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November sweeps cometh . . .
It’s beginning to look a lot like November sweeps. If it seems like your favorite television shows are really trying to grab your attention this month, you’re not imagining it.
November sweeps begin tomorrow (November 1) and end on November 28. With the advent of DVRs and year round programming, sweeps months aren’t what they used to be but there are still some things we can rely on. So I thought we would spend some time this November talking about some favorite sweeps stunts including famous guest stars, life changing events (Weddings! Deaths! Births!),cross-over episodes and over-the-top plots (see ferry crash, Grey's Anatomy). But first up, let's discuss – in honor of Halloween – the shocking moment.
Our jaw drops. We jolt upright and stare at the television in disbelief. Did that really just happen? Why would he have done that? Could she truly be that evil? And how did I not see this coming?
The flash forward season finale of Lost immediately comes to mind as a thoroughly shocking moment. And here are five of my all time favorite shocking moments.
1. Kimberly takes off her wig to reveal a heinous scar in "The Bitch is Back" episode of Melrose Place: In its glory days, no show topped the sheer campy delight of Melrose Place. And this iconic moment defined the series. The thought-to-be-very dead Kimberly returned to television’s most famous apartment complex to find her fiancé married to another woman. She went into the bathroom, ripped off her wig and revealed the most grotesque scar ever to hit prime time.
2. Nina (Sarah Clarke, above) murders Terri in the "11:00 p.m. – 12: 00 a.m." episode of 24: During the first season of FOX’s groundbreaking drama, viewers had invested almost 24 hours in caring about Jack’s beleaguered wife Teri. She had endured rape and amnesia. She had discovered she was pregnant, confronted her husband’s lover, escaped death more than once, and had to deal with Kim. Finally in the protective custody of CTU, Teri was thisclose to being reunited with her family before the traitorous Nina ended her life.
3. Francie is dead/ Faux Francie lives in the "Phase One" episode of Alias: Sydney’s best friend Francie had long been without a story line or a true purpose on the show. As the final seconds ticked in this heavily hyped post-Super Bowl episode, Francie was shown with a bullet in her head, while her evil doppelganger coolly spoke to the nefarious Sloane. Loyal viewers were utterly freaked out.
4. Chandler and Monica sleep together in the "The One With Ross’s Wedding" episode of Friends: In its decade long run, Friends perfected the art of the cliffhanger. But the moment when Monica popped out from under the covers of Chandler’s bed remains the most delightfully scandalous. Two of our Friends became more than friends and viewers were in on the secret from the beginning. Chandler and Monica were the perfect antithesis to the Ross and Rachel melodrama. They were the antidote viewers didn’t even know they needed.
5. Rosalind Shays falls down the elevator shaft in the "Good to the Last Drop" episode of LA Law: Viewers despised cutthroat litigator Rosalind Shays. She had wooed Leland and almost destroyed the law firm. One minute Rosalind was talking to Leland, the next she was plummeting to her death down an empty elevator shaft. It was an over-the-top moment that gave viewers a glimpse of what would become David E. Kelley’s classic story telling style.
What are your favorite shocking moments? Post them below. Next week I plan to talk about time honored tradition of the cross-over episode. Have a favorite cross-over episode? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com and let me know.
Highlights for October 31 and November 1
Joe Mantega replaces the departed Mandy Patinkin and joins the Behavioral Analysis Unit on Criminal Minds Wednesday at 9 p.m. on CBS. Just curious, is anyone out there going to miss Patinkin?
One of my favorite cast additions from last season returns to The Office (Thursday, NBC, 9 p.m.) Maybe Karen and Roy can star in that potential Office spin-off that TV Guide announced yesterday. Karen returns in the hopes of luring Stanley to come work with her. Something tells me that she won’t be too fond of seeing Jim and Pam together.
