9 of the Best TV Monologues Ever Delivered

Being an actor isn't really as easy as it looks. Sure, they get famous and are paid tons of money, but the job requires incredibly long, hard hours - and if you're anything like me, you like to be in pajamas by 7pm and in bed a few hours after. Plus, you've got to learn lines. A whole lot of lines. Endless amounts of lines. If you've got a good memory, that's fair enough, but even the most talented of actors can sometimes have trouble retaining all the words he or she needs to say in a given scene, especially if it's a monologue. Such was the case for this Better Call Saul star. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bob Odenkirk struggled to remember his lines for a monologue that appeared in the series' first season finale.Yikes! (But don't worry, it all worked out in the end.)

Of course, TV and film actors have it a bit easier, as they have the luxury of performing numerous takes of the scene until they get their lines just right. And over the years, there have been some pretty incredible monologues performed on our TV screens - ones that are passionate, intense and downright daunting when you consider how difficult it must have been to not only remember it all, but to perform it like you mean it. But hey, that's just part of the job.

For now, let's revisit some of the best monologues to have graced our screens over the years, shall we?

Breaking Bad

When Walt loses his damn mind and decides to go rogue on everyone with his meth making business, not even his wife can talk him back down. In fact, her insistence on controlling some part of his operation is not only met with resistance, but rage and delusions of grandeur. It's pretty brilliant to watch, to say the least.

Scandal

After Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene finds out that a White House aide is carrying President Grant's child, all hell breaks loose and Beene delivers a killer monologue speculating on just how bleak Grant's future will probably turn out to be.

Mad Men

Way back in season one, Jon Hamm, as Don Draper, delivered perhaps his finest monologue of the entire series during the season finale. In it, he ruminates on his past happiness with Betty and his children and creates one of the most emotional moments the show has ever seen.

The X-Files

I hate to give a monologue award for this series to anyone besides Mulder and Scully, but The Cigarette Smoking Man's Forrest Gump moment in season four's "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man" was pretty genius, if not entirely original. I think we all hated that cigarette smoking S.O.B., but he was an important part of the series.

The Wire

Whalen's speech to other addicts who were trying to stay clean in "One Arrest" was a genius piece of acting all around, and one that sticks with me many years after seeing it. Of course, The Wire was rife with monologues to choose from and you couldn't really go wrong with any of them, so this is just one of many fantastic bits of drama on the show.

Lost

Jack's monologue in season one of Lost was probably the most memorable of the series. After the survivors land on the island and realized they've basically got zero chance of getting out, Jack, played by Matthew Fox, gets them all together to push them to move forward and not to give up hope. If only they knew what lay ahead of them...

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Didn't expect to see a '90s sitcom on the list, did you? Will and Uncle Phil shared a touching moment when Will broke down about the absence of his father - and his need for guidance in his life. One of the few serious moments on the show, but one that truly showed Smith's acting chops back in the day.

The Office

When Jim and Pam finally decided to make a go of it, no one was happier than me. Not just because they clearly belonged together, but because I couldn't bear the sexual tension anymore! At their wedding, Tim, played by John Krasinski, delivered a really touching monologue that unfortunately isn't on YouTube, so you'll have to settle for the adorable dance instead.

The West Wing

Whether or not you're an Aaron Sorkin fan, you've got to admit the man can write a killer monologue every once in a while. In this one, President Bartlet reveals exactly what he thinks of the Bible's apparent disdain for homosexuality, and the results are brilliant.

Image: Ursula Coyote/AMC