The Moonlight Blog

Written by Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman
Directed by James Whitmore Jr.

I watched this episode with someone generally unaware of the series and its premise. The only thing I said, going in, was that it was like a “paranormal romance” novel adapted to the small screen (because, after all, that’s been my tagline for the show since inception). It took about five minutes for her to agree wholeheartedly, and about five minutes longer to become hooked.

Granted, it was a case of great timing, because this is quite possibly the best episode of “Moonlight” thus far. I continue to be amazed by the rapid escalation of quality on this show. Considering that the pilot was mediocre and I was watching the show as a reliable “guilty pleasure” during its first month, it’s hard to believe that it has been the one show to sustain a steady audience and consistently improve.

I mentioned in a previous review that the story has a tendency to move quickly on this show, and this episode proves my point. I think the triangle between Mick, Beth, and Morgan/Coraline could have used a little more time to develop, if only to give Shannyn Sossamon a little more time to settle into her role. That said, her scenes in this episode worked well enough to keep the intentions of the story intact.

I’m not sure that telling the audience that Beth was going to stake Coraline was the best of ideas, considering the shock value it would have produced, but I will give them credit for generating tension throughout the hour with that knowledge in hand. The writers did a brilliant job of framing the story so that Coraline’s apparent human status (established in “The Ringer”) was easily set aside until the final act. As a result, the audience knew the horrible mistake Beth would make, and how it would change everything.

The impact of Beth’s decision should be significant. Ever since learning about Mick and their shared past, Beth has been stepping more and more into his world, cutting off connections to her old life in the process. She’s clearly attracted to Mick, and there’s every reason for her to hate and fear Coraline, even without the romantic factor. Mick, on the other hand, is still drawn to Coraline and has always desired a “cure” for his vampirism. While Coraline was certainly trying to draw Mick away from Beth, Beth’s own actions will work against her.

Unfortunately, despite the initial 13-episode order (the usual for a freshman series), the writers’ strike will limit the number of episodes to no more than eleven. “Moonlight” has been a solid performer on Friday nights, but it’s hard to tell if the network will be patient. Previously, it would have been a disappointment to lose such a promising show; after this episode, it would be a tragedy.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Written by Jill Blotevogel
Directed by Dennis Smith

It has occurred to me, especially watching this most recent episode of “Moonlight”, that the format is very similar to “Supernatural” and Joss Whedon’s Buffyverse. Not necessarily in terms of the plot elements or the premise, but rather, in terms of structure. While every episode has a specific plot concept in mind (in this case, dealing with a turned cult murderer), there is an underlying set of character arcs, all evolving in a very serialized manner.

That serialized story is the developing relationship between Mick and Beth, and it takes a complicated direction in this episode. Despite his behavior with Morgan/Coraline in the previous episode, Beth still trusts Mick with everything important in her life. She connects on an emotional level with the girl who was abducted by cult leader Donovan, and when things start to get violent and dangerous, Mick is the first one on her speed dial.

Audrey is the latest person to point out that Beth seems more connected to Mick than her supposed boyfriend (including, I might add, said boyfriend), and it’s nice to see the writers move past that point. While Beth may still need to protest in the future, it’s clear that she’s turned a corner, recognizing that Mick has always been there for her. As Beth said, she’s always felt that a guardian angel has been watching over her, and now she knows it for certain.

I like the progression at play, because Coraline’s return to Mick’s life must be as disruptive as possible if that plot element is to have any value. Thus Beth’s growing involvement with Mick, and Mick’s inner conflict between desire and duty. Both need to escalate as Coraline draws ever closer to revealing herself to Mick and making it all fall apart. Given the pace of the plot thus far, it probably won’t be long before that happens.

While the central plot was interesting, its main purpose was to contrast the post-abduction psychology for Beth and Audrey. Audrey never had someone watching over her, and it left her feeling exposed. Beth had Mick, and she was able to get past her fear and succeed as a result. This is noteworthy because it gives the episodic plot elements meaning above and beyond the long-term contextual meaning.

