Moonlight

Hi all-

I have to admit I'm quite shocked that CBS chose to cancel this show, especially considering all the fan support out there. I know many of you have already posted to Matt Roush's blog but also feel free to share your thoughts and opinions here too on that or last night's episode.

Are you excited about any of the network's new shows? Is there anything out there that might (I said might) take the place of Moonlight?

Hi all-

I'm checking in again and this time I think I have the correct link to connect you to a fellow moonlighter's blog. Try this.

If all else fails, leave your comments and critiques below.

Also, here is the link to Alex O'Loughlin's recent appearance on TV Watercooler. Enjoy!

Hi all-

Once again, I'm happy to provide a space for you to discuss the latest developments, share your thoughts on Friday's show, etc. Also, one of our fearless friends/colleagues has taken up the call to blog — follow this link.

In case you missed Alex O'Loughlin's appearance on TV's Sexiest Stars, check this out. Be patient. His clip follows one for January Jones.

Hi all. I have some very exciting news to share: Alex O’Loughlin will be on TV Watercooler, which airs on TV Guide Network Monday, April 28th at 8 pm ET. If you’d like hosts John Fugelsang and Teresa Strasser to ask one of TV’s sexiest stars any questions, please post them below.

Also, if you haven’t had a chance to check out the special message he taped just for you, click here.

And if you’d like, please feel free to share your thoughts on last week’s episode below. I, unfortunately, am no longer blogging on the show but I do want to give you a chance to post reactions and talk amongst yourselves. Enjoy!

What we know:
• As vampires age their scent becomes more potent with decay.
• There are some vamps even Josef won’t mess with.
• Coraline is a vamp again.
• The Reign of Terror was really a vamp genocide and the guillotine was the weapon of choice since only decapitation and burning could kill vamps.
• There is something called “the compound” which masks the traits of vampirism temporarily.

When Lance, a vampire since Medieval times, shows up at Mick’s place and asks for help finding Coraline I never imagined Lance would turn out to be her brother. I also never imagined Coraline would be of royal blood and a direct descent of King Louis XVI. I always love it when shows try to incorporate real world history into their timelines so I enjoyed this new element. And not only is Coraline of royal blood, but she brought Mick into that bloodline without the permission or consent of her brothers. Oh, and now we know why Coraline didn’t die when Mick set her on fire all those years ago. She, like her brother, can regenerate — they don’t have to worry about fire. They probably still worry about having their heads separated from their bodies.

Speaking of detached heads, Beth is still reeling and in her own private little world. A world where she’s still mad at Mick. But the journalist in her can’t rest, even when she’s hurting. A mysterious entry in Josh’s planner leads Beth to what appears to be a date with a woman named Celeste. Now, was I the only one who knew that Josh could not possibly be stepping out on Beth? God rest him, but he was a predictable and loyal guy. I can’t really imagine him having any earth-shattering secrets. And did Beth even have any right to be upset? She kissed Mick behind Josh’s back (I consider that cheating) and at best her feelings towards him were ambivalent at times. Even though she told him she loved him the day he died I think she said it as more of a reflex than an actual proclamation of her feelings. I was pleased when she finally went to see Mick though.

Before I get to the very, very interesting end of the episode I want to take a step back and examine this “cure” and that all starts with Coraline. Mick bribes the security guard at the hospital for a closer look of the tape on the night Coraline disappeared. Mick discovers Cynthia Davis, one of Coraline’s oldest friends, is the one who helped her escape. Mick enlists the help of Logan to track Cynthia down and we learn she’s been taking trips to France regularly to import an agricultural product and she’s got a degree in biochemistry. Mick goes to the warehouse where Cynthia’s agricultural product is being delivered and discovers it’s a lab where they’ve been performing experiments. Coraline has been testing on rogue vampires and it’s been killing them; she’s been looking for a way to make “the compound” a permanent solution to her vampire problem.

Coraline gives Mick the cure and asks him to run away with her. She needs to get out of town and away from Lance. But as they’re leaving Lance and his henchman track them down. Mick thinks it’s a double cross and that Coraline’s given him the cure to kill him but she ultimately sacrifices herself for him. Lance paralyzes her and takes her away. We’re not sure where they’re going but it’s clear that Coraline’s in a lot of trouble and she's scared. Mick, feeling the pain of getting his ass kicked and sleeping on the couch, goes to Josh’s funeral looking like a hot mess. Beth guesses that he’s human and although she’s wearing Josh’s ring we can still see how much she's drawn to Mick, maybe even more so now.

