantly funny and warm performances on television and it’s one that matures with every year of Jane the Virgin. Also, I am pretty sure she’s the prettiest crier on television. Alison Brie is magnificent in season two of GLOW (which wasn’t Emmy Eligible this year, due to its release date). For me, her shining moment (of a LOT of shining moments, LBR) comes in episode five, where she finally realizes that this “meeting” with the head of the network is really just an excuse for him to grope her. It’s so beautifully subtle and the shame, fear, and subsequent rage is all in her face. I will riot if she’s not nominated next year. It’s a testament to the brilliance of Debra Messing that she can step back into the shoes of Grace Adler after eleven years off the air and it feels like she never left us. She remains one of the greatest physical comediennes of her generation and I am so so so grateful that I get to have her back on my television every week. — Kim

I don’t know if you listen to The Good PlaceThe Podcast like I do, but it did not surprise me at all to hear that Kristen Bell was the first actor Mike Schur thought of for his central soul. No one delivers an insult like she does (cause, uh, YA BASIC), but then she’ll turn around and sell the crap out of Eleanor’s deepening feelings for Chidi and kinship with Michael. Meanwhile, what does Rachel Bloom have to do to get any Emmy around here?? Does Television Academy not realize that she’s turning in this courageous, audacious work while she’s also doing every other damn thing on the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend set?? I’m heated. And finally, Minnie Driver, so perfectly cast as the warrior mum to a son with special needs, finds every emotional and comedic beat in Speechless. And she makes it all look easy. –Sage

 

Best Actress in a Drama

Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser, Outlander 
Jessica Biel as Cora Tannetti, The Sinner
Tatiana Maslaney as the Leda Clones, Orphan Black
Mandy Moore as Rebecca Pearson, This Is Us
Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, Killing Eve
Melanie Scrofano as Wynonna Earp, Wynonna Earp 

Caitriona Balfe remained the anchor of Outlander in season three, rising up to every single challenge the show threw at her. Seriously. The journey (HA HA) that Claire goes on this season from trying to build some sort of life with Frank to becoming a surgeon to the disintegration of her marriage to going back to Jamie and dealing with all of THAT mess to sailing to the new world is a lot to ask of any actress, but Cait just makes it look easy. Guys, I’m so proud of Mandy Moore. I’ve always had a soft spot for her an an actress, going all the way back to A Walk to Remember, but goddamn if she hasn’t come into her own as Rebecca Pearson. It’s not always the easiest role, not when Jack is as showy as he is, but Mandy has so much natural presence and strength as Rebecca. It’s a joy to watch. Speaking of joy, how great is it to have Sandra Oh headlining a series now? She brings her razor-sharp wit and her own unique brand of neuroses to Killing Eve‘s titular character and I, for one, could not feel more lucky having her back in my TV life again. — Kim

There’s a whole lot to unpack in the first season of The Sinner, but my strongest takeaway was that Jessica Biel can ACT. Like, circles around people. As a young mother who performs an act of unspeakable violence in the very first episode, the series hinges on what Biel gives up and what she holds back. It’s a master class, and I hope we see much more from her in the future. Let’s give it up one more time for Tatiana Maslany, without whom Orphan Black wouldn’t have worked at all. She made each one of the Leda clones special and whole in her own way, so much so that I often forgot I wasn’t watching seven different actors at work. And Melanie Scrofano continues to lead the Wynonna Earp troupe with humor, badassery, and authentic dramatic chops. And let’s not forget that she was shooting hardcore action scenes in the middle of a Calgary winter while EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT IRL. –Sage

Best Actor in a Comedy

Ted Danson as Michael, The Good Place
Scott Michael Foster as Nathaniel Plimpton, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Donald Glover as Earn Marks, Atlanta
Bill Hader as Barry Berkman/Barry Block, Barry
Marc Maron as Sam Sylvia, GLOW
Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

