THE INTERPRETER | Damson Idris
THE SHOW | Snowfall
THE EPISODE | “The Struggle” (April 19, 2023)
THE PERFORMANCE | Idris has always impressed as Snowfallthe complex protagonist of Franklin Saint, but his raw and deeply unsettling final turn in Wednesday’s series finale left us utterly devastated. And sing his praises.
“The Struggle” found Franklin grappling with the terrifying reality that the money he so desperately needed, and even killed for, was truly gone. We didn’t expect a happy ending for the drug kingpin – he built his empire on cocaine and murder, after all – but we were totally unprepared for the angst of watching him unravel. until he’s just a shell of himself.
The anguish Franklin felt when he realized his mother wouldn’t help him, unleashing a fury of obscenities, hitting like a freight train. The callousness with which he shot an innocent man in the back for the modest sum of $12,000 chilled us to the bone. However, the moment that broke us was when Franklin simply gave up, falling into isolation and misery as the bills went unpaid. While his face remained much the same, Franklin was barely recognizable in the show’s final moments, and it speaks to Idris’ searing portrayal of a broken man at the end of his stunning but inevitable downfall.
“I’m free,” Franklin said through a hollow smile. His feigned contentment was a bitter reminder of broken promises, especially as we were left with the depressing final image of the former crime boss now destitute and wandering aimlessly through the neighborhood he once ruled. In the end, Franklin deserved his sad fate, just as Idris deserves loud and clear recognition for his moving and truly exceptional work bringing this gripping coming of age story to an end.
Scroll down to see who scored honorable mentions this week…
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HONORABLE MENTION: Hannah Waddingham
Image Credit: Courtesy of Apple TV+
The last time we honored Ted Lassoit’s Hannah Waddingham, she’s gone big. Like, “sing Rick Astley at your dad’s funeral” big. This time around, the actress who brings our favorite #BossAssBitch to life caught our attention due to her effortless charm throughout Rebecca’s dreamy and romantic interlude in Amsterdam. We had never seen Rebecca so relaxed…so carefree…so disengaged from the world around her. Take, for example, when she started singing. Waddingham imbued every one of Kenny Rogers’ words with a sense of unbridled joy. Rebecca didn’t care what her mystery man thought of her singing. For the first time in a long time, she had just amusing – and Waddingham made you feel that. Our absolute favorite moment, however, came the next morning when Rebecca got back on the bus. The way she slumped in her seat and put her feet up on the table (wearing sneakers, no less!) told us all we needed to know. His airy and moving rendition of “Three Little Birds” was the icing on the cake of an already sublime showcase.
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HONORABLE MENTION: Chandra Wilson
Image credit: ABC screenshot
THE Grey’s Anatomy scenario in which Bailey was doxed by pro-lifers reached an ugly head in Thursday’s “Gunpowder and Lead” (recap here). After a protester walked into Gray Sloan pretending to be a patient and threatened the doctor’s family in the face, she had it. And in a beyond A well-deserved moment of release for Miranda, Chandra Wilson let out her character’s disbelief and righteous anger. “You would hurt a 4-year-old girl in the name of lifeshe marveled at Addison (representing the protester). “Like you give two craps about life!” The actress beautifully and painfully channeled Bailey’s outrage and disbelief, giving us a clear window into the emotions that stirred inside the former leader.
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HONORABLE MENTION: Henry Winkler
Image credit: Courtesy of HBO
Things can get pretty dark barry, so thank goodness Henry Winkler is here to lighten the mood. The veteran actor stepped into the spotlight (literally) this week, as Gene shared his story with a vanity lounge writer in the only way he knew how: by taking the stage and putting on an elaborate one-man show for a one-person audience. Winkler was hilarious and earnest as Gene played out the saga of his relationship with his killer student Barry, putting on a ridiculous skull-and-crossbones voice to play Barry who looked nothing like him. (The photo of a sweaty, exhausted Gene sipping water with a towel around his neck after the performance was invaluable.) We love barryWill darken, but we also love its lighter moments, and Winkler delivered a welcome jolt of laughter, reminding us that some actors would do just about anything to hear a bit of applause.
Which performance(s) hit your socks this week? Tell us in the comments!
