Awesome / The Haves and the Have Nots

WARNING: Spoilers are unmarked.

Season 1

Season 2

• Hanna standing up to Jim when he tries to bully her after Wyatt is arrested by the police following Hanna saying she's positive that Wyatt is the one responsible for killing Lizzie and putting Benny in a coma.

• Katheryn's speech to Jim in "Norman Hewens" after he successfully prevents Wyatt from going to jail. It's clear that Katheryn's words strike a chord within Jim.

• Hanna telling Tony "Over my dead body!" when the latter arrives at the hospital to take a comatose Benny off life support so he can get his son's kidneys.
  • And then Benny awakes up, stunning Tony, who then leaves without a word.

• The Season 2 finale "Checkmate" has Jim being beat up by Quincy and later being abducted by Candace's acquaintances, who throw him into the trunk of a car before driving off. Two classic examples of Asshole Victim and Laser-Guided Karma.

• Any time David stands up to Veronica on Jeffrey's behalf, even if his efforts don't do much to change Veronica's mind.

Season 3

• In "Oscar," when Jim berates Hanna for hiring a cleaning crew to clear out Amanda's room, she first tries to get him to calm down as he yells at her, but then screams "SHUT UP, DEMON!" at him and putting him in his place. Of course, Jim isn't too fazed, but it's tremendously awesome watching one of the show's biggest Jerkasses get owned.
  Hanna: SHUT UP, DEMON!!!
  Jim: What the hell did you call me?
  Hanna: I said shut up, demon, in the name of Jesus! You will not speak to me like that! I will leave and never come back, and all your covering will go with me! Bind up that wicked tongue RIGHT NOW!!!
  Jim: Are...you...through?
  • Also, Hanna comforting Jim as he weeps in Amanda's room just moments after telling him off.

• In "Unglued," David REALLY lets Veronica have it for her actions and behavior towards their son over the past several episodes, specifically having Quincy beat up Jeffrey. If there's a list for TV's best Papa Wolves, this guy should be on it.

• "Enough is Enough":
  • Jeffrey finally stands up to Veronica and tells her he's done with her and her threats after he finds out that she set him up with Melissa so he would get her pregnant and be forced to marry her. Crosses over with Tear Jerker.
  • After Quincy attacks Hanna at her house, Benny goes on the warpath, finds him at a strip joint, and waits for him to get into his car before ramming Hanna's new car into it. He then gets out, hauls Quincy out of his car, and beats the living shit out of him.

• "Two Funerals":
  • Hanna confronting Celine for coming to the Cryer estate (again) after being ordered to leave a couple of episodes earlier.

• "The Cougar":
  • Hanna laying into Veronica for sleeping with Benny, forcing her to wait outside for her car and shutting down Veronica's protests about how the neighborhood is dangerous by replying that she's black and no one is going to mess with her.
  • Later on, Hanna confronts Veronica about why she's sleeping with Benny, and when Veronica insults her and her impoverished situation, she gives Veronica twenty-four hours to tell David about the affair or she will.

• "Benny Does Battle":
  • Benny going about finding his nephew Q in a way that would impress Bryan Mills. He takes Quincy for a drive, crashes the truck they're in, hauls an injured Quincy out of the wreckage, beats him, gets the info he wants, calls the police using Quincy's phone (which he then discards), and plants a bag of meth on Quincy to throw the police off his (Benny's) trail. Benny then goes to Quincy's house, kicks down the door, and has a brief but violent confrontation with Quincy's sister before finally finding his nephew, whom he takes with him, shouting down Quincy's sister as he goes.

• "Quincy Jr.":
  • Benny's response to Hanna telling him that Quincy will come for Q: "Then I'll pull him out of his dead, cold arms."
  • Jim and Katheryn confronting Professor Cannon in the law school parking lot and questioning him about his rape of Amanda. When Cannon lets slip that he did go to Amanda's apartment, Jim proceeds to give the bastard a well-deserved beating until Katheryn tells him to stop, saying "not like this," suggesting the Cryers' revenge on the not-so-good professor is just getting started. Even if you hate Jim, you have to admit that him beating the shit out of Professor Cannon is nothing short of awesome.

