DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL

KATE WINSLET AND EISA DAVIS ON “MARE OF EASTTOWN”

This year’s award-worthy acting moments on TV screens you might have missed

By Backstage Staff

In today’s age of peak television, you can be forgiven for not catching every bit of scripted programming from 2021. That’s why we like to zero in on individual scenes that exemplify great on-camera acting; if you don’t have time to watch a series’ whole season, just check out a moment! For your SAG Awards consideration, here are some snapshots of great acting that we at Backstage can’t get out of our heads.

A gay con on “The Other Two”

“The Other Two” checks all the boxes: It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s very New York, and it’s very gay. If it had a Tinder, I’d absolutely swipe right. I could choose any number of favorite laugh-out-loud moments from this year’s masterful second season—from a running joke on how poorly Rachael Ray treats her fans to Cary (Drew Tarver) hosting a digital talk show called “The Gay Minute,” sponsored by Advil. But I’ll go with Season 2, Episode 2, featuring guest stars Noah Galvin and Tuc Watkins as Eddie and Troy, a gay couple with a significant age gap who get more than they bargained for while pulling a con.

Seeing an opportunity to lean into the “daddy” and “son” dynamic for their own financial gain, they pose as a father and son on “Pat! The Pat Dubek Show” and stage a dramatic coming-out scene. Galvin, naturally, plays the closeted gay teen to Watkins’ unaccepting father, and Pat (Molly Shannon) gifts them a $25,000 check for their trouble.

Unfortunately for them, there’s no such thing as a clean con. When Cary and his boyfriend Jess (Gideon Glick) spot the couple out to lunch, they invite the teen and his “dad” out on a New York adventure, hoping to prove that being gay isn’t such a bad thing. When Eddie and Troy’s Grindr date (Noam Ash) interrupts their afternoon, they force him to pose as the family’s straight son in hopes of keeping their cash. Thus, the iconic line is born: “I’m his son, I’m straight, and I’m from Kansas.” It’s absurdly niche enough to go down as one of the great moments in 2021 TV comedy. I dare another show to top it. —Benjamin Lindsay

Mare remembers the day Kevin died on “Mare of Easttown”

There is a single underrated moment on “Mare of Easttown” that, if watched without any context whatsoever, will give you all the proof you need that Kate Winslet’s Detective Mare Sheehan is one television’s greatest performances. On Episode 6, Mare’s therapist (played beautifully by Eisa Davis) asks her to recall the day her son Kevin took his life. I am not going to describe the ensuing three and a half minutes, because my prose could never do her wrenching narration justice.

I will, however, recount the scene’s final exchange. When Mare, defeated, almost

JESSIE ENNIS AND DANNY PUDI ON ”MYTHIC QUEST”

ashamed, reveals that she still lives in the same house where Kevin killed himself, she’s asked whether anyone goes up to the attic where he died. “No, we don’t…” she says, unable to finish the sentence. “No, no. No one goes up there.” She can’t even make eye contact as she speaks, but it’s ultimately her first real step along her path to mercy. That’s all Mare—and “Mare”—are desperate to attain. We’ve all got proverbial attics, don’t we? That we’re rooting for the protagonist to ascend the ladder to hers, despite her imperfect pursuit, is a testament to Winslet’s commitment to this character’s journey. That’s more than award-worthy; it’s fearless. —Casey Mink

“Mythic Quest” provides a moment of true escapism

Historians looking to contextualize the pandemic can treat Apple TV+’s “Mythic Quest” as an apt pop-culture artifact. First with an episode (filmed on webcam) about coworkers coping with working remotely, then a standalone follow-up about their triumphant return to the office, this video-game workplace comedy provided solace during a dark time.

Darkness is given special symbolic weight in “Everlight,” which centers on the office’s annual holiday party: a live-action role-playing tournament between medieval-esque characters. After an animated introduction voiced by none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins (who was nominated for an outstanding narrator Emmy), coworkers swing plastic weapons, acting out epic battles between despair and hope while decked out in nerdy costumes.

ELIJAH RICHARDSON AND CARL LUMBLY ON “THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER”

Then, as Danny Pudi’s cynical head of monetization, Brad, nears triumph in the tournament—promising to cancel the company’s future Everlight celebrations—the silly cosplay and kitschy decorations dissolve. We’re immersed in a stunningly detailed fantasy world—a convincing virtual reality where the stakes feel suddenly higher. Charlotte Nicdao’s co-creative director, Poppy, who’s been hurling rubber balls across the office yelling “Fireball!” now appears in full armor, shooting real fire at her foes.

It’s this show’s comedy, amplified by such pops of gorgeously executed visual effects, that brought comfort to pandemic-weary viewers like myself. “For too long have we been languishing in the dark,” pronounces creator-star Rob McElhenney’s Ian—telling his beloved team, and us, that a much-needed return to normalcy is nigh. —Jack Smart

Armond’s sudden existential crisis on “The White Lotus”

Set at a tropical Hawaiian resort, Mike White’s HBO satire “The White Lotus” does an excellent job of turning paradise into hell for its characters. Like a roller coaster rising to the tippy-top of its drop, the show’s depiction of elite guests having difficult discussions about class, race, and consent keeps audiences anxious but entertained throughout. That’s to say nothing of the series premiere, which also frames the series as a murder mystery.