In a way I think this episode was a good season “finale.” It opens up a whole new world for these two to explore whenever we get to see new episodes. There are so many questions to answer. How long will this “cure” last? Will Mick try to make a move on Beth while he’s human? Will they explore their feelings? His day-to-day life will also change. Will Mick have to take on different kinds of cases now that he can’t rely on his vamp senses? Will there be any sort of backlash from his vamp friends? Will his body start aging and how will he deal with feeling pain? Mick will probably do everything in his power to make the cure permanent. How fast do you think he’ll use his blood to isolate the compound and manufacture more of the cure? Do you think Coraline and her kin are out of the picture for good?

Let me know your thoughts. What do you want to see the next new episode tackle? And please feel free to pose your own questions for the group. Until we get a fresh episode check out our Online Video Guide for more on Moonlight.

Beth becomes a marked woman. Josh is kidnapped at gunpoint. Mick and Beth try desperately to save the mortally wounded Josh. Beth asks Mick to turn Josh. This was an exciting episode.

Mick uses the medic skills he picked up during World War II in trying to save Josh’s life. And he gave it a valiant effort. I was impressed by everything he did to save Beth’s beloved (they did say “I love you”). Not only did he think quickly on his feet by using the cigarette lighter to cauterize a wound but Mick also used Beth’s necklace to tie off an artery. Part of me really wanted Josh to live after all that effort. I know, I know. I pretty much have not been a fan from day one but that doesn’t mean a decent human being (and I think we can all agree he was as least that) didn’t deserve to die like that. But I think his death presents an interesting hurdle in the story of Beth and Mick. Because Mick wouldn’t turn Josh, Beth now blames Mick for Josh’s death. I liked Mick’s speech at the end about how Josh’s job ultimately killed him but Beth’s a little emotional right now. I’m not sure she really heard anything other than Mick saying he wouldn’t turn her to save her from death. That was a little harsh but I’m glad he said it. He might not actually feel that way but how could he live with himself if he turned the woman he loves into something he hates?

And the way Mick went after Tejada was very interesting. We’ve never seen him show his vamp side willingly to anyone but he used it to great effect with Bustos. After Mick got Tejada’s location out of him, Mick went to administer some vigilante justice. And I can’t say I’m not glad Tejada got what was coming to him. The scenes at the bar were kind of fun — especially Mick’s narration about the bartender and his gun. Well, it was kind of gruesome after that but they had a little fun with it, which was refreshing.

Let’s talk about Coraline for a moment because there were definitely a significant development there. First, Mick doesn’t want his pal Guillermo to analyze Coraline’s blood. Although Mick sees it as a cure he’s afraid other vamps will see it as a threat. The doc who analyzes the blood assumes it’s that of a child because it’s so “pure,” it’s extremely rare, and just happens to be the same type as Beth’s blood. That makes Beth think Coraline targeted her as a child but Mick isn’t convinced.

I had a few quibbles, which I’m hesitant to even mention because I did enjoy the episode so much. Well, it’s really only one: why would Tejada’s men kidnap Josh and take him somewhere else to kill him if the endgame is Josh’s death? Why not just kill him on the street in front of Beth’s place? It would send a pretty strong message to any other DA who is thinking of prosecuting him. I think Beth couldn’t have possibly asked Mick to save Josh if he was shot in front of her place. And without that conflict, I think we all know they’d be together in a heartbeat. Well, probably not quite that fast but I think they’d be together pretty fast. One thing I did enjoy was seeing Mick with his shirt off at the top of the episode. Am I right ladies? Sorry, guys, I’m not sure there was much eye candy for you.

I know you’re all about to go through some serious withdrawal — as am I — after next week’s last fresh episode. I won’t say more than I think it’s going to be a great “season” ender based on the preview. I’m sure you’ll keep this blog going with all your great comments. It looks like you’re learning a lot from each other and I certainly learn a lot from all of you.

So what did you think of Josh’s demise? Do you think there’s some significance to Coraline and Beth sharing the same rare blood type? Do you think Beth has any right to be mad at Mick? Do you think Mick will tell Beth how he really feels?

Check out our Online Video Guide for more on Moonlight. And I know quite a few of you already mentioned it but it bears repeating. Moonlight won the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Drama. Nice job.

I don’t know what kind of hiccup in my note taking resulted in my forgetting a very important and vital fact about exactly what Beth did and didn’t know in our last new episode. Many apologies and thanks for pointing out my blunder. But I’m glad you had such a lively discussion in the weeks we’ve been away. As I’m sure you’re as excited as I am to discuss the fresh episode let’s get right to it.

