Moonlight
Episode 1.7
“The Ringer”
Written by Josh Pate
Directed by Chris Fisher
Guest Starring: Tami Roman, Brian Maillard, Roddy Jessup, Rhomeyn Johnson, Stephen Jackson
Plot Summary: Mick arrives at a fire that is burning down a historic Hollywood hotel and sees a woman he believes is Coraline. But the dead ringer for his X-wife, and the vampire who turned him, is a professional photographer (and Beth’s colleague) who ends up asking Mick to find a thief who has stolen her expensive cameras.
Review: My fascination with vampire stories centers around how long they can exist and what that very long life can do to them emotionally.
Viewers of Moonlight have been getting hints about the toll vampirism has taken on Mick St. John from the very first episode. But let me stress – we’ve only received hints. Mostly, we’ve seen Mick as a self-assured, intensely private, highly competent and hard to rattle vamp detective. Outside of his pesky blood habit, Mick has been the perfect primetime hero — and his story has been moving at a fast clip.
In only six episodes, we’ve seen him get close to a human (our girl Beth), bite her, kiss her, and share some of his deepest secrets with her (like he’s a vamp). We also learned that he’s not ready for a loving and/or physical relationship, but he is willing to move, albeit slowly, in that direction. So, even with its obstacles (Beth’s boyfriend and Mick’s trust issues), the Beth/Mick love train has been rolling right along. And guess what? That’s exactly the way the writers wanted it until they went for our respective jugglers (no pun intended) and flipped the script.
In the “The Ringer,” we learn that Mick St. John is not so together after all. Even before he was turned into a vampire, he was an obsessive guy. Throughout the episode, we see Mick unraveling, teetering on an emotional ledge. Then he jumps off in the final act when he attacks the photographer, Morgan, accusing her of being Coraline (okay, she is Coraline, but he has no proof).
So, in my humble opinion, this dramatic character reveal is at the heart of what makes “The Ringer” the best episode of Moonlight’s young season.
It has it all: The first real appearance of Shannyn Sossamon as Coraline (aka, Morgan) was a great twist to the highly anticipated arrival of Mick’s sire. I really liked Shannyn in this episode. She stripped our hero bare (metaphorically) and played with his head without mercy. And by the way, Alex O’Loughlin owned Mick St. John in “The Ringer.” It was well acted and Alex had great chemistry with Shannyn, too.
Things I liked a lot: The relationship between Mick and Josef took a leap up on the intensity scale. I loved the scene where Mick and Josef teamed up to search Hank’s house. Also Josef’s growl…Josef jumping on the bed…Josef, period, was excellent.
Things that concerned me (in a good way): Mick and Josef both referring to Mick’s obsession with Coraline as crazy and insane, and that Mick was out of his mind over Coraline, both when he was human and a vamp. How wild can Mick get? Are the writers trying to warn us about something?
Another pearl: The scene in which Mick asks Beth whether she’s had an intense affair — he admits he has, she doesn’t know if she’s had one – yet. He describes his affair with Coraline as a fever, “It’s like an infection. It burns you up. It makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do.” Besides being fabulous dialog, was it also foreshadowing? Will Beth’s relationship with Mick become that kind of affair for her? (Is that why she hid the vile of Black Crystal in Episode 1.6—B.C.?).
Things I didn’t like: Not much, but the opening scene in front of the burning building with all three main characters was awkward. The actors looked uncomfortable and the writing was choppy.
Beth’s jealousy didn’t click for me in all of her scenes. She’d underplayed that emotion a tad too much for my taste.
Things that were “hot”: Not much, seriously – not even the Body Heat (1981 Lawrence Kasdan thriller with William Hurt and Kathleen Turner) rip off scene was hot to me (chair crashing through window, man “takes” woman in angry sex). It was just another example of Mick St. John under emotional duress (and too much booze). The only heat in this episode was Mick reaching his boiling point.
More good: All flashbacks, all good. They are unique to the vampire genre in that they don’t stop plot or slow down story. They reveal character and motivation, adding context to our main characters’ behavior in the present.
Best Stunt: Mick fighting Hank at pool’s edge. That was Alex (doing his own stunt) arching up, wrapping his legs around Hank, flipping the vampire onto his back, and then pushing Hank’s face into the water. Way to go Mick/Alex!
Worst Stunt: Mick and Josef “flying” up to the rooftop. I saw the harnesses, I swear.
Pop Culture/Historical: Mahalia Jackson’s photo on Mick’s wall near the entrance showing up after the scene mentioning “The Devil’s Music,” a reference to black jazz in the 1920s (and beyond to early rock and roll days). Mahalia was an American gospel singer whose renowned career spanned from the 1920s through the 1960s.
Can’t wait until next week!
Yours in “Moonlight” solidarity,
Denny S. Bryce/denny_dc
Hey Denny ~
Excellent review! You are dead on in your analysis of The Ringer. Alex did an amazing job of showing us the undercover Mick. As you point out, usually he is so confident and in control. This episode was all about the true Mick. We knew that Alex is a great actor, but I have read others who only see what lovely eye candy he is on the screen. Not that I disapprove of eye candy. :)
XO ~
Kandye
"What is this? Non-fat, soy, Vegan blood?" ~ Josef Konstantin
http://moonlightfan.blogspot.com
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Posted by: Kandyegirl | November 15, 2007 at 04:22 PM