What really makes this dark comedy work is its ensemble cast and the way each character unravels—particularly the stressed, mustachioed Australian hotel manager Armond. The talented Murray Bartlett creates an overarching, high-strung tone with his constant unnerving behavior and sneering grin. While Bartlett has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of the vice-ridden people-pleaser, one moment in particular shouldn’t be missed. In the first episode, Armond experiences a revelation: Working at the resort has made him lose touch with his surroundings. The way the character evolves—from calm-mannered manager to a man trying to maintain his perfectly built facade as he spirals—makes Bartlett’s performance a standout. The perplexed expressions, his hilarious F-bombs—it all gives audiences a glimpse of what to expect on the rest of this squirm-inducing series. —Jacqueline Tynes

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” tackles America’s historical racism

While “WandaVision” is rightfully getting recognition from awards voting bodies, its fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” should not be overlooked. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) visiting Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) to try to give him Captain America’s shield is an especially impactful scene.

Bradley tells his tragic story: The U.S. government injected him and some of his fellow soldiers with the infamous super-soldier serum after telling them they were receiving tetanus shots—an obvious parallel to the real-life Tuskegee Syphilis Study. It’s a heartbreaking scene, and among the best acting the Marvel franchise has ever achieved, from Lumbly’s breaking voice to Mackie’s emotional reaction shots.

ANNIE MURPHY AND MARY HOLLIS INBODEN ON “KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF”

The best part is its conclusion, in which Bradley bluntly offers his opinion on Sam following in Steve Rogers’ footsteps, saying firmly, “They will never let a Black man be Captain America.” It’s a haunting (and meta) discourse that forces American audiences to acknowledge uncomfortable truths about what it means to represent the stars and stripes. —Jalen Michael

Mae confronts their abuser on “Feel Good”

In an era when intensely personal shows are thriving, one flew beneath the radar: “Feel Good,” creator-star Mae Martin’s series for Channel 4 and Netflix about a comedian going the hell through it. The Canadian standup’s semiautobiographical series tackles issues ranging from addiction and recovery to desire and gender identity. That it manages to balance all this heavy stuff with laugh-out-loud humor is a testament to Martin’s skill as a writer and actor.

Season 1 focused on Mae’s relationship to their narcotics addiction and their “straight” girlfriend George (Charlotte Ritchie). But the second and final season dug into the roots of Mae’s lifelong struggle, as they begin to unearth buried memories of sexual abuse at the hands of their mentor and friend Scott (John Ross Bowie), who took them in as a teenage runaway.

It all comes to a head on the series finale, when Mae confronts him about what happened all those years ago. Martin’s performance in this scene is so raw that it’s hard to watch, yet impossible to look away from. Nothing is simple about what’s between the two of them: Scott ruined Mae’s life, but he also saved it. Mae stands their ground, acknowledging both the rage and the love they feel. It’s a scene unlike any other on TV, painfully honest about the fact that the relationship between abuser and victim is seldom black and white.

We’ve seen Martin play this character in all moods, from mania to infatuation to rage to deep denial. Now, the wound that’s been festering at the bottom of it all is finally beginning to heal. —Jenna Scherer

Allison gets taken down a peg on “Kevin Can F**k Himself”

It’s easy to lose the fundamental capacity for rage when you start considering the possibility of murdering your spouse. (Look at the real-life Betty Broderick!) But AMC’s half-sitcom, half–revenge thriller “Kevin Can F**k Himself” doesn’t let you forget what fuels the vengeful fantasies of Annie Murphy’s exasperated wife Allison. The pivotal moment of the season comes not when Allison shares her plan to kill her husband, Kevin (Eric Petersen), with her unmarried friend Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden), but when Patty calls her “wallpaper” in reply.

We’re meant to empathize with the fumbling Allison, but it’s Patty who reminds us of Allison’s essential lack of autonomy—because, considering she’s lost behind the scenes of her own life, she can relate. Inboden plays the cool girl perfectly, hardened to the world and burying her despair deep. Her Patty insults Allison matter-of-factly, as only an intimate friend can. Watching Murphy react to her friend’s comment by gulping down one more helping of rage, it feels like she’s gagging on it just a little. The moment makes us think that maybe, just maybe, Patty will get her comeuppance too. Only time—and Season 2—will tell. —Kasey Howe

Sharon begins to open up on “Ted Lasso”

When you think about the charming “Ted Lasso,” the first thing that might pop into your mind is Jason Sudeikis’ ever-optimistic Ted, Brett Goldstein’s grumpy but good-hearted Roy Kent, or Hannah Waddingham’s domineering yet vulnerable Rebecca. All are deserving of praise and (Emmy-winning) recognition. But there’s another Season 2 performance on the Apple TV+ comedy that stands out: Sarah Niles as Dr. Sharon Fieldstone.

At first, Sharon’s gruff exterior feels wildly out of place in the world of “Lasso.” Her minimalist communication approach is off-putting and cold. As Ted’s attempts to connect fail, he ultimately has no choice but to open up to her. As he does, we start to see a subtle change in Sharon, a slow but steady progression. You might miss it at first, as our attention is on Ted’s panic attacks and past trauma. Then— bam!—Sharon gets hit by a car. And to her own surprise, she calls Ted for support.

From that moment on, an actual bond is created—even if she wishes it hadn’t been. Niles’ portrayal creates a dynamic between the duo that ends up becoming one of the most interesting on the show; their relationship both helps Ted come to terms with his past and helps Sharon blossom into a more well-rounded, open-hearted therapist. —Stephanie Snipes