Episode 1.5: “Arrested Development”

by Administrator on Oct.30, 2007, under Reviews

Written by Chip Johannessen
Directed by Michael Fields

Most new shows lose viewers after initial interest. “Moonlight”, on the other hand, has slowly but surely gained a significant following, and the ratings are creeping up, inch by inch. After so many poor reviews from the critics, particularly for the pilot, word-of-mouth appears to be working wonders. If CBS can be patient, this could be a strong performer (or at the very least, a consistent one).

This particular episode is still devoted to fleshing out the world of “Moonlight”, cementing many of the rules and pushing the Mick/Beth romance just a little further. The writers are letting the two of them fall into a slow spiral together, still apart but bound together more and more tightly with each new situation. This fits the general “paranormal romance” novel, as one would expect, and underscores their mutual importance to one another.

In terms of the premise, it’s always fun to delve into the implications of vampirism in each new incarnation. By loosening the prohibition on sunlight while still setting limits, the show breaks out of the need to set the action exclusively at night. It also blurs the line between the worlds of human and vampire, allowing for more believable overlap and concealment. That is used to strong effect in this episode.

Now we have another example: the human desires and conditions of the body at the time of turning remain with the vampire, with the specific vampiric desires and demands layered on top of what was already there. The villain in this episode was a teenager struggling with severe acne and raging hormones. It’s no wonder that this would be a problem. Mick suggests very strongly that sexual behavior is possible, but it seldom ends well; the lust for blood must become overwhelming under such circumstances.

Mick St. John was a strong character from the start; the rest of the cast is quickly getting up to speed. Josef continues to be one of the best elements, and Sophia Myles is much better in this episode. She’s becoming more comfortable with the accent, and the chemistry between Mick and Beth is gaining ground. Even as a male viewer, this is the most compelling aspect of the series, which is a testimony to the success of the premise.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

2 Comments for this entry

virago
November 3rd, 2007 on 7:41 am
Moonlight is thoroughly entertaining and great television, a welcome relief from the usual vast wasteland of network programming. Rather than being a brooding and dark gothic tale, this is an action-filled detective story about believable people. The fangs and blood are secondary elements. The cast are all fine actors with an extraordinary chemistry between them.

Alex O’Loughlin, while heart-stoppingly good looking, is a gifted actor able to connect with the viewers and breathe life into his character. If eyes are the windows to the soul, then Alex brings his soul to his performance for the audience to experience. His acting is completely genuine and without contrivance; compelling, yet understated. His charming wit, humor, and depth make this vampire-hero more human than most mortals.

Sophia Myles can be compared to an English rose…softly delicate and profoundly beautiful in appearance, but with undeniable strength and resiliency of character. Her brilliant portrayal of Beth Turner holds up splendidly to the powerful characters around her.

Jason Dohring, as Mick’s best friend Josef Konstentin, is an equally stunning piece of eye-candy….all wrapped up in Armani fashion and Madison Avenue polish. Jason brings a razor edged wit, high voltage energy, and rapid fire delivery to his character, which plays wells off the more sultry character of his friend Mick St. John. The interaction between Mick and Josef is smart, engaging entertainment.

The Moonlight fanbase, seemingly, increases exponentially each and every week. There is a real grass roots movement, by the show’s fans, to gain recognition and support for Moonlight from the CBS programming executives. These fans are a loyal and dedicated group, willing to go the extra distance to ensure the survival of this television series.

Moonlight definitely deserves to be picked up for the whole season and blessed with immortality for many seasons to come.
Maximus
December 20th, 2007 on 10:44 am
I would like to see a continuation of the topic