I’m sure you’re all with me when I say I didn’t believe for one second that Josef was really dead. They tried to fake us out by mentioning the ash — well I guess some of Josef’s vamp friends did die so it’s technically not a fake out. But I have a highly trained, highly skilled team who makes sure I’m up on all the Moonlight spoilers. Well, that’s just isn’t true but I do depend heavily on Michael Ausiello to warn me of such things and we got not a peep on this so I was sure Jason Dohring hadn’t negotiated some sort of early exit from his contract. Knowing that, it was kind of weird to watch Mick mourn his friend. Don’t get me wrong I, like you, love me some Alex O’Loughlin and he can do no wrong in my eyes but I wanted the story to skip ahead to where he, Beth, and Josef would find out who wanted Josef dead and why.

One other little thing I had trouble believing at first was that Josef had been in love. And with a human. I guess he really does know of what he speaks when he warns Mick about starting something up with Beth. But to think he was so in love he agreed to turn the object of his affection into a vampire, that’s a big deal. And to have it go so horribly wrong that she’s been in a coma ever since? It’s got to be that much harder on Josef because in one way the transformation took — she hasn’t aged a day since Josef drained her in 1955. But that also means she won’t die and it looks like she’ll never wake up either. No wonder Josef’s so lonely.

Not one for caring about Josef’s mental state, Sarah’s father wants Josef (alias: Charles Fitzgerald) dead. A wealthy real estate developer, it was Richard Whitley’s dying wish to kill the man who took his daughter from him. Hired assassin Ralf Martan, your basic mercenary, almost gets the job done a few times. I was a little surprised to see Mick kill him during their last fight but he was just looking out for Josef. I think he knew Ralpf wouldn’t stop until he and Josef were dead.

I guess Beth did the adult thing in going home to work things out with Josh instead of staying in New York with Mick for a night on the town. I just want Josh out of the picture but the sexual tension of having Mick and Beth apart is probably too good to pass up. Sigh. I know I wasn’t the only one disappointed to see her turn Mick down. If she isn’t interested, I am.

And now that we’ve established Morgan is Coraline and that she’s human — although we’re not sure how — I guess she’s around to stay. We know that she came back for Mick. We also know she did something to herself to become human so she could come back for Mick. Do we know if she actually died in the fire? Was she resurrected by something? I'm looking forward to discovering more of the mythology that seems to surround Coraline’s return to humanity. And if she’s really human, why did we see her fangs when the nurse came near her? Maybe that blood Mick took from Coraline will give us some answers.

After three torturous weeks away, what did you think? I loved seeing more screen time for Josef and I like the way Mick and Beth’s relationship keeps evolving. And check out this feature with Alex O’Loughlin if you haven’t already. I don’t know when we’ll be getting a new episode but until then check out our Online Video Guide for more on Moonlight.

Wow. You guys are amazing. I haven’t had a chance to read through too many comments yet but I want to thank you for treating Jeannine so well. I’m so happy she was able to blog on the show while I was on vacation.

The opening scene packs a big punch. I’m surprised and a little disappointed in Mick, considering the state of his undress. And clearly Beth is upset too. Upset enough to stab Morgan/Coraline through the heart with stake. Normally all that would do is paralyze her…

But let’s start at the beginning with some facts about Coraline:
• Coraline was turned in 18th century France
• Coraline was a courtesan

Beth kind of grills Mick about his ex while they are staking Morgan’s apartment out. In a way I’m pretty glad Mick’s seeing Beth’s jealousy. I feel like it puts them on somewhat even ground in terms of their strange relationship. Even though Beth still seems to be with Josh (he’s been out of town for the last few weeks? lame), I think she’s getting more and more possessive of Mick. Even tough he keeps telling her it won’t work Beth’s trying to find a way. After this week she might want put those plans on hold.

Mick takes a case while Beth decides she has to know once and for all if Morgan is really Coraline. In order to keep Morgan close so Beth can do her digging, Mick offers Morgan a job on his case. He entices her with 10K for a few days works. They just need to get photographic and audio evidence of Mr. Haggans young wife, Tina, having an affair. Mick and Morgan have to stay very close to Tina and her mystery man. Mick thinks he’s been made but Morgan manages to get a money shot of the couple kissing. He’s having trouble hearing anything on the mic he’s got on them so he uses his overdeveloped sense of hearing to pick up on their fear for their lives should Haggans catch them.

During the course of Beth’s investigation into Morgan’s past she discovers that courtesans in the 1700s were branded with a fleur de lis, “a permanent scarlet letter.” Beth, schooled by a college boyfriend in the art of picking locks, gets into Morgan’s place and barely has time to hide before Mick and Morgan show up. Mick smells her there and gets Morgan out of the apartment quickly. Beth stays and stumbles upon a picture of Mick from 1952. Armed with the photo, Beth decides to see Josef. He’s the one who tells her how volatile Mick and Coraline’s relationship was back in the day. They were not very good for each other, apparently. It was very intense and Mick left Coraline repeatedly, but he always came back.