• "A Home for Q":
  • D.A. Sallison vowing to come after Jim, Katheryn, David, and Veronica for covering up Wyatt's involvement in Lizzie's death, despite insults from Veronica and attempts from the foursome to convince her that Wyatt's confession is fake. It takes quite a pair to be willing to go up against rich and powerful Jerkasses.

• "Candace's Closing":
  • David struggling to hold onto his love for Veronica in spite of her behavior and the temptation to give up on her is admirable. The man's got character.
  • Jim chewing out Terrell, the officer who let Toxic (Wyatt's rapist) into Wyatt's cell in the first place due to a "mix-up" and actually threatening to murder him in front of his family.
  • David confronting Veronica about arranging for Wyatt to be raped in prison and telling her that, if she continues her evil ways, their marriage is over.

• "Dianna Winchil":
  • Maggie gets one when she spills coffee on the video equipment to put an end to Jim's interview (the cameraman insisted that they can't stop because they're on live television), then chews out Dianna Winchil for her tactics, denouncing her show as "tabloid TV," and orders her to get out.
  • Jim attacking Veronica and strangling her after finding out she arranged for Wyatt to be raped. It's just a shame David stopped him.
  • Jeffrey defying his mother's orders to go see Melissa and telling her that her threats are getting old.
  • David warning Jim that, if anything happens to Veronica, he'll show him "an enemy unlike anyone you've ever met."

• "Vetted":
  • Hanna confronting Veronica and warning her to stay away from Benny, even telling Veronica that there was a time when she would've "dragged you out back and beat the hell out of you." Veronica, of course, offers for the two of them to step out back, and Hanna just gives her a subtle look that screams "Keep pushing, bitch, and you'll regret it."

• "Sheep's Clothing":
  • Maggie gets another Moment of Awesome when she confronts Veronica alone to try to persuade her to convince David to run for Governor in Jim's place. Veronica, of course, hurls nasty insults at Maggie, who shows Veronica photos of her with Benny and then boldly admits that she is in love with David before telling Veronica what really happened between herself and David that night, specifically that David couldn't go through with the affair because he still loves Veronica. Maggie's words actually manage to strike a nerve within Veronica, who starts crying and orders Maggie to get out before breaking down in tears.

• "When the Chickens Come Home":
  • The Reveal that David hired Oscar (real name "Brandon"), in actuality an asset recovery specialist, to get back the money that Candace extorted from Jim early in Season 3. It's too bad that David gets arrested along with his wife and the Cryers at the end.
  • Jim, Katheryn, Veronica, and David getting arrested just MOMENTS after Jim announces he's staying in the race for Governor. It's Break the Haughty in perfect execution.
  • Candace and Jeffrey stabbing Quincy to death after he attacks her in her house.

Season 4

• "An Evil Soul":
  • When Veronica is being escorted out of her cell and she starts to make threats against one of the officers, one of them shuts her down by asking "Or what, you'll shoot fire out of your breasts?"
  • Jeffrey vowing to make sure that Veronica never sees the light of day after finding out that she had Wyatt raped in prison.

• "A Front Row Seat":
  • One of the many judges that Katheryn calls for help in getting Jim and Veronica out of jail straight-up refusing to help because Jim and Veronica's crimes have gained national attention and "need to play out," meaning Jim and Veronica, the show's biggest Jerkasses, are due for yet another serving of Humble Pie.
  • After Wyatt disrespects her and keeps saying she "knows" what his parents did (i.e., covered up his involvement in Lizzie's death), Hanna responds by quoting Scripture (specifically Romans 12:19-21, a verse from Isaiah, and a Psalm) and then tearfully imploring Wyatt to turn from his jerkish ways.

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