The episode itself is bolstered, as one would hope, by the long-term character arcs. As with most shows utilizing this format, weak episodic content can be strengthened through ties to a greater context. I’m amazed at how well this “paranormal romance” concept has translated to a weekly series, and with the slow but steady growth in audience and strong demographics, this show could manage to survive the writers’ strike.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Written by Josh Pate
Directed by Chris Fisher

With every new episode of “Moonlight”, I’m more and more impressed by the success of the writing staff. They have managed to take a series that was all but dead on arrival and made it not only viable but one of the better new shows of the season. The first few episodes were shaky, but the writers and cast have certainly hit their early stride.

This is the point in the typical season arc where the introductory elements give way to complication. As previously predicted on several occasions, this is exactly when one would expect Coraline to return and add strain to the relationship between Mick and Beth. At this point, Mick and Beth are circling each other, clearly on the road to romance, but Coraline’s clever machinations have thrown a wrench into that process.

I like the fact that Coraline comes back in the guise of a simple photographer, pushing all of Mick’s buttons and leading him into actions that make him look reckless and out of control. When Mick and Josef both confronted Coraline about her true nature, and they couldn’t break her façade, it was one of the best moments in the series. In fact, Josef was played to near-perfection; it was like watching a cat recognize a threat in its midst.

The writers also made things more complicated by bringing her back as a human being. This may still be some kind of ruse on Coraline’s part, but both Mick and Josef were sure that Coraline was human, and in the end, that led them to believe that Coraline was actually a very mortal and confused Morgan. If Coraline has managed to find a way to restore her humanity, then this could create a major rift between Mick and Josef. In fact, Mick could be lured back to Coraline, if she could promise him restoration.

Two minor concerns kept this from being an above average episode. First, while the rest of the cast has overcome initial shortcomings, Shannyn Sossamon’s performance is visibly less impressive. She’s not convincing as the femme fatale, and she seems wooden compared to the rest of the cast. Perhaps the chemistry will develop over time, when the character is more familiar, but right now it’s not quite working as well as it could.

The second concern is the familiar nature of Coraline’s return. While it is used well in the episode, and should make for an interesting twist to explore in the future, it bears a remarkable resemblance to a plot arc used in the second season of “Angel”. So far, there are some key differences, but the writers will need to be careful to keep the distinctions in the forefront.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Erin Maher and Kathryn Reindl
Directed by Paul Holahan

Each new episode of “Moonlight” adds a new layer to the storytelling and the core relationship, and this is certainly true for this installment. The writers are not taking their time getting to the point, and the series is all the better for it. Once it might have seemed logical for Beth to be ignorant of Mick’s true nature; now, it’s impossible to comprehend how the story could have worked had that been the case.

This episode introduces Black Crystal, a substance derived from silver-laden vampire blood. It gives humans the ability to experience the power of a vampire with the additional benefit of full human sense and reaction. This is an interesting conception because it pushes Beth over a very distinct line. Before taking Black Crystal, Beth was attracted to Mick because he was different and unknowable.

That has changed, and in a fundamental way. Black Crystal is a trap, a ruse for humans anxious for supernatural experience. The users believe that they are experiencing the world of the vampire, but as Mick notes, none of the negatives are present. The humans feel so powerful and sensual that they want to feel that way forever, incapable of seeing the negatives. With just a taste or two, Beth was begging Mick to take her and turn her. If it hadn’t been Mick, a creature of much restraint, she would have found her wish granted (or worse, she would have been a late-night snack.)

Beth’s decision to keep the Black Crystal represents her ongoing temptation. She’s stepped into the supernatural world in a big way, and a part of her could never give it up and return to a “normal” life. She’s likely to hide it from Mick, and that could be dangerous. For one thing, she could slide into the underground under its influence, endangering her life on several fronts. For another, she could become addicted and risk overdose. That Black Crystal is essentially a plot bomb waiting to explode.

Considering how much of the story was dependent on Beth and her character turn, the success of the episode was dependent on Sophia Myles. Myles has always been attractive, but she pours on the sensuality in this episode. The chemistry between Mick and Beth was already evident; this twist takes it to the next level. That attraction is building to a crossroads, and it should be interesting to see how it evolves.

This is yet another strong episode, and the show continues to result in strong demographic numbers. Word of mouth is strong, but the advent of the writers’ strike is cause for concern. This series needs to be on the air, gathering momentum, if it wants to have any chance to succeed, and the writers’ strike makes that difficult (if not impossible). I fear that this show might have overcome its early struggles only to find itself a victim of circumstance.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10