MovieChat Forums > Moonlight (2007) Discussion > Why It Ended...

Why It Ended...

posted 15 years ago by latina2010
4 replies | jump to latest

Do you think that the whole plot with the ex-wife introduced so early in the show brought the series to an end? Idk about you but it was a kind of boring love triangle and it just seemed...pointless? I am all for a love triangle because I find it amusing when guys get jealous but they try and hide it and not be so macho. However, it was like an annoying scene after annoying scene with Mick and Coraline.

If they didn't go there and instead there was a main threat early on, like what they introduced at the end with the list it might have been saved for a second season. Some might think it would have been too forumla-ish but hey if we got a second season I would not have minded.

[–] JustFlirtin 15 years ago

It ended because viewership fell off after the strike. It was early on announced that it was expected to be renewed for a second season and it wasn't until after the strike that the show ended up going under. It was commented on frequently that the show was a victim of the strike, I think it had nothing to do with the ex-wife plot. It was winning the time slot prior to the strike tho I don't think it had stellar ratings necessarily.

[–] phoenix_eagle 15 years ago

I beleive the reason the show was canceled was because Warner Brothers and CBS couldn't agree to terms. Warner Brothers wanted CBS to shoulder more of the cost of the show and they were unwilling to do so.

[–] Ysquare 15 years ago

The last four episodes (after the strike) pulled in great numbers. The show started at around 8,5 million viewers and ended at around 7,5 million, usually bouncing back to 8 million. It definitely had potential for a second season. Way more expensive shows with lower ratings aired on better nights get a renewal nowadays.

The problem was basically that:

A)CBS wanted Warner Brothers to step up and pay more.

B) Creative differences between CBS and the shows creators and writers. Season 2 would have moved away from the crime-solving Mick to more 'supernatural' drama. They wanted to introduce the Legion, a secret human-run organization controlling the vampire population. Whenever there are too many vampires, they start killing off some (The French Revolution was such an example). The relationship between the Legion and the vampires was explained like the relationship between the police and the mafia. Both know of each other ad respect/ fear each other, but whenever the mafia gets too strong or meddles too much the police has to take them down a notch. They released this list with all of the vampires in L.A. and in season 2 Mick would have had to decide between his brothers/ sisters and the humans. Also Coraline and Lance would have made a comeback. Basically more drama, more action, more vampire stuff and less day-to-day crime solving.
CBS, however, wanted CSI: Vampires. They wanted way less personal drama, less vampires and less Beth in favour of more cases for Mick (like CSI) that he solves weekly.
The two creators of the show didn't comply and were fired. The writer and producer Werksman sought a compromise but insisted on keeping the focus on the love story between Mick and Beth. He was fired shortly after.

3) Even though Moonlight wasn't bad in the ratings department it had less viewers than its lead-in and its lead-out. Also everything else on CBS was fairly successful at that time and they were confident about their new pilots so they decided to give their 'average' show Moonlight the boot (not forseeing the vampire-boom and thinking it wouldn't attract more viewers). Also, even though fans campaigned for the show, they didn't really listen because their renewal of Jericho (based on fan campaigns) didn't work. Jericho even had less viewers upon its return so they decided to not give Moonlight a chance

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]