Top 21 Most Badass TV Scenes of Each Year (2000 - 2020)
2000: Tony Kills Matt
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“The Sopranos” (1999-2007) By season 2 of “The Sopranos”, many people were curious about the lack of mob violence. As the show took a more personal and introspective approach, those wanting bloody deaths and relentless gunfire were left disappointed. But they got their wish in episode nine, “From Where to Eternity.” Matt Bevilaqua shoots Christopher Moltisanti in a foolish attempt to rise in the ranks. But this only gets the intense attention of Tony and Sal, who track him to a hideout and empty their weapons into his torso. It was quite a powerful scene - especially hearing Tony’s quip about the sugarless diet soda.
2001: Running Through Enemy Fire
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“Band of Brothers” (2001) Dramatizing the actions of Easy Company through World War II, “Band of Brothers” is an ensemble war drama that highlights many heroes. One of the most notable is Captain Ronald Speirs (spears). Episode 7 sees the company fighting in Belgium, where commander Norman Dike suffers shell shock. Captain Winters relieves Dike and promotes Speirs, resulting in the most badass scene of the series. Speirs runs directly through enemy lines to hook up with Item company, with various German soldiers looking on with utter bewilderment as he runs past. Speirs’s fellow soldiers commend his bravery. Like many scenes throughout the series, the Foy run is based in reality, with the real Ronald Speirs having done just that in January 1945.
2002: Buffy vs. Willow
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“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003) The sixth season of this iconic show concerns Dark Willow - arguably Buffy’s most memorable antagonist. This is the evil alter ego of Willow Rosenberg, having turned bad after the death of Tara. Things come to a head in the season’s penultimate episode, “Two to Go,” when Buffy and Willow engage in a thrilling battle. It begins with Willow uppercutting Buffy into a bookshelf, prompting Buffy to utter one of the coolest one-liners in the show. The two proceed to kick the stuffing out of each other, with bodies being sent into bookshelves, glass displays, and tables. And, perhaps most surprisingly, Willow actually comes out on top, disabling the chanting Anya and taking out Buffy with a bolt of magic.
2003: Sydney vs. Allison
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“Alias” (2001-06) Jack Bauer’s spree in the season two finale of “24” was incredibly intense. But we’re giving this spot to the Sydney vs. Allison fight in J.J. Abrams’s “Alias”. This is spectacular action, made all the better by the lack of music. The fight is surprisingly brutal, filled with some great choreography and stunts. Who doesn’t flinch when Jennifer Garner’s face is driven through a stack of dishes? The fight would be right at home in a Hollywood blockbuster. Making the sequence even better is the famous ending, which has Sydney shooting Allison, falling unconscious, and waking up years later in Hong Kong.
2004: The Plane Crash
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“Lost” (2004-10) Indeed, J.J. Abrams proved himself one of the leading names in television with “Alias” and then the pilot of “Lost” - an extravagant thrill ride that blurred the lines between TV and film. The pilot reportedly cost millions to produce, and every cent of that budget is seemingly on screen during the show’s iconic opening sequence. Jack wakes up in the bamboo forest and makes his way to the crash site, resulting in a gloriously chaotic five minutes of television. Plane debris litters the beach, bodies lie dead or unconscious, the sound of people crying and screaming rings out, and one person is even sucked into the plane’s engine, resulting in a massive explosion. And with this, twenty million viewers were instantly hooked.
2005: Michael’s Tattoo
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“Prison Break” (2005-09; 2017) The first season of Fox’s “Prison Break” was a pop culture phenomenon, earning strong reviews and generating ten million viewers an episode. The concept involves the wrongfully imprisoned Lincoln Burrows and his brother Michael, a genius who gets himself thrown in prison to aid his brother in an escape. The pilot ends in spectacular and goosebump-inducing fashion, with Michael revealing a full-body tattoo of the prison’s blueprints. The music that plays throughout the reveal is enough to get fists pumping in the air, and it proves Michael’s determination and intelligence. It would also help lead to their eventual escape in the season finale. Of course, that was far from the end of the story...
2006: The Adama Maneuver
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“Battlestar Galactica” (2004-09) “Deadwood” was one of the best shows of 2006, providing great moments like the fistfight between Dan and Captain Turner. But “Battlestar Galactica” was producing many iconic sequences at the same time, including the destruction of The Resurrection Ship. And there’s just something amazing about the brilliant tactical move that is The Adama Maneuver. In the third season’s “Exodus (Part 2),” the move sees the Galactica in free fall as it launches various fighters. Just before it hits the ground, the ship shoots back into orbit, leaving behind a massive shock wave and its various fighters flying through the air. The tactical genius behind the move is commendable, as are the visual and sound effects that accompany it.
