Moonlight 10/5/2007 (S01E02) "Out of the Past"

[dswallow]

Around halfway through this episode I really was ready to dump the season pass. But by the end, I really started to like the character development going on between Mick and Beth and Mick and Josef. I'm glad the reveal to Beth is happening this quickly. I think it's the relationships that have a chance to make this show engaging; it's certainly not the vampires alone.

[Langree]

I guess I watch to much CSI and other mysteries, the self inflicted gsw would raise questions.

[LoadStar]

I watched this episode, more out of some sense of self-loathing than anything else, apparently, since I hated the first episode so much. I will admit, this episode was better than last week's inauspicious debut. The show has graduated to "Bionic Woman" status, which isn't exactly reaching for the stars. In other words, it's improved from "sheer torture" to "inoffensive and insipid."

Unfortunately, they can't undo the changes for the worst to the typical vampire mythos; you still can't kill a vampire by staking them, for instance, which is terribly disappointing since it was attempted in this episode. Had it worked, we would've been done with this show. Nor can we change the casting choices for this show; Alex O'Loughlin's attempt to act is about as interesting as a bowl of regular instant oatmeal. And Sophia Myles, much as I loved her on Doctor Who, is still seemingly challenged by being asked to simultaneously act and maintain a barely passable American accent.

On the upside, the writing for this episode was a total turnaround from last week's episode, that seemed more at home in some pulp fiction gumshoe novel from the '40s. The improvement can be probably attributed to the sheer talent of David Greenwalt, who came over from another "vampire detective who saves innocents" show called Angel. Unfortunately, this gives me even less hope for the show, knowing that Greenwalt bailed (or was forced out) after 5 episodes, leaving the wonderful talent behind that wrote last week's epic work of fiction.

Unfortunately, though the writing was better, I could not muster anything within eyesight of a care about anyone or anything in this episode. I'm not quite sure if this is due to the lack of interest in Mick St. John (Mick? Really?!?!?) or if there just wasn't anything in this episode that allowed me to connect to it. We see Mick ain't Angel... he is willing to chow down on humans, as long as they're bad enough (or pretty and vapid enough, apparently.... look out, Beth) so I really couldn't care now if someone dusts him or not. (Although since they've destroyed vampire mythos, killing a vamp is apparently harder than winning the lottery, so good luck on that one.)

Josef was probably the most interesting part of this episode. Jason Dohring was less rigid than last week, making me think that stiffness was mostly his way of coping with the horrible writing. I'd like to see him bring a little more fun and frivolity to the character, though... Josef is still much too serious for my taste. One would think after suriving 400 years or whatever, that you'd begin to believe yourself somewhat invincible and take things a little more lightly, rather than becoming sour and ultra-serious.

I was amused to see another "driving" scene in this episode. It looked every bit as cheap and fake as last week. Is this really the best that they can do these days to depict a driving scene, someone sitting in a motionless car on a stage with stock footage projected against the backdrop? Really?

I would say I won't be watching next week... but as I said, apparently I hate myself quite a bit (plus, there's nothing else on television on Friday nights) so I probably will be. Sigh.

[Graymalkin]

You'd think Mick would be bright enough to change his identity every 30 years or so. :rolleyes:

[Shakhari]

This episode said that he had been a vampire for 50 years. Didn't the first one say he'd been one for 90?

[dcheesi]

We see Mick ain't Angel... he is willing to chow down on humans, as long as they're bad enough (or pretty and vapid enough, apparently.... look out, Beth) so I really couldn't care now if someone dusts him or not. (Although since they've destroyed vampire mythos, killing a vamp is apparently harder than winning the lottery, so good luck on that one.)I think the idea is that he used to feed on humans, before the incident with Beth as a girl. That experience gave him a crisis of conscience or something, which is when he switched to packaged blood.



This episode said that he had been a vampire for 50 years. Didn't the first one say he'd been one for 90?No, the fist one said he was eighty-something years old, which makes sense if he was turned when he was thirty-something.

[Shakhari]

No, the fist one said he was eighty-something years old, which makes sense if he was turned when he was thirty-something.

That makes more sense. He would have been born around 1920, so he would have been 30-ish when the picture in the book was taken.

[Cainebj]

I have to wonder why all TV and movie vampires these days seem to know karate?

Ya think it's like the vampire toaster?
- get eternal life - AND your black belt!

[Sadara]

I love this show!! I can't wait to see the next one. This is right in there with the types of shows I enjoy!!

[marksman]

On the upside, the writing for this episode was a total turnaround from last week's episode, that seemed more at home in some pulp fiction gumshoe novel from the '40s. The improvement can be probably attributed to the sheer talent of David Greenwalt, who came over from another "vampire detective who saves innocents" show called Angel. Unfortunately, this gives me even less hope for the show, knowing that Greenwalt bailed (or was forced out) after 5 episodes, leaving the wonderful talent behind that wrote last week's epic work of fiction.


I read somewhere that they had a new writer come in with the second episode, but I don't know that he does any more. The entire tone changed. I saw the third episode already as part of a focus group and I am salivating to see if it is the same as I already saw or if they changed things.

I think the inconsistent writing is this shows biggest weakness (besides the actress who plays Beth).

[PajamaFeet]

Can vampires cut and grow their hair? I would have liked to see Mick with an 80s style 'do in some of the flashback footage.

[LoadStar]

Can vampires cut and grow their hair? I would have liked to see Mick with an 80s style 'do in some of the flashback footage.
Well, they probably can, but getting the style right is rather tough since they can't see what they're doing in the mirror.

[Langree]

With being able to be digitally photographed/videoed now :rolleyes: , I guess they have a workaround.

[dcheesi]

I have to wonder why all TV and movie vampires these days seem to know karate?

Ya think it's like the vampire toaster?
- get eternal life - AND your black belt!Think about it: you're immortal, unless someone kills you, which can generally only be done up close & personal (eg. decapitation here, or stakes in other mythos). Wouldn't it make sense to invest some of your infinite free time into learning self-defense techniques?

[Shakhari]

Think about it: you're immortal, unless someone kills you, which can generally only be done up close & personal (eg. decapitation here, or stakes in other mythos). Wouldn't it make sense to invest some of your infinite free time into learning self-defense techniques?

Or wear kevlar.

[dcheesi]

Or wear kevlar.Doesn't work if they manage to pin you down and rip your vest off. Or just decapitate you or set you on fire. The key is to not get pinned down by anyone (which Mick failed miserably at here, admittedly due to something that Kevlar would have helped with).

[Gai-jin]

I just watched the 1st two episodes this weekend, and found it better than I expected. Of course, since it's a new show, and I like it, that means it's destined to be canceled before the season ends.

[brnscofrnld]

I guess I watch to much CSI and other mysteries, the self inflicted gsw would raise questions.

I said the exact same thing when I saw that scene.

Stick around and tell the cops to check for GSR. Crime solved.

[TAsunder]

you still can't kill a vampire by staking them, for instance, which is terribly disappointing since it was attempted in this episode.

No it wasn't. TJ knew it wouldn't kill him, only paralyze him, and he didn't stake him in the heart, he only threatened to. Thus explaining why Mick's sire was possibly unable to escape the fire, although probably did anyway.