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Post by rsteele on Sept 2, 2008 1:52:09 GMT -5
After the disaster of season 4, (Richie Brockleman?) the desperate counter attack was doomed from the start. Having Cybill insist on the removal of G.G. Caron was like a general getting rid of the Commander in Chief. Caron was the heart and soul of the Show. # Did any of season 5 eps come remotely close to the magic of seasons 2 and 3? It was, bang bang, get it in the can - next! David usually needed a shave; Did Cybill *ever* brush her hair? In some eps her nose looked like it could lead Santa's sleigh through a blizzard. What a sad, failed ending to such a brilliant beginning.
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nazel
1st Level
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Post by nazel on Sept 3, 2008 15:26:32 GMT -5
Well season 4 was even worse wasn't it? & it had Caron, honestly, I blame it on cybill, her acting was awful in season 5 & she seemed like she didn't give a damn, Bruce gave it his best shot
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tony
1st Level
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Post by tony on Sept 3, 2008 19:49:17 GMT -5
It wasn't that bad. I watched them and liked it.
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Post by rsteele on Sept 3, 2008 20:15:52 GMT -5
Well season 4 was even worse wasn't it? & it had Caron, honestly, I blame it on cybill, her acting was awful in season 5 & she seemed like she didn't give a damn, Bruce gave it his best shot I'm working my way through season 5 again; never saw "Those Lips, Those Lies" before. But the glamor of the past seems gone. Refuse to buy Season 4, UGH! I do have an old tape with the marvelous first ep from that season, with the Honey Mooner shtik, and hey, Ray Charles and the Raelets! But the ending; the small crack becomes a LARGE fissure. Going DOWN...
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bluemooner
3rd Level
Moonlighting strangers who just met on the way
Posts: 850
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Post by bluemooner on Sept 4, 2008 16:37:00 GMT -5
even though seasons 4 & 5 are not my favorites, I would like to say that I believe Cybill did a fine job. True, the episodes were not up to the standards of previous seasons, but they're still better than some of what's considered good tv today. As for Cybill's hair in season 5, perms were very much in, in the late 80's. i know a lot of my friends wore their hair that way. a lot of what you see is a product of it's time.
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Post by beesnbears on Sept 4, 2008 17:34:55 GMT -5
I agree Bluemooner. Maddie was written totally different in Season 5 and the last of season 4. Cybill's performance was great considering she did not agree with the direction that her character went at the time. Rsteele and nazel---- I can understand why you feel the way you do.....it is part of one of the last stages of addiction of ML. I believe you will feel differently about a lot of the show and Cybill in particular as you watch and re-watch and consider and analyze.....and then watch some more!! LOL!! ;D ML is absolutely wonderful and I love-love how this site reflects our admiration as well as sometimes our frustrations!!!
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Post by rose35 on Sept 4, 2008 19:25:38 GMT -5
I agree also with Bluemooner and BEES, Bruce/Cybill did the best that they could with the mostly crappy writing in the last season. Cybill was not happy with the writing and Bruce truthfully i think was thinking more about his movie career then too. if Glenn had stayed would it have been better? I think so,but ML couldnt have continued without Cybill then. Oh well. It's definitely a terrible thing that happened to an amazing show. One that means so much to me still. Well JMHO
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bluemooner
3rd Level
Moonlighting strangers who just met on the way
Posts: 850
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Post by bluemooner on Sept 5, 2008 12:29:18 GMT -5
"last stages of addiction of ML" (by beesnbears) LOL
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Post by beesnbears on Sept 5, 2008 17:22:25 GMT -5
Trust me Bluemooner....I got it bad!! And the stages keep multiplying......gotta be about 15 or so by now!!! And speaking of perms and red noses, etc....... Yall don't forget Cybill was taking care of not one, but two newborn babies. I think she looked terrific considering that and all of the other stuff we have heard......but may not know for sure! And as far as BW's stubble.......it was a very sexy look in the late 80's. All hell, still is today, too!!
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Post by maddieaddisonjr on Sept 19, 2008 22:47:14 GMT -5
Um...so is it true that Cybill demanded that Glenn leave or did he just leave on his own. I don't think she could have had that much clout, and if she did she would certainly have insisted on a better writing team as well as the right to approve or veto some of those bad scripts.
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Post by callmeditzy on Sept 20, 2008 10:29:02 GMT -5
I'm not sure if it's ever been stated publicly what happened. But in the davidandmaddie.com interview with Glenn Gordon Caron (I think), he stated that leaving wasn't his choice. That's all I know. Whatever the reason, I think it was a real shame. He, more than anyone (other than Bruce and Cybill themselves) knew who these characters were and that, at the core of everything, they loved each other. It seems that whoever was in charge during season five didn't have any kind of grasp on what made them so compelling in the first place.
