Best Lines of the Week (August 14-20): ‘The Weekend Is Worse Than the Week’
This week, television was dominated by the DNC.
Primetime, late night, and streaming also brought us lots of laughs and somber moments. Netflix’s Project Power blasted onto the small screen to much anticipation on Friday night.
Meanwhile, the week was rife with late night commentary from Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and more. And the Jordan Peele produced Lovecraft Country debuted on HBO to rave reviews.
Take a look out our top ten lines on television this week below.
Project Power (Netflix)
“If there was a pill that could give you five minutes of pure power, would you take it?”
— Art (Jamie Foxx) poses the prospect of taking the super power-inducing pill at the center of the Netflix original.
Democratic National Convention
“I’ve met so many of you. I’ve heard your stories. And through you, I have seen this country’s promise. And thanks to so many who came before me, thanks to their toil and sweat and blood, I’ve been able to live that promise myself.”
— Michelle Obama speaks on the promise of America as she endorses Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
“What a pleasant battle cry! ‘Gee golly gosh. Everybody, slap me with a salmon and stick a trouser in my trouts. Time to get this fish on the road.”
—Colbert gives his snarky take on Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ proclamation of “holy mackerel” during night three of the DNC.
United We Fall (ABC)
“I want to stay here! The weekend is worse than the week!”
—Bill (Will Sasso) has a nightmare that he has emotionally broken down at his office because it’s the weekend — which means he has to care for his children and family obligations.
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
“Madea’s working on one but I don’t think anyone wants to take it right away. It’s kind of like injecting bleach into the body, with like a light….and making sure it works. That was her idea first, so……”
—Tyler Perry gives a tongue-in-cheek update on his iconic character’s COVID vaccine efforts while visiting as a guest on The Tonight Show.
The 100 (The CW)
“I don’t want to cause you any more pain, Bellamy. But your friends have to pay for what they’ve done. Their crimes go beyond Anders. Dozens of disciples are dead because of them.”
—Bill Cadogan (John Pyper-Ferguson) rebuffs Bellamy (Bob Morley) as the latter begs for his friends to be spared after their actions have led to a massacre.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
“If your house catches fire, and then the whole town burns down, it’s okay if you rebuild first, I can’t hate you for that. But you don’t throw a house party while we’re all still sleeping on our front lawns!”
—Trevor Noah, with an apt analogy, derides the city of Wuhan, China’s allowance of large scale concerts and festivals as the rest of the world continues to struggle with COVID, despite the virus having originated there.
Wynonna Earp (Syfy)
“Think of me like a goldfish — dumb and determined!”
—Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano) whips out another one of her signature one-liners during a challenging situation.
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
“Someone on Twitter said my haircut makes me look like a substitute high-school teacher who drives a Miata, and that really made me laugh so, thanks for hitting my funny bone, Joe Lamore.”
—Seth Meyers shares a hilarious and particularly pointed call out from a clever twitter follower.
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
“We’re citizens. You’re a veteran, for God’s sake. Our money spends just as good as anyone else’s!”
—George Freeman (Courtney B. Vance) tells a hesitant Atticus (Jonathan Majors) and Leti (Jurnee Smollett) that they are staying put in a white’s only establishment as they road trip into the segregated south, despite the three being Black in 1950s America.