I know, I know. I said I was breaking up with ER (Thursday, NBC, 10 p.m.), but the TiVo wants what the TiVo wants. And I’m having a difficult time letting go of a show I’ve watched since the very first episode. So this past weekend, I checked in on my friends at County General. Things seem to be slightly back on track and I am so happy that Sam is a brunette. But I concerned that the show is revisiting Abby/drinking story line. I feel that by the time a show is recycling an plot line for the third (or is it fourth?) time, that a sign that it’s time to wrap things up. Do you think this should be the last season of ER? Or would you like to see the show continue? Talk about it below.
That’s all for today. I’ll be back on Friday with quotes of the week. I hope you have a safe and very Happy Halloween. And if you have any extra dark chocolate lying around, feel free to send it my way. Have a question, seen a familiar face or want to nominate a quote of the week, write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.
Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®
Mandy Patinkin was the reason I first started watching "Criminal Minds" and the reason I'm not watching now. I didn't like the killing off of the woman from last season either.
Ken Trew | Oct 31, 2007 1:18:53 PM | #Mandy Patinkin was the reason I first started watching "Criminal Minds" and the reason I'm not watching now. I didn't like the killing off of the woman from last season either.
Ken Trew | Oct 31, 2007 1:19:01 PM | #Are any of these moments available on Youtube? I'd love to see them again?
Miguelito | Oct 31, 2007 1:24:11 PM | #I'm with you, Amy, I am still an ER girl. But Tony and the sick kid reminds me of Jeanie and the dr's kid from way back when, and Abby and alcohol ... the retreads are being retreaded, and where oh where did Luka go? I may give up on ER if there is no Luka ... Please, ER, go out with a bang and not a whimper. You were Gray's before half that cast was out of diapers!
Janelle | Oct 31, 2007 1:37:14 PM | #Oh, and if one more baby is in danger of death, the whole Cook County Medical Center staff must get depo shots!
Janelle | Oct 31, 2007 1:41:12 PM | #The most shocking moment for me was when Boomer shot Adama on Battlestar Galactica. Only time I remember a show ever making me scream out loud.
Kegboy | Oct 31, 2007 1:53:38 PM | #My all time favortie cliffhanger was at the end of the Battlestar Galactica mini-series, when Boomer was revealed to be a Cylon. Great way to keep everyone waiting for the series.
| Oct 31, 2007 2:02:54 PM | #This whole TV season has been an odd relief for me. The past few years there has been so much good TV to watch that I've felt like I not only am spending too much time watching, but there was more good stuff I was missing.
But this year so far, I finally feel like I'm caught up. There are some great shows and some good shows, but there's also a lot that I don't have any regret in missing. I'm not desperately trying to catch up every weekend. So I actually have to say "Thanks" to all the mediocre TV out there; you've made my life more sane because I don't feel the need to watch (like Women's Murder Club, Pushing Daisies, L&O: CI).
And "Thanks" to all the great programs that make me still believe TV is underrated (like HIMYM, Survivor, Dirty Sexy Money).
Tree | Oct 31, 2007 2:04:00 PM | #Amy I love how you bring up all these shows I grew up watching La Law, Melrose Place etc. I can't even remember any good cliffhangers that could top those!
Luz | Oct 31, 2007 2:17:27 PM | #I have to admit that I've also tried to "break-up" with ER, but it never seems to take. How can I ditch it in its 14th season when naysayers are so frequently disparaging it? It has its "off" episode every now and then (Africa episodes, anyone?) but it's still pretty good.
That said, I'm curious about who else is still watching. I don't have many friends that admit to watching it on a regular basis, but it's been hanging on, ratings-wise. Do people come in and out of this show?
Cat | Oct 31, 2007 2:44:40 PM | #Hey Amy, have you ever had chocolate IN Belgium? I've never tasted anything like it.
chile | Oct 31, 2007 2:56:33 PM | #Thanks for the #5 memory of the LA Law elevator shaft. I was so glad she died, but it was shocking.
It reminded me of the helicopter falling on Dr. Romano in ER. I actually laughed out loud, it was so outrageous but you loved to hate him, so it was okay.
