Moonlight on the CW, Ep 4: Fever

[allegrita]

Episode Title: "Fever"
Current air date: June 24, 2010

Guardian Angel's Episode 4 discussion thread with screencaps

The basics (from tvguide.com):

Synopsis: A 22-year-old woman who is set to testify against an arms dealer charged with murder disappears after the safe house she is in is ambushed. Mick is hired to track her down, but when he finds her they are forced to walk through the hot desert, which depletes Mick's strength. Beth rushes to save Mick's life, but the only way to do that is for him to drink her blood.

Written by: Jill Blotevogel
Directed by: Fred Toye
Original Air Date: Oct 19, 2007

Guest Cast:
Jordan Belfi: Josh Lindsey
Philip Maurice Hayes: Richard Colden
James C. Victor: Kempner
Martez Covington: Omar
David Negahban: Amir Fayed
Vanessa Lengies: Leni Hayes
Derk Cheetwood: Kevin Branch
Erika Ringor: Officer Novak

My own thoughts about this episode:

I guess I'm pretty typical in that I liked Moonlight a lot before this episode... but after that final "It has to stop..." I was hopelessly addicted. Jill Blotevogel is my favorite Moonlight writer, and she captured the triangle of Mick-Beth-Josh really well this episode. Josh was a strong, capable person in this episode. You could understand why Beth loved and respected him. Josh also demonstrated his willingness to put his personal feelings aside in pursuit of the greater good... he knew Mick was a threat to him personally, but he trusted Beth's judgment of his abilities. It was fascinating to watch Josh's grudging respect for Mick as he watched him working at the safe house. And he was willing to use Beth as a go-between in order to catch the leak in his office, even though he knew that would throw her together with his rival. Josh became a much more believable and layered character in this episode.

Beth, too, was wonderful in this episode. She was strong, smart, selfless. Beth at her best. And she had a revelation about her feelings for Mick. It wasn't just a fun flirtation. Everything changed when she thought she'd lost him. And the look on her face when Josh kissed her wrist just broke my heart for her.

Leni was an excellent guest character. I liked her funky clothes and her vulnerable strength. I believed her desperation and I really wanted things to turn out OK for her and her baby.

But let's face it... this episode was all about Mick. (In fact, Josef wasn't even in it, which is really the only major flaw in my mind... but I digress.) We learned so much about Mick here: about his abilities, his deepening feelings for Beth, his vulnerability--both physical and emotional--and mostly, about his incredible will and self-control. Mick in this episode was truly heroic, even though he probably thought of himself as a failure for what happened. I can see him now, sitting there in his living room before Beth came to knock on the door, kicking himself mentally: I promised Leni I'd protect her, and what happened? I dragged her into the one place where I'd be unable to stop myself from murdering her and her baby. And then, when she found us a safe haven, what did I do? I made her bring Beth to me. I betrayed the person I have sworn to protect from myself and people like me! She sacrificed herself for me. She saved me. She became part of me... and I can never put her into that situation again.

This episode had such lovely moments, playful and otherwise, between Mick and Beth. The "thrill ride" conversation in Jack Toland's house is one of my favorites of the whole series. The "delicate flower" thing coming full circle. The stunning beauty of Mick throughout this episode, the depth of emotion he showed in his expressions... the suffering he displayed. I had my hand over my mouth in awe. Beth's willingness to save Mick was huge, and it was handled so well. (And that scene in the bathroom inspired me to start writing fanfic...)

And that final scene, with the two of them pressed against the door, and turning away... I was awestruck. Breathless. Done for.

Links:
http://www.tvguide.com/episode-recaps/M ... -7083.aspx
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077037/
(No Wikipedia page is available for this episode)

[Lilly]

If I sat down for a week with pen to paper, I couldn't have stated it any better than that, Alle.


It was the promo for this episode that brought me to Moonlight. That 30-second spot of Mick -- a noble, tragic soul -- fighting what he needed to live and this blonde completely trusting him, believing in his goodness and worth, just stopped me in my tracks. It's what made me hunt down the series online and play catch-up so I'd be "ready" for this episode when it aired. I'm not sure I've ever anticipated any show as much as I did this one for those five long days I waited.

[PNWgal]

I was a lost cause for Mick after Out of the Past, but Fever is where I fell in love with Beth. I loved her independence in previous episodes and her spunkiness, but this episode really showed her strength. No thought to her own safety in offering her blood to a dying vampire - Mick needed her and she wanted to help him.

Like most Mick/Beth'ers, I wanted Josh to sort of disappear, but he shows himself to be a good man in Fever, an upright man who believes in justice and the law. It's hard not to respect a guy like that.

And Mick...tragic and noble and beautiful and wonderful.

[Lilly]

Did you East-coasters watch?

I know I've said it before, but I'm surprised how much these episodes still effect me -- and how fresh they seem this time around on the CW. I'm surprised that I still tear up when Leni's mouth quivers when Mick says "You should call him Jack..."

And, as much as it pains me to say this.... *takes a deep breath*... there is NOTHING Josef could have added to this episode.

It's absolutely perfect as it is.

[allegrita]

*faints* Lilly! I'm... well, I'm amazed! And happy you feel that way... because it really was a perfect episode in my eyes, despite its few small failings (like the ice, oy!)

[darkstarrising]

No, I didn't watch....I lost track of time

For anyone who did watch, did CW shorten the bathroom scene with Leni? I thought that was one of the more poignant scenes and Sci-Fi shortened it!!!

[librarian_7]

dsr, I'm pleased to report that the bathroom scene with Leni was intact. Not cut the way SyFy did it.

Lucky

[wpgrace]

Fever never disappoints... no matter how many times I see it. Incredible story.

[darkstarrising]

dsr, I'm pleased to report that the bathroom scene with Leni was intact. Not cut the way SyFy did it.

Lucky

Thanks, sweetie. Glad to hear they left a touching scene alone.

[wondergirl9847]

I don't know why, but every dang week, when I watch ML on the CW, the sound is terrible. It skips.

Regardless, I love watching the show and Fever was my first episode. I remember as soon as it was over, I ran to the computer to look up the show and find out every single detail I could.

Magical....that's the key word with Moonlight.

[Lucy]

I don't know why, but every dang week, when I watch ML on the CW, the sound is terrible. It skips.

Regardless, I love watching the show and Fever was my first episode. I remember as soon as it was over, I ran to the computer to look up the show and find out every single detail I could.

Magical....that's the key word with Moonlight.

I thought it was Comcast.......yes, it skips....

[MoonMarg]

I never realised that Josef was not in this episode until you ladies pointed it out. Maybe because I never liked Josef until SB - until then I couldn't understand what Mick saw in him. Of course, now its such a mystery as to why he wasn't used more. Josef and Coraline were important characters and totally underused.

[allegrita]

Eee! It's starting! "It warms us and thrills us."

[Lilly]

It certainly does.

[LoveBite]

No matter how many times I've watched Moonlight, on the CW it seems like a brand new series.

It's hard to believe Oct '07 was the first air date. So much time has passed, yet it seems like yesterday Mick and Beth were on our small screens each Friday night.

What a beautiful episode Jill wrote - she was such a big part of Moonlight's endearing success.