National Treasure Ted Danson (and reigning co-Feelie Champion) continued to prove why he earned that title with his work on season two of The Good Place. I didn’t exactly where they were going to go with Michael after his big reveal in season one, but his journey towards finding a conscience, developing real friendships, and wanting to save his rag tag group of souls from the Bad Place just felt RIGHT. And don’t even get me started on that shot of Ted behind the bar in the finale. Rude. Ted’s co-champion Marc Maron continued to be the heir apparent to Jimmy Dugan in season two of GLOW. There’s just something about the world weariness and reluctant affection that he brings to Sam Sylvia that makes my heart soar. Don’t let your thirst for Scott Michael Foster blind you to the fantastic work he is doing on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Scott showed us this season that fit hot guys have problems too as we got to see the softer and more vulnerable parts of Nathaniel that he keeps hidden away under that acerbic exterior and zero-percent body fat. — Kim

There’s no question that Earn is the straight man of Atlanta, but Donald Glover‘s reserved performance really brings out the quiet desperation that drives everything the character does. Bill Hader blew my MIND with his tragicomic tour-de-force in Barry, possibly the best new show of this year. At turns blank and desperately sympathetic, his performance proved that there are some choices you can’t just walk away from. And Andy Samberg is just a delightful goofball in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but you can tell how much effort he puts into establishing and developing Jake’s chemistry with every other character on that show. –Sage

 

Best Actor in a Drama

Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson, This Is Us
Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Benedict Cumberbatch as Patrick Melrose, Patrick Melrose
David Harbour as Chief Hopper, Stranger Things
Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson, Mr. Robot
Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper, Mr. C, and Dougie Jones, Twin Peaks

I mean, I’ll say until I am blue in the face: Sterling K. Brown is giving a masterclass in acting every week on This Is Us. It’s the best male performance on network TV right now and he never fails to deliver, whether it be a goofy dad moment or a monologue or a beautifully placed single tear. I don’t even remember what episode it was this past season, but I got so overwhelmed at how lucky I felt that I got to watch him work every week that I burst into tears just thinking about it. There’s nothing that delights me more than seeing a long working character actor find HIS role, which is exactly what David Harbour has done on Stranger Things. Hopper is the definition of the gruff cop who is really just a giant softie on the inside; he’s the kind of man we all would want on our side. He found new emotional depths as his adopted father relationship with Eleven developed over the course of the season and I’m so excited to see what else he has in store for us. — Kim

I was there for the Darren Criss thirst-parade and also through the backlash to the fact that he was then EVERYWHERE. But I’m thrilled to say that I’m also here for his real breakthrough role, playing a seductive and childlike interpretation of a real-life sociopath in American Crime Story. He disappeared into that part, and you Starkids must be so proud. Unfamiliar as I was with the Patrick Melrose books, I was shocked to learn the depths of pain, addiction, and humiliation it was on Benedict Cumberbatch to portray in that miniseries. He did so with his usual deftness, and showed again why it’s perfectly reasonable to still be obsessed with him. Mr. Robot came out of its sophomore slump this season, pitting its lead character against more surprising betrayals and forgoing the “twist” entirely. Rami Malek is consistently brilliant, but no more so than in the episode where he realizes what consequences his actions have wrought. Finally, Kyle McLachlan played THREE characters in the Twin Peaks revival, and the other two were so foul and sweetly funny (respectively) that we didn’t even mind (all that much) that Agent Cooper didn’t return until the last few episodes. –Sage

 

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy

D’Arcy Carden as Janet, The Good Place
Donna Lynne Champlin as Paula Proctor, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan, GLOW
Megan Mullally as Karen Walker, Will & Grace
Andrea Navedo as Xiomara Villanueva, Jane the Virgin
Catherine O’Hara as Moira Rose, Schitt’s Creek

Andrea Navedo has always been brilliant as Xiomara on Jane the Virgin but with her character’s cancer diagnosis, she reached new heights of amazingness. It’s a harrowing performance at times, and it was super tough seeing  Xo broken down and fighting for her life. Navedo never let her performance cross into melodrama though, still infusing Xiomara with her signature vivacity, even in her darkest moments. Betty Gilpin continues to astound with her work on GLOW. Her ambition and thirst for creative control and respect from her male peers is a sight to behold, as is her slow unraveling as she continues to process her divorce. The moment she finally snaps (figuratively AND literally) is the true highlight of the season. Listen, there is much to say about Megan Mullally that hasn’t been said on this website before. The woman is a sitcom legend and Karen Walker will live in the annals of television history as one of the greatest supporting characters ever. We are so blessed to have her back on our television screens. — Kim