And Morgan seems to have the same pull on Mick that Coraline did, which makes sense considering they’re the same person. They have to get a little close in the elevator in Haggans’ building when they spot Tina’s mystery guy in the elevator. Then Tina gets in. Morgan wants to follow them but Mick knows where they’re going. They get set up to get the photographic and audio proof they need and during the deed Mick and Morgan kiss. They also find out Tina’s lover is Haggans’ son.

Mick sets a meet with Haggans but just to talk. He makes sure all the evidence of the affair is safe in his office. When he’s stood up he returns home to find his office in shambles. He thinks Haggans Sr. is behind it but when he goes to see Haggans Jr. he learns the truth and gets shot for his trouble. Morgan finds him and they chase Haggans down. Just as he and Tina are about to kill Haggans Sr. Mick shows up and saves the day. He literally uses his vamp skills to save Morgan.

Back at his place Mick finally has proof that Morgan is Coraline. He sees the brand/tattoo on her shoulder and things start to get hot and heavy between them when Beth interrupts. Having found evidence that Morgan/Coraline is the woman who kidnapped her as a child Beth’s ready for a little payback. And if that room in the basement didn’t stoke her need for revenge enough she finds evidence that Coraline’s been watching her and Mick for months. She stabs Coraline through the heart with the remnants of a rocking chair from her childhood prison thinking it will only paralyze her. The problem is that Coraline is now human. Mick sees his chance for reversing his affliction slipping away.

Sorry for so much straight-on recapping but I wanted to get that all out there so we could discuss. What did you think? Considering how stoic and sometimes distant Mick tends to come off it was very interesting to see him so conflicted. Well, more conflicted I guess. He’s been fighting his feelings for Beth all this time and now he’s also fighting his feelings for Morgan/Coraline. I think we’re learning a lot about Mick here as well. We know he despises Coraline for turning him but we also know their feelings for each other are so intense that nothing but death can keep them apart, and they’ve now overcome that. No matter what Coraline does to him or for him, Mick just can’t seem to stay away from her.

Beth can now stop blocking out the memories of her abduction because she’s found the woman responsible. Her payback wasn’t as sweet as she’d hoped though. I was upset when Mick shoved Beth out of the way after she stabbed Coraline. Coraline deserves to be punished for what she did and there’s no way Beth could have known she wasn’t a vampire anymore. If Coraline dies, which is probably unlikely for now, Beth and Mick’s relationship will be even further complicated. He’s so close to a cure for his condition and if Beth prevents Mick from getting that cure I don’t think it’ll be good for them.

I know you have theories and reactions so let’s hear them. If you need a Moonlight fix check out our Online Video Guide.

Hi everyone, Jeannine again! This is my last Friday subbing for Kara here, but I will be back in the Comments section on a regular basis, because you all are just too fun, and I'm way too addicted to the show to not come back and chat with you.

Deep breath. OK, we've got a lot to talk about!

The way in which the writers set up Shepherd's character in the opening scene was so great. As the scene evolved, Kurt Cobain entered my brain, and then, sure enough, Mick describes him later as having "the grunge appeal of Kurt Cobain and the press savvy of Donald Trump." It's as if the writers crawled into my head and subliminally dropped Kurt's image into it.

I realize now how they did it. Did you notice that the song selection for that scene sounded a little bit Nirvana-ish? And then, we see "groupies" flooding the gates outside, and, of course, the long, grungy blond hair. Music. Style. Surroundings. Very smart.

Now, once we got a good close-up of Shepherd, he reminded me more of Iggy Pop with Kurt Cobain's hair... kinda... well... not kinda... very creepy!

When Shepherd sliced the Hollywood producer's throat open and used a glass to drain the blood, it reminded me so much of Near Dark. (Talk about a brutal vampire flick... one of my favorites, too!) Also, when Shepherd smashed into the producer's house, he looked so much like one of The Lost Boys' vamps, don't you think?

But the best by far was the blatant 300 (love that film!) movie reference. Not just that the film was called "Spartan" [or "Sparta?"] but the reference to the film being the "highest-grossing March nonsequel release." Well... to date, that's exactly what 300 remains! Fun stuff for geeky "genre film" fans like me.

So then, later on, as the big fight between Mick and Shepherd went down in the producer's house, how hilarious was it when the sword snapped like a little plastic prop? After hearing Mick say in an earlier scene, "This feels real!" I'm telling you, it's a good thing I wasn't drinking a beverage at that moment, because it would have wound up all over my coffee table!

