TOP ENTERTAINMENT MOMENTS: What were the best moments in television this week?

Most dramas are pulling out all the stops as the season winds down – which is exactly why I like this time of year.

This week was no exception.

I don’t watch The Good Wife, but I hear they had a big death – and we know this Sunday’s season finale of The Walking Dead is going to get bloody (and then the following week we’ll get a whole bloody season of Game of Thrones).

So, what were this week’s highlights?

5. The Walking Dead: While not as grim – or effortlessly breathtaking – as last week’s episode, this

week’s episode held a lot more hope. Not only was a determined Glen (finally!) reunited with a desperate Maggie, but the new rag-tag group also made it to Terminus. I’m a little curious about the timeline on The Walking Dead. For some reason, I have a feeling we’re going to get the explanation for the burning bodies that Mika and Lizzie saw two weeks ago in the season finale on Sunday – and I’m guessing it’s something Daryl and Rick do to Daryl’s new traveling companions. That’s a guess, though. I think everyone (sans Beth – I don’t think we’re going to find out what happened to her until next season) is going to reunite in Terminus in the season finale before a whole new set of horror besets them next season. Bring it on!

4. Justified: Boyd Crowder is nothing if not inventive. When you’re dealing with him, you can’t help but root for him – and this is a guy that killed his own cousin earlier this season. This week, Boyd’s partnership with Wynn Duffy is put to the test when Boyd smells a set up. The oily Duffy decides to go another route – his name is Picker, yes, like nose picker – and when he informs him of this Boyd takes drastic action. He takes the cigarette package he’s been playing with – one that’s apparently rigged to be an explosive device – and dumps it in Picker’s lap and watches as Picker is blown to smithereens – while Duffy watches. Something tells me that  Duffy isn’t going to try and cut Boyd out of the action anytime soon again. Now, if we could just get Ava out of jail and reunited with Boyd.

3. Bates Motel: It’s hard to watch a show and root for a teenage kid when you know that kid is going to

grow up to be a serial killer. That’s the dilemma viewers are faced with every week when they try to root for Norman Bates, a kid that has a boatload of problems and his narccisstic mother and (possibly) incest bred brother are only minor parts of Norman’s psychosis. This week, Norman took a step towards his destiny when he confronted the uncle that may (or may not) have raped Norma Bates and impregnated her with Dylan, Norman’s older brother. When Norman approaches his uncle to confront him, he does so not as a teenager trying to protect his mother but as a woman that is fighting off her own attacker. In other words, Norman starts channeling Norma. It’s a bitter and cold pill to swallow for fans that know exactly how Norman is going to end up.

2. Hannibal: Who doesn’t love a bone-chilling moment that’s left up for debate? All season long, Hannibal fans have been treated to a cat and mouse game between Hannibal and Will as Will struggles to win a fight that he can’t possibly claim victory in. That’s half the fun. We know, at a certain point, Jack Crawford is going to figure out exactly what Hannibal is – and it should be coming relatively soon. Still, when Will convinces Beverly to break into Hannibal’s house to try and find some proof that he’s right – viewers know this won’t end well. We get to watch with muted trepidation as Beverly finds her way to Hannibal’s dungeon, drops her mouth open in horror and surprise, and then turns to find Hannibal not only watching her but cutting off her avenue of escape. We know Hannibal rushes her – and we know a bullet is fired into the ceiling – but we don’t know Beverly’s fate. I’m guessing she’s dead – because it’s not going to be that easy to take down Hannibal – and we all know he doesn’t keep prisoners alive.

1. Psych: This final season of Psych hasn’t been great, but that was one heck of a series finale. The writers 

managed to weave the show’s trademark humor into the early moments of the episode and also remain true to the roots of the characters as Shawn left DVD messages for everyone in Santa Barbara before leaving town to reunite with Juliet. While’s Shawn’s goodbyes were heartfelt – and the Dobson gag with Val Kilmer was delightful – it was Shawn’s poignant goodbye message to Gus that broke my heart. Sure, I loved when Lassiter stopped the DVD – crushing it in his hand – just as Shawn was about to admit that he’s not psychic. The most important moment to me was when Shawn admitted his failings and said he felt guilty for keeping Gus from a life. Then, of course, Gus quit his job (went back and then quit again) before joining Shawn a “couple hundred miles further south” to live his adventurous life. Oh, and Shawn proposed to Juliet –but told her that he and Gus were a package deal. Psych fans always knew that was the case.

Honorable mentions go to:

Switched at Birth: This is a guilty pleasure of mine. I can’t explain why I watch it. I can say that Bay and Emmet (finally!) getting a chance to reunite at the very end of the episode was so long in coming I was starting to give up hope. I’m sure Tank will be crushed when the show returns in the summer but, for now, I’m totally happy.

Suits: Just when it looks like Louis was about to win – he ultimately loses. When Louis and his lady love can’t come to an agreement about kids the union is essentially dead in the water. Something tells me this is going to make Louis even crankier than usual.

Once Upon a Time: Call me a cynic, but I think Hook is in league with the evil green witch. I think it’s

convenient that just when Emma is about to uncover something he convinces her to get help and, when the duo return with David and Regina, the basement where Rumplestiltskin was being held is conveniently empty. It seems a little too easy to me.

The 100: I’m still a little wary of this show – mostly because most of the kids are pretty but talentless – but I am enjoying parts of it. I like the mystery, and I can’t wait to see what happens when Desmond starts time travelling. Wait, wrong show. Still, I think there’s more going on than a Lord of the Flies analogy.

What do you think? What were your favorite entertainment moments of the week?