Shark Bytes

Moonlighting.. ahh another one of my favorite shows.

There are a few reasons why I think this Jumped the Shark.

The biggest one is, after the second season, they lost the real premise of the show. It was a detective show, like many other in its day. However Moonlighting had more comedy that its rival, Remington Steel. (which was funny because the creator of Moonlighting, Glenn Gordon Caron, created Remington Steel) It just seemed like after Season two, there was less cases, and more about the Maddie and David as people and their relationship together. That's where it ended.

The second biggest one is a combo. Maddie and David "do it" too early in the series and Mark Harmon's character is brought into the mix. Many people say this is not where the show jumped the shark, but I can't deny that this had a lot to do with it.

Third. Maddie has a baby. Not only did it add a un-needed person to an already good show, but it just added way too many new dynamics to the show, and frankly ruined it. AND we can't forget that Cybil Shepard was gone for most of Season 4 due to her having twins, and that causes numerous production problems (see number 5 below)

Fourth. Maddie marries Walter. Not only did this totally kill any possible way for Maddie and David to get back together, but it just made what made Moonlighting a good show... Chemistry between Maddie and David. Once that was gone, there really was no point to continue.

Fifth. Production Problems. Between problems with Cybil and her issues she had with the show. The off screen strained relationship between Cybil and Bruce. Cybil getting pregnant, and Bruce's skiing accident. It just created many issues, where the number of episodes made per season were far less than the normal 24 episodes. Its a sad state when ABC itself makes fun of the show because lack of episodes in commercials for the show. Because of the numerous reruns, not only were they poked at by ABC and many other venues (I remember a SNL Skit making fun of this), but they lose many viewers because people got sick and tired of tuning in for a rerun.

If I had to pick the main reason, I guess it would be after Season 2, they lost the premise of the show. And I guess I am right, I refuse to buy Seasons 3-5 of the show, for that very reason. (I find that I end up just picking the two or three episodes out of the other seasons I don't own and watching them (via netflix))

I was a HUGE fan of this show. And the kicker was, I was only 7 when it first aired!! I was a sucker for love even at an early age. I watched every week, just to see if they would kiss, or flirt, and I remember getting butterflies in my tummy everytime they did. And when they finally did it, of course I didn't know what sex was, or why they were rolling around like animals on the floor, but I knew enough to know that (or so I thought), they were falling in love and would live happily ever after...NOT! I wish they would have though. They have some of the best chemistry I've ever seen on tv. I was the same way with Who's the Boss? I waited and WAITED for them to get together...sheesh!! Even when they did there still wasn't any proof that they did anything..lol...

'Moonlighting' remains the King of 'They Did It'.

Good to be back- it's been a while. For those who don't know, our beloved Cybill is going to be on "Dancing With The Stars." I'm conflicted on this. While it is always good to see a Moonlighting alum on television, I am afraid that this will influence the mental image I have had of her (ignoring her CBS sitcom) for the last 23 years (good god, has it been that long?) I wish her luck, though.

For anyone reading my posts out there (the two of you), you may recall I talked about a dream (Nov. 7, 2007 post) where I was partnered alongside David and got to drive the BMW coupe. I had a vivid dream hours ago where shortly after Agnes and Burt's wedding (belated congratulations to Agnes DiPesto- Viola), Pierce Brosnan came to Blue Moon and became part of the team, and the show lasted another two or three seasons. Furthermore, I dreamed I was on the computer looking on Amazon for Seasons 6, 7 (and 8). I wanted that to have happened so badly. ABC, retroactively get on this, please! But back to reality.

According to IMDB, Bert Viola was only in 10 episodes. It felt like more than that. I wonder if this information is correct (IMDB rarely lets me down).

Still got my fingers crossed for Moonlighting '09, with Natasha Henstridge and Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury). ABC, currently get on this, please!

