17 TV Scenes That Were So Well-Acted, They Might Be The Best Ever

From Breaking Bad to Euphoria, these scenes are almost better than the shows themselves.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about the best-acted scenes in TV history. Here are the incredible results.

🚨 SPOILERS AHEAD, PEOPLE. 🚨

1. In Mad Men, when Jon Hamm (as Don Draper) pitched the Kodak Carousel to the executives, and it made everyone feel infinitely nostalgic while also wanting so much more out of life.

AMC

"Mad Men was the best show on TV for years, but the scene that still gives me chills is when Don Draper pitches the Kodak Carousel to a bunch of executives in the first season. You can feel every word and relate to everything Don says, and Jon Hamm’s delivery is perfection. It’s just beautiful acting."

—kminfl

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

2. In Dead to Me, when Christina Applegate (as Jen Harding) and Linda Cardellini (as Judy Hale) uncovered the truth about Steve's death, and everything started to spiral.

Netflix

"I have no words. Their acting is just *chef's kiss.*"

—tessabean621

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

3. In How to Get Away with Murder, when Viola Davis (as Annalise Keating) had a breakthrough moment in rehab and realized she was worthy of love and forgiveness.

ABC

"This was when Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) was in the rehab facility. She started hitting her pillow and telling herself that she wasn't a whore, worthless, etc. It was a very heart-wrenching moment that you couldn’t look away from. Great acting by Viola Davis."

—sienaa

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

4. In This Is Us, when Justin Hartley (as Kevin Pearson) narrated the events that led to him hitting rock bottom, and he revealed just how broken and lost he felt.

NBC

"I truly cannot believe Justin Hartley wasn't nominated for an Emmy for this scene. His performance was raw, heartbreaking, and even nostalgic, all at the same time. During this particular moment, his character was secretly addicted to painkillers and alcohol. He felt so lonely, and he was basically begging for help, but no one could see his pain and trauma because they were too blinded by his celebrity. The acting, writing, and editing are simply incredible in this scene."

—spenceralthouse

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

5. In Fleabag, when Phoebe Waller-Bridge (as Fleabag) declared her love for The Priest in the series finale, but he turned her down.

BBC One

"The final scene between her and The Priest at the bus stop shattered my heart. I finished the show feeling so raw and vulnerable. The acting was incredible. We need more stories that make us feel like this."

—amlysl

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

6. In Feud, when Jessica Lange (as Joan Crawford) perfectly captured her character's heartbreak and loneliness while confronting Bette Davis.

FX

"Jessica Lange was seriously the best part of the show. The scene when she told Bette that she never felt like enough gave me chills (and still does every single time I watch it). Lange already has a bunch of Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes, but she definitely should've won something for this show!"

—kaylayandoli

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

7. In Doctor Who, when Tony Curran (as Vincent van Gogh) traveled to the future with The Doctor and found out how much of an impact his work had on the world.

BBC

"The entire episode is fantastic, but Tony Curran gave the most authentic performance ever, which both broke my heart and made me feel overwhelmed with happiness. His facial expressions were so subtle and perfect."

—savvymarie

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

8. In The West Wing, when Allison Janney (as C.J. Cregg) found out that Simon was shot and killed, and she had an emotional breakdown in the middle of Times Square.

NBC

"Allison Janney crying in the middle of Times Square after she found out Simon died, with 'Hallelujah' playing in the background, was so hauntingly beautiful."

—evyn2

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

9. In Euphoria, when Zendaya (as Rue Bennett) begged her dealer to sell her drugs, he refused, and she realized how much her addiction had impacted her life.

HBO

"All of Zendaya's scenes in this show are great, but this particular one — when she’s screaming and begging Fez to let her in — is incredible. It's such an accurate and heartbreaking portrayal of someone struggling with grief and addiction."

—jezabelg2

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

10. In Grey's Anatomy, when Chandra Wilson (as Dr. Bailey) realized that the elevators were turned off and Charles was going to die, all while hiding from a shooter in the hospital.

ABC

"In this scene, there's a shooter in the hospital who's specifically targeting surgeons, so Dr. Bailey pretends to be a nurse and is spared. Her character tries to rescue Charles after he's shot, but she realizes that they're trapped and Charles is going to die. Here she is, wrestling with the notion that she's the ultimate coward while also having to be a hero and comfort Charles during his last few breaths. You feel every sense of Dr. Bailey's powerlessness in this scene, which is nothing short of gut-wrenching."

—spenceralthouse

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

11. In Killing Eve, when Sandra Oh (as Eve Polastri) confronted Villanelle in the Season 1 finale, and her aggression surprisingly turned into admiration.

BBC America

"It's just so, so good."

—zainaba48616c770

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

12. In Shameless, when Emmy Rossum (as Fiona Gallagher) defended herself and the kids against Monica, and she talked about never having a mom herself.

Showtime

"In the scene, Fiona's mom wanted to take Liam away. Fiona spent her whole life raising those kids, all without her mom, so everything unfolded into a blubbering, heartbreaking mess. Emmy Rossum deserved an Emmy for this scene alone."

—sophiea45 and marke42

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

13. In Jane the Virgin, when Gina Rodriguez (as Jane Villanueva) got a call that Michael had died, and she collapsed to the ground in terror.

The CW

"Her reaction completely guts me every single time. It's heartbreaking."

—cocopa

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

14. In The Office, when Jenna Fischer (as Pam Beesly) walked through fire and confessed all of her insecurities and feelings to everyone because she was tired of being let down.

NBC

"Her character's bravery and vulnerability during/after the coal walk was such an understated but electric scene. Beautifully acted."

—mollyconnelley

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

15. In One Day at a Time, when Isabella Gomez (as Elena Alvarez) confronted her father about not accepting her for being gay.

Netflix

"Isabella Gomez deserves all the praise. I don't even need to give you a reason or description about why this scene is so good. I'll just let it speak for itself."

—noradominick

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

16. In Game of Thrones, when Peter Dinklage (as Tyrion Lannister) was on trial and confessed that the only crime he was guilty of was being a dwarf.

HBO

"From the dialogue, to the acting skills of every person in the room, to the emotions that Peter Dinklage conveyed, it is absolutely terrific and the reason why this show was so fantastic."

—ansooo

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

17. And in Breaking Bad, when Bryan Cranston (as Walter White) was questioned by Skyler about their safety, and she saw a whole new side of him.

AMC

"Bryan Cranston’s acting in Breaking Bad is incredible, but his famous 'I am the one who knocks!' monologue takes the cake. The Heisenberg side of him really comes through during this scene, and it gives me chills. It's borderline frightening, but at the end there's a slight flicker in Bryan Cranston's eye, which I see as a flash of the original Walter White escaping through the ever-growing shadow of Heisenberg."

—eviolet2

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

Did your favorite scene-stealing performance not make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below!