Speaking of which... Another LOL moment for me was that awesome line, and even better, Alex's perfect delivery of that line: "Sometimes, I really hate living in Hollywood." R.O.F.L.

I also cracked up when the producer said to Shepherd, "Your movie is gonna rock!" That was so not what I was expecting him to say, and I just loved being surprised by that!

Wow, guys-n-girls, this was the night! The night that Beth and Mick finally... well... connected over their true connection. I love that what sparked it was Beth's connection to the witness she was protecting. I really enjoyed how that smaller episodic plot point became a catalyst for the looming huge plot point we've been waiting to see unfold. Again, smart writing.

I'm so relieved that after finding her file in Mick's office, Beth didn't get all freaked out and whiny about it. I'm so relieved that she talked to Mick calmly and openly, just wanting to understand rather than judge. And you know... it made me realize why I like Beth as our leading lady... she's very open and not judgmental... she doesn't whine, she's not a helpless, fragile flower... she's strong, independent, smart, patient, open-minded and laid-back. I like that, because usually the "strong female reporter" leading roles (at least, the badly written ones) are typically pushy and vocal and high maintenance. Ah! That's it! Beth is not a high-maintenance woman. I love that. No games, no drama, just... Beth. Totally opposite Coraline... should be very interesting to see how she handles the Mick and Coraline connection down the road.

I actually got teary-eyed in the end, when she talked to Mick about how she's felt safe her whole life, and how she's finally met her "angel." Wow. It's the epitome of romantic... love it. And then, the way she helped shield him from the sun before she kissed him? Sigh. Such a great scene.

Yet, Mick still believes it can never work. Double sigh.

Why not, Mick? Why not?!

Hey Moonlighters, it's Jeannine again! Wow, what a fun group you are... thanks so much for being kind to your substitute blogger. I'm looking very forward to all we'll have to talk [and drool] about this evening!

I've been wanting to take the time to do this all week, but haven't had the time. Many of you have been posting some very helpful links for Moonlight, so I wanted to share them here. Thank you for your input and your resources... CBS won't be able to deny that they need to order up some new Moonlight seasons by the time we're through with 'em, right?

Special thanks to Dorjean:
*Send your feedback on Moonlight to CBS

Special thanks to our fellow Moonlight fiend and blogger Kandyegirl for posting these links:
*People's Choice Awards: Vote for Moonlight in "Best New Drama" Category!
*Voice Your Opinions on Moonlight at Hey! Nielsen
*Read Kandyegirl's Moonlight Blog

Special thanks to FridayFan:
*Moonlight Detective

Special thanks to Wondergirl9847 for this new Moonlight fan page link:
*Moonlight Line

If any of you prefer I not link to your tvguide.com profile pages, hit me up in the comments and I'll remove the links.

Talk to you sooner than later!
-Jeannine

And Your Substitute Blogger Is...

Hey Moonlighters! I'm Jeannine, and I'm subbing for Kara this week and next. I volunteered to help out at the last minute late Friday afternoon, so I apologize for not getting this posted immediately after the show last night. I will definitely do better next Friday, because I know to plan for it.

My Moonlight Backstory

I've been watching Moonlight since Episode 1 and cheering the show on big time. I'm the Ghost Whisperer blogger here at TVGuide.com, and I just loooove watching those shows back-to-back.

I know there have been a few vocal skeptics and critics along the way as the show has been cutting its teeth, and all I can say to those people is: Never underestimate the fan base of the vampire... or the appeal of Alex O'Loughlin.

I've really enjoyed watching Moonlight find its groove and become an addicting supernatural drama that's also found a way to plant its tongue firmly in cheek without being cheesy. It's got that perfect balance of dry humor, dark romance, juicy mysteries and film-noir elements, and in my opinion it's proven all of the naysayers wrong. It's a great show of "guilty pleasure" caliber, and it's actually gotten less and less predictable as the season has progressed... tonight's episode, "The Ringer" is a perfect example of that. So let's talk "The Ringer."

On with the Show...

And what a ringer she was! Did "Morgan" have you fooled? She did me. I bet she's wicked at poker. But see, this show has become really excellent at misdirection, and that's one of the things I've grown to love about it. One of my favorite moments was last week when we thought that Beth and Mick were about to "seal the deal," and they wound up in the shower because Mick's a perfect gentleman who cared more about getting Beth sober than getting into her pants. That's good writing and even better character development, and tonight really was more about character development than anything... in a strange way, we got to know Mick's truly dark side, and that's... Coraline.