Who knew playing a mainframe could be so much fun? The Good Place‘s D’Arcy Carden is simply a joy as Janet, who really went through some stuff this year. If you didn’t feel for her as she realized that her feelings for Jason were more real than she is, you made need an upgrade yourself. When we went to see Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Live on tour, Rachel Bloom paused the show to yell a little bit about how under-appreciated the GREAT Donna Lynne Champlin continues to be. Her comic timing is goals, her voice is INSANE. We stan a legend, basically. Speaking of legends, Catherine O’Hara is comedy royalty, and on Schitt’s Creek, she’s the definition of a great supporting character. The whole Rose family took more painful, satisfying steps to being actual people this season, and O’Hara deserves so much more credit for finding the humanity under Moira’s wigs and unplaceable accent. –Sage

 

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Stranger Things
Portia Doubleday as Angela Moss, Mr. Robot
Maria Doyle Kennedy as Siobahn Sadler, Orphan Black
Chrissy Metz as Kate Pearson, This Is Us
Susan Kelechi Watson as Beth Pearson, This Is Us
Bellamy Young as Mellie Grant, Scandal 

As Beth Pearson, Susan Kelechi Watson is truly the unsung MVP of This Is Us. It’s not always easy playing the spouse who is the realist in the relationship, but Watson does it with such ease and warmth. She is a grounding force in every scene that she’s in and while I loved how her role was expanded for season two, I want even more of her in season three. Oh, how I am going to miss Bellamy Young on Scandal. What a journey Mellie Grant went on over the course of the series, from a scorned First Lady to the President we all deserved. Chrissy Metz continues to do beautiful work on This Is Us. One of the smartest choices the show made was giving each of the Big Three their own spotlight episode, allowing every member of the ensemble the chance to take center stage. Chrissy’s episode “Number Two” was magnificent in the way it dealt with her miscarriage and the emotional fallout; it was a beautifully sensitive performance that punched you right in the gut, — Kim

Millie Bobby Brown was a find in Stranger Things 1, but in this second season, you can see how and where she’s grown in her craft. As Eleven became more verbal, Brown becomes more nuanced. It’s certainly going to go down in history as one of the great childhood performances of the 21st century. My heart broke for Angela in this season of Mr. Robot, even as she was knowingly deceiving her lifelong best friend. Portia Doubleday is the reason fans can understand those choices, even as they judge them. And as Mrs. S proved that she was a vital member of Clone Club in the final season of the series, Maria Doyle Kennedy imbued Felix and Sarah’s mama bear with grit, determination, and sacrifice. –Sage

 

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Jaime Camil as Rogelio de la Vega, Jane the Virgin
Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland, Will & Grace
Manny Jacinto as Jason Mendoza, The Good Place
Daniel Levy as David Rose, Schitt’s Creek
Lakeith Stanfield as Darius Epps, Atlanta S
Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau, Barry S

*Gets on soap box* WHEN WILL JAIME CAMIL GET HIS DUE FROM AWARDS BODIES? He has been giving the most consistently funny and outrageous performance as Rogelio de la Vega for the past four years, and he found new depths in his performance this year as Ro stood by his wife’s side through her cancer battle. We could have easily nominated the entire ensemble of The Good Place, but unlike the Emmys, we enjoy spreading the wealth, so this year the supporting actor nom goes to Manny Jacinto for his delightfully dim performance as Jason Mendoza. It’s not as easy as it looks playing that dumb and his comic timing is beyond genius. I don’t ever want to live in a world where Sean Hayes isn’t on my screen as Jack MacFarland ever again. His performance is so seamless that I can’t see where Sean ends and Jack begins, and that is the work of a true master of his craft. — Kim