Alia | Oct 31, 2007 3:03:37 PM | #I too enjoyed the helicopter falling on Dr. Romano. It was stupid and way over the top, but I also laughed out loud. If I remember correctly, a muzak version of 'Free Fallin'" was playing in the elevator on the way up to the roof. Awesome.
Leslie | Oct 31, 2007 3:21:40 PM | #Technically, Teri wasn't raped was she? Kim would have been, but Teri gave herself up willingly.
Doug | Oct 31, 2007 3:35:27 PM | #My favourite shocking moment was when Terry Hatcher as the Lois Lane doppleganger in "Lois and Clarke the New Adventures of Superman" ate a white mouse just after she married Clarke Kent - I still remember the tail of the mouse disappearing down her throat - ew!!
Sirius | Oct 31, 2007 3:43:08 PM | #My most shocking moment, along with the latest Lost finale, was the Alias season finale when Sydney woke up in Hong Kong not knowing two years had past and then she sees Vaughn with a wedding ring. Fantastic.
d gal | Oct 31, 2007 3:58:25 PM | #I am glad that Patinkin left. The guy completely sucked and brought down the show with his constant brooding. It was so damn annoying.
Since he left, the ratings have been MUCH BETTER.
Bring on Joe Mantegna!
Dorianna | Oct 31, 2007 4:28:12 PM | #Ditto to the Alias flash forward two years and Vaughn is married!
Oh, and I think Lois ate a frog when it revealed she was clone on L&C:TNAOS.
Angie | Oct 31, 2007 4:44:15 PM | #Kind of awhile ago, but one that comes to mind was in Felicity, when that guy was slowly walking away from Felicity, backs out into the street and was hit by the bus -- all you see is the guy, then the bus and he's just gone.
David B. Mears | Oct 31, 2007 4:49:31 PM | #As for shocking moments, I have to agree with the Lost "Flash-Forward". One of the most shocking moments ever. Also the Newhart series finale, with Bob back in bed with Suzanne Pleshette.
As for ER, I am another person who watches just because I've been watching since episode #1. This season needs to be the final season for ER. The storylines are stale, repeated and predictable. The characters make watching tolerable, but it's still just a shell of it's former self. I say we need a spring with returning characters from the past, and a final, seismic upheaval for the final episode (destroyed ER, new management fires everybody, or something).
Eric | Oct 31, 2007 5:01:25 PM | #One of the greatest cliffhangers in my mind comes again from Alias, end of the fourth season. The one-two punch was executed perfectly, with Vaughn's revelation that he's not he he seems to be, and before you could breathe again or even process the shocking line the other car comes slamming into theirs... I literally jumped off the couch yelping outloud. Brilliant.
Mike | Oct 31, 2007 5:24:30 PM | #I like Criminal Minds. I actually enjoyed the episodes without Mandy Patinkin more than the others. The remaining cast members have done really well. I liked Joan of Arcadia which is where I first saw Joe Montegna so I am curious what he will bring to the show. I hope that he will eventually blend in with the rest of the cast like Paget Brewster has managed to do.
Penny | Oct 31, 2007 5:27:56 PM | #favorite most shocking moment has to be the 2nd season finale of Buffy, when Buffy stabs Angel.
Watched that scene over and over again. Still get chills.
laney | Oct 31, 2007 7:05:16 PM | #I watched ER from the beginning but unfortunately after last season's horrible finale I couldn't do it anymore. The show just isnt what it used to be although at times you can see glimpses of really great stuff, like the Cynthia Nixon episode or Frasier dad's episode. They should have ended on a positive note a couple years ago when it was still recognizable and enjoyable. I'll miss Abby but its time to move on.
Chad | Oct 31, 2007 7:26:10 PM | #Best cliffhanger in my book is the season ¿2? finale of Farscape, with Crichton floating in empty space. And as his helmet's visor slowly cracks, he starts laughing maniacally. Fade to WHAT!?
Pablo | Oct 31, 2007 7:45:25 PM | #
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