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Most impactful scene in television history

posted 8 years ago by Jupiter555555
10 replies | jump to latest

When Hayden's former student gets terminal cancer as a result of taking steroids to help him win games, and Christine is comforting Hayden saying he is not to blame, he didn't know he was taking steroids and Hayden says "I did know." and the scene blacks out and the episode ends. Wowwwwwww. I saw it once when I was a child and never ever forgot it.

Never saw it again.

Anyone else know the episode I'm talking about and did it have the same impact on you?

😭

[–] JosephASpadaro 8 years ago

The episode is "The Bigger They Are... (1993)" (Season 5; Episode 17).

Which I take to mean: "the bigger they are, the harder they fall".

Excellent episode. I will have to re-watch it, as it has been years since I last did so.

But, I agree that it certainly ranks up there as one of the most impacting scenes in television work.

[–] Jupiter555555 8 years ago

The episode is "The Bigger They Are... (1993)" (Season 5; Episode 17).

Which I take to mean: "the bigger they are, the harder they fall".

Excellent episode. I will have to re-watch it, as it has been years since I last did so.

But, I agree that it certainly ranks up there as one of the most impacting scenes in television work.

Thanks! I'm glad you agree. I was alone when I watched it and had no one to exchange reactions with 

[–] JosephASpadaro 8 years ago

You're welcome.

I certainly agree.

And your post has prompted me to go re-watch that episode.

I love the series, anyway. So I don't need my arm twisted for me to re-watch it!

[–] PenTheater 8 years ago

It was impactful, and kind of out of place for a comedy.
Like Henry Blake's death by chopper crash on MASH.
And there are others.

I don't mind an occasional scene like this, but always stopped watching comedies that started doing too much of this, and MASH is a perfect example,
All In the Family did it too, (Edith's rape).

Ephemeron.

[–] Todd_B 8 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yj4qvomSXk

[–] rob-2423 8 years ago

I loved Coach for the comedy, but this is one episode that really stretched the limits of the actor's abilities as serious craftsmen of their art. It remains one of my favorite episodes to this day. It was genuine, sincere, and had some very funny lines/scenes in it without compromising the integrity of the topic at hand. Well written, and well acted!

I am surfing the Aunt Bee chatroom... I have officially hit rock bottom.

[–] perrymehta1 8 years ago

This is my fav episode of the season. It might be my fav episode of the series also. Season 5 is my fav season. I'm sooooooo glad that Mill Creek got the rights. Now finally we can the whole series out. I can't wait to get seasons 5-9. I have the first 4 from Universal.

[–] jerseysprung 7 years ago

I agree. It was the best episode of the entire series. Craig T Nelson is the best actor to play a football coach of all time, in any show/movie etc. His performance in The Harder They Fall was phenomenal. From the speech he gave at the Touchdown Club, to his final act with Christine. I like that the writers went all the way with that storyline. They could have left it where he was simply feeling guilty for pushing his players to be the best, but when they have Hayden admit that he knew, it made the episode that much more meaningful and you could understand the guilt he was feeling.

For a 22 minute comedic sitcom, this episode hit everything perfectly from a dramatic angle.

The silence and fade to black after he says "That's the thing Christine. I did know"...gave me chills. It was perfect TV.

[–] depaul_rules 7 years ago

I remember this ep also. It was powerful and made you really feel for Coach. How much pressure he placed on himself to succeed no matter the consequences to the kids.

In a later episode, where his real-life son plays on the team, he tells him to go out and take another player out of the game. He does and I think he knocked the guy out.

This was even more powerful than the steroid ep.

What a great show. Still holds up today like it did so many years ago.

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[–] MissMargoChanning (6630) 7 years ago

It certainly was a moving episode.
I was always bewildered by these episodes though.....
Are we talking drama or is this a comedy?
Not to be uncaring, but I found the wedding of Haydon and Christine impactful!
She falls off the banister and hangs there by her wedding dress! THAT was something I have always remembered!