Moonlightaholics

Episode Title: "Sonata"
Current air date: August 26, 2010

The basics (from tvguide.com):

Synopsis: In the series finale, Mick and Josef team up with other area vampires to protect their secret identities after a murder investigation threatens to expose them. The crime in question occurs when a vampire kills a human in a moment of passion.

Written by: Ethan Erwin and Kira Snyder
Directed by: Fred Toye
Original Air Date: May 16, 2008

Guest Cast:
Abigail Spencer: Simone Walker
David Blue: Logan
Heather Stephens: Emma Monaghan
Jonathan LaPaglia: Jackson Monaghan
Eric Winter: Benjamin Talbot
Jacob Vargas: Guillermo
Claudia Black: The Cleaner
Erika Schaefer: Lisa
Matt Riedy: College Chancellor

My own thoughts about this episode:
Well, first, let me heave a big frustrated sigh that The CW decided to jump from The Mortal Cure to Sonata rather than ending their summer run of Moonlight episodes with Fated to Pretend. People watching Moonlight for the first time are gonna be soooo surprised that Mick's a vampire again, that he and Beth are now getting along, etc., etc., etc. Oh well. For the purposes of this board's episode discussion series, we're going to go with this one now, since that's the episode showing this week. But fear not, we'll do threads for all the other episodes.

OK, now on to Sonata. Oh, man... so many emotions tied to this one. I cried buckets when it was over, because by that time we knew that the series had been canceled. But I also felt kinda satisfied. I felt that they'd done a decent job of tying things up while leaving a lot of interesting possibilities open (because, of course, they did not know when they filmed the episode whether or not the series would get a second season). I was very grateful that they brought the Cleaner(s) back, and I liked the way they introduced concepts like very long marriages and the vampire justice system. There was just so much here that could have been continued in interesting ways...

There are lots of great little moments, which I consider to be little love-notes from the writers to the fans: Mick and Beth dancing and joking about this being their fourth actual date (oops...maybe not). Mick drinking blood orange juice with Josef, and talking about commitment issues. The thudworthy little scene where Mick samples Simone's blood, and his horrible embarrassment when Beth walks in on them. Mick baring his fangs at Emma. Flirty Mick talking to flirty Lisa the cheerleader, and her offhand comment about the artery she goes for. The vamp meeting, and the break-out caper, especially Logan yelling "Leeeeeroy Jenkins!" The Sacred Ass Paddle and Beth saying, "Karma!"

And, of course, that final scene between Mick and Beth, which tore our hearts out and then put them back in. Their hard conversation, Mick's moment of anguish in the hall, his profession of love, and that kiss... and Mick shutting the door, leaving us on the other side to dream and ponder and imagine... and write reams and reams and reams of fanfic.

I'm a little at a loss for words here. This is the one episode of Moonlight I've watched less than five times. I love it, but it hurts like hell to watch it. I cannot listen to Gavin Rossdale's "Love Remains the Same" without getting tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. It was the end, but it left us lots of room to imagine how things went from there... and for that I will always be grateful to Kira and Ethan, who obviously loved these characters as much as we do.

Links:
http://www.tvguide.com/episode-recaps/M ... -7078.aspx
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212044/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonata_(Moonlight)

I think I've actually only watched this one to the very end once. It just hurts too much to see the ending credits.

I think one of the things I loved about this episode was the hinting at organization within the vampire Community - a network, rules, and punishment for breaking those rules. I also loved the complete role-reversal of Josef and Mick. In the first episode, Josef was the ruthless one ("so kill them all') and Mick was the unwilling one. Watching Emma and Jackson going up in flames, Mick was resolute and Josef was unwilling.

I'm with you P'Gal, at least most of the way....it really does hurt to watch this episode.....There was so much promise of what could be - a closer friendship between Beth and Josef, the romantic relationship between Beth and Mick, the romantic relationship between Josef and Simone. And, as you've said, P'Gal, the beginnings of a better understandings of the workings of the vampire community as a whole.