What Makes Mick Tick

I loved the irony to Mick's journey with Coraline. Back in the day, Mick looked and acted like the quintessential gentleman — slicked-back hair, Hawaiian shirt and all — but underneath, Coraline pushed some pretty primal buttons in him, and the rest is history. Burned up inside, indeed.

It's definitely understandable that Coraline made him so crazy back then. Her look, the red dress, her song requests ("The Devil's Music") and the way she toyed with his mind? With or without fangs, that woman was a classic vamp.

Fast-forward to the here-and-now, and she's done a complete reversal that's turned out to be equally effective. The plain-Jane, innocent "play the victim" act was exactly the thing she knew would push Mick's buttons in the present... totally opposite of what pushed him when they first crossed paths.

Did You See It?

Personally, I never in a million years thought we'd see that tattoo in the end... or that "look" in her eye... whenever "Morgan" enters the picture in future episodes, it'll be interesting to be on the outside looking in, watching her craft her web like a pro and knowing that she is exactly what Mick smelled after all.

Bizarre Love Triangle?

I actually felt sorry for Beth this episode. She went from Mick's light to the one in the shadows so quickly, and it felt like Mick just dropped her completely as his obsession for Cora-Morgan consumed him. Do you think that this may cause Beth to consider making her feelings truly known to Mick, or do you think that the tap dance will go on? Do you think that Morgan will be more present as the show moves forward, or will she appear only in flashbacks for a while, then appear as Morgan once in a blue Moonlight? Hard to tell...

Blood Brothers

I loved Josef this episode... I've decided that the writers need to bring him on board more often, because he and Mick definitely help balance each other out, and I like Alex O' and Jason Dohring's chemistry as actors. Josef's comment to Mick was spot-on: He needs to stop hating what he is... it's as crucial to species survival as blood itself, methinks.

And Now for Something Completely Different

I giggle every time Josef gets that predatory look when he meets a beautiful woman.

Powerful Symbols

I thought that the fleur-de-lis symbol was perfect for Coraline's tattoo, because nothing says vampire more, to me, than a good fleur-de-lis. It reminds me of my beloved trips to New Orleans in which the vampire and all of its mythos is alive and well.

Your Thoughts?

Let's see... I can't really think of anything else that struck me this episode. Overall, I thought it was one of the strongest episodes yet. It gave us a lot of insight to Mick's history (finally), and also some interesting character development all around.

Do you think he'll ever ask Beth if she remembers? It may be best for them to tap-dance around that one for a while, too... at least, best for us and our addiction to Moonlight.

Whatever Lola wants… Lola gets… except in this case she got dead.

I liked the "vampire blood as a drug" angle. It was very interesting to see how it made Beth act toward Mick — can we say hot? To some degree, Beth now knows what it feels like to be a vampire. Well, she knows the good parts.

Josef comes to Mick for help. His special lady friend has stolen a million dollars and he can’t let her get away with something like that. At the same time Beth is covering a photo shoot for an up-and-coming fashion designer — something she feels is beneath her. Her crime-reporter skills are called into action when one of the models collapses into seizures and dies. When Beth and Mick run into each other at the morgue again they realize they’re both working on the same case. We know, thanks to Josh, the investigation is ongoing and the model is the third OD in two weeks. We also learn the police can’t identify the drug.

Mick tracks Lola to the VIP room at her club, where Beth uses Renee’s chip, implanted by Mick, to infiltrate Lola's inner sanctum. Josh finds Mick and Beth there together and jumps to some conclusions. I think (and don’t we all) that he jumps to the right conclusions about those two and it’s only proven when Beth takes the drug — for research, she claims — and ends up at Mick’s apartment all sexy and dangerous. Watching Mick resist her was kind of fun. I wasn’t so happy that she was drugged enough to ask him to turn her though. Even if he was tempted, I don’t think that’s something Mick could ever do to someone he cares about.

Beth showed a little jealously after Mick suggested their kiss was a mistake. I like seeing how much of an effect Mick has on her. It seems like she’s still trying to salvage things with Josh but I’m not sure he’d approve of her methods for helping Mick or her holding on to her vial of black crystal. With the drug evidence gone and the warehouse blown up, it looks like it's case closed.

A few more things we learned about Mick, and vamps by extension:
• They can’t be trusted around pets.
• Mick doesn’t want to forget what it was like to be human.

It was nice to see Kevin Weisman again, however briefly. I think that’s the end of his stint on the show. Unless the writers are going to beef up his role, I think he's wasted here.

