(S01E11) "I love you, too." Beth to JoshI wish I could say this was a heart-breaking episode, but it wasn't. In fact, I'm torn because some parts of it were truly excellent, and others were pretty predictable. Let's unpack it a bit, though, and see if we can uncover whether it was a good episode or not. And by suggesting that we critique it, that is with the caveat that I am a big fan of the show-- but everything that is good should be able to stand up to a little scrutiny, yes?
Visually, the episode was stunning, starting with the opening shots of Mick working out, shirtless, in his apartment. I am pretty sure the voice over was talking about how vampires spend a lot of time alone at night while the rest of the world sleeps, but I was pretty much paying attention to Mick doing push-ups.
Do you think Mick has to work out to maintain his physique? Or does he just enjoy working out? I mean, being a vampire should give him super strength without him having to do much about it... Either way, I'm not complaining.
Other ways that the episode was visually stunning were with the special effects. We got to see more of Mick vamping out this episode than we usually do. I loved the fact that he was able to intimidate Trejada's location out of the witness just by preying on the man's superstitions. I was a bit uncomfortable with the racial undertones, though, that Latinos are going to be more afraid of a vampire than other groups, and that it is somehow more okay to reveal a vampire identity to them. Are they less likely to be a threat to vampires, or less likely to tell anyone what they've seen? Less likely to be believed? I wish that had been explained a bit more, because I wasn't sure really whether my gut instincts that this was a little racially inappropriate were correct or not.
Back to the special effects, it was amazing to see Mick jump over the car! That was very fun. Mick was working so hard in this episode to do the right things and to use his vampire powers for good, but in the end, he can't save everyone.
As for the predictable elements of the episode, I wasn't quite sure I bought the fact that Beth and Josh would re-kindle their romance so fast. Beth slept with Josh, and technically they were still going out, so there really wasn't anything odd about it. Josh said he's missed her, indicating that it's been awhile,and Beth looked uncomfortable. But the episode would have been more heartbreaking if I had believed that Beth really had resolved her love for Josh before Josh was killed. I thought Beth's grief was genuine-- Josh had been a huge part of her life for a long time-- but it would have been nice to have a few episodes in which we thought Beth and Josh were really together, rather than feeling that this was simply a rather predictable way to get Josh out of the way so Beth and Mick can be together.
On that note, did they really have to kill Josh? I felt sorry for him-- both the character, and the actor. I thought the scene in which Mick was trying to save him was really good-- I like medical trauma stuff. And I liked the fact that Mick was a medic in World War II, rather than Mick just automatically knowing how to cauterize an artery, or tie a chain around one to stave off bleeding.
It was completely unsurprising that Beth wanted Mick to save Josh by turning him-- and also completely unsurprising that Mick refused. The show has done a good job of establishing that Mick hates being a vampire, and also that he hasn't ever turned anyone. It would be dangerous. Look what happened to Josef when he tried it! Also, I can't imagine that Josh would have been very happy about being turned into a vampire FOREVER. Beth will have to overcome her own selfishness. Saving someone no matter what the price isn't really saving them at all.
I understand that the circumstances of Josh's death throw another obstacle into Beth and Mick's relationship, because she is mad at him for not saving Josh. But I wish it didn't feel so contrived. Visually, it was great that Mick literally had Josh's blood on his hands-- but it was a little bit overdone. Because it wasn't really Mick's fault that Josh died. Mick did everything he could (within the realm of what Mick could live with) to save him.
I wasn't sure I bought the fact that Mick savagely killed Trejada either. That does against everything Mick believes in nearly as much as turning Josh would have. Sure, Trejada is a drug lord, so you can argue that Mick was doing the world a favor (if Mick would just start killing drug lords, then he'd make the world a better place, and if he had done this to begin with, Josh would still be alive), but Mick isn't a big believer in vigilante justice. He likes to play by mortals' rules. Sure, Trejada made it personal. But I still thought it was out of character. Cool (I am a big believer in vigilante justice), but out of character.
On a more interesting note: It's interesting that Beth has the same blood type as Coraline (I wonder whether that was true before Coraline became "human"?). It is also interesting that Coraline's blood was so clean that the scientist thought it was a child's blood. I hope we find out more about that.
So, all in all, it was an interesting episode, it was an important episode, it had some great elements, but I can't say that it didn't also have some pretty significant flaws.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-12-2008 @ 2:52PM
Christopher said...
It was another good episode for me, but I hate how they leave the Coraline plot on the back burner when it is where the last episode left off.
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1-12-2008 @ 2:56PM
Jeff N. said...
