Greatest TV moments of 2018

By Bryanne Salazar 1:55pm PST, Nov 27, 2018

Just when we thought TV couldn't get any better, it did. Join Wonderwall.com as we take a look back at some of the greatest moments on the small screen in 2018 (Warning: Spoilers ahead) …starting with a jaw-dropping moment on the Season 2 finale of "The Handmaid's Tale." While there were many horrific moments this season, including when Serena (played by Yvonne Strahovski, left) and the Commander (Joseph Fiennes) sexually assaulted Offred to get her to go into labor and when the Marthas banded together to help Offred escape with her baby, one of the most surprising twists happened when Serena publicly challenged Gilead to change the rule prohibiting women from reading the Bible. To the astonishment of her fellow wives, Serena read a passage from the holy book aloud, angering her husband and his fellow leaders. The inspiring moment gave viewers hope that maybe things could change, including Serena's allegiance to Gilead. Sadly, Serena's bravery wasn't celebrated by the leaders and her own husband sanctioned her to be punished by having her pinkie finger cut off. Keep reading for more TV moments we couldn't forget…

"This Is Us"

Fans of the emotional family drama "This Is Us" have been dreading the moment Jack (played by Milo Ventimiglia) dies since the series first aired. The basically perfect patriarch of the Pearson clan finally met his demise in the Season 2 episode titled "Super Bowl Sunday" — which, coincidentally, aired on Super Bowl Sunday. In the heartbreaking sequence, Jack rescued his family from a house fire sparked by an old, malfunctioning slow cooker. After he got everyone out safely, he bravely ran back into their home to save their dog (at daughter Kate's request). While Jack was able to make it out in time, no one realized he'd also inhaled too much toxic smoke. Later, at the hospital, right after he was given a clean bill of health, Jack went into cardiac arrest, dying all alone while his beloved wife, Rebecca, went to get them a snack from the vending machine and call to check on the kids. Excuse us while we go and cry about it all over again.

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"

Season 1 of the award-winning Amazon original series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" starring Rachel Brosnahan debuted with a bang and we're so ready for the show to return for Season 2 on Dec. 5! While it's no stretch to say the entire season, which introduced us to 1950s housewife-turned-comedienne Madge, is sensational, we're still talking about the final episode. In "Thank You and Good Night," Madge shockingly reunites with her philandering (and woefully apologetic) husband Joel but doesn't tell him about her new stand-up career. Unfortunately for Madge, Joel finds out anyway and decides to pay a visit to the nightclub where she's performing. While standing in the shadows, Joel listens as his wife berates him and his mistress in front of a laughing crowd, which may signal the end of their happy reunion. Although Joel seemed broken over the revelation, it didn't stop him from defending Madge's honor by beating a man in the street who'd rudely heckled his wife onstage.

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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's wedding

One of the biggest TV moments of the year was undoubtedly the televised wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple exchanged vows inside St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle with an estimated 29.2 million viewers from around the globe tuning in to witness their big day, which included celebrity guests, a stunning couture Givenchy gown and a powerful sermon from American Bishop Michael Curry.

"The Haunting of Hill House"

If you haven't watched the Netflix original horror series "The Haunting of Hill House," you're going to want to get on that, stat. The series, which follows the Crane family as they move into and attempt to renovate a seriously haunted mansion is, perhaps, one of the most dazzling psychological thrillers to date. Throughout the series, the Crane kids and parents experience unexplainable supernatural events that culminate in some shocking and at times terrifying revelations. One of the most dramatic OMG moments happened in Episode 5 when youngest daughter Nell Crane finally discovers the identity of the frightening apparition she's seen since childhood that she calls "The Bent Neck Lady." Major spoiler alert: The grotesque, screaming ghost who's haunted Nell pretty much all her life is Nell, who dies as an adult after breaking her neck in a horrific hanging scene.

The 2018 Primetime Emmys

The opening skit during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards was so good, we couldn't leave it off our list. It began with "Saturday Night Live" alums Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon, who announced that this year's Emmy nominees were the most diverse in history, leading Kenan to excitedly proclaim that the lack of diversity problem in Hollywood was officially solved. Cue a hilarious song-and-dance number with guest entertainers like "This Is Us" star Sterling K. Brown, "The Good Place" star Kristen Bell, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" star Tituss Burgess, RuPaul, Ricky Martin and even John Legend, who sang "We solved it" while poking fun at some of the biggest controversies of the year including Hollywood sex offenders, Roseanne Barr and, of course, politics.