2007: Claire Saves the Day
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“Heroes” (2006-10) The first season of “Heroes” was an exceptional piece of television - especially the seventeenth episode, “Company Man,” which is focused on Claire and Bennett. The episode explores Bennett’s past at Primatech (prime-uh-tech), and tells a gripping hostage story fronted by the radioactive Ted Sprague (rhymes with vague). Sprague is about to go nuclear when Claire, who has healing powers, enters her flaming house to give him a tranquilizer. Her mission complete, Claire emerges from the house blackened and severely burnt, only to visibly heal in front of the stunned onlookers. Equally badass is Bennett, who is shot in the stomach and has his memories wiped to prevent Primatech from tracking his adoptive daughter. It’s two badass moments from one badass family.
2008: Aang vs. Ozai
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“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08) “Avatar” had a Peabody Award-winning third season. The series wraps with a spectacular four-part finale that sees all the converging storylines coming to fruition. Perhaps the biggest of them all is the climactic battle between Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Ozai. The anticipated fight did not disappoint, as it’s packed with amazing visuals and spine-tingling moments. These include the Avatar collecting all four elements into one super bubble and Aang removing Ozai’s firebending in a wondrous display of light and sound. Also of note from 2008 is the excellent sequence in which Walter White blows up Tuco’s office in “Breaking Bad”, one of the first transitions from Walter to Heisenberg.
2009: Thanksgiving
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“Dexter” (2006-13) The fourth season of “Dexter” is often regarded as its best, with most of the praise going to John Lithgow’s performance as the Trinity Killer. His psychotic wrath is eerily conveyed in the Thanksgiving episode - especially when he attacks Jonah and begins to strangle him in the chair. In comes badass Dexter, who wraps his belt around Arthur’s neck and drags him through the house before threatening his life with a kitchen knife. It proves a very disturbing end to the Thanksgiving dinner, but it also provides a wicked scene of television that has viewers rooting for a serial killer. Now that is one very hard objective to pull off.
2010: The Gladiator Revolt
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“Spartacus” (2010-13) Starz’s “Spartacus” was a wickedly violent drama that stylized the life of gladiator Spartacus and his famous slave rebellion. The first season, subtitled “Blood and Sand”, was filled with epic moments, including the gladiator fight between Spartacus and Solonius. But Spartacus is known for his revolt, and that revolt is violently captured in the season finale, suitably titled “Kill Them All”. Crixus joins the rebellion and uses his shield to launch Spartacus into the air, allowing him to jump to the balcony and violently begin the revolt. It was the moment everyone was waiting for, serving as both a satisfying conclusion to the first season and a tantalizing promise for the future.
2011: “I Am the One Who Knocks”
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“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) The fourth season of “Breaking Bad” is arguably its greatest, filled with tension, memorable moments, and an explosive conclusion that saw the erasure of Gus Fring’s face. But it’s a testament to the show’s acting and writing that a speech overshadowed the death of a major character. The sixth episode of the season sees Walt going full Heisenberg and famously telling Skyler that he “is the one who knocks”. It’s a masterclass performance from Bryan Cranston, and Gennifer Hutchison proved herself one of the series’ greatest and most creative writers. The speech showcased Walt as one scary, if somewhat naive dude, and viewers finally got the sense that he had grown completely unhinged.
2012: Michonne vs. The Governor
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“The Walking Dead” (2010-) Despite being strongly marketed as a zombie show, “The Walking Dead” always puts more emphasis on its human villains. The show is packed with psychotic characters who have resorted to complete madness, The Governor being the most famous of them all. The third season sees Michonne discovering The Governor’s hidden room, which contains his zombified daughter and various heads in tanks. The two engage in a vicious battle after Michonne kills the Governor’s daughter, and it makes for one of the most brutal and visceral fight scenes in television history. The vicious brawl ends in savage fashion, with Michonne giving the Governor his iconic eyepatch.
2013: Walt Saves Jesse
“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) 2013 was a great year for television. Netflix was proving its might as a streaming giant, with “Orange Is the New Black” premiering in the summer and ending with Piper viciously beating Pennsatucky in the prison yard. It also saw the end of “Breaking Bad”, and the finale did not disappoint. Viewers watched with bated breath as Walt rigs one last contraption - a pivoting machine gun that shoots through the trunk of his car and the walls of Jack’s compound, killing almost everyone inside. It sends Walter out in grandiose style, proving his intelligence and remorseless determination, while also redeeming himself in the eyes of Jesse Pinkman. The two depart on bittersweet terms, with Jesse acknowledging Walt’s heroic - and completely badass - rescue.