Jen Creer Quote: On a more interesting note: It's interesting that Beth has the same blood type as Coraline (I wonder whether that was true before Coraline became "human"?). It is also interesting that Coraline's blood was so clean that the scientist thought it was a child's blood. I hope we find out more about that.
Yes, that was very interesting. I sure wish we could see a full season of Moonlight to see who this develops. There is one more episode left right? This writers strike is going to play hell on this winters TV schedule that's for sure.
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1-12-2008 @ 6:12PM
Joey Geraci said...
The first half of the episode was pretty friggin horrible. Hackneyed dialogue and acting (even for this show), and just plain awful storytelling. I watched it right after watching the latest episode of Stargate Atlantis, which was about a million times better acted and written, which doesn't say much for Moonlight (It was an above average episode of SGA, but still...)
The second half of the episode was better, and I absolutely loved the vampire shots, which are far too few and far between on this show. I thought Beth's reaction to Josh's death was fairly believable, although I agree that the sudden rekindling of the episode felt forced (It fit in with the overall horribleness of the first half of the episode though). And I was fine with the vamp killing of the drug guy. Again, we need a hell of a lot more vampire action on this show. I think this show would have been a lot better if it really minimized the romance end of it and played up the dark, tortured vampire elements solving crimes and struggling with his instincts to take justice in his own hands (but I guess that would have been too alike certain other shows...)
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1-13-2008 @ 6:28AM
xbxtv said...
Joey Geraci: "I think this show would have been a lot better if it really minimized the romance end of it and played up the dark, tortured vampire elements solving crimes and struggling with his instincts to take justice in his own hands..."
Only a man could say that :)
The romance is all we fangirls are looking for!
(Joey, don't be angry with me. It's just funny how the male and female POVs differ in that one...)
1-15-2008 @ 1:36AM
Joey Geraci said...
I certainly know they are not targeting my demographic with this show. I know what I would like anyway.
1-12-2008 @ 6:40PM
shep said...
Mick killing the drug lord was fine with me as well. One has to remember that there is a level of violence/danger in being a vamp. Mick did things that he feels guilty about, we know that a newbie vamp as we saw in an earlier episode has to have his violent side trained/tamed or he becomes feral, too dangerous to live with humans. The idea that blood is vengence or revenge in the Vamp world, helps us to remember this dangerous side of the vamp and brings into focus more of Micks inner struggle.
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1-12-2008 @ 6:47PM
Catherine B. said...
Ummmm I missed this episode, before Xmas they aired the show on CBS in Montreal on Friday and stopped airing it and I haven't found out on what day and time its shown after the holiday season! But I'd definitely like to follow it again, it got me hooked the few episodes I've seen...*smile*
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1-12-2008 @ 8:56PM
grc161 said...
I think it was in the interview in the pilot that Mick says he doesn't kill people, unless they deserve it. I really think the drug lord falls into that category.
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1-12-2008 @ 9:06PM
grc161 said...
I think it was during the interview in the pilot that Mick says he doesn't kill people unless they deserve it. I really think the drug lord falls into that category.
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1-12-2008 @ 11:11PM
Lori said...
I am sad that Josh was killed off! Even though they just 'rekindled' their romance, so to say, he has always shown that he loved Beth deeply, and that he was a 'stand-up' sort of guy.
When he was dying, he just looked so innocent, and so genuinely taken aback. The actor did a great job in that scene...truly. Beth is a very compassionate person, so it isn't bewildering to see her so upset and angry over his death.
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1-13-2008 @ 12:29AM
Jessica said...
I am curious to see how this whole similar blood type between Coraline and Beth turns out since in the episode where Mick was in the desert he drank Beth's blood and it didnt seem to change him...maybe it does have something to do with that it must be children's blood...
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1-13-2008 @ 12:38AM
gelis17 said...
Mick's attack of Tejada may have been out of character for him precisely because he was reacting out of his pain over Beth's rejection of him when he would not "turn" Josh. I also did not think that Beth had reconciled with Josh. She still seemed pretty conflicted and uncomfortable during the romantic scenes with Josh.
Loved the episode and love this show!
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1-13-2008 @ 2:31AM
Cj said...
ANOTHER GREAT EPISODE.. LOVE THIS SHOW.LOT OF ACTION. LOT OF CHEMISTRY WOW. I WANTED MICK TO TAKE BETH INTO HIS ARMS AND COMFORT HER. I'M SUCH A ROMANTIC. NEXT WEEKS SHOW LOOKS GREAT CORALEEN SPREADS SOMETIME ON MICKS ARM WONDER IF THIS WAS WHAT MADE HER HUMAN. IT'S GREAT THIS SHOW GOT PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDS WITH OVER 10 MILLION VOTES. MAYBE CBS WILL PUT IT ON FOR ANOTHER SEASON. LETS HOPE.
