Moonlight Episode Discussion - Ep 7: The Ringer

[nayp]

I think the old Mick was fascinating and, you're right, different in so many ways from the modern Mick. I think that's what I loved - we see how his years as a vampire have changed him from a cocky young man trying his luck, to the brooding soul of today. But the humour and lightness remains throughout and he is still very definitely our Mick.

He threw a chair through Coraline's window (oh my) but he also would have battered Beth's door down at the end of Sonata if necessary. So he's learned, he's calmed a bit but he's still a man of passion.

Red

When he throws that chair through that window, and he goes to Corline, that's the heat and emotion I would have given my 401K(sorry, it's already gone) to see at the end of Sonata between him and Beth, loved his emotion in the hall (talk about this in episode 16).

[Phoenix]

Got nothing to add, really, just wanted to be included in the conversation. The Ringer is one of my favorite eps. Every time I watch it, my heart nearly stops beating when Mick first sees Morgan...

[PNWgal]

I loved this episode - definitely one of my favorites. Why? Several reasons:

1 - We finally get a good look at Coraline/Morgan. She completely turns our Mick on his head - he's totally flustered by her appearance. The look on his face when he first sees her at that fire? Priceless.

2 - WONDERFUL Mick/Josef exchanges. I'm jumping ahead, so I'll keep my synopsis pretty general, but anytime these two are on the screen longer than 30 seconds, I'm there. Mick is so sure Morgan is Coraline and Josef's equally as sure she isn't, but you gotta love Alex and Jason together.

3 - More of Mick's past. He ROCKED the Hawaiian shirt/barely scraping by band member look. I love any glimpse into Mick's past, so I was all over this episode. I also love the way this scene was shot - Coraline was radiant in that red dress.

4 - Beth. We start to see just a smidgeon of jealousy on her part at Mick's fascination with Morgan. His attention's been focused on her and now there's someone else he obviously finds interesting. What girl WOULDN'T be jealous?

I always enjoyed the stark differences between Beth and Coraline/Morgan. Beth is blonde, blue-eyed...sweet and innocent. Coraline/Morgan is brunette, brown-eyed...cool and worldly - and Mick loved/loves them both.

[wpgrace]

I loved this episode - definitely one of my favorites. Why? Several reasons:

1 - We finally get a good look at Coraline/Morgan. She completely turns our Mick on his head - he's totally flustered by her appearance. The look on his face when he first sees her at that fire? Priceless.

2 - WONDERFUL Mick/Josef exchanges. I'm jumping ahead, so I'll keep my synopsis pretty general, but anytime these two are on the screen longer than 30 seconds, I'm there. Mick is so sure Morgan is Coraline and Josef's equally as sure she isn't, but you gotta love Alex and Jason together.

3 - More of Mick's past. He ROCKED the Hawaiian shirt/barely scraping by band member look. I love any glimpse into Mick's past, so I was all over this episode. I also love the way this scene was shot - Coraline was radiant in that red dress.

4 - Beth. We start to see just a smidgeon of jealousy on her part at Mick's fascination with Morgan. His attention's been focused on her and now there's someone else he obviously finds interesting. What girl WOULDN'T be jealous?

I always enjoyed the stark differences between Beth and Coraline/Morgan. Beth is blonde, blue-eyed...sweet and innocent. Coraline/Morgan is brunette, brown-eyed...cool and worldly - and Mick loved/loves them both.

Excellent synopsis Pgal... ITA with EVERYTHING!!!!

And may I just add, for the first but doubtfully the last time, I just LOVE flustered Mick... his whole demeanor changes around her and because of her, and that is Alex's acting but it is soooooo fascinating, mesmerizing to see...

I could watch this ep over and over just to see that. And it is particularly interesting given his self-assured, alpha vamp turn in the previous ep... where he stood down a vamp as overwhelming as Lola... and then to see him lose himself in the face of a slip of a brunette... OMG...

[darlingcat]

Alex did a fantastic acting job in the episode.
I also appreciated the glimpse into Mick and Coraline's relationship or the beginning of it. The one Josef later described as "one of those freak shows" But that's for another episode discussion.
Mick is totally shocked as expected but everything in his behavior indicates that his interest in Coraline and her improbable comeback has to to do with the cure. Phrases like "mind games that reek of Coraline", "you know how dangerous she was" show that he is very concerned about her coming back. Except that she might be the source of that elusive cure he has longed for for 55 years.

[redwinter101]

Plus, he thought he'd killed her, so.....

[nayp]

I loved this episode - definitely one of my favorites. Why? Several reasons:

1 - We finally get a good look at Coraline/Morgan. She completely turns our Mick on his head - he's totally flustered by her appearance. The look on his face when he first sees her at that fire? Priceless.

2 - WONDERFUL Mick/Josef exchanges. I'm jumping ahead, so I'll keep my synopsis pretty general, but anytime these two are on the screen longer than 30 seconds, I'm there. Mick is so sure Morgan is Coraline and Josef's equally as sure she isn't, but you gotta love Alex and Jason together.