2014: Six Minute Tracking Shot
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“True Detective” (2014-19) Many people were left distressed at the end of “Breaking Bad”, as the greatest show on television was over. That feeling of emptiness didn’t last long, as “True Detective” was there to fill the void. The show was popular from the beginning, but it became a phenomenon after the fourth episode, “Who Goes There.” This episode contains a stellar six-minute tracking shot that sees Cohle fighting for his survival after a failed robbery. The scene was widely praised for its coolest show on television. Also of note that year was the brutal fight scene between Hannibal Lecter and Jack Crawford which ended “Hannibal’s” amazing second season on thrilling terms.
2015: Hallway Fight
“Daredevil” (2015-18) It’s amazing what one well-filmed scene can do for a show’s reputation. Just like “True Detective”, “Daredevil” earned incredible popularity and praise for a particular sequence - that being the famous hallway fight. 2015 actually saw a number of badass moments in television, including the Battle of Hardhome and the Nola vs. Burton fight in “Banshee”. But the hallway fight trumps them all. The scene makes for some remarkable entertainment, as the camera doesn't turn away from the brutal action on display. The choreography and stunts are outstanding, and the scene’s dirty yellow-green lighting helps lend the fight a suitably grungy atmosphere. Props to the stunt, lighting, and camera teams for this one. With this, Daredevil proved himself as Netflix’s most badass Marvel hero.
2016: Battle of the Bastards
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“Game of Thrones” (2011-19) In a year filled with great TV moments, including Eleven killing the Demogorgon, the creative angel fight in “Preacher”, and Cersei blowing up the Sept of Baelor, it was the Battle of the Bastards that captured a nation. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about this scene. Articles were written. YouTube videos were made. Industry awards were won (including multiple Emmys). All praised the scene’s engaging and creative filmmaking, providing blockbuster movie entertainment on the small screen. This is arguably the most epic scene in television history, from Jon’s stand to the utter chaos of battle - some of which was shot in one continuous take that horrifically depicts the bedlam of war.
2017: Ivar the Boneless (eye-var)
“Vikings” (2013-20) 2017 contained the excellent “Game of Thrones” episode “The Spoils of War,” which saw Daenerys attacking the Lannister caravan on the Roseroad and nearly killing Jaime. But the most badass scene of the year belongs to the History Channel and their great period drama “Vikings”. Aethelwulf (AY-thle-wolf) gathers an army and infiltrates the city of York, and Ivar the Boneless joins the fray in ruthless fashion. The ruthless blood-splattered Ivar taunts the opposing army in Old Norse before Ubbe (OOH-buh) arrives with reinforcements, instigating a massive battle that rivals “Game of Thrones” in scope and intensity. The image of Ivar’s bloody and screaming face has been firmly ingrained in our memories.
2018: Rick Sacrifices Himself
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“The Walking Dead” (2010-) Rick’s departure was a long time coming. Luckily, he goes out in the coolest way possible in season nine’s “What Comes After”. Having been impaled on a piece of rebar, Rick is seriously wounded, and bleeding profusely. A horde of zombies threatens to cross a bridge and invade Hilltop, and a weakened Rick sacrifices himself to save the community. He shoots a pile of dynamite, blowing up the bridge - and presumably himself - in the process. While everyone believes Rick to be dead, Anne finds him alive on the riverbank, and the two fly away in a helicopter. It’s a great action sequence, and it ends Rick’s character arc on an intense emotional note.
2019: The Butcher of Blaviken
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“The Witcher” (2019) Netflix struck gold yet again with “The Witcher”, an adaptation of the popular fantasy novels from Polish writer Andrej Sapkowski (anne-dray SAP-KAWV-skee). It follows Geralt of Rivia, one of the few monster hunters remaining on The Continent. The show opens in exciting fashion with Geralt becoming the Butcher of Blaviken. He reveals an enormous sword and does his thing in the middle of the town, swatting away arrows and dispatching foes in a continuous shot that showcases Henry Cavill’s talents as a fighter and swordsman. Cavill is reportedly a huge fan of the “Witcher” video games, so being Geralt must have been a dream come true. Also of note in 2019 was the “Into the Badlands” finale, which ended in a sleek and epic martial arts battle.
2020: A Familiar Face
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“The Mandalorian” (2019-) 2020 was the year of “Star Wars”. The seventh and final season of “The Clone Wars” contains an epic duel between Ahsoka and Maul, and “The Mandalorian” has Boba Fett going total beast mode. But the coolest scene by far is Luke Skywalker’s appearance in the season two finale. Luke’s introduction is arguably the greatest scene of television of any kind in 2020, as he slaughters all the Dark Troopers to the sounds of an epic and rousing score. It’s the kind of heroic scene that made the franchise so popular in the first place. And then the hood comes off, revealing the mystery figure as a digitally de-aged Mark Hamill. Suffice it to say, the “Star Wars” fan base lost their collective mind.
