Moonlight on the CW, Ep 7: The Ringer

[allegrita]

Episode Title: "The Ringer"
Current air date: July 15, 2010

Guardian Angel's Episode 7 discussion thread with screencaps

The basics (from tvguide.com):

Synopsis: Mick investigates an arson that destroys a legendary Hollywood hotel. The probe is made more mysterious when Mick realizes the fire eerily replicates the circumstances under which his former wife, Coraline, died. In addition, a woman Mick is working with bears a striking resemblance to Coraline.

Written by: Josh Pate
Directed by: Chris Fisher
Original Air Date: Nov 9, 2007

Guest Cast:
Stephen Jackson: Hank
Rhomeyn Johnson: Fire Inspector
Tami Roman: Maureen 'Mo' Williams
Brian Maillard: Bandmate #1
Roddy Jessup: Bandmate #2

My own thoughts about this episode:

This episode is a wonderful opportunity for us to compare and contrast the various facets of Mick's personality, and also to see the very different kinds of love he has in his life (including Josef's love for Mick--I love their conversations in this ep!). We see Human Mick: cocky, a little down-at-the-heels, but oh, such a ladies' man. We see modern Mick: totally in his element, striding through that fire scene, helping the humans with his special powers, on the verge of something special with someone special. And then BAM, the ex shows up, and we see Mick go into the mother of all tailspins.

I think our dear wpgrace coined the phrase "rattled Mick," and boy, do we get a big dose of him in this episode! This one turns everything on its head, including Mick's view of the world. He thought he had everything pretty much figured out. And then he goes to the Franklin Hotel fire (wearing that long coat that makes me go ), and everything he thought he believed goes up in flames too.

And hold the phone--there's a cure for vampirism?!? WTF???!!!

How perfectly the images of fire work here. The hotel fire, the sparkler, the fire in which Mick thought he'd burned Coraline to death, the fever that burns you up. Mick is on fire here, he's lost his perpetual cool, and all hell is breaking loose. Who is Morgan? How can she look so much like Coraline? Why is she here?! Mick is gobsmacked, and he makes a whole bunch of stupid decisions, culminating in that disastrous run through the cemetery.

In addition to the theme Mick introduces in his voiceovers at the beginning of the episode (don't get too comfortable, 'cause everything changes), this episode shows us that things aren't always what they appear to be on the surface. Coraline (the perfect vamp even before she bared her fangs) is hiding behind Morgan, the innocent damsel in distress. Mick's confident, cool facade burns away to reveal how insane, confused, and unsure he can be. Morgan does have a fleur de lis tattoo... covered by makeup. The hotel fire is an elaborate tableau to duplicate the way in which Mick "killed" Coraline.

Morgan/Coraline is such a fabulous character, and she finally gets a chance to shine in this episode. I didn't much like the way Shannyn Sossamon played Coraline in the flashbacks. Her voice was much to breathy and girlish. But as Morgan she's confident, earthy, funny, and amazingly sexy. Her chemistry with Mick sizzles, and it's no wonder Mick's falling over his own feet. Heck, I'd fall over my own feet in Coraline's presence, too--she's got that much personality. I loved the way she played everyone in this episode. She had me half-fooled till the very end, when she took off the makeup. Holy cr@p. Mick has definitely met his match in her.

Which leads me to Beth. She gets a big dose of comeuppance in this episode, and I think it's good for her, even though my heart aches for her. She's torn by confusion and jealousy, but she has no right to be...and she knows it. Her knight in shining armor has lost a bit of his polish, but she still cares about him... maybe even more, now, because she's discovered he's not perfect. I love the way she lets Mick talk through his feelings at the end of the episode... even though he's pretty hard on her. I think this is a really important turning point in the relationship between Mick and Beth. She learns a lot about his past and finds out that he can't walk on water after all... and she still cares for him. And Mick is finally working through his obsession for Coraline... and he goes to Beth for comfort when the fever gets to be too much. The Coraline thing is by no means over, but my confidence in the relationship between Mick and Beth was boosted by that final conversation.

