R.I.P. MOONLIGHT
It’s official: the cult-fav vampire show Moonlight has bitten the dust. But may The CW resurrect it?
Sexy LA vamp P.I. Mick St. John may have been struggling with his humanity, but it was creative differences, personnel changes, the Writer's Strike and poor ratings that ultimately vanquished him. Ending weeks of speculation, sources have confirmed to Variety that the fan favorite vampire drama Moonlight will not be renewed by CBS for a second season.
According to JAMES HIBBERD of The Hollywood Reporter, the network frowned upon the amount of crew turnover--including five showrunners in one season--and was not encouraged by the show's failure to hold its Ghost Whisperer lead-in. Indeed, ratings had declined steadily in the weeks after the industry-damaging WGA strike, so that the most recent episode staked only a 2.0 rating among adults aged 18 to 49.
But the show's demise has been heartbreaking to faithful viewers in that demographic as well as to passionate older devotees, many of whom recently organized a nationwide blood drive to rally support.
Series fan NIKKI expressed on the iF Magazine comment board that it had developed a "huge" following even in her native UK. "Moonlight is such a fantastic show that I cannot believe CBS have not renewed it!"
Well, Nikki had better believe it. On May 13, TV Guide's KRISTIN DOS SANTOS received confirmation from Moonlight bosses Gabrielle Stanton & Harry Werksman: "We are truly saddened by the news and are sorry that we won’t get the chance to live with our wonderful characters and follow them on their adventures for a second season. We really want to thank all our loyal fans for their undying love and support of the show. We never would have made it this far without them. In vampire solidarity...rah, rah!"
"Why is it the good shows that always seem to get the ax while schlock such as Rules of Engagement and Two and a Half Men continue to churn away?" asked iF Mag's PETER BROWN rhetorically.
Some commenters, such as DRACULA from Transylvania (yep), answered Brown anyway. "Everyone knows [Moonlight] is just another piece of vampire crap show that continues to rape the memory of Buffy and Angel. CBS, you did the right thing for once."
Others are taking a positive stance on Moonlight's similarities to its TV predecessors, including ALY from California, who called the series "some of the best programming out there. All is not lost yet and I refuse to accept that it is over just yet. I think Moonlight will have the last laugh."
That may not be just wishful thinking. According to NIKKI FINKE's Deadline Hollywood Daily, independent production company Media Rights Capital has been given The CW's Sunday night time slots to air any program they like, and Moonlight is rumored to be on the short list. Warner Bros TV already had given the order to start tearing down the Moonlight sets, but now will wait until Friday.
"CW, please don't pick this show up!!" urged LITTLEMAMA from Vermont. "If it had enough fans it wouldn't have gotten cancelled in the first place."
It is an argument with the merit of precedent. But, ask more vocal Moonlight fans, shouldn't CW execs' mouths be watering at the prospect of picking up a Big Three program that has a larger viewership than Gossip Girl, its own signature show?
"Moonlight is great acting, great storylines, humor, drama, action," professed MICKSGRRL from West Sacramento. "I've never loved a show like I love this one. CW will gain 8 million viewers if they pick up Moonlight--we will follow this show anywhere."
That, according to iF Mag's Brown, could be one of the biggest coups ever.
[Thanks to SANDIE at Daemon's TV.]