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« Ausiello Report
UPDATED: Moonlight Leader Slayed!
Moonlight by Cliff Lipson/CBS
UPDATE: According to trade reports, exec producer Joel Silver, along with what's left of the Moonlight writing team, will oversee production of the show's four remaining episodes. If Moonlight gets renewed for a second season, a new show-runner will be sought at that time. We now return you to the original story....
More backstage drama at Moonlight — and the timing couldn't be worse. I'm told that Chip Johannessen has been let go as show-runner just as the freshman drama is fighting for a second season. The search is on for a replacement.
This is the second major regime change for the cult fave; over the summer Johannessen replaced David Greenwalt, who vacated his post for health reasons.
The behind-the-scenes upheaval may explain why Moonlight was conspicuously absent from CBS' litany of renewals last week. It's unclear what impact this will have on the four post-strike episodes that the network just commissioned, which are slated to begin airing on April 11. But rest assured, when I know you'll know.
In the meantime, weigh in below with your thoughts on Johannessen's exit. I'm guessing you're not happy about it.
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Feb 21, 2008 11:24 AM
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What is wrong with you people at CBS? Moonlight is the best thing to happen to your network in years, and yet you seem to be doing everything you can to kill it! Wake up, people! And don't kill your newest cash cow! Geez! Chip Johannessen was doing a wonderful job with the show....
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Feb 21, 2008 11:40 AM
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Moonlight is the most original show on CBS, so why are they making it so difficult for the show to continue? The ratings have been decent haven't they? I hate how networks usually end up killing series by doing stuff like this.
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Feb 21, 2008 11:50 AM
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Did this show really get better after that mess of a pilot? People say it's good and I cringed during that first episode & never watched again. I mean the blonde was horrible and the narration was lame and the fact that they changed alot of the vampire lore that I grew up with kind of ticked me off. What's the deal with this show?
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Feb 21, 2008 11:50 AM
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The pilot was dreadful (and I think buffybot might know a thing about vampire TV shows...!) and I haven't been back.
But if they get a new showrunner, I will give it another shot. It does have VM's Logan in it so I want to like it.
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Feb 21, 2008 11:55 AM
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Moonlight is an okay show, but it is far from orginial. Ever heard of a show called Angel that David Greenwalt has credits in writing and directing? Or how about Forever Knight? Moonlight is not that much different than either of those.
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Feb 21, 2008 12:00 PM
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WHY WHY WHY, CBS??? Moonlight is the most creative thing you have going for you and you continue to treat it like dead meat!
The fans want their Moonlight back for season 2! Give us a reason for Chip J's leaving!
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Feb 21, 2008 12:00 PM
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To others that have commented, yes, yes, yes, the pilot was a bit slow. Episode 2 was a LOT better, then ep 3 was so-so for me. BUT Episode 4 was where this show REALLY TOOK OFF!!! Now I am hooked!
I just hope that those that have "given up" on it gives it another try.
Don't get me wrong -- I am a BIG Angel fan -- but this show is different! And I LOVE this show. There can be more than one show with vampirism as a single element. Look at detective shows or law shows.
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Feb 21, 2008 12:03 PM
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Most creative show? Best on CBS? Seriously? Are you kidding me? Whose Kool-Aid are you people drinking? The writing is uneven, the dialogue is horrible, the acting is wooden -- even Jason Dohring, who was great in Veronica Mars.
Maybe a new show-runner is just what is needed. I mean, it sure couldn't get any worse.
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Feb 21, 2008 12:13 PM
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I'm so sorry to hear this! Moonlight is an amazing show, and they have worked so hard this season. I'm not sure CBS realizes what a gem this show is, and if it could just get a decent strike-free airing, I'm sure the good ratings it has now would just increase. I desperately hope this doesn't spell the end for Moonlight! We need a season 2!
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Feb 21, 2008 12:20 PM
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Buffybot- the pilot was dreadful, but yes, it definitely got better after about episode three on. I just left the show on in the background as I did other things on Friday nights and slowly it sucked me in. It takes a strong show to come out of the background like that for me- and if not "strong" per se, then "imaginative". This show is imaginative and despite the rocky start actually cleaned up quite nicely. It would be a shame for such improvement to be flushed down the toilet.
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Feb 21, 2008 12:31 PM
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I'm wondering how many of the negative comments above were made by people who actually watched the show beyond the first few episodes.
But to each his own...I happen to love the show, and I don't drink any sort of strange Kool-Aid. It's not Buffy, it's not Angel, it's not Forever Knight. It's Moonlight.
Those involved with the show are professionals, and I'm sure they will carry on and continue to deliver the fine product that many of us have developed an addiction to. I'm looking forward to it.
Not sure why Mr. Johannesen was let go, but I wish him luck in his future endeavors. And I thank him for his contibution to the show so far.
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Feb 21, 2008 12:35 PM
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I wanted so much to love this show when it first premiered. I am a huge Buffy/Angel/supernatural genre fan, and I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. In fact, I had recently seen Sophia Myles as Madame de Pompadour in Doctor Who and had been impressed by her performance. Yet the writing on Moonlight has been occasionally cringe-worthy, and her performance isn't what I expected at all. I've watched every episode and admit that the show has gotten slightly better, but I don't know that my heart will be broken if it doesn't return. Is it just me, or is the fact that Mick has been in love with Beth since she was four or so a little too "Thorn Birds" creepy for anyone else?
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Feb 21, 2008 12:38 PM
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The show started off rough, but has been getting better. Shows sometimes take a while to find themselves (funny how people speak of Buffy as though it hit the ground running) and Moonlight seems to be doing that.
Is it Angel? No. which is a good thing, because Angel sucked for the most part (it'd have helped if they didn't ditch the entire concept of the show by season 2).
The tones are completely different. Buffy and Angel were more fantastical monster shows. Moonlight is a little more grounded so far. To compare them based on kinda-sorta similarities would be like comparing Veronica Mars to Murder, She Wrote. They're just different. The fact that people are constantly comparing it to Angel is getting old.
Bottom line: Moonlight wasn't great to start with. It's not great now, but it's good. Hopefully they won't mess up it's chance to get better.
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Feb 21, 2008 12:53 PM
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Holy Crap!--as Coraline(one of the characters on Moonlight) would say!
I absolutely love this show--I am one of the ones fighting for it to stay on--and it seems like there is one issue after another involving the production. It has got a great cast and a devoted(to the point of being fanatics like me!) viewership--why can't this show get the support it needs?? WE WANT THIS SHOW TO HAVE A 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH SEASONS!!--Anyone who is reading this who has the authority to keep this show on--Please support it and give the producers the support they need! Thank you so much!!
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Feb 21, 2008 1:06 PM
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