I know this is nitpicky, but do you wonder why 400- and 500-year-old vampires look so good? And I mean in terms of the appearance of their skin. Yes the actors portraying them are attractive but we all know what sun damage and the environment can do to a person. I know they don’t spend too much time in the sun, but I kind of want an explanation as to why they’re so well preserved. Maybe it’s just me.


Check out our Online Video Guide for more on Moonlight.

So Beth and Josh aren’t engaged. In fact, they’ve been together a year and haven’t made it to living together yet. That’s not such a bad thing considering that Beth kissed Mick. Twice.

After the blood-sharing incident of last week, Mick’s been avoiding Beth, and for good reason. He’s got feelings for her but he knows a relationship between him and Beth (or any human really) will only end badly. Pretending to ask a question pertinent to the case, Beth even asks Mick about sex between vampires and humans. He tells her it’s never a good idea.

Which brings me to the case: The teenage vampire, looking like a 16-year-old but actually being 197 years of age, has a thing for escorts. Someone in the brothel where he worked turned him. He’s never had a chance to grow out of his awkward phase and love someone, and he’s punishing some local working girls for that. He was working in the San Francisco area but decides to relocate to Los Angeles. While Beth works that angle, Mick works a missing-persons angle on the same case. He’s got two scared parents looking for their missing daughter. At first they think the teenage vamp’s first victim is their daughter Cherish but that turns out to be her friend and ex-roommate, Jazzmyne. Tracking down the last guys who got in touch with her through her website leads them to Cherish and the teen vamp. Mick attempts to help him, but a fight between the two leads to the teen vamp’s decapitation. Mick tried. He was just dealing with too much rage and disappointment.

Josh might be feeling some of those emotions soon if he finds out about Beth and Mick. She leaves in the middle of their anniversary party to follow up a lead at the morgue. Actually, I’m not sure she even made it that far since she left right after the toast. Josh calls her out about Mick, telling Beth he’s seen the way she and Mick are together. I’m surprised he didn’t say anything more but I think he’s such a nice guy he’s probably trying to give her space to figure it out. Or maybe he knows it’s too far gone to do anything about it. We’ll see how it plays out.

It was nice to see Josef briefly and to meet geeky vamp Rider. I guess they can’t all be like Mick. I liked seeing their reactions to Beth when she came over to help with the sting operation. Josef’s got to be a little worried though. If he doesn’t know how Mick feels about Beth, he’s got to be suspicious. And I can’t imagine he’d be happy about that development. Mick falling for a human probably wouldn’t be good for the vampires.

Since I have yet to mention Lt. Carl Davis (although he’s been in a number of episodes), I thought I’d do that here. He works as a pretty good device for letting both Beth and us know what’s going on at the crime scenes as well as the angle the police are working. Other than that I really don’t have an opinion one way or the other on him.

What did you think about tonight’s developments? Do you see a future for Beth and Mick? Where does that leave Josh? Were you as glad as I was that Beth wouldn’t exploit Cherish and her parents for a story?



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I feel like Moonlight is really hitting its stride. I liked the tension and the storytelling in tonight’s episode. I really cared about Leni Hayes and was worried Mick wouldn’t be able to prevent himself from attacking either her or Beth. But let me take a few steps back.

A few more facts about vampires and Mick in particular:
• He has established that direct sunlight isn’t good for him, but prolonged exposure can kill him.
• He feels pain from being shot, but his wounds heal quickly.
• Blood will help him heal.
• He can hear people’s hearts beating.

Beth’s boyfriend Josh gets some prolonged screen time in tonight’s episode. I know I mentioned last week that I’m not a huge fan. (I called Josh her fiancé but I don't know if they’re engaged. Have we seen a ring on her finger? Now I can’t remember.) But I liked Josh's part in tonight’s storyline. He proved that he’s a star at work and we really saw how devoted he is to Beth. But since Mick’s been in the picture it looks like Beth is becoming less and less devoted to Josh.

Since Mick has been educating Beth on his kind she seems to have stopped coming around. It’s been a week since Mick’s seen or talked to Beth, and when she shows up Josh is in tow. Josh wants to hire Mick to track down a witness who has gone missing. There’s a leak in Josh’s office and he needs Mick’s help to find his witness and protect her until she can get to court. Leni is set to testify against suspected arms dealer Fayed and only her testimony can put him in jail. Mick takes the case and through his unique sense of smell (is it weird to call it "smell-o-vision"?) he tracks Leni to the house of Jack Tolan, the man Fayed killed. There Mick and Beth discover Leni was romantically involved with Jack. Mick follows a lead to Victorville but insists Beth stay behind.

