Rosalind Shays (Diana Muldaur) stepping into the elevator shaft on LA Law.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley walking out on stage, hand in hand, at the MTV Awards (or was it the Grammys?). Either way, I said to Mr. Rilch, “This is the first time I’ve seen a tabloid headline come to life.”
9/11: Second tower collapsing. Rumbling sound, anchor says, “What…is that?” Slow descent into a beige puff. After a short pause, “There are no words.” Well said, whoever you were.
The last scene of the ST: TNG episode Best of Both Worlds Pt. 1. Not just because of the plot twist, but because of the deadly cool way Riker said, “Mr. Worf…fire.”
The last scene of the last episode of Upstairs/Downstairs. Rose is the last to leave the house. She walks through the downstairs, hearing, in her memory, some dialogue from old episodes (I liked that the “memories” seemed to have been chosen at random, which is how it usually happens IRL), then leaves through the front door. Which, as staff, she normally didn’t use. Tightens her collar, and her stiff upper lip, and heads off down the street.
Murphy Brown: A tobacco-industry episode story has been suppressed for fear of a financially crippling lawsuit. It’s set up to look like Murphy will be the one to take a stand against this. Instead, at the start of the broadcast, Jim envisions being escorted off the set for defaming the junk-food industry, then snaps back to reality and addresses the camera, telling the audience that the tobacco story was scrubbed, and why, and that he can’t abide by that. “It’s not journalism…It’s not integrity…It’s not why I became a reporter. Therefore, I hereby resign [gasps all around] as senior anchor. This will be my final episode of FYI. Good night.” Unclips lapel mike and walks off set. Fade out.
Tonya Harding in tears, holding up one skate to show the judges she couldn’t start her long program because her laces weren’t tight enough, or whatever the deal was. And myself on floor, gasping for air through one of those it’s-not-funny-so-why-am-I-laughing laughs.
The ball rolling between Bill Buckner’s feet…over and over and over and overandoverandover…
My first time seeing an episode of The Young Ones. Flood, to be precise. See, it was 1986, I was 16, I would have been Goth, had it existed at the time, and I hated TV. Somehow got roped into watching this show that I figured wouldn’t be too lame, since it was British, and that one guy looked sorta punk. Couldn’t believe it: the set looked like crap, they were all rude to each other… “This is f—in’ HILARIOUS!”
Clinton’s inauguration. The President has to be sworn in at precisely noon, so the Marine band plays to fill in the time after the swearing-in of the VP. They struck up “The Liberty Bell”, which until that day, I had never known was a Sousa march, or, in fact, anything other than the Monty Python theme. “Are they kidding?” said I. “The foot’s gonna come down and squash Al Gore!” said SO.
9/10/01. Monday Night Football. Denver Broncos’ Ed McAffrey caught the ball, snapped his leg below the knee, and held onto the ball. Mr. Rilch and Friend called me downstairs to see some of the dozen or so replays. I said, I actually said, “That is probably the most gruesome thing I’ll see on TV all year.” :smack:
Bush the Elder giving a speech about NAFTA while being almost outshouted by protesters. “Will you…please be quiet…and let me finish?” Anyone in the general vicinity holding a beverage must have been watching it frost over in their hand.