I devoured all of Schitt’s Creek in a two-week marathon that left me truly in awe of the entire cast, but especially Dan Levy. In Season 4, David opens himself up to someone unexpected. And while it doesn’t magically transform him, the awkward steps that he takes into that intimacy are true to character and so satisfying to watch. What a year Lakeith Stanfield has had, huh? He was my MVP of Atlanta this season, especially in the “Teddy Perkins” episode. And who else could deliver a line like “I would say nice to meet you. But I don’t believe in time as a concept so I’ll just say we always met.” with so much conviction? As per our love of Ted Danson, you can see that we’re always here for new, challenging roles for our sitcom heroes. And that includes Henry Winkler‘s heartbreakingly earnest turn as Gene in Barry, the emotional antithesis to Hader’s robot of an assassin. –Sage

 

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Jordan Gavaris as Felix Dawkins, Orphan Black
Justin Hartley as Kevin Pearson, This Is Us
Joe Morton as Eli Pope, Scandal
Aaron Paul as Eddie Lane, The Path
Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Stranger Things
Jeffrey Wright as Bernard Lowe, Westworld

The worst part about Scandal ending is the fact that I won’t get to tune in every week and watch Joe Morton deliver a Shonda Rhimes monologue like it’s a goddamn operatic aria. Eli Pope was often maddening as a character, always crossing and double-crossing until you had no idea who was crossing who, but Joe always made the intrigue fun. Justin Hartley took Kevin Pearson to new depths this year on This Is Us, taking what could have been a very trite storyline about addiction and making it a very raw portrait of repressed grief and self-doubt. His work in “Number One” is a tour-de-force performance and showed a depth and maturity that I didn’t know he was capable of. And what can we say about Jordan Gavaris that we haven’t said before? His work as Felix Dawkins somehow walked a tightrope of flashy scene-stealing and a perfect canvas to show off Tatiana’s brilliant work. He is the epitome of a supporting player and I need him back on my television screen post-haste.

Yes, I’m still mad that The Path was canceled. No, I’m not going to shut up about how good Aaron Paul was in that show. (Gone too soon.) Season 3 brought Eddie to the head of the Meyerist movement, and Paul captured his conflicted feelings about what this new role required him to do. Little Jesse Pinkman is all grown up, you guys. Noah Schnapp was sidelined for much of the original Stranger Things, and man, did he come off of the ropes swinging. Will was tortured again this season, and this kid just went for it. The physicality of that performance was so real it gave me chills. I’m not a huge fan of Westworld in general, but there’s no question that Jeffrey Wright is one of its bright spots. Bernard continued to look for his place, caught between too worlds, and thus became the emotional center of an uneven season. –Sage

 

Best Shipper Moment

Jake and Amy’s wedding, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Nathaniel brings Rebecca Flowers, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
“Hot diggity dog!”, The Good Place
Jane and Rafael take a shower, Jane the Virgin
The Print Shop Reunion, Outlander
“Simply the best”, Schitt’s Creek
“I’m all in.”, Wynonna Earp 

The whole reason Chidi is where he is on The Good Place is his inability to ever make a decision, as well as his crippling self doubt. After a whole season of going back and forth regarding his feelings toward Eleanor, as Chidi witnesses Janet and Jason working their shit out, he finally screws his courage to the sticking place. In a move out of every romantic comedy dream, he takes a deep breath, strides across the room, and plants one on the girl of his dreams. Hot diggity dog, indeed. Season three of Outlander had us SUFFERING as they kept Jamie and Claire apart for six whole episodes. The suffering was worth the wait though as Jamie and Claire reunited in the print shop, from Jamie passing out at the sight of his long lost love to the oh so convenient way he had to remove his pants to that tentative and emotional first kiss after twenty years apart. They may not have gotten to the sexytimes until later in the episode, but for us, that first scene in the print shop is everything we love about Jamie and Claire in a nutshell. Jane and Rafael FINALLY consummating their on-again, off-again romance was a long time coming (ba-dum-bum!) on Jane the Virgin and they did not disappoint with a steamy shower scene that was both funny and incredibly sexy all at the same time.  — Kim

