newcritics

The fall season has begun, which means there are lots of new shows that are re-hashing premises we’ve already seen before. In Moonlight’s case, we are seeing another version of Angel, a vampire turned PI in Los Angeles. It takes the noir concept serious on a superficial level, which is maybe as good as broadcast television can do it. There are shadows and blonds, monotone voiceovers by our conflicted hero, but it seems to be missing something.

The pilot was not terrible, and a tormented vampire makes a great noir character. Angel worked as a private investigator. The pilot, though, really does take a little too much from Joss Whedon’s spin-off. Mick St. John, our tall dark and handsome hero, is fixated on a blond journalist, whom he once saved as a child. Buffy anyone? In this case Beth does not have superpowers, just a nose for a hot story. She is played by Sophia Myles, who I really like, and honestly she was one of the draws for checking out the show. I think it is interesting that in a way she is reprising her Doctor Who role. In both shows, she is drawn to an ageless man from her childhood who saved her from monsters.

The vampires in this world are more integrated in society. Instead of working outside of and against the vampire community, Mick’s best friend is a major player among the vampires. Josef is one of the oldest vampires, and richest. He pressures Mick to try and downplay vampires in the media, to keep their presence unknown to mortals. Jason Dohring plays him, hot off of his role as the tormented Logan Echolls on Veronica Mars. He’s the other reason I tuned in. I needed a fix since VM got canned. So far he was not given much to do, besides to establish him as a vampire of power.

All in all, this is no Joss Whedon, but it has some promise. I think Mick, played by Alex O’Loughlin, is okay. He seems a little boring, a little too monotone. He’s cute, which is to be expected. I continue to like Myles and hope that Dohring is given some scenery to chew, as he does best. I am also curious to see how well the writers keep the noir premise up. I hope they delve a little deeper, to give it a fuller feel.

Moonlight plays on CBS Fridays at 9 Eastern. Did anyone else see it?