Episode 1.14: “Click”
by Administrator on May.06, 2008, under Reviews
Written by Erin Maher and Kathryn Reindl
Directed by Scott Lautanen
Rather than rest on their laurels and limp into a potential second season, the writers (who are now in nominal control of the series) have chosen to use these extra post-strike episodes as a bridge between the first season arc and the future. The main hook is the idea that Mick might be exposed in the wake of Josh and Maureen’s deaths. Mick has his own way to deal with such a threat, but surprisingly, so does Beth.
I’m not sure that it makes sense for Beth to be so naïve about the truth of her chosen genre. Perhaps Maureen kept Buzzwire more or less respectable, but anyone with passing familiarity with TMZ or Perez Hilton is aware of the utter lack of basic human decency displayed. Someone in that general field should know if they’re the exception to the rule.
But perhaps there was simple a line Beth wasn’t willing to cross, even if it meant getting very close to it. As we see in her wonderful conversation with Josef in the final act, she’s willing to consider and even advocate some disturbing actions. She simply won’t dirty her own hands in the process of seeing to her (and Mick’s) best interests. That, combined with her more confident acceptance of vampires as a whole, brought home the strengths of the character for me.
I also liked the exploration of Mick’s weaknesses. Josef tries to get Mick to understand that a public presence is more of a danger than he suspects, but Mick seems to think he has everything under control. It’s a touch of hubris that has always been there since the beginning of the series, and it’s come back to bite Mick before (the second episode comes to mind). What it could do in this instance is force Mick to decide between staying with Beth or leaving town to protect himself.
While I’m hopeful that this possible threat to the vampire underground will last longer than the next couple episodes, since it would logically get Josef more directly involved with the story, the pacing of the series thus far suggests otherwise. If there is one complaint I have about the series, it’s the tendency to rush through plot points that would be better served by depth. Hopefully, if the series survives to a second season (and the SAG strike is avoided), the writers can make these minor but rewarding adjustments.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
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May 7th, 2008 on 8:50 pm
There’s one huge, glaring writers’ continuity problem with this episode: Josef tells Mick that vampires and humans can have sex and that the only thing keeping Mick from “sealing the deal” is Mick’s fear of getting hurt, not his fear of hurting Beth. Yet in episode 1.10 “Sleeping Beauty,” Josef put his human love in a coma from 1955 until the present by trying to bring her across (make her a vampire) because “it was the only way we could be together.” 1.10 “Sleeping Beauty” was clearly supposed to be a cautionary tale to cool and check the building passion and romance between human Beth and vampire Mick (and a set up for the increased unresolved sexual tension between them once Mick got the mortal cure and became temporarily human).
So, which is it? Either it’s the ONLY way vampires and humans can be together, or vampires and humans CAN have sex together. The writers should pick one; they can’t have it both ways. The inconsistencies from episode to episode are driving me nuts and making Moonlight’s own mythology laughably incoherent and contradictory–not in a fascinating, philosophically paradoxical way, but in a stupid, badly written way. It seriously lowers the quality of the series, which–so far–looks fabulous, and is strictly superficial. It hasn’t got much more going for it than a slick SoCal noir look and the eye-candy appeal of the actors. (And Jason Dohring’s charisma, screen presence, and talent… which seems so wasted here when the dialog, stories, and writing are so inconsistent and cliche.)
May 7th, 2008 on 9:28 pm
I interpret Josef’s warning in “Sleeping Beauty” differently. Not that vampires and humans can’t have sex, but that the emotions of love that eventually come into play can be complicated and devastating. Josef, IIRC, wanted to bring over his love so she would be with him forever, not simply so they could have sex. Something went wrong with the process, and she went into a coma.