It’s a sitcom, so naturally many obstacles sprang up that could’ve kept Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago from walking down the aisle on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But there was simply no way their friends were going to let that happen, so they wed in an impromptu ceremony right outside the precinct, singing the praises of each other’s butts in their vows. Rebecca and Nathaniel were all over the damn place in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – remember when he was going to kill Josh’s lolo for her?? – but neither their sexy, angry tango nor their 11th hour love duet can hold a candle to one subtle moment. Rebecca catches Nathaniel leaving flowers on her doorstep after her hospital stay, not knowing that being there for her involved dealing with his unresolved feelings about his own mother’s suicide attempt, which he had repressed. Please let these broken people be happy. This is a little unfair, since my shipper moment from Schitt’s Creek is actually a two-parter. First, Patrick plans an open mic night for Rose Apothecary and teases an already mortified David relentlessly about his own acoustic performance. Of course, when the night comes, it turns out his boyfriend can sing like a DAMN ANGEL and David tears up while Patrick lays his heart bare (with the help of Tina Turner) in front of the entire town. A few episodes later, David powers out of his comfort zone in the name of proving to Patrick that this is all mutual, performing an adorably sweet lip sync to the original. Yay, David, yay. And we have an extra nomination in this category, thanks to our lovely Patreon sponsor Will, whose shipper moment of the year belongs to Wynonna and Doc. Not knowing whether the Wynonna Earp baby is his or not, Doc soul-searches and ends up passing along a note to the mother that says he’s “all in” either way. Swoon. –Sage

 

Best Warm Fuzzy

The girls visit Ruth in the hospital, GLOW 
The Trolley Problem, The Good Place
Reading Helena’s book, Orphan Black
Blanca is Mother of the Year, Pose
Mama Tammye and the Fab Five, Queer Eye
The Snow Ball, Stranger Things 

Remember how Ruth was basically the outsider for most of season one of GLOW? She was cast as the villain from the very beginning, between her thirst for the spotlight, her type-A personality, and the whole affair with Debbie’s husband thing. Well imagine my surprise and delight when the entire crew rallied around her at the hospital after breaking her ankle. My heart grew three sizes watching that episode. That’s how you do women supporting other women. We all wondered what the final image of Orphan Black would be. Sure, we got glances of how the Ledas living out their lives, from Cosima and Delphine traveling around the world healing the other Ledas to Helena and her precious babies. But the biggest warm fuzzy of the finale came with our OT4 sitting in the back yard, reading from Helena’s memoir, fittingly titled Orphan Black.  “My story is an embroidery — many beginnings and no ends, but I will start with the thread of my sestra Sarah, who stepped off a train one day and met herself…” WHAT A WAY TO COME FULL CIRCLE. We wrote extensively about why the long awaited Snow Ball in Stranger Things was so pure in our greatest moments of 2017 post. Go over and give that a read in case you need a reminder as to why it’s in this category.  — Kim

The Good Place devoted an entire episode to “the trolley problem,” an ethical conundrum wherein the proverbial you can either plow a trolley into many people or choose to hit only one. Chidi wrestles with it as only Chidi can, but in Episode 10, Michael solves it. As he and the rest of the humans get caught trying to make their way out of the Bad Place and to the Judge, he tells Eleanor, “See, the trolley problem forces you to choose between two versions of letting other people die, and the actual solution is very simple: Sacrifice yourself.” He says goodbye to Eleanor and pushes her through the portal, accepting the punishment in order to protect his friends. Sweetest demon ever. Pose is about family and community, and no one worked harder for those two things than Blanca. So it was only fitting that she was announced Mother of the Year in the finale, with her children cheering on. You know you shed at least ONE tear when she was crowned. In the first episode of Queer Eye Season 2, the boys took on their first female client, and she ended up making over THEM. Mama Tammye took a moment during her episode to point out to each of the Fab Five exactly how special they are and precisely what they have to offer. “Before he gave the vision, he already made provisions, ’cause he knew you guys would wind up together,” she said. They cried, we all cried. Therapy goes both ways sometimes. –Sage

