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Moonlight 1.9: "Fleur de Lis" |
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Sunday, 25 November 2007 |
By John Keegan
Visit Critical Myth for an archive of John's TV Review archives, with more than 1100 entries.
I watched this episode with someone generally unaware of the series and its premise. The only thing I said, going in, was that it was like a “paranormal romance” novel adapted to the small screen (because, after all, that’s been my tagline for the show since inception). It took about five minutes for her to agree wholeheartedly, and about five minutes longer to become hooked.
Granted, it was a case of great timing, because this is quite possibly the best episode of “Moonlight” thus far. I continue to be amazed by the rapid escalation of quality on this show. Considering that the pilot was mediocre and I was watching the show as a reliable “guilty pleasure” during its first month, it’s hard to believe that it has been the one show to sustain a steady audience and consistently improve.
I mentioned in a previous review that the story has a tendency to move quickly on this show, and this episode proves my point. I think the triangle between Mick, Beth, and Morgan/Coraline could have used a little more time to develop, if only to give Shannyn Sossamon a little more time to settle into her role. That said, her scenes in this episode worked well enough to keep the intentions of the story intact.
I’m not sure that telling the audience that Beth was going to stake Coraline was the best of ideas, considering the shock value it would have produced, but I will give them credit for generating tension throughout the hour with that knowledge in hand. The writers did a brilliant job of framing the story so that Coraline’s apparent human status (established in “The Ringer”) was easily set aside until the final act. As a result, the audience knew the horrible mistake Beth would make, and how it would change everything.
The impact of Beth’s decision should be significant. Ever since learning about Mick and their shared past, Beth has been stepping more and more into his world, cutting off connections to her old life in the process. She’s clearly attracted to Mick, and there’s every reason for her to hate and fear Coraline, even without the romantic factor. Mick, on the other hand, is still drawn to Coraline and has always desired a “cure” for his vampirism. While Coraline was certainly trying to draw Mick away from Beth, Beth’s own actions will work against her.
Unfortunately, despite the initial 13-episode order (the usual for a freshman series), the writers’ strike will limit the number of episodes to no more than eleven. “Moonlight” has been a solid performer on Friday nights, but it’s hard to tell if the network will be patient. Previously, it would have been a disappointment to lose such a promising show; after this episode, it would be a tragedy. |
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