Easter Eggs, Soaps, and the Alive — Top TV Moments

So much time, effort, and talent go into creating an Emmy Award-worthy performance, scene, outfit, or series. No wonder the real-life Emmys embody the culmination of true artistry, bold decisions, incredible storytelling, and some crafty campaigning.

But let’s face it: No one’s campaigning for the categories below. After all, when a 1960s tune can find a place on multiple series, when soap operas become the music that tames the savage breast, or when we fall for a character thanks to some of the most outlandish outfits ever stitched together, all of these moments deserve recognition. They merit awards—something big, brassy, and gold-plated, ideally. Yet, something also to make their peers green with envy. What happens to the dinged-up Emmys that never get handed out? We’d gladly take them to present at this year’s Envelope TV Envy Awards.

Here’s to all the great TV moments that would never get their rightful salutes otherwise.

“Ripley” (Netflix)

Hey, we’ll watch John Malkovich pretty much anywhere, but having him pop up towards the end of “Ripley” as a shady art dealer named Reeves is a delightful bit of casting for fans of Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley character. For those unaware, Malkovich starred as Ripley in 2002’s “Ripley’s Game.” He’s not just a passing character in this updated version by Steven Zaillian. Reeves/Malkovich plays a critical role and, with luck, perhaps we’ll get to see Andrew Scott (as today’s Ripley) square off with him in a sequel. Only problem: Who will we root for then?

“The Brothers Sun” (Netflix)

Say what you will about the creaky medium of soap operas—they’re still on the air and still beloved by their devotees. Just witness what can happen when the hardest of hard cases get embroiled in small-screen melodrama: In “Boy Swallows Universe” (Netflix), convicts riot when denied their dose of “Days of Our Lives,” while Taiwanese gangster Charles Sun spends his days on an American sofa as he develops an obsession with “General Hospital.” Both are relatable, but bonus points for the guy who traveled all the way from Taipei to Los Angeles to find his true television love.

“Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”

Who’d have thought that a novelty song from 1960, originally sung by Brian Hyland, would have a proud place in two long-running British TV series 64 years after it was a No. 1 hit? Not this writer—yet it popped up in episodes of “Doctor Who” (Disney+) and “Call the Midwife” (PBS Masterpiece) alike, proving that the hit of the summer doesn’t have to be a brand-new release.

Paul Rudd, “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)

That the ever-youthful and beloved Rudd would be the key victim during the third season of “Only Murders” was no real surprise—we saw it as a cliffhanger at the end of Season 2. But thanks to the miracle workers at the ER, he survived being poisoned and popped up at his own wake at the start of the next season, only to die a few minutes later by falling down an elevator shaft in the title building. Talk about raising our hopes and then dashing them down again!

Daniel Lawson, “Elsbeth” (CBS)

The actual Emmys have had a contemporary costume award since 2015, but let’s face it—they’re not looking for what “Elsbeth” has on offer. In this comedy-drama about a lawyer-turned-investigator, the biggest crime in any given episode is what its titular character puts on her body. Elsbeth Tascioni is a master of pairing stripes with solids, oranges with reds, outrageous patterns, and accessorizes with hats, gloves, and no fewer than four tote bags or purses dangling from her person in any given episode. And she is glorious. This sartorial wizardry could have been pulled off only by a master, and the fact that Lawson comes from the soap opera world and has been part of the “Good Wife” universe for many years (where his outfits for other characters are simply divine), proves that he can expertly stroll all sides of the catwalk. Do they give Nobel Prizes for costumes?

Jacob and Melissa, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Janine and Gregory are poised to finally become the most-talked-about teachers at Abbott next season, but we’d like to give a special nod to two of the most unlikely roomies from Season 3: Jacob (Chris Perfetti) and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter). He’s fussy and gay; she’s straight and a ball-buster. But when she needed a roomie and he needed a place to stay, it turned out they have real chemistry—and lots in common, including eating sour cream and onion-flavored popcorn while savoring the “masterpiece” that is “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” More of this relationship, please!

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.