JTS big time after season 3. I don't think having Dave and Maddie finally spawn was a bad idea, but having her character get knocked up was, although I seem to remember that Cybill was also pregnant. But it just ruined the show..in the first 3 seasons this show had some great scripts, also some fairly good whodonit plot lines from the adventures at the Blue Moon Detective Agency. After they consumated the relationship they seemed to completely abandon any pretense of it being a show about PI's and turned it into some weak soap opera. I had been a huge fan of the show, use to tape almost every episode in the early days of the VCR [when that seemed such a cool thing to do!forgetting that every thing gets rerun again]but by the middle of season 4, I couldn't even watch it anymore, the show was just a mess.

Bruce Willis sure did pretty well though. No idea what's happened to Cybill.

Nuff said. They took all the sexual tension, released it and RUINED one of the best shows of the 80's. David, Maddie even Agnes annoyed me after that!

I was watching "Balls of Fury" the other day when it hit me: That guy is the new Herbert Viola! I'm halfway there...

Moonlighting was just SOOOOOOOO stuck on itself. "Aren't we clever? Aren't we witty? Aren't we just precious?"

If I never again have to see a fuzzy close-up of Cybill Shepherd looking "lovely" or Bruce Willis smirking into the camera, sure he's the next Bill Murray, I'll finally be convinced that there is indeed a god.

Agnes rocked, though.

Memorable Moonlighting Moments:
-Of course, the "Taming of the Shrew" episode.
-Loved the episode where David was using the gangster's girlfriend to solve crimes all over the city (since the gangster talked in his sleep).
-My personal favorite- the hearse chase around the city that ends up at the baseball diamond, with the coffin sliding across home plate.

My absolute favorite show of all time. (I too, own all 5 seasons.) I used to have to stay up late to watch it on ABC (I was 6 in 1985) and loved every bit of it. (Just a few years ago, I had a dream I was working on a case with David and I got to drive the BMW coupe.) This show had some of the best writing in the history of television and the best couple since Sam and Diane. Does this show even come on cable channels anymore? I even liked the clay figures acting out scenes from the show on Bravo (the "flying fig" scene comes to mind.) David was the greatest, Maddie was hot, Agnes always had a rhyme for you, and contrary to some people, I actually liked Herbert Viola on the show, although his Ford Tempo/ Mercury Topaz on the show sucked. I keep waiting for a new Moonlighting, and as I mentioned on the "She Spies" page, I believe Natasha Henstridge was born for the part of Maddie Hayes, as she has proven she can do that kind of fast-paced comedy. Just give her a BMW M6 to drive, cast someone as the new David, and my DVR is ready. Bring back Blue Moon!

Herbert Viola. Nuff said.

The show absolutely peaked with the "Atomic Shakespeare" episode.

Nothing could ever match, let alone top that.

I actually thought the show jump the shark after season 2, they became to aware of themselves and defined the relationship between each other every episode (about Maddie not wanting to take a case etc.) and turned into a parody of itself. and I found their hook-up and the Mark Harmon episodes rather anti-climatic. The show just got to big for it's own good and focused to much on itself and it's popularity to much, if that makes any sense.

I loved the show... the chemistry was most emportant, when it was gone the show was gone to.i think It supouse to end with season 3.

David and Maddie "doing it" wasn't the end and the writers were desperately attempting to juggle Cybill's complicated pregnancy thereafter. Season Four had some good episodes and a few great scenes, but Maddie marrying Walter Bishop killed the love on screen. I don't care what the reasons were, it was a dumb plot maneuver (paralleled only by the infuriating introduction of Annie at the end of Season Five).

I'll never understand why the writers (apparently) swept the David/Maddie romance under the carpet. Even after the miscarriage plot disaster, I kept watching to see them resurrect something of the banter, heat, and affection they used to have. Instead, all I got was the slow deterioration and painful regret of two people who loved each other but weren't even in love with each other anymore - and who wants to watch that?

The "I do's" did it. Her marriage to Walter was a betrayal and a death-knell.