 

Right in the Feels Moment

“My Diagnosis”, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Xiomara has breast cancer, Jane the Virgin
“Chickens!”, Orphan Black
AJ comes out to his stepmother, Queer Eye
Jack’s death, This Is Us
Jack and his grandson at conversion camp, Will & Grace 

The first season of Queer Eye was pretty much a guaranteed cry ever episode (other that the stand-up comic, we do not speak of him). In a season full of “Holy shit, I’m suddenly crying” moments, the ultimate one has to be when AJ, a closeted gay man in a committed relationship, finally comes out to his stepmother, reading a letter he had written to his late father. It’s an incredibly raw and emotional moment, that easily could have gone the wrong way. AJ’s bravery in that moment is astounding, as is his stepmother’s immediate acceptance of him. (“I’m always going to be there for you.”) The emotional catharsis goes to the next level when AJ’s stepmother meets his partner, who is waiting in the next room. It’s all a beautiful reminder of why we need a show like Queer Eye on the air. In a similar vein, “Grandpa Jack” showcased exactly why it was time for Will & Grace to come back to TV. Sure, the show was still full of it’s baudy humor and witty quips, but, as it always did, it also remained inherently political and unafraid to take on current issues. “Grandpa Jack” sees Jack’s young grandson at a conversion camp (Elliot how COULD you?). In one of the most touching scenes of the entire series, Jack tells Skip that this place can’t fix him, because he’s not broken. “I’m gonna be there for you as much as I can,” Jack tells him. “And when I’m not, I want you to picture me in your head, looking at you like I am right now, and saying, ‘You are exactly who you’re supposed to be.'” MY HEART. I knew as soon as NBC announced that This Is Us would take the post-Super Bowl slot that the episode would be the one to FINALLY answer the “How did Jack Pearson die?” mystery that had been looming over the series. I was right, naturally, but what I wasn’t expecting is how restrained the whole thing would be. Jack was Jack up until the last moment of his life, he slipped away off-screen, and Rebecca’s reaction was not one of screaming and crying, but of stunned disbelief. It was beautifully executed without beating you over the head with feels. — Kim

After Rebecca’s mental illness reaches its most self-destructive point on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, she submits to an overhaul and is told by her doctor that she has a new diagnosis. Sure, she struggles with the BPD assessment when she finally has it, but it’s impossible not to feel as hopeful and renewed as she does during this number. All Rebecca has ever wanted is an explanation for why it’s so much harder for her than it is for most other people, and she’s about to get it. Jane The Virgin faked us out about Xiomara’s own diagnosis, because at first it was just too hard for her to tell her otherwise happy family. But it was a strong narrative choice to give breast cancer to someone who cherishes her body and womanhood so much. And as Kim said above, Andrea Navedo masterfully navigated this arc, as did her costars. Gotta give it to Orphan Black for always giving its heroes heroic final acts. (RIP Hot Paul, gone too soon.) Never anyone’s doormat, Mrs. S took out Ferdinand before she bled out from her wounds, then died looking at a photo of her beloved foster children. What a woman. –Sage

 

YAS QUEEN! Moment

“Fit Hot Guys”, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 
Valencia has a girlfriend, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 
“Fuck that guy!”, GLOW
Olivia and Annalise have a salon day, How to Get Away with Murder
Jonathan makes over Neal, Queer Eye
Toni saves Cheryl from conversion camp, Riverdale 

We could have filled this entire category with moments from season 3 of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but we limited ourselves to two. I wish there could have been footage of me and Sage when they did the flash-forward and then all of the sudden Valencia was in a loving relationship with that hella cute girl who had been a potential client for her party planning business. YES GIRL. I think what my favorite thing about the whole reveal is that while it was a big deal to US, no one in West Covina seemed to have batted an eyelash. They, like us, are just happy that Valencia has found someone to love her, just as she is. I had been told that there was a glorious “Fuck that Guy!” coming up in season two of GLOW, so as I watched, I kept waiting for it. AND YET when it happened, I STILL just about fell off my couch, because it came from the person I least expected it to. Who would have thought that Sam Sylvia would be so woke? Lastly, we were all waiting for the Olivia and Annalise showdown the moment that ABC announced that Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder were crossing over and it did not disappoint. Viola Davis and Kerry Washington went toe to toe in a scene where their characters sparred about privilege, race, and politics all during a trip to the beauty parlor. It was thrilling to watch. — Kim