"The Good Place"

It's so hard to pick just one great moment from the NBC comedy "The Good Place" starring Jameela Jamil, William Jackson Harper, Kristen Bell and Manny Jacinto, but we'll try. All fingers point to Episode 11 of Season 2, which was titled "The Burrito." In this well-wrapped penultimate episode, Tahani, Chidi, Eleanor and Jason travel to see The Judge, a supernatural being who can assess if their damned souls have truly been redeemed, which is their only shot of making it out of The Bad Place. After agreeing to be tested on their virtue, everyone but Eleanor fails. Instead of leaving her pals behind for The Good Place, Eleanor pretends she failed too, sealing their doomed fates together for another season and proving maybe she really does have a heart after all.

"The Walking Dead"

After a lackluster Season 8, "The Walking Dead" came back for an epic (so far) Season 9. One of the most powerful episodes to date has to be "The Obliged," which aired on Oct. 28 and had us gasping for air when (spoiler alert) main character Rick Grimes (played by Andrew Lincoln, right) endures the fatal blow that will lead to his bloody end. While fans were prepared for Rick's demise this season, his painful exit came sooner than expected. In the episode, Rick is horrifically impaled on metal rods after being thrown from a horse, all while zombies descend upon his vulnerable body. Fans were obviously shocked by the gruesome end to this pivotal character's storyline, leaving Michonne (left, played by Danai Gurira) to go on in this post-apocalyptic world without him.

"The Americans"

The final episode of the Emmy-winning series "The Americans" left us in our feelings and we're not sure what to do about it. The series finale, titled "START," throws Philip and Elizabeth Jennings lives' into peril. Discovered as Russian spies, the couple is forced to make painful choices, including leaving their son, Henry, behind as they escape to the U.S.S.R. with daughter Paige (played by Holly Taylor, seen here) in tow. In a dramatic sequence, the Jennings, in full disguise, evade capture by marshals who are searching for them on a train. Just as their train departs, however, both parents see Paige standing outside on the platform, choosing to stay behind in America on her own. As U2's "With or Without You" plays in the background, the Jennings tearfully continue their journey home, without their children or any certainty either of them will be OK.

"The Real Housewives of New York City"

Season 10 of "The Real Housewives of New York City" kicked off on April 4 with an episode no viewer is soon going to forget, thanks to cast member Luann de Lesseps, who arrived at a Halloween party in blackface. The episode, which was filmed back in October 2017, showed Luann wearing a revealing white romper, a giant afro wig and what appeared to be darker makeup for a costume she said was meant to be Motown singer Diana Ross. Fans and even fellow co-stars were quick to condemn Luann's costume, with Carole Radziwill calling the look "so disrespectful" and saying, "I think she's tone deaf when it comes to cultural stereotypes." Following the episode, Luann issued an apology, saying she never meant to upset anyone while denying she was in blackface (she claimed she just "had bronzer on" and "was tan").

"Queer Eye"

When we learned Netflix was rebooting the makeover series "Queer Eye" with a new cast of lifestyle and fashion experts, we knew it was going to be good. Starring the Fab Five — Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Bobby Berk and Karamo Brown — the series has made us feel all the feelings, but none hit us harder than the Season 1 episode "To Gay or Not Too Gay" featuring Atlanta-based civil engineer A.J., who never had the chance to come out to his dad before he died. Living in a cool but totally unkempt apartment and rocking a wardrobe fit for a middle-aged accountant, the guys helped A.J. transform into a major hottie while also giving him the inspiration to come out to his stepmom. In an emotional letter addressed to his departed father, A.J. tearfully revealed that he regretted not telling his dad about his life and, just as we hoped, A.J.'s stepmom pulled him in for a hug, letting him know his father loved him, was so proud of him, and always would have been.

"The Conners"

Following a social media scandal sparked by Roseanne Barr that put her recently rebooted series "Roseanne" on the chopping block, ABC studios fired the actress and eventually greenlit a spin-off series without its original star. On the Oct. 16 premiere of "The Conners," audiences learned that Roseanne's matriarch character died of an apparent heart attack, but a coroner's report later revealed it was actually an opioid overdose. As the Conner clan came to terms with the loss, fans had mixed reactions, with some declaring they'd never watch the series again and others praising it as better than the original. Roseanne herself took aim at the new series, tweeting "I AIN'T DEAD B—-ES!!!!" a day after the premiere.

"Doctor Who"

Proving 2018 really was the year of the woman, the decades-old series "Doctor Who" returned for Season 11 with a leading lady in the titular role for the first time in the show's 55-year history. Jodie Whittaker debuted as the newest regenerated time-traveling doctor on the episode "The Woman Who Fell To Earth" in October, giving fans a reason to celebrate. We're already loving Jodie's cheeky interpretation of Doctor Who and can't wait to watch her new storyline unfold.

