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hera2511
Reviews
Moonlight: The Ringer (2007)
Not as strong as the other episodes
Mainly because Beth has little to do in this story, and that lack leaves the action rudderless. Mick should enlist Beth's help in his investigation, instead of keeping her at a distance. He mentions to Josef that the cause of Coraline's return may be because "she can't stand to see me happy (about Beth)." So, shouldn't he have realized that Beth may be a potential target of a wily, dangerous -- and possibly resurrected -- vampire? The "jealous Beth" perspective is set up too soon. It's a little too early in the series -- and in their friendship -- for the issue to come up, especially in dialog with each other as do in this episode.
Otherwise, the story was interesting and it moved along quite a bit of back-story. I'm looking forward to see how it plays out in a follow-up episode.
Moonlight (2007)
Rapidly becoming my favorite show this year.
And I didn't expect it to. At all.
I too watched the premiere, then almost removed it from the "to watch" list, mostly because of the inner voice carping "Joss Whedon already did that. Yep, that's Joss too. Oh look, more stuff they stole from Joss." But I persevered, as the acting was so very, very good. I was also intrigued that certain standards of the vampire mythos were modified (stakes paralyze instead of kill; sunlight only debilitates). These modifications could make for some interesting story lines. I loved "Buffy" and "Angel", but the tone from "Moonlight" is more mature and realistic, which sounds somewhat odd, since it is still a vampire premise.
I enjoy the fact that the characters are as unflinchingly honest with each other as possible, given the myriad circumstances they find themselves in. The writing is direct, with splashes of subtle humour, the mysteries involved are complex and human. Usually with TV you see things coming, plot wise, from far, far away. Or, conversely, the plot yanks you around with twists that have very little thought behind them. With Moonlight, there's a subtlety and intelligence to the twists, allowing the episodes to hold up to repeated viewings as plot points or dialog that you gloss over the first time take on deeper meanings once you know the whole story.
The dyad of Mick and Beth is a wonderful dance to watch. They lead with their eyes, and are both subtle and intelligent actors. And funny. The best scenes in my opinion are when Beth and Mick are standing around verbally sparring. That's a very good sign that the chemistry between the leads is good, and that the writing is the same.
The cinematography is top rate, the lighting sumptuous, the score haunting. My only gripe is some of the scenes descend into music or fanvid trappings, which I feel pulls you out of the story. As much as one would wish it, life doesn't have a soundtrack.
The supporting cast is solid, so much so that when recurring characters appear in a scene, I'm inordinately pleased, looking forward to learning more about them. Josef is mesmerizing and hilarious, Beth and her boyfriend Josh are believable and warm together. Watching them ride out the bumps in their relationship doesn't feel contrived.
Also enjoyable is Beth's dedication and interest in her work. She isn't a super hero, she doesn't have special powers, but her drive to understand the workings of the stories she covers, and the intelligence with which she applies herself are a delight to watch. Her character is rapidly rising to the top of the (sadly small) pantheon of my favorite female leads. She dresses practically, works hard, isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, exhibits grace under pressure, and doesn't apologize when she isn't sorry.
I'm curious to see if they continue with the narration by Alex O'Loughlin (Mick), or if that fades out once the development of his character is on firmer ground. The narration is clever and, at times, poetic. Mr. O'Loughlin has a beautiful voice. He should moonlight (sic) and record books on tape...either his native or American accent would work admirably.
Also looking forward to possible story development concerning Mick's service during WWII. That could present several opportunities for character development and social commentary about the reality of armed conflict.