It’s not always easy to be a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend fan, seeing as its characters are often doing the exact opposite of what you want them to do. But sometimes, the show just straight up gives the people what they want. And what we wanted was a thirsty-ass EDM number starring Nathaniel, White Josh, and (eventually), Josh Chan, stripping down to their skivvies and singing about their hot guy problems. Sitting in Jonathan’s salon chair on Queer Eye is like going to church and therapy at the same time. In the show’s second episode ever, he gets real with bearded Neal about how he’s using his facial hair as a way to keep people from growing close to him. “Sounds like those walls you had up of letting people out and keeping yourself locked in are getting knocked down,” he says. “You can’t selectively numb feeling,” he continues later. “If you try to numb the vulnerability, you also numb joy, happiness, connection. You can’t have joy, connection, and happiness without vulnerability.” Indeed. Riverdale teased us with Cheryl and Toni for a few episodes, but set itself apart from lesser series by actually coming through with the ship. The two kiss for the first time in the middle of a daring escape from the creepy nunnery/conversion camp that’s right in town (because forget it Jack, it’s Riverdale). And it’s romantic and daring and totally over-the-top, just the way we like it. –Sage

 

Best WHAT THE FUCK?! Moment

“Teddy Perkins”, Atlanta
Debbie breaks Ruth’s ankle, GLOW
Michael is ALIVE, Jane the Virgin
Carrie the musical, Riverdale
Meeting Adult Tess, This Is Us
Wynonna is pregnant, Wynonna Earp 

Thank CHRIST I watched the season finale of Jane the Virgin live because HOLY SHIT Michael is ALIVE? And he showed back up right as Rafael was getting ready to propose to Jane?! As we said on Twitter that night: Mr. Cordero, you have some EXPLAINING TO DO. (Also JFC what does this do to me re: shipping because they got me fully on board with Jafael ONLY to bring Michael back, HELP.) I don’t know why it never crossed my mind that on a show known to play with narrative that This Is Us might possibly flash FORWARD rather than backwards. Cue me losing my shit when at the end of the Super Bowl episode, which had already been a humdinger, it was revealed that the caseworker and little boy we had been following all episode was NOT Randall and Beth’s future child but ADULT TESS who later met OLD MAN RANDALL for lunch. Well played, show. Well fucking played. Lastly, it may not have been a plot twist, per se, but who DIDN’T shout out “What the FUCK” when Debbie completely lost herself in her match with Ruth and literally snapped her ankle on GLOW? I was SHOOK, my friends. — Kim

Atlanta‘s “Teddy Perkins” episode was complete insanity from start to finish, featuring Donald Glover as the titular, Michael Jackson-esque recluse and Darius in a freaky fight for his life. You guys know this show is supposed to be a comedy, right? The second season of Riverdale was even more meta than the first, and who could have guessed that we’d be lucky enough to get a musical horror episode so early in the life of the show? Riverdale High put on the notorious flop Carrie: The Musical, all whilst an actual serial killer was still haunting the town, and it was a great reminder than a) those songs are actually really good, and b) K.J. Apa LOVES choreo. When Wynonna Earp star Melanie Scrofano became pregnant, she reportedly thought that she’d get fired and show would end up being canceled. Instead, her pregnancy was written INTO the show and revealed in the creepiest way. The heir wakes up after an enchanted sleep VERY with child, and is about as thrown as we were. What to expect when you’re not expecting, amirite? –Sage

 

And those are your nominees. It’s all in your hands now, people! Vote hard and vote often! Polls close Friday at 2 PM, Eastern Standard Time.

Featured Image Source: Netflix