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Post by rsteele on Sept 20, 2008 14:45:24 GMT -5
I'm not sure if it's ever been stated publicly what happened. But in the davidandmaddie.com interview with Glenn Gordon Caron (I think), he stated that leaving wasn't his choice. That's all I know. Whatever the reason, I think it was a real shame. He, more than anyone (other than Bruce and Cybill themselves) knew who these characters were and that, at the core of everything, they loved each other. It seems that whoever was in charge during season five didn't have any kind of grasp on what made them so compelling in the first place. # We've all heard about the previous seasons script changes on the last day, and frequent reruns, etc. I suspect ABC tried to force quicker shooting and G.G. probably objected so, Cybill got her wish, no more Caron in charge. The last season looks like bang-bang shooting and a less perfection in the appearance of the leads. Then ABC sabotaged the show with movie of the week and (gasp!) Roseanne, the anti Maddie.
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Post by Cindy on Oct 29, 2008 12:56:09 GMT -5
About season 4, I think you may be missing out on a couple of really great episodes if you don't purchase this set too. I do like large chunks of Trip to the Moon (the Honeymooners episode) even though some of it isn't the best of ML. And Father Knows Last is one of my absolute favorite ML episodes... it is Bruce Willis at his best. Maddie Hayes Got Married is a hilarious episode. To miss that screwball scene when everyone arrives at the hospital is to really miss one of the funniest moments of the show. Some of the mysteries and guest stars of season 4 are also interesting....especially Come Back Little Shiksa with John Goodman and Kay Lenz playing out a modern day Cinderella-type story. Cool Hand Dave part 1 &2 are also worth seeing. The very very funny and clever Gilbert & Sullivan opera spoof with the prisoners is a highlight. In addition, watching David's reaction when he finds out Maddie is pregnant is a not to be missed scene either.
If you are a fan of David Addision, you shouldn't miss the 4th season... he dominates nearly every episode of it and you learn a lot about his emotions and motives.
I can also recommend a couple of reasons to buy the season 5 set too. Watching the very quirky atypical Womb with a View is one of them. And I See England, I See France.... is another. I See England is another excellent screwball episode with a lot of Hitchcock type imagery and action.
Anyway, I am not sure what all went down with ML other than I suspect ABC wanted to whip it into shape cost wise and schedule wise and things were changed to accommodate that. Yes, the last two seasons were not always up to the excellent standards of the first 3, but still there were some very worthwhile episodes in the later seasons that I wouldn't want to miss if I was a fan.
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Post by italianbluemooner on Nov 21, 2008 21:41:07 GMT -5
Season 4 was not a disaster... It was a different stage of David and Maddie's relationship. Seeing them two thousand miles apart broke our hearts. Nevertheless, the thing that hurt the most was making Maddie leave David so abruptly. We all know the reason why Cybill had to walk away, but maybe the writers have mishandled the situation. So there we were, glued on the couch, sharing David's suffering and begging a mixed-up Maddie: "Please, come back to us!" After months of pain and fog she did come back... And put aside some Bishop, our David and Maddie kissed and made up, headed toward the greatest challenge a man and a woman can face together: parenthood. That's a good way to end a Season!
Then, the disaster. Season 5. It was like watching a clown with no soul. Like listening to an out of tune piano. Glenn Gordon Caron was forced to leave. I don't know who made that decision, but I know this: they orphaned ML. An orphan child does not live a good life, does not fulfill his potential. He roams the streets, until a train runs over him. Season 4 made me suffer, but at least David and Maddie were still... David and Maddie. Season 5 killed me... killed them. Obviously none of the writers had understood what genre ML belongs to: Dramedy= Drama + Comedy. Their scripts were comedy only, BAD comedy only. I don't mean to be unfair... There were good episodes: take a look at Shirts and Skins, I See England... , for example... But they're 2. 2 out of 13.
Our David wasn't there anymore, our Maddie wasn't there anymore. Bruce and Cybill did their SUPER-best, but the problem was not them... The writers were.
Then they came up with the greatest idea: the A***e episodes (I won't talk about them, because vulgar language is (rightly) banned on this board)...
Then the eclipse came... but it should NOT have been blamed on David and Maddie. They're just television characters... the writers were supposed to write their scripts, the writers were supposed to make them fall in love again.
I'm watching The Pilot as I write these words. Maddie and David are dancing in a bar, already falling in love with each other. THIS is ML, this is the picture I want to keep in my heart. No matter how hard they tried to harm that poor little orphan, we're still here, keeping the fireplace burning... This way that beloved orphan of ours will always find his way home.
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Post by haddie mayes on Nov 22, 2008 4:25:51 GMT -5
Your words ring so true italianbluemooner, just reading those words brings tears to my eyes. I always felt that the essence of Moonlighting had gone by season 5 , like most people i would have watch paint dry if it was David and Maddie doing the painting! but i will admit it was painfull to watch these so called writers from season 5 slowly suffocating our beloved show to death. I still watch some of season 5 eps but i have to skip the scenes that i still can`t bare to watch even after all these years and i hav`nt watch Luner for years.Like most of us i choose to remember them from season 3 and that historic scene of them inlove and in bed for the first time gazing into each others eyes.... Ahhh so sweet so tender.
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