For me, this episode was 50 /50 in terms of things I really liked and disliked. I thought they spent way too much time on the 'rescue' of Emma - the whole crash the van bit was just over the top -a waste of air time and production costs. That time would have been better spent on perhaps on expanding the final scene a bit or even some final exchange between Josef and Mick.

There are two other things I really lament. I like Claudia Black and the various roles she played, but frankly, could they have made the woman any less attractive than they did? I'd have stayed with one of the other two Cleaners they showed earlier. And I absolutely start to blubber every time I hear 'Love Remains the Same'....I got to a point where I really hate that song.

That said, I love the opening scene at the ball. Sophia, Alex and Jason all got to shine in formal attire and it was fun to watch the banter between Josef and Beth, and even more fun to watch Mick and Beth dance. The 'for professional purposes only' scene was a hoot as was the 'karma' comment.

Will I watch it tonight? Maybe...but it hurts.

Ooooohhhh I've watched this one several times, cos there's just some delicious Mick in it, and I'm willing to swallow the tears to see that.
But I gotta say, when I looked at the TIvo and saw that, indeed, THIS was the ep tonite, rather than FtP, it was tough.

Once again, cut short... we're missing 3 eps in the CW run, and although I know em all by heart... still... ouch.
And now I gotta make it alllllll the way to September 20... I had been counting on one more week before another Alex "drought".

I LOVE the organized vamp community and I LOOOOOOOVE how much respect they show Mick. And may I just say, a few of those scenes between Mick and Beth, Mick and the cheerleader, Mick and Emma, Mick and Simone... Oh Jeezuz Mick and Joz'f...

So I'm watching tonite. Cannot miss one of the sexiest Mickisodes ever...
But I may have to fight a few tears along the way...

Both because this episode still makes me sniffle AND because the CW decided to miss out 3 episodes. Such a bad move.

There's a lot to love for me here - and a lot to dislike, I'm afraid. I loved Josef throughout this ep and was intrigued that he deferred so much to Mick (kinda turned a lot of fanfic on its head). Loved take-charge Mick and the whole rescue was fabulous (I thought the way they played it out while Mick's voiceover explained how it was going to go down was very well done). I loved Jackson and Emma - I found their love story (and her reasons for being unfaithful) believable and compelling.

But there were two major plot flaws and one major character flaw in this that irritate me, even now. Simone being a suspect (to the point of being taken into custody on the spot) just because she found the body. And then the drama with Emma about to get arrested and could they get to her in time to prevent it... dun dun dunnnnnn. Um, why didn't someone just pick up the phone and tell her to get the hell out of her office 'cause the cops were on the way?

And then finally: Beth. They gave her some terrible, terrible moments here. This wasn't the fearless reporter who walked barefoot through a freezing fountain at 2 in the morning. Nor was it someone stricken with grief and doubts about the future (which would have been credible). They just made her kinda feeble and I HATED that.

The big redeeming feature for me is the ending though, romantic that I am. Mick's head against the wall moment in Beth's hallway is perfect and I will be forever grateful that Mick turned around, went back, and delivered that lovely "Right here, right now" line and we (mostly) got an ending we could live with.

Red

Agree on the Beth thing... who the hell WAS that strange, unfamiliar, blond chick in this ep???
And ... You're so right about phoning Emma... Mick and Beth (or anonymous blond chick, whoever) WERE on the phone to one another... they could have just as easily called Emma...

But that's the kinda thing that got the show critiqued...criticized... whatever... from the beginning. They attended to some amazing details in this series... and then dropped some really obvious ones...

Ya gotta love it, right??

I have to admit, I always wondered why in the world the police would think delicate-looking Simone could possibly have snapped Dominick's neck. It seems highly unlikely.

Lucky

Just watching Emma sign her own death warrant. I know she was desperate but why say something so stupid like I'll give up the names of all the vampires in Los Angeles. Really you could have just stuck with Mick's friends to get him to break you out.

ITA Red when I was watching I was thinking "There's this great new invention called the telephone.!"

