"Moonlighting" (1985) TV series 1985-1989

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Creator:

Glenn Gordon Caron

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

5 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Romance

Plot:

The quirky cases of an ex model and a wiseguy detective who co-run a private detective agency.

Plot Keywords:

Private Detective | Ex Model | Wisecrack Humor | Sexual Tension | Stalking

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 12 wins & 51 nominations

Cast

Cybill Shepherd	...	Madelyn 'Maddie' Hayes / ... (54 episodes, 1985-1989)
Allyce Beasley	...	Agnes DiPesto / ... (54 episodes, 1985-1989)
Bruce Willis	...	David Addison Jr. / ... (54 episodes, 1985-1989)
Curtis Armstrong	...	Herbert Quentin Viola (23 episodes, 1986-1989)
Jack Blessing	...	MacGillicudy (17 episodes, 1986-1989)

Runtime:

60 min (66 episodes) | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 (seasons 1 and 2) | Singapore:PG (season 3) (season 4) | Finland:K-18 (DVD) (2005) (self applied) | Australia:M (some episodes) | Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

ABC Entertainment Center - 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

ABC Circle Films

Trivia:

Bruce Willis made the film Die Hard (1988) while starring in "Moonlighting." By the time the series ended, "Die Hard" was available on VHS. In one of the last "Moonlighting" episodes, Willis and a love interest are seen walking past a video rental store while an employee is tearing a "Die Hard" poster down from the window.

Quotes:

Maddie Hayes: I didn't even know you had a brother.
David Addison: Never thought of him as a brother - just mom and dad's science project.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Carbuncle (2006)

Soundtrack:

Moonlighting

Moonlighting strangers who just met on the way....

Moonlighting was one of those amazing shows that spawned a plethora of clones, many of which didn't make it. Though it came after Remington Steele, which I believe was the far more excellent show consistently, Moonlighting got all the buzz and the excitement. Most of this was due to the breakout performance of Bruce Willis, who, of course, became a megastar thanks to Moonlighting. I can still see him facing a criminal while singing "My Girl" and then indicating with his hands when the goon should come in with the high part. It was touches like this that made Moonlighting special.

Willis and co-star Cybill Shepherd were fabulous and had excellent chemistry. They were ably supported by Allyce Beasley, Curtis Armstrong, Charles Rocket (a brilliant choice for David's brother, who appeared in some episodes), and for several episodes, Eva Marie Saint and the late Robert Webber as Maddie's parents.

The series boasts some phenomenal episodes but when it fell, it fell hard. Ego problems, budget problems, and story direction problems began to weigh it down, and it finally crawled to an end after tons of reruns being shown in prime time when scripts were unable to be delivered. However, the heights hit in the first two seasons or so are unmatched probably by any other series for their creativity and brilliance. Moonlighting remains a wonderful and joyous part of TV history.