Mick gains Leni’s trust after she accidentally shoots him. Mick heals quickly and protects her when a hitman masquerading as a police officer tries to take them out. They don’t make it too far in the stolen cop car when a helicopter tracks them down. They bail out just before the car explodes. Now they’re in the desert with no water and no shelter. And all that direct sunlight is not good for Mick. When they find a motel Mick has to get into an ice bath quick. He hallucinates about attacking Leni and knows he’s dying. But he won’t allow himself to feed on her. Leni is able to get in touch with Beth, who comes to their rescue. Earlier Beth thought Mick had been killed when the cop car was attacked and she’s very happy he’s alive. After Mick feeds on her (with some reservations, of course), the hitman attacks them again. Mick takes him down and everyone, including Leni and her unborn baby, are safe. Josh ferrets out the mole in his department and when Beth seeks Mick out later that night he pretends he's not home.

I was kind of on the edge of my seat throughout the entire episode. I liked seeing Mick in real mortal danger and Beth coming to his rescue for once. And how about the way Beth reacted to the news of Mick’s demise? I’m not even sure she knew the depth of her feelings for him. Things are certainly heating up in the Beth/Josh/Mick triangle. I don’t think Mick will be able to stay away from Beth or prevent her from seeking him out, so it will be interesting to see him try to keep his distance. I’m enjoying where this is heading.

There was no Josef in this episode but I don't think they could have found a good way to work him in. And I agree with many of you who feel like Josef is just a richer, more polilshed version of Logan Echols. I'd like to see them give Jason Dohring more to do and flesh him out a bit. And do you think we'll see more of Coraline? I too like it when we get flashbacks of Mick's previous life. She played a pretty big part in that and Shannyn Sossamon was featured so heavily in all the promo materials that I am expecting to see more of her.

How about you? What did you think of tonight’s developments? Do you want the relationship between Mick and Beth to progress, or are you a fan of Josh? Were you surprised that Josh’s colleague was the mole, or did you smell that twist a mile away? Please keep all the great comments coming. I love hearing your thoughts.

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Usually the monsters Mick hunts are of the human kind, but tonight he’s on the hunt for a rogue vampire. Not only does Mick have to track down one of his own kind — although he’s loathe to admit he has anything in common with the feral vamp — he has to contend with questions from Beth about how he got turned.

We learned a few more things:
• There are a few hundred vampires in Los Angeles.
• The vampire’s sire is responsible for anyone he or she turns.
• Vampires don’t eat food because it doesn’t taste like anything.
• To be turned, the victim has to reach a point near death. Then the sire feeds the victim their blood.
• Vampires smell like no others. Mick can always smell his kind.

It all starts when Gerald Stosvky — a rocket scientist as well as a vampire — is the victim of a hit-and-run accident. He thinks he killed Jeffrey Pollack, the Good Samaritan who tried to help him, so he calls in "the cleaner." It turns out Gerald actually turned the guy and he’s been on the loose ever since. And if you don’t socialize a vampire immediately, he/she goes rogue. The blood lust and the killing become like a high, and they can’t go back.

Mick and Beth track Jeff to his house, where they find his wife murdered. Afraid he’ll just continue his murdering spree at the hospital where he works, Beth and Mick decide to go there. But before they can leave, Mick runs into Gerald, who is trying to locate Jeff. Although he told Mick he didn’t remember anything about Jeff, he’s good with numbers and did remember the license plate. Gerald wants to try to reform Jeff. Apparently he hadn’t been able to sire before (some sort of vamp impotence?) and now that he has a companion, a son really, he can’t give that up. He stakes Mick through the heart and leaves.

When Beth finds Mick staked, she thinks he’s dead. He tells her to pull the stake out and once he's mobile again they're off to the hospital. Gerald finally realizes he can’t save his "son" but doesn’t get away so easily; "the cleaner" will take care of him. Mick and Jeff duke it out until Mick gets the upper hand, paralyzing him, then incinerating him.

And, finally, Mick tells Beth the story of how he was turned into a vampire on his wedding night by his bride. He admits to Beth she’s the first human he’s trusted since he became a vampire.

I liked the episode but I have a few questions about some of the characters. Am I the only one who doesn’t really like her boyfriend, Josh? He seems nice enough but beyond helping out with Mick's case last week, what is he really adding? I don't think he's an obstacle to Beth and Mick getting together (and if he is, it's not really working), so what else is his purpose? If I'm wrong and you guys like him, please let me know. I'm just not that impressed. Also, I’d like to see more of both Josef and Carl. Thoughts?

I guess Kevin Weisman has moved on to greener pastures since Beth seems to have a new cameraman and because of this tidbit from Ausiello. I can’t blame him really since I think he too was underutilized.


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