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1-14-2008 @ 3:49AM
Will said...
I sure wish one of these vampire shows would explain sometime what in the crap is so freakin' bad about being a vampire? This seems to be a common theme, but they never explain. I could understand if they were required to drink human blood (uck!) or kill innocent people, or any number of other things, but, except for being sensitive to sunlight, everything else looks like a plus. Mick doesn't even catch fire when being in the sun, just can't stay out in it too long.
I did think it was odd that he was working out, maybe it was not necessary, just something to 'kill' time.
It looks like Beth won't stay mad too long, she's already talking to Mick by next week.
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1-13-2008 @ 2:46PM
No one in particular said...
This show had (has) potential, but the love story between Mick and Beth is going much too fast. It overshadows everything else. There is no character development, no subplot developing. Beth found out about Mick almost immediately, Josh quickly became an irritant, Jason Doring is underused, the cleaners appeared then were seen no more..The X-Files took forever to develop, and kept the audience hooked. I don't know if this show will survive or not. It could have been fun, camp, mysterious...But the show seems to think its audience has the attention span of chipmunks. Too fast. You're losing your own plot. I hope the writers will rethink the storylines...Good luck to all.
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1-13-2008 @ 4:37PM
Kasia said...
You're so right. My main problem with the show is that the contrived Mick/Beth romance is taking away from VITAL areas that are essential to the show's survival, such as character and plot development. The romance should be secondary to everything else. It's becoming a major distraction at this point.
And xbxtv, I'm a girl (a young girl, in fact) and I couldn't care less about the romance, especially when it's being shoved down my throat. I want LESS romance and more focus on the characters and underlying plots of the show. More vampire history, more flashbacks of Mick/Coraline/Josef, more of Beth *indepedent* of Mick... anything other than a cheesy love story.
1-13-2008 @ 10:33AM
WindLegends said...
I don't believe racism played any part in what was done in the interrogation room. The bad guy could have been a Russian gang member and the result would have been the same. If I had a vamp snarling with his fangs extended in MY face...and I'm Scots-Irish...I'd tell him ANYTHING he wanted to know! Don't read into the racial card here. Drugs lords tend to be Hispanic in the minds of tv viewers and it was a drug lord scenario.
I think the writers were stupid to kill Josh off for the sake of a few moments of angst between Mick and Beth. The whole thing felt contrived to me. Wasn't it convenient the bad guy had a gun in the glove compartment? Wasn't it convenient that he could shoot through the rear panel and hit VITAL spots on his target? Damned good aim there, buddy!
As for Mick going after the drug lord and taking him out...I believe it was more because the man had targeted Beth than that he had ordered Josh killed. An eye for an eye and all that. When the woman a man loves is being threatened...and who is to say the drug lord wouldn't have come after her again?...a vamp's gotta do what a vamp's gotta do. Besides, it was necessary. One less drug lord to have to deal with. I believe viewers would have been very disappointed had Mick NOT gone after him. Yeppers, the drug lord qualified for eradication according to Mick's philosophy.
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1-13-2008 @ 2:27PM
Bravo88 said...
I agree that there weren't any racial undertones. I think a white guy would have been just as freaked.
Also agree on the motivations for the killing of Tejada. You try to take out Mick's girl, and you're asking for his full wrath!
1-13-2008 @ 1:43PM
kglanzman said...
I don't think the idea WAS for us to think Beth and Josh had "gotten back together." I think it was for us to see Beth as "conflicted" about her feelings for Josh, which MAKES his death all the more heartbreaking for her. It compounds the guilt she feels about her "betrayal" of Josh in her feelings for Mick and that she probably feels she should have been a better girlfriend to Josh. Had she known how limited his time on Earth was, I'm sure she would have done things much differently.
I do agree that it probably wasn't necessary to kill him off. I tend to think this would have been designed as a "Sweeps month" ratings ploy, had the timing worked out. On the other hand, there was really nowhere for the Beth and Josh relationship to go. Killing him off was expedient.
I don't think Mick killing Tejada was THAT out of character. He did the same thing by attacking Lee Jay the first time -- when he almost got caught -- in Out of the Past.
I really thought this was an excellent episode. I was riveted every moment and I cried when Josh died. I still get tears looking at the captures and video clips of the scenes when he is kidnapped and his death. They were incredibly well-acted and full of complex emotions. There were so many layers beneath the surface here for each character involved. Whether or not I agreed with the decision to kill Josh, it certainly made for a pivotal hour. This show proved "Moonlight" deserved the People's Choice Award for Best New Drama, IMHO.
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1-13-2008 @ 1:51PM
Argus said...
In the interview in the pilot episode Mick states that he sometimes kills.
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