This episode brings out a lot of strong feelings, especially among shippers. Please remember that everyone's entitled (and encouraged!) to express their opinions, but that nobody needs to be mean and everybody should take a very deep breath and count to a thousand before responding if they get their buttons pushed. If you're unhappy about something you read here, it's better to contact one of the mod staff than to fire up your flamethrower on the thread. Remember all the fire images in this episode... anger is destructive and it causes people to do things they might regret later on. We're all friends here... and (despite my personal feelings to the contrary) these characters are NOT real, and they're NOT worth fighting about.

Links:
http://www.tvguide.com/episode-recaps/M ... -7089.aspx
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077040/
(No Wikipedia page is available for this episode)

[PNWgal]

Despite being a diehard Mick/Beth'er, The Ringer is one of my favorite episodes. Watching Mick unravel before our eyes, watching that pedestal we've all put him on start to crumble a bit is a fantastic bit of television. When he first lays eyes on Morgan, the look on his face is absolutely priceless.

I think I'm about the only one who adores human Mick in the 50's - we get to see a rather fascinating transformation from the awkward guy with his hands in his pockets, a bit overwhelmed by the attention from a beautiful woman out of his league to the fiercely passionate drunk man who throws a chair through a window to get to that woman. We see Beth roused from her assumption Mick will always be there to take care of her, and watch Morgan weave a web of doubt around both of them.

This episode also continues my love affair for all things Mick/Josef - Josef's obvious disbelief at Mick's insistence he's seen Coraline, his reluctance to help Mick search Mottola's place (I laugh every time I see him bouncing on that bed), and his own shock at seeing Morgan for himself - never mind that great scene where he tells Mick he needs to stop hating what he is. Out of all the episodes, I think this one contains some of, if not the, best dialogue between Alex and Jason.

[redwinter101]

This episode makes me swoon. Totally. Rattled Mick is such a revelation. When he thought he was dying in the desert, he was calm, serene even - but here? He is all over the shop.

Really looking forward to watching this - and I will actually be able to watch live on the CW!!

Red

[darkstarrising]

Despite being a diehard Mick/Beth'er, The Ringer is one of my favorite episodes. Watching Mick unravel before our eyes, watching that pedestal we've all put him on start to crumble a bit is a fantastic bit of television. When he first lays eyes on Morgan, the look on his face is absolutely priceless.

I think I'm about the only one who adores human Mick in the 50's - we get to see a rather fascinating transformation from the awkward guy with his hands in his pockets, a bit overwhelmed by the attention from a beautiful woman out of his league to the fiercely passionate drunk man who throws a chair through a window to get to that woman. We see Beth roused from her assumption Mick will always be there to take care of her, and watch Morgan weave a web of doubt around both of them.

This episode also continues my love affair for all things Mick/Josef - Josef's obvious disbelief at Mick's insistence he's seen Coraline, his reluctance to help Mick search Mottola's place (I laugh every time I see him bouncing on that bed), and his own shock at seeing Morgan for himself - never mind that great scene where he tells Mick he needs to stop hating what he is. Out of all the episodes, I think this one contains some of, if not the, best dialogue between Alex and Jason.

ITA about the dialogue between Alex and Jason in this one....and the facial expressions of both as they encounter Morgan for the first time.

I have to admit, this episode and 'Fleur de Lis' were not among my favorites initially (but above Arrested Development), but they've grown on me partially for the reasons you cite....you get to see Mick as the cocky / awkward human who is utterly gobsmacked by this enticing, sexy and o so beautiful woman....a fantasy come to life. In the beginning of the episode, you see his shock and disbelief at seeing Morgan, then a little bit of fear as he tries to convince Josef Coraline has come back to life. Then to watch him tap dance as Morgan teases him with hints of things only Coraline would know, all with Beth hovering in the background.....wonderful. In the follow on episode 'Fleur de Lis' you get to see his fascination, his humiliation, his want and need, his drunken despair and O God, the utter lust in his eyes not once, but twice as he embraces and kisses Coraline in the past and Morgan in the present. Mick anywhere near a shower with a woman just makes for a hot scene.

Of all the storylines, this one is the only one where the four major cast members come together and it's one in which each of the actors shines - Alex in particular for the shear breadth of character portrayal of Mick as both and vampire and his love for Coraline.

[jen]

Totally agree with what has been said upthread. I should probably stop right there...

This is, for me, one of the most visually beautiful episodes.

