Fangirlish 2021 End Of Year Lists: Scenes We Could Watch Over and Over

‘Stop and Fangirl’ Episode 113: 'WandaVision' Series Review

As we approach the end of the year, it’s always fun to look back on the best that entertainment had to offer in 2021. As always, there were a number of movies and TV shows that stole our hearts. But even the best of television and film has those standout moments – the scenes that you have to savor on endless repeat.

Here are some of our favorite moments in television and film in 2021, that we couldn’t help but watch over and over.

Belfast

Belfast follows a child, Buddy, as his family tries to stay in Belfast in 1969 after the religious violence (known as The Troubles) begins. After a heavy turn of events, the father gets the mood turning when he sings “Everlasting Love” to the mother. It’s an uplifting and romantic moment that absolutely captured our hearts in a breathtaking, bittersweet film.

Bridgerton

Bridgerton (which technically came out in 2020, but it was released too late to hit most of our Best of 2020 lists) had several swoon-worthy moments – even when everyone had their pants on! But it was the moments that were charged with emotion, more than the infamous sex scenes, that had us reaching for our remotes. And there was no scene more romantic than the pair’s final heartfelt confession in the rain, when they opened themselves up to each other, and Simon realized he was worthy of love, after all.

Chicago P.D.

Most of Chicago P.D.‘s best moments in 2021 were … Upstead moments. We said what we said. The couple went from a first kiss, to living together, to engagement …with some rocky moments in between, we’ll admit. But the rocky moments were never made bigger than they were, and they found a way to navigate through it all as an unit. Partners first and foremost. Plus, we didn’t just get one proposal, we got two, with Hailey proposing to Jay first, and then the other way around. Pick a proposal (honestly, we’ll pick the second one — the one with an actual answer) and that’s a scene we’ve played on a loop over and over again.

Lucifer

Lucifer absolutely broke us with its final season, and yet the beauty that is Deckerstar is still something that will never leave us. We’ll always feel privileged that we got to go on this journey with Lucifer and Chloe, that we got to see them grow together, and that we got to experience so much of their love. And though a part of us will always wish they had more time together on this earthly plane we all inhabit, that doesn’t mean their last scene together on Earth isn’t one we’ve re-watched over and over again. Even if it makes us cry. Especially because it makes us cry?

The performances. The direction. The way we can feel the love coming through the screen. One of the best scenes of the year, without a doubt.

New Amsterdam

The amount of Max and Helen content we got on New Amsterdam in 2021 was just …well, we won’t say it was a lot, because it was everything we wanted. And though it’s hard to pick just one moment when you’ve been blessed with so many, the final scene of season 3, with Max finally getting over his doubts and then literally running through the streets of New York back to Helen, with the two of them finally kissing — or almost kissing — before the door closes might be our favorite. Except, of course, the season 4 premiere gives us the aftermath and we get to see those kisses and a bit more.

Can we just consider both things one scene and call it a day?

Prodigal Son

Prodigal Son wasn’t really what one would call a “shipping show,” but that didn’t stop us from rooting for our favorite ships, nevertheless. It seems particularly brutal that the series was cancelled following one of the most compelling arcs of the entire series, as Malcolm and his father were held captive by a killer almost as ruthless as the Surgeon. There was some torture, a daring escape, a liberal smattering of additional felonies. You know, just the typical father-son things.

But amidst all the drama and tension, fans got a moment they had anticipated for almost two years, as Dani and Malcolm shared their first (real) kiss. The knowledge that this brilliant show was cancelled still hurts, and we’ll never get entirely over it.

Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone was one of the first shows to capture our hearts in 2021. While there were many, many scenes we loved in the series, one in particular still plays on endless loop in our minds. Yes, we’re talking about the scene with the train and the emotional support goat. It was the perfect combination of tension and humor, culminating in an action sequence that firmly cemented Jesper as…our favorite? Well, one of our favorites, at any rate! With a cast of characters this good, it’s hard to choose.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

What is it about amazing action sequences in modes of transportation this year?

Marvel has been making movies for over a decade now, and they’ve got their formula pretty well perfected at this point. So the fact that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was such an enjoyable movie came as no surprise. That it was such a beautiful movie had us reaching for our remotes, to replay scenes over and over again. In particular, the fight scenes were absolutely stunning to watch. That such action sequence can be beautiful when set against a breathtaking backdrop – such at the scenes in the woods – is perhaps understandable. But the fight scene on the bus flew in the face of such an assumption, proving that it really is the dance between the actors, and not just the scenery, that makes it impossible for us to look away.

Superman & Lois

Clois (the romance between Clark Kent and Lois Lane) is an iconic romance, so it seems strange to say we didn’t necessarily have high hopes for Superman and Lois. Mostly because the series airs on the CW, which isn’t known for its ability to sustain quality in its shows long-term. So we’re actually a little annoyed we love this series as much as we do. But we couldn’t help ourselves, and episode 11 of the show’s first season perfectly demonstrates why. The whole episode was ridiculously good, but Lois’s dismissal of Superman as a romantic prospect due to her existing crush on Clark put a fresh, new spin on the well-known and beloved mythos. All right, CW. You got us. Now don’t make us regret loving you as we do.

Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso is filled with so many moments we could re-watch that it’s almost impossible to pick one. But, surprisingly, perhaps the moment that made us ugly cry the worst in Season 2 came in the form of a Roy Kent/Jamie Tartt hug, of all things. The moment is a culmination of so much, and the show’s way of, once again, skewing toxic masculinity by allowing its male characters to be and to do and to feel while things are going on around them. That Jamie has gotten there, and that Roy has been such a pivotal part of his journey …well, that’s just icing on the cake.

WandaVision

Let’s be honest: Vision and Wanda never really got the time they needed to flesh out their love story in the Marvel movies. At least, they didn’t get as much time as they should have had to give Vision’s sacrifice and Wanda’s loss the proper emotional weight. But that’s where WandaVision came in. The series was quirky, funny, and occasionally mind-blowing. But at its heart, it was about love and loss. How we hold on, and how we move on from grief. So we can’t help but watch their final moments together over and over, sobbing anew each time. “What is grief, if not love persevering?” We may not have had a chance to see much of their relationship in the movies, but after the series, there is no doubt as to just how deeply Wanda and Vision loved each other.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

And speaking of shows about love and loss that hit us right in our feels and never let us go…Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. Our love for this show will never die (hint hint to The Roku Channel). This series was probably our favorite of the year, which makes it hard to pick one scene we watch on repeat. There were so many! Ultimately, we debated choosing the bedroom song mashup from the second episode (which we legitimately did watch an absurd number of times on repeat). Or “Carry On,” which had such beautiful choreography, we couldn’t tear our eyes away. Every single flashback scene in “Zoey’s Extraordinary Session,” which gave us the initial love/hate relationship between Zoey and Max that we didn’t even know we needed. Or Zoey and Mitch’s dance in the final episode. We even debated whether we should go with a scene in the recent Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas movie.

Ultimately, we decided to go with “I Melt with You” in the second season finale. Not only did this song number reveal that Max now shared Zoey’s powers (making us scream, “What the fu-” along with the characters), but it was just exuberant and fun. And, frankly…adorable. And while we do appreciate the wrap-up movie, we’re just not ready to let this series go yet.