The Moonlight Blog

Written by David Greenwalt
Directed by Fred Toye

An interesting thing happened after the “Moonlight” series premiere. Despite the dozens of tepid reviews and poor word-of-mouth, a number of seasoned genre fans expressed pleasant surprise over the tone and potential of the series. And then a second shock to the system occurred: there was practically no drop in audience from the premiere to the second episode, and high retention from “Ghost Whisperer”. In other words, against all odds, “Moonlight” is showing some early signs of life.

This is unusual, because other supposed “high-concept” shows are finding it hard to please the audience. “Journeyman” is still finding its voice and struggling in the ratings, particularly in retention of the “Heroes” audience, and “Bionic Woman” has found itself in something of a freefall, despite the hype. “Moonlight” may have mediocre ratings compared to the blockbuster hit shows, but so far, it’s a consistent performer.

The news is even better when the quality of the product is considered. The premiere offered few surprises, but set the stage for a televised version of the popular “paranormal romance” genre rather well. This episode tightens up the formula a bit more and pays off one source of tension much earlier than expected. Since I avoid spoilers as much as possible, I wasn’t expecting that twist, and it left me even more intrigued.

The “case” itself was somewhat conventional, with more than a few plot holes, but it served the purpose of exposing Mick St. John’s nature to Beth. Now the situation is less stable, which is a nice touch. Beth has a live-in boyfriend, yet she will inevitably be drawn to Mick, given their shared history. Exposure to the unseen world of vampires will factor into her output on Buzzwire, and that will get Josef’s attention. It’s a fair bet that Josef will push Mick to keep Beth under his thumb, and the boundaries are likely to be very tightly drawn.

The first few episodes have established Mick’s internal struggle. Flashbacks have shown him to be more indulgent in his vampiric ways in the past, but his current practices are more “human-friendly”. This would imply that he might be swayed back towards Josef’s lifestyle with the right influence. Coraline, the vampire that turned Mick in the first place, could return and haunt his existence again, further complicating his relationship with Beth. It’s all quite standard for the genre, but when it works, it holds its appeal.

This episode was written by David Greenwalt, which may explain why it represents a step up from the pilot. Greenwalt has since left the production team, so the question is whether or not the remaining writing staff will be able to continue the upward creative trend. Right now, the show is cultivating a tone similar to “Night Stalker”, a show that never got the chance it deserved, and that could be the right recipe for success.

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

Final Rating: 7/10