As we inch ever closer to the season finales of our favorite shows, the twists and turns get that much more dramatic. Despite the added difficulty this presents, we did manage to choose the recipients of this week’s Hypable Honors.
Characters die, bombs are planted, breakups tear our hearts in two. These are the symptoms of finale season, and this year is no different. This week’s recipients of Hypable Honors are excellent examples of just what kind of performances come out when shows are at their peak.
Drama
Show: ‘Game of Thrones’
Actor: Pedro Pascal
Game of Thrones returned with a vengeance this week, and while we could award every single actor pretty much every week, it was a newcomer that caught our eye. Pedro Pascal waltzed onto the screen as Oberyn Martell and moved straight into our hearts.
He’s a straight talking Dornishman with a lingering grudge against the Lannisters for allowing the Mountain to befoul his sister before killing her. Understandable at the very least. As if his disdain for the roaring lions wasn’t enough, his attitude toward pretty much everyone is something we can’t wait to see in action, especially with certain events on the not so distant horizon. Not to mention his skills with a blade. They don’t call him the Red Viper for nothing.
If Pedro Pascal keeps it up, we may soon have a harder time naming our favorite character. It’s hard to compete with the likes of Tyrion, Arya, Jon, and the Queen of Thorns, but so far, he’s doing a spectacular job.
Otherwise Noteworthy
Show: ‘Agents of SHIELD’
Actor: Brett Dalton
This was a bit of a shocking week for Agents of SHIELD, as the aftermath of the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier hit our favorite crew. Coulson has done his best to hold things together with his bare hands, but even someone as capable as him cannot fight against a force as strong as, well… the H-word.
The most alarming part of the episode came when Agent Ward acted out of character and dispatched a handful of SHIELD agents with nothing but a handgun and a cold stare.
While it was unsettling for fans (especially those that have been clamoring for a little action between him and Skye), it must have been thrilling for Brett Dalton to have a whole new set of challenges for his character. Ward has never been a particularly warm and inviting character, but the icy hard stare he utilized at the end of “Turn, Turn, Turn” was one fans will never forget.
Show: ‘Scandal’
Actor: Bellamy Young
So everyone knows that Scandal is addicting television, and a few weeks ago, we rewarded Joe Morton who plays Rowan Pope, AKA Olivia’s dad and the former head of B613, an honorable mention for a rather eloquent speech. This week, all that attention should be directed toward Bellamy Young for her stellar portrayal of a woman tortured by a horrible secret she has been forced to carry for many years.
Watching her character interact with Olivia Pope, a woman that has been the source of more than a few heartaches for Mellie, was a master class in how to act like you’re losing your mind. Mellie has more than enough reasons to break, and more than enough secrets to do the job, but somehow, this woman functions as the pillar that keeps the Grant White House standing.
She has saved the day more times than we can count. She may have seemed like a villain in earlier seasons, but after the horrors of her past came to light, viewers have begun cheering her on. We want to see Mellie and her happy ending just as fervently as we want to see Oliva get hers.
Comedy
Show: ‘The Mindy Project’
Actor: Adam Pally
Sure, Peter Prentice can be a little revolting, frustrating, even just plain annoying at times, but this week, Adam Pally brought every personality quirk of Peter’s into sharp focus as he tried to help Mindy. It was a valiant effort on his character’s part, to try and manipulate Danny into publicizing his and Mindy’s relationship, and it showed just how much of a softie Peter truly is.
Adam Pally has been a blessing to have on the show since he began earlier this season. Peter adds a party-boy, college frat vibe to the office that you just don’t get from Danny Castelano. He keeps the characters on their toes, which leads to endless amounts of fun and follies.
Whether he is being fed bad grapes by Mindy in “Be Cool”, or trying to shake off the ick factor of seeing his sister’s boob pic on Danny’s phone, Peter Prentice makes Shulman and Associates a better place to work.
Otherwise Noteworthy
Show: ‘Glee’
Actor: Chord Overstreet
In a rather sad and worrisome episode, Chord Overstreet managed to balance the seriousness of Kurt’s injuries with Sam’s lame attempt at seducing Mercedes. His impressions always get the best of us, but this week took Sam Evans’ particular talents to the extreme.
I think most everyone has been on board the Mercedes/Sam train since it began back in season 3, even after it derailed. They may not be the most predictable romance, but there’s something about their chemistry that just works.
Chord took an incredibly awkward scene and made it even more awkward by chucking each and every one of Sam’s most endearing and obnoxious quirks into it. We’re, of course, talking about the dinner scene with Mercedes and her girlfriends. Sam may have just been trying too hard, but Chord makes Sam’s failure so darn cute.
Show: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Actor: Sara Ramirez
Okay, okay, so Grey’s Anatomy isn’t exactly a comedy, but this week’s episode presented a few rather comedic storylines, and Sara Ramirez stood out. Sure, Callie could have ignored Derek’s insistence that her results on the emotion detector (or whatever that machine was called) meant she was depressed, but instead she fought hard to beat the system.
Callie has always been a beloved character, ever since she danced her way into the Seattle Grace (as it was known back then) history books in boy shorts and sunglasses. Her relationship with Arizona is what made her beloved.
While Callie and Arizona struggle to move forward after some extremely difficult circumstances, Sara Ramirez refuses to let Callie fall too far from her happy roots. Thank goodness there will always be bones to mend and limbs to replace, or Callie Torres might not know what to do with herself.
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