Moonlight Episode Discussion - Ep 7: The Ringer

[GuardianAngel]

Morgan comes and sits down next to Beth asking 'was that a look?' and whether Beth and Mick are an item. Beth says no. Morgan tells her that she could have fooled her, or anybody else. Beth says they just work together. Morgan wants to clarify - it's just professional? Yes, Beth tells her, it's just professional.

Liar, liar, pants on fire....

So, what do you think really happened to Morgan Vincent?

I reckon the hapless Ms Vincent met an untimely death. I doubt she was anything other than a convenience for Coraline - just like Mottola.

Red

Hmmm. The question of Mottola always has me wondering. He's a vamp. And I believe he was the one in Coraline's living room when Mick came a-calling and gets jealous enough to throw that chair through the window. If he WAS, then he has a history with Coraline. Maybe he's even one of her 'brothers'.

[wpgrace]

Morgan comes and sits down next to Beth asking 'was that a look?' and whether Beth and Mick are an item. Beth says no. Morgan tells her that she could have fooled her, or anybody else. Beth says they just work together. Morgan wants to clarify - it's just professional? Yes, Beth tells her, it's just professional.

Liar, liar, pants on fire....

So, what do you think really happened to Morgan Vincent?

I reckon the hapless Ms Vincent met an untimely death. I doubt she was anything other than a convenience for Coraline - just like Mottola.

Red

Hmmm. The question of Mottola always has me wondering. He's a vamp. And I believe he was the one in Coraline's living room when Mick came a-calling and gets jealous enough to throw that chair through the window. It he WAS, then he has a history with Coraline. Maybe he's even one of her 'brothers'.

I hadn't thought about the brother angle.. but I have always thought he looks like the guy on Cora's couch who gets human Mick so hot and bothered and jealous... so they've been "in league" for a long time...

[Lilly]

Hmmm. The question of Mottola always has me wondering. He's a vamp. And I believe he was the one in Coraline's living room when Mick came a-calling and gets jealous enough to throw that chair through the window. It he WAS, then he has a history with Coraline. Maybe he's even one of her 'brothers'.

GA -- I've always thought the same thing!! I even did a side-by-side comparison of screen caps of Mattola's mug shot to the shot of the guy in Coraline's house. I'm quite convinced it was him. I believe I found him among the brothers in TMC as well.

Now where did I put those screencaps....

[darkstarrising]

Hmmm. The question of Mottola always has me wondering. He's a vamp. And I believe he was the one in Coraline's living room when Mick came a-calling and gets jealous enough to throw that chair through the window. If he WAS, then he has a history with Coraline. Maybe he's even one of her 'brothers'.

But if that's the case, how could he have a girlfriend, the one he murdered in the burning apartment. Wouldn't Mick and Josef picked up a vamp scent in Mottola's house? Or did Morgan stash the cameras in the safe? Or is that another hole in the writing?

[GuardianAngel]

Hmmm. The question of Mottola always has me wondering. He's a vamp. And I believe he was the one in Coraline's living room when Mick came a-calling and gets jealous enough to throw that chair through the window. If he WAS, then he has a history with Coraline. Maybe he's even one of her 'brothers'.

But if that's the case, how could he have a girlfriend, the one he murdered in the burning apartment. Wouldn't Mick and Josef picked up a vamp scent in Mottola's house? Or did Morgan stash the cameras in the safe? Or is that another hole in the writing?

What if Mattola took the cure along with Coraline? He was a vamp at the cemetary. Maybe he was Turned again? Cynthia was around. I'm not sure about the girl that was killed but I suspect she was an unwitting victim.

[Lilly]

Hmmm. The question of Mottola always has me wondering. He's a vamp. And I believe he was the one in Coraline's living room when Mick came a-calling and gets jealous enough to throw that chair through the window. If he WAS, then he has a history with Coraline. Maybe he's even one of her 'brothers'.

But if that's the case, how could he have a girlfriend, the one he murdered in the burning apartment. Wouldn't Mick and Josef picked up a vamp scent in Mottola's house? Or did Morgan stash the cameras in the safe? Or is that another hole in the writing?

I don't think it would have been very difficult for them to find a suitable victim and for Hank to turn on the charm and woo her for a few weeks or months. As for his vamp scent, I never thought of that. It could be that he never actually lived in the house or that he had taken the cure himself -- although he certainly had vamp strength at the cemetery. Or, it could be another hole in the writing.


Here's that side by side: (hope that's ok, GA)

[darkstarrising]

GA and Lilly,

I see the resemblance....and I hadn't considered that he could have taken the cure along with Coraline....if he had, that would go a long way to filling in the holes.