"This is America" performed on "Saturday Night Live"

Emmy-winning writer and actor and Grammy-winning singer Donald Glover didn't just host the May 5 episode of "Saturday Night Live" — he also served as the show's musical guest. Performing as his music alter ego, Childish Gambino, Donald took the opportunity to share his brand new, highly controversial single "This is America." Not only was "SNL" the first place fans heard the hit song, but Donald also timed the release of its powerful music video to hit on the same night. The result? By the next morning, just about everyone in America was talking about the track, bringing it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Orange Is the New Black"

When art and real life collide, sometimes it can be a little unsettling. On the season finale of Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" viewers were left with a serious pit in their stomach after Piper (played by Taylor Schilling, right) and Blanca (Lauren Gomez, left) were given the gift of early release from Litchfield's maximum security prison. Unfortunately for Blanca, the joy of freedom was quickly eclipsed by horror as she and other Latinx prisoners were herded into a separate line that led them outdoors to armed ICE agents who were waiting to take them to detention camps for deportation hearings. With Netflix announcing that Season 7, due in 2019, will be the last of the series, viewers can't help but wonder if this straight-from-the-news storyline will be further explored.

"Full Frontal with Samantha Bee"

Following the 11th episode of the third season of "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," fans added "feckless" to their word repository after picking their jaws up from the floor. The episode, which aired on May 30, included a segment where Samantha shared a tone-deaf picture posted by Ivanka Trump on Twitter of herself and one of her children during a time when immigrant families, including those seeking legal asylum, were being separated from their children and placed in detention centers. Letting her anger get the best of her, Samantha said to the camera "You know, Ivanka, that's a beautiful photo of you and your child, but let me just say, one mother to another: Do something about your dad's immigration practices, you feckless c—! He listens to you! Put on something tight and low-cut and tell your father to f—ing stop it." The episode caused immediate backlash, with critics calling for Samantha's firing for her use of the C-word. On her June 6 episode, Samantha issued a tempered apology in which she said the word was one she'd used "many times" on the show and was "hoping to reclaim it" but that ultimately, she didn't want to hurt women, humorously adding, "I never intended it to hurt anyone… except Ted Cruz."

"GLOW"

Season 2 of the Netflix original series "GLOW" gave us more gorgeous ladies pushing the boundaries of 1980s wrestling, but one episode in particular managed to transport us back in time like no other. We're talking about "The Good Twin" — the standalone episode that was filmed as if it were the 1980s with eager audiences watching the storylines of their favorite wrestling divas as they prepared to battle it out, onscreen. From Zoya the Destroya's (Alison Brie) evil plot to sell Liberty Belle's (Betty Gilpin) daughter to a fan's marriage proposal to Britannica (Kate Nash) and even the hilarious group sing-along for charity "Don't Kidnap" — the entire episode was a delightful throwback to the golden age of ladies' wrestling.

"Killing Eve"

We only have good things to say about the new BBC America crime drama "Killing Eve" starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh. Season 1 brought us an intriguing plot in which a spy named Eve (Sandra) and a psycho assassin named Villanelle (Jodie) play an exciting game of cat and mouse, hoping to kill the other before they become the victim. While many of the episodes brought us pulse-pounding moments, we can't get over the season finale "God, I'm Tired." In a sexually tense scene, Eve tells V she can't stop thinking about her, which momentarily softens the hardened killer's heart. With V thinking she's about to make sweet love with her MI5 foe, Eve moves in, but not for a kiss. Instead, she sinks a sharp blade right into V's belly, reminding us all they were never meant to have a happy ending.

"Grace and Frankie"

Season 4 of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated Netflix original series "Grace and Frankie" brought us more comedy while also forcing us to face the limits of independence and aging. Throughout the season, both Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) got themselves into trouble, with Grace drunk-driving her electric shopping cart into a police vehicle and Frankie accidentally driving her and her brand-new grandchild to Mexico. Worse yet, their beloved beach house has fallen into shambles, leading their kids to conspire to put their mothers in an assisted-living home. The season finale episode "The Home" gave us one of the best moments ever when Grace and Frankie, who've been forbidden to run their sex-toy business, realized their kids tricked them into moving into the facility and decided to break out by stealing the community's emergency golf cart. Finally back to their beloved beach house, the ladies' momentary joy is ruined when they see the property isn't just on the market, but has already been sold.

"Barry"

If you've yet to catch the Emmy-winning HBO original series "Barry" starring Bill Hader, you're missing out on some of the most intensely funny and entertaining TV around. Season 1 introduced us to Barry, a hitman from the Midwest who decides to change his life by pursuing a theatrical career in Los Angeles. While viewers started to believe in Barry's transformation throughout the season (he's only ever killed bad guys, who technically deserve to die), all hopes were dashed during "Chapter 7: Loud, Fast, and Keep Going" when Barry kills his friend Chris in order to avoid having his cover blown. Although Barry was clearly troubled by his choice, he still heads back to the theater where he's set to perform in a stage production of "Macbeth," making it seem unlikely he'll ever be redeemed.