3 - More of Mick's past. He ROCKED the Hawaiian shirt/barely scraping by band member look. I love any glimpse into Mick's past, so I was all over this episode. I also love the way this scene was shot - Coraline was radiant in that red dress.

4 - Beth. We start to see just a smidgeon of jealousy on her part at Mick's fascination with Morgan. His attention's been focused on her and now there's someone else he obviously finds interesting. What girl WOULDN'T be jealous?

I always enjoyed the stark differences between Beth and Coraline/Morgan. Beth is blonde, blue-eyed...sweet and innocent. Coraline/Morgan is brunette, brown-eyed...cool and worldly - and Mick loved/loves them both.

PNWgal
Got to agree when anytime Mick/Josef,, it is magic when those two have a scene together, but what about when Josef first sees Coraline, the facial expressions the whole time are priceless..he wants to believe that's her, but his vampire skills are saying it's not her.

[redwinter101]

Another thing I loved about this opening - and something that carried right through this episode- was how completely straight they played Morgan. There was no knowing wink to Mick, she was utterly convincing to everyone as Morgan - and that in spite of all the various hints that were dropped later (the music, the book, the wine etc.). Her tone when asking him about his ex, for example, isn't at all leading; if you didn't know what Coraline looked like, you would absolutely believe that she had never met him before.

Red

[mwj01]

Yep, the girl is GOOD! She didn't flinch!

BTW Red, the pic collection is safe!

[darlingcat]

Good points, red!
Shannyn did a good job too! Plus what a beautiful girl she is!

[nayp]

Another thing I loved about this opening - and something that carried right through this episode- was how completely straight they played Morgan. There was no knowing wink to Mick, she was utterly convincing to everyone as Morgan - and that in spite of all the various hints that were dropped later (the music, the book, the wine etc.). Her tone when asking him about his ex, for example, isn't at all leading; if you didn't know what Coraline looked like, you would absolutely believe that she had never met him before.

Red

Red, except at the end of that episode!

[SirenSong]

Another thing I loved about this opening - and something that carried right through this episode- was how completely straight they played Morgan. There was no knowing wink to Mick, she was utterly convincing to everyone as Morgan - and that in spite of all the various hints that were dropped later (the music, the book, the wine etc.). Her tone when asking him about his ex, for example, isn't at all leading; if you didn't know what Coraline looked like, you would absolutely believe that she had never met him before.

Red

Absolutely Red! Shannyn rocked it, that's for sure. And I have to give major kudos to the writers for NOT making it seem like she was leading him around on purpose. It was cleverly written and cleverly portrayed. And can I just say that as much as I adore in control and suave Mick, I absolutely LOVE a Mick off kilter and out of control. Now THAT is interesting to watch!

And one more thing....YAY!! mwj didn't lose any pics!!

[PNWgal]

Another thing I loved about this opening - and something that carried right through this episode- was how completely straight they played Morgan. There was no knowing wink to Mick, she was utterly convincing to everyone as Morgan - and that in spite of all the various hints that were dropped later (the music, the book, the wine etc.). Her tone when asking him about his ex, for example, isn't at all leading; if you didn't know what Coraline looked like, you would absolutely believe that she had never met him before.

Red

Completely agree. Hell, I was convinced Morgan wasn't Coraline until the end of the episode, she played it that close to the vest.

And I adored the fact they made Morgan a photographer...

[wpgrace]

Another thing I loved about this opening - and something that carried right through this episode- was how completely straight they played Morgan. There was no knowing wink to Mick, she was utterly convincing to everyone as Morgan - and that in spite of all the various hints that were dropped later (the music, the book, the wine etc.). Her tone when asking him about his ex, for example, isn't at all leading; if you didn't know what Coraline looked like, you would absolutely believe that she had never met him before.

Red

Yeah... Shannyn was an actor playing a role where the character was acting... so it was a nice acting challenge I would imagine. I just love the shots of her, looking so wide eyed and innocent... "I never forget a face"... juxtaposed with HIS face, all WILD eyed and rattled. It is the juxtaposition of HER perpetual coolness against HIS sudden struggle to maintain any semblance of coolness at all--and again kudos to him because we can SEE Mick struggling to regain his balance-- that is so mesmerizing about these actors and these characters and this episode.

AND it is fun to see Beth's face reacting to his sudden loss of composure. She cannot figure out what the HELL has gone wrong with her vamp!

I JUST LOVE this episode!

[GuardianAngel]

nayp, I think both Sophia and Shannyn are wonderful in their respective roles but I don't know about Shannen playing Beth. The way the story is set, they are foils for each other. For me, at least, it enhances their roles. We have Beth, the angelic blonde (light) and the seductive brunette (dark). These actresses have embodied their roles. Shannyn as a perky, intrepid reporter? I don't know.