What makes it truly shine is that Mick is forced totally out of his comfort zone. He is comfortable (in a sense, despite all his protestations to the contrary) in his current persona of guardian angel/private investigator but Morgan/Coraline's appearance changed all that in the blink of an eye. Seeing him come unglued gave us the opportunity to see the extent of Coraline's control, even now, and the Mick/Josef talks were fabulous insights into the depth of their friendship. I will forever love Josef's illustration 'two Buddist monks were walking down a road...' that ends in the exhortation to stop carrying Coraline around. Wonderful.

I love that Beth is shaken out of her comfort zone, too. She is shaken by the entire situation, and Sophia has some wonderful scenes when she steps back when Mick and Morgan/Coraline are together. The jealousy is nearly palpable but as was already pointed out, she knows she is in no position to talk. There is Josh.

Before this episode, it was quite easy dismiss the love that was once between Mick and Coraline as totally in the past and having no real bearing on events in modern L.A., but The Ringer showed us the depth of that past obsession and how the emotions of the past time still simmer below the surface.

Can't wait!

Jenna

[librarian_7]

One of the great things about this ep is the whole noir vibe. The themes of a man haunted by his past...and that past reaching out seemingly from beyond the grave to put its mark on the present, are classic.

Lucky

[LoveBite]

I remember watching this ep the first time around ... when Morgan/Coraline turned her back on Beth at the end, gosh the mystery had begun - how did Coraline come back from the dead? Was she human? Poor Mick. He was always under her spell.

BTW, the man sitting in Coraline's living room with the drink in hand, we never did find out his identity, did we?

And, of course, the haunting music ... sigh. Just beautiful.

[allegrita]

Poor Mick. He was just so thrown for a loop.

[librarian_7]

As Josef commented, "she wanted him, she got him, and then she really worked him over."

Lucky

[allegrita]

Oh, man... that look Morgan gives Beth in the newsroom at the end... all the sweetness is gone, all the lightness. Such a disconnect.

I assume that the cut on her arm was where she administered the cure. I wonder whether it was a recent wound, or if the "cure" wound stayed open the entire time the cure was working. We never saw Mick's arm in FtP... was it an open wound or a scab? Did he just keep it covered? Hmmm...

[PNWgal]

Alle beat me to it.

I had a huge DUH moment last night during that whole "I got stabbed with a letter opener" conversation. I'm assuming that's where she opened herself up to administer the cure. And that got me to thinking.

How long had Morgan been dosing herself? How long did the cure actually last?

[Lilly]

BTW, the man sitting in Coraline's living room with the drink in hand, we never did find out his identity, did we?

I've always thought it was Mottola -- or a previous incarnation of him. In my mind, they went way back...

[allegrita]

Yeah, Lilly, I agree--whether they intended that person to be Mottola or not, I'm sure the same actor played both parts.

Pgal, about your speculation--this is one of the things that have fascinated me about Moonlight since it originally aired. There are so many questions, and often, we have no idea whether Mick's statements of "fact" are correct or not. Not to get too far off the topic of this episode, but a good example is Mick telling Beth in FtP that the cure might last six months. There's no evidence that he knew how long it'd last. Are we supposed to believe him, and assume that Coraline told him more information off camera, so to speak? Or are we intended to think that he was just as much in the dark as we were?

[toria1521]

Didn't Beth say that she'd worked with Morgan for a couple of years? I suppose that it could be a real Morgan Vincent that Coraline "replaced". or it could have been that Cora kept reapplying the cure. I've always thought that the small box she showed Mick didn't contain enough of the cure to distribute to the Duvall family in case of another Reign of Terror.


toria

[PNWgal]

I tend to disagree, toria. I don't think Coraline killed anyone - I honestly think she put A LOT of effort into creating Morgan and her background, including a family and a college career. Heck, for all we know she really DID go to college and became a photojournalist. I can't believe her desire to get Mick back ended with him setting her on fire. She had 22 years to devise an alternative plan to get him back when she failed with trying to give him a family.

When you live forever, a few decades probably don't mean much. And...it's not like she had to put a lot of effort into finding Mick, since he never left L.A., so she could devote time to developing Morgan. It had to have been a fantastic stroke of luck for her to have Beth become a reporter - perfect "in".