"Atlanta"

The Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series "Atlanta" has us hooked on its strange blend of suspended reality and in-your-face realism that highlights racial inequality and the struggle for survival in black America. Throughout Season 2, theatrically titled "Atlanta Robbin' Season" our favorite characters, Earn Marks (Donald Glover, right), Darius (Lakeith Stanfield, left) and Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry, not pictured) once again pull us into their world with episodes like "Alligator Man" and "Barbershop" but no episode did more to our psyches than the bizarre and slightly horrifying "Teddy Perkins." When Darius goes to a dilapidated mansion owned by two retired jazz musicians to buy an unusual piano, he instead finds himself at the mercy of a deranged man named Teddy. Invoking themes from films like "Get Out" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" Darius finds himself handcuffed and staring down the end of Teddy's rifle, trying to talk his way out of certain death, but is ultimately saved when Teddy's wheelchair-bound brother kills him and then himself. The disturbing episode was aired on FX without any commercials, an unusual move that helped keep viewers in total suspense.

"Adventure Time"

After eight years of animated excitement, Cartoon Network's "Adventure Time" came to an end, but not before delivering one of the best TV moments in the show's history. In the series finale "Come Along With Me," beloved characters Jake and Finn saw the end of the Great Gum War but were led back into battle with the evil GOLB (who they ultimately defeated with the help of their friends). All of this dramatic action isn't happening in real-time, either. Instead, it's being shared as a great fable by BMO, Ooo's distant future king, to two eerily similar new characters, Shermy and Beth, who, coincidentally, bear a striking resemblance to Finn and Jake (leaving us to wonder if a spin-off series could be in the works!).

"Jane the Virgin"

We only have three words for the Season 4 finale of "Jane the Virgin" and it's this: Michael is BACK. That's right, Michael, Jane's true love, the man she thought she was meant to spend forever with, who DIED a year earlier in "Chapter 54" from an aortic dissection, is not actually dead. As if his sudden return wasn't enough, Jane is two seconds away from getting engaged to Rafael, making this unexpected love triangle reek of delicious drama (which is exactly why we love this show).

"Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert"

The five-time Emmy-winning special "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" that aired on April 1 was an hour and 39 minutes of exquisite music, critically acclaimed drama and (our personal favorite) John Legend as a smoky-voiced Jesus. The Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical was reinvented for modern television with an all-star cast including singer Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene and rock 'n' roll legend Alice Cooper as King Herod in a live performance that highlighted the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. The good news is that you can still watch the show on NBC's website or on Hulu.

"Maniac"

One of the most bizarre and intriguing TV series to air in 2018 is the Netflix dark comedy "Maniac" starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone as participants in a strange pharmaceutical trial that forces them to undergo medically induced alternate realities. While we could talk for days about the many weird plotlines and twists in this series, we really just want to revisit that eye-popping moment in Episode 3 when we were introduced to Dr. Mantleray, played by Justin Theroux. Our first glimpse of this balding, middle-aged doctor isn't of him in his lab coat but of him in a digital world making love to an animated goddess. As the doctor enjoys solo sex in his apartment, the camera cuts to him wearing virtual reality goggles while squeezing scouring pad breasts and undulating his hips to a strange device called a "Sucktube" that's attached to his nether regions. Unfortunately for him, his romantic interlude is interrupted by another doctor who walks into his apartment and catches him in the act. Mantleray's brilliant (and hilarious) response? "I thought we agreed you wouldn't bother me while I'm working."

"Westworld"

The long-awaited Season 2 premiere of HBO's "Westworld" did not disappoint. The sci-fi Western series turned the drama up several notches with the episode "Kiksuya," which detailed the mystery of the Ghost Nation and the journey of Native American virtual character Akecheta. Delving deep into his past, we learned about Akecheta's former incarnation as a family man in his tribal village, before he was reprogrammed into a blood-thirsty warrior. Once Akecheta finally remembers his past life, he sets himself on a mission to find his former love, Kohana (who has also been reprogrammed) and remind her of their bond. There's a beautiful moment when Kohana remembers Akecheta and what they once shared, but it's destroyed when technicians take her away to reconfigure her programming. In a "The Matrix" meets "The Lord of the Rings" moment, Akecheta vows to travel beyond the depths of Westworld, operating outside the boundaries of this digital world, to reclaim what is rightfully his.