Top 10 Greatest Shots in TV History
It's all in the framing! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most iconic, interesting, and well-executed shots on TV.
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00:00 "Alright, alright, alright.
00:04 Yes, okay."
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic, interesting,
00:12 and well-executed shots on TV.
00:14 We'll only be including shots from scripted fictional series.
00:19 Otherwise, the rocket launch from Connections would absolutely make the list.
00:24 "You get that."
00:26 "The orders are functioning perfectly, producing one great zillion pounds of product."
00:33 10.
00:34 Riding to Atlanta – The Walking Dead The pilot episode of this long-running zombie
00:40 show is full of memorable moments.
00:42 Rick Grimes is a sheriff deputy who awakens amidst an apocalypse where the dead walk again.
00:48 "Her face has something special."
00:51 Told of a safe zone in Atlanta, he sets out in search of his wife and son.
00:56 After running out of gas, Rick searches a farmhouse for some fuel, but instead finds
01:01 a horse.
01:02 "There we go, good boy.
01:03 Good boy.
01:04 Good boy."
01:05 The image of Rick riding his lone horse on the deserted highway into the city, alongside
01:12 the many abandoned vehicles pointed in the opposite direction, is one that has been burned
01:18 into pop culture at large.
01:20 The composition, which blends western and post-apocalyptic genres, is incredibly striking.
01:30 9.
01:36 Where They All Ended Up – How I Met Your Mother
01:39 The popular sitcom had a few long shots during its run.
01:42 Although Ted's two-minute date with Stella is also worthy of note, the tracking shot
01:47 during the show's final season has more going on.
01:51 While reminiscing with his friends about people they've lost touch with, Future Ted describes
01:56 some of the recurring characters he's kept track of over the years.
02:00 "Hey, watch it over there."
02:02 "Yeah, watch it over there."
02:03 The camera then pans around the parking lot, which has several mock-up sets and props to
02:08 show the characters in various locations, even including a pre-recorded segment on a
02:13 TV.
02:14 "I just got back from the radio."
02:18 "Shut up."
02:19 The skill in this shot's execution, as well as the tribute to so many memorable side characters,
02:25 makes it one where you look back on fondly.
02:28 "Hey kids, have I ever told you how I met your father?"
02:33 8.
02:34 Missiles in the Sky – The Leftovers This HBO show goes to some strange places,
02:40 with the weirdest of all being a kind of undead land that mirrors the real world.
02:45 Justin Theroux's Kevin travels to this other reality by drowning himself.
02:50 Once there, he's both an assassin and the President of the United States and can switch
02:54 between the bodies.
02:55 "I need to talk to the Australian Prime Minister."
02:58 "Sorry?"
02:59 "The Australian Prime Minister."
03:01 When the word comes down that Ukraine is launching a pre-emptive strike on the United States,
03:06 Kevin winds up killing his doppelganger to access the launch key for America's missiles.
03:11 After doing so, Kevin and Patty, his Secretary of Defense, walk hand in bloody hand to watch
03:17 the missiles rain down.
03:19 We don't pretend to understand this shot completely, but it's a haunting and beautiful
03:23 one nonetheless.
03:28 7.
03:32 Charlie Distracts the Health Inspector – It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
03:37 It's health inspection day at Patty's pub, but wouldn't you know it, the gang
03:41 is right in the middle of an ill-advised scheme involving steaks, chickens, and airline miles.
03:51 The 10-minute continuous tracking shot in the episode, "Charlie Work," follows Charlie
03:56 as he frantically shows the health inspector around, all while trying to keep the gang's
04:00 latest scheme, and the pub's numerous deficiencies, out of view.
04:09 If you want to get technical, this is a few separate shots blended together.
04:13 However, given that Patty's isn't one connected set, it still feels pretty seamless.
04:19 Plus the sequence has all the show's usual outrageous humor packed into one condensed,
04:25 farcical package.
04:31 6.
04:34 Street to Beach – Barry This HBO series may be a dark comedy, but
04:39 it's also incredibly well shot.
04:41 Perhaps the most striking visuals occur during its dream sequences.
