Similarity Is In the Eye Of the Beholder, I Guess

[ithildin]

Glancing at some email from one of the Highlander lists, and see several people think Moonlight resembles Highlander. One person is even confident that they researched HL to make Moonlight. Hmmm... I don't see it. Forever Knight? Oh yeah! (to me, at least [g]) You know my opinion on that! But Highlander? I can't think of anything in Moonlight that even makes me think of Highlander. And yet there appear to be a whole bunch of people who believe otherwise.

Go figure.

Comments

[nessa5.livejournal.com]

Highlander?
the only thing I see in common is that it's about immortals,or potential immortals.

As for Forever Kinght, I think they might have picked up some of there unused scripts and changed the names...

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean! It's just very funny. Gives you one of those 'are we watching the same show?' moments :)

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched it yet, but I would like to just because so many Highlander fans seem so taken with it. From the list posts, they seem to think the similarity lies with the fact that the vampires are old and you have to cut off their heads to kill them. And there has been talk of an old vampire that reminds some people of Methos. There is also some discussion about the lead character's relationship with a mortal woman. Some people seem to think it reminds them of Duncan and Tessa.

So the real questions are: Are the guys cute? Are the stories good? The costumes? The sets? Do the actors have chemistry with one another (both male and female) and does that chemistry translate to the screen? Is any of the dialogue memorable? How about the one-off characters? Will we remember any of them next year? Five years from now? Are they three-dimensional and interesting or the basic nobody from week to week?

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Well, cutting off the head is a pretty standard mode of vamp killing, so no idea why that would make it seem Highlanderish as opposed to vampirish. As for the older vampire, Methos would eat him for lunch! I mean, Josef is an interesting character, but doesn't hold a candle to Methos. As for the mortal woman, much more like Nat in Forever Knight. I don't see their relationship being like Duncan and Tessa at all.

As for the questions. It's an entertaining show. I know many women think the guys are cute, though they don't really do anything for me - But I like them as people [g]. The stories, for me as an FK fan have been fairly recycled, though now, they finally seem to be hitting their stride. Costumes? Well, Beth has a nice wardrobe for an underpaid reporter. The men wear well cut fashionable clothing. Haven't really come across any one off characters I'd look for again. But it's early days. I like the chemistry between the male and female lead. Their past meshing with their present is interesting.

Will I remember this show in five years? Probably. Will I want to read fic or write it? Probably not. But that iron doesn't strike often! It's a show I like to watch every week at this point. Like SPN, and Atlantis. Not a show I'm fanatic about like House or Grey's. I like it much much more than the other vampire show on the air right now, Blood Ties. I think it's worth a look, it just takes a few episodes to really get into it.

Did I cover everything?!?!

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

"Remove the head, then they're dead!" is a pretty good rule of thumb. Humans, animals, immortals, zombies, vampires, werewolves--pretty much anything but a hydra falls over and stops moving if you take its head. So, yeah, that's not such a big connection.

On the other hand, I enjoy Blood Ties but gave up on Moonlight after the second episode. Of course, I was a fan of the Tanya Huff novels since they first came out so I was predisposed to like the show. I tried Moonlight, but I didn't find anything to like. It struck me as a rehash of Angel and Forever Knight, but doing nothing those shows didn't do first (and better).

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I started reading the Huff books after the TV series came out -- peer pressure [g] I read the first four, I think? I think the problem for me is I just don't like Vicky. I can not figure out why Mike and Henry care so much about her. I got really tired of the two of them constantly battling it out for her affections, or whatever you want to call it. As for the TV show, I've kept watching it because I love the character of Mike. If it were the Mike Celluci show, I'd be its biggest fan [g]

Moonlight really began to appeal to me the episode in the desert. I think it was the third or fourth one.

[lferion]

I actually really like the spin-off books from Blood Ties -- the Smoke and Shadows/Mirrors/Ashes books with the vampire tv show PA.

I admit I haven't watched either Moonlight or Blood Ties, but would happily read about Methos walking all over the 'old' vampire :-)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Yep! I read a Henry and Amanda fic last night. I'm told she may write one with Methos in it as well.

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, I enjoy Blood Ties but gave up on Moonlight after the second episode. Of course, I was a fan of the Tanya Huff novels since they first came out so I was predisposed to like the show. I tried Moonlight, but I didn't find anything to like. It struck me as a rehash of Angel and Forever Knight, but doing nothing those shows didn't do first (and better).

Word. I've seen more of Moonlight since my mom likes it, and I'm no more impressed by it now than I was with the first couple of episodes.

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

Did I cover everything?!?!

I think so. But most of the questions are an ongoing evaluation. It's too early to know if this show will grow and mature the way HL did. The questions I postulated are a guide and the answers will tell us if the show passed the test or not.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Oops, sorry. Thought you were asking 'now' :)

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

I do not see an similarity to HL. Agree with Ith, FK, yes. It is okay. Also agree with Ith characters do nothing for me.

Where Ith and I disagree is that I prefer Bloodties on Lifetime. The chemistry, characters. stories and actors are overall better on Bloodties. Ith prefer Moonlight.

Roberta

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

What? FK maybe.

I want to watch ML, but I don't have cable, and I haven't seen it. I'd like someone to burn them to dick an mail to me, that they seems like too much effort.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

May as well wait and see if it even gets renewed at this point.

I can do that

[evildrem.livejournal.com]

..or upload them for you if you want.

Re: I can do that

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wish I could get them on disc, because I am sadly on dial up. But really, don't tax yourself. :)

Not a problem

[evildrem.livejournal.com]

Will take me 10 minutes and I can post at work on Monday. Email me your snail mail to emkeres at gmail dot com.

[jerel.livejournal.com]

Watched part of the first episode. Feh. I said "Oh look, it's Forever Knight without LaCroix to make it interesting."

The Celts used to cut off their enemies' heads and keep them as war trophies, in the belief that they would then possess their foes' knowledge and power. (Quickening, anyone?)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

In this case, LaCroix is his ex wife come back to life after he thought he'd killed her. Like we didn't see that coming!

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

Moonlight is like Beauty and the Beast actually:)

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

And that's natural since it is another Ron Koslow production. I think part of my disappointment with Moonlight comes from having vague warm fuzzy memories of Beauty and the Beast, and not enjoying Moonlight.

actually, I don't have fuzzy feelings........

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

they destroyed season 2 IMO:(

I am afraid for the second season of moonlight.

Re: actually, I don't have fuzzy feelings........

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

Heh, well I haven't watched it in years. I don't remember the name or occupation of Linda Hamilton's character. The fuzzies may just be from having loved Vincent, and not have anything to do with the writing of it. Since I'm not enjoying Moonlight I can only wish for you that a) there is a second season, and b) you enjoy it. :)

[spiffikins]

The only obvious similarity to HL that I can see, is that for people who never saw FK, HL was probably their introduction to the flashback scene.

Moonlight is growing on me - the first few episodes were meh, but the desert episode got me a lot more interested.

Watching Moonlight after being in the FK fandom, for me, is like reading the first few Terry Goodkind books after reading the first few Wheel of Time books - every few scenes, I get a sense of deja vu...

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the desert episode was the one that got me more interested as well.