Lando Calrissian

Still hate the sight of them closing that door... I mean, I like to think they fulfilled their destiny and all, but the door closing means we can no longer follow along with Mick's exploits...

But I like to think he's still doing his thang in LA... and cheering Alex on, btw. I am quite sure Mick will be watching Hawaii 5-0, with Joz'f, drinking some fresh with their scotch and bickering at one another, trying to outguess one another about whodunnit, even as Steve and Danny bicker on screen...

GraceWorld.

wpgrace wrote:Still hate the sight of them closing that door... I mean, I like to think they fulfilled their destiny and all, but the door closing means we can no longer follow along with Mick's exploits...

But I like to think he's still doing his thang in LA... and cheering Alex on, btw. I am quite sure Mick will be watching Hawaii 5-0, with Joz'f, drinking some fresh with their scotch and bickering at one another, trying to outguess one another about whodunnit, even as Steve and Danny bicker on screen...

GraceWorld.

Can I move to your world?

I, too, like to imagine that the ML crew is out there continuing to do their thing. Beth has gotten a job at the CBS affiliate doing human interest stories (much to her chagrin). Josef is busy buying real estate which is so cheap right now. And Mick? He sometimes does stunt work for this guy who is the next up and coming star.

When I saw the clips from the episodes we were not going to get to see, that was hard (even though I have two sets of the DVD's). There was a lot to love about Sonata.

The opening, with the Sara Whitley Memorial Sports Arena.

There were so many wonderful details in this episode alone providing wonderful hints to be developed in the next season.

Simone - her entire relationship with Josef. It is interesting that we have found out that the deepest relationships in Josef's life - at least for the last 55 years - involve humans. Kind of puts a new spin on all this talk about how inadvisable it is. Here we have another woman, approximately the same age as Beth, in a romantic relationship with a vampire, albeit a very different one. Her perspective on their 'exclusive club' would be a fascinating counterpoint to Beth's,

The organization of the vampire community and Mick's new leading role in it. This was something that somehow did not catch my attention on previous viewings of Sonata. Josef definitely defers to him, truthfully, they all do. Surprising and interesting...

Logan played a much role in this episode. He could totally have handled it had his role been expanded.

Ben Talbot and the list of vampires and the mysterious telephone call saying, 'the list is for your eyes only, we'll be in touch' Up to that point tonight, I wondered briefly if Jackson could have been the source. Legion?

The brief argument between Beth and Mick about 'the mobile vampire lab' blood test on Simone. I think adding a bit of conflict to the relationship was actually healthy. These are two individuals, each with their own issues. A total absence of any conflict was unrealistic.

The wonderfull guy-moment at Mick's loft when Josef and Mick share some bottled blood and a delightful little convo regarding committment issues.

Claudia Black brought the role of the lead cleaner to life.

The entire concept of vampires dispensing vampire justice was different. Before then, I thought that most vampires didn't have rules other than satisfying their cravings.

There were other little moments in the other episodes--FTP, Click and WLB. We should do group watches and discuss (just a thought).

Maybe it would be a nice idea to drop a nice note to CW thanking them for airing Moonlight. I know I've loved the fact that it was on the air, even with the DVD's, this was special. And ask nicely for those three missing episodes.

Lovely!

Jenna

Just had one of those little flashes of insight. Someone mentioned Mick being resolute about the execution of Emma and Jackson, and I just thought, yeah, just as he was resolute about dispensing his less formal vampire justice to Dr. Feelgood. Mick had told the doctor, "We have rules." And the penalty for breaking them...is death by flame. Hospital incinerator, flamethrower, it's all the same. And think of Feelgood, who may have been staked, but who was conscious when the flames started.

Lucky

Oooh, I interrupt my comment for a ... that VO

Anyway, I couldn't understand the whole naming the sports arena. Wouldn't that generate questions (for news coverage) about Sarah and how Josef knew her and wouldn't the timing of that be strange and the fact that he was using another name....