04:45 In a scene from the third season, the titular hitman-turned-actor is poisoned by the wife
04:50 of one of his victims.
04:56 Stumbling out the door, Barry walks down the road, which he's startled to see turns
05:01 into a beach.
05:11 The gradual transition from street to beach is put together with admirable precision,
05:16 with the illusion aided by the tide lapping near Barry's feet.
05:20 The shot also feels deceptively simple, which blurs the line even further between reality
05:25 and dream.
05:27 5.
05:29 Prison Fight – Daredevil Shows based on comic books are often heralded
05:33 for their fight scenes, but Netflix's Daredevil series has some of the best long-take action
05:38 in television history.
05:40 Each season attempts a similar shot, but the show perfects them by its third.
05:53 After infiltrating a prison, Matt Murdock becomes trapped by Kingpin and must escape
05:58 in the midst of a prison riot.
05:59 The entire 11 and a half minute sequence is one uninterrupted take.
06:08 Aside from some stunt double swaps, which also had to be meticulously choreographed,
06:13 it follows actor Charlie Cox the entire time.
06:16 The sheer level of planning involved in executing everything to perfection leaves us as breathless
06:21 as Murdock by the end of the fight.
06:26 4.
06:28 Goodbye – M*A*S*H The series finale of M*A*S*H is one of the
06:32 most watched episodes of television ever.
06:35 In its final moments, we're treated to a shot that has stayed with many viewers for
06:39 decades.
06:40 After Hawkeye and BJ Honeycutt say their goodbyes to Colonel Potter, they're left only with
06:45 each other.
06:51 In an emotional farewell, BJ tells Hawkeye that he promises to see him in the States,
06:56 but just in case, he left him a note.
06:59 As Hawkeye flies up in a helicopter, he and the camera spot the word "goodbye" written
07:04 in stones on the hill.
07:14 Those rocks may be long gone, but the image of them is as iconic as the show itself.
07:20 3.
07:21 Border Inspection – Better Call Saul Breaking Bad and its prequel series have
07:26 some of the best cinematography on television.
07:29 Although the famous crawlspace shot from the former show has burned into our brains, we
07:34 have to recognize a more elaborate take from Better Call Saul.
07:37 The second season scene follows a truck smuggling contraband across the border from Mexico.
07:42 Although there is a hidden cut, the uninterrupted sequence traces the truck all the way through
07:48 the border inspection process.
07:55 The sheer number of moving parts, along with the use of a crane and a surprising amount
07:59 of visual effects, speaks to the perfect execution of this complex idea.
08:07 2.
08:10 John Unsheathes His Sword – Game of Thrones This fantasy series has some of the most epic
08:16 shots in TV history.
08:18 While the tracking shot from the battle for the wall is a contender for the title of greatest,
08:23 another mid-battle moment comes out ahead.
08:26 In the lead-up to the battle of the bastards between the forces of Jon Snow and Ramsay
08:30 Bolton, Ramsay lures Jon into riding out to save his brother Rickon.
08:38 Too late, stranded, and with arrows raining down on him, Jon rides forward, only for Ramsay
08:43 to send his cavalry in a charge.
08:52 The image of Jon Snow drawing his sword in the face of the riders stampeding at him is
08:57 one of the most striking shots ever put on television.
09:20 1.
09:21 The Gang Raid – True Detective Although the scene with the spiraling birds
09:26 from the second episode of the first season is noteworthy, True Detective has perhaps
09:31 the greatest one-take of them all in the fourth episode.
09:35 Detective Rust Cole goes undercover with a gang to raid a rival group.
09:39 When things escalate into a gunfight, Cole beats up his contact and pulls him out.
09:47 The reluctant duo make their escape, weaving through the neighborhood as the conflict grows
09:51 more chaotic.
09:52 The sheer number of things going on – from the helicopter above, to the numerous background
09:57 events, to the stunts – make for a jaw-dropping six minutes.
10:08 The shot is a masterclass of design, execution, and tension.
10:17 If there's an amazing bit of television cinematography we've missed, shoot your
10:21 shot in the comments.
10:34 [music]