[wpgrace]

Wellll... and it may be that NO ONE lived in that house that wasn't in Beverly Hills.... that may have just been a prop. Or the girl may have lived there, gone out with Mottola once, had her pic snapped... and then found herself in the fire...

As Mick said, "What's complicated? Fake a few photos, set a fire... " or something like that...

[Lilly]

Even my husband (who hardly ever watched the show) asked "couldn't those photos be Photoshopped?" Especially, the tattoo.

[darkstarrising]

Even my husband (who hardly ever watched the show) asked "couldn't those photos be Photoshopped?" Especially, the tattoo.

Good point....there were other 'props' in the house as well....the book that held the key to the safe was one...just another mindgame

[allegrita]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee-- this is fascinating! I love wondering about it all. Thank you, Lilly, for the side-by-side photos. Eerie resemblance, if it's not the same guy...

[Lucy]

Well now, Alex would have chemistry with a chair, or a rug, or a phone booth... so no surprise he can rock with either leading lady...

Now... I LLLLOOOOOOVVVVVVE this episode. For one thing, this was MY first full ML ep... I had found it the week before, halfway thru BC but I tivo'd THIS one and got to see the whole thing. And my daughter watched it with me. And we were both lost forever. Hooked, snared, caught.

I will note that, since this was kinda my first real experience with the show, I did not come into it with preconceived ideas about the characters. So I didn't hate Cora. Didn't hear all that stuff about her in the first several eps. So I thought Morgan was cute and sexy, and that this show was sorta a love triangle show... which girl would ultimately get the guy? And I didn't care... just LOVED the guy!

And Red, the crackers line wasn't written right or, sorry usually-perfect Alex, spoken right. It is usually spoken I'd let him eat crackers in my bed!... or He can eat crackers in my bed anytime. The cadence works better and it's about a positive statement... the guy's so cute he can mess up my bed with cracker crumbs. They place a negative in it... he wouldn't kick her OUT of bed. Screws up the cadence and the thought process... and the joke really. And he said it stiff... cause he may've never heard it spoken before. I have. A lot. Southern....

from Tulsa it's "I wouldn't throw him/her out of bed for eating crackers"........Dad was born in 1923....and he didn't look as good as Mick. Not a very common expression since the 50's I am thinking.

Lucy

[GuardianAngel]

Mick does indeed go and check out those fingerprints. He runs them through the system as he and Josef wait for an answer. Mick laments that those prints seemed suspiciously perfect. Our senior vamp agrees. Mick tosses pics at Josef and tells him to get a look at the tattoo.







Mick tells him it's a Fleur de Lis. As far as Josef is concerned it could be a dog smoking a cigar. Coraline had the same tattoo on the same shoulder. Josef tells Mick he thinks it's all in his head. It's not all in his head.







There's a match! The fingerprints belong to a Hank Matola. He has a list of priors. A standard issue crook. No. Not standard issue. The guy is dead. He died three weeks ago from acute pancreatitis. That was before the fire/murder.













Josef isn't taking it seriously and quips that he can sense a conspiracy theory coming on. Mick asks if it doesn't suggest vampire involvment when crimes are commited by dead people.





As far as Mick's concerned this info can only mean one thing. A minimum wage peon made a clerical error Josef asks. No. Matola is a vampire working with Coraline to stage this whole thing. Josef tries to reason and asks if that doesn't seem elaborate. What's elaborate? Dump a body, fake a few photos. The senior vamp still isn't buying it. That would mean staging a murder and a fire. Yeah, that exactly parallels how Coraline was murdered.









Mick is sure. He says it's exactly the kind of mindgame that reaks of Coraline. Or not. Josef tells him he needs to take the tin foil hat off.





Josef tells Mick to step back, get some perspective. Micks says Josef could help. But Josef doesn't do perspective. Mick says he can help him look through the thiefs house. He can use another set of eyes. And teeth.











Scenes like these always make me question how much Josef knows. Is he truly as in the dark as Mick when it comes to Coraline? Or does he know more but thinks it's better if he plays dumb?

[allegrita]

Ooooh--I love that "and teeth" thing...and then Josef flashes the baby fangs.
Yeah, I know...I'm standing in the shallow end of the pool... but ooooh!

[wpgrace]

I agree GA... Josef seemed to be acting purposefully obtuse here...

Given a second season, this kind of hidden knowledge issue could've thrown an interesting wrench into this friendship... which I DO love. (And particularly love the upcoming scene at the thief's house... ) But Josef DOES seem to know more than he's willing to tell somehow. Cause he's not usually stoopid...

And can I stand with you, Alle? I love that line too... and the boys are ready for a night out...