Plot: What’s it about?
Maddy Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) is a former model, who was made rich and famous by appearing in ads for Blue Moon Shampoo. Here’s the bad news. Maddy’s accountants and advisors have screwed her over, and she has very little left, and her work seems for naught. Her lawyer informs her of some small companies she owns, and tells her to acquire some quick cash by selling them off. Her holdings include a small detective agency, The City of Angels Detective Agency, run by David Addison (Bruce Willis). Upon learning that his business is being closed down, Addison asks Maddy for a second chance, which results in their first, of many, arguments. Through an unusual turn of events, Maddy ends up with a watch, which seems to be hot property, as people are willing to kill to get a hold of it. Maddy and David must work together to figure out what is going on, and keep Maddy out of harm’s way, while making sure David’s doors stay open for business.
Moonlighting was a fantastic television program, so when Anchor Bay announced the pilot episode on DVD, I was thrilled. I wondered though how well the show would hold up, but after watching it again, it retained it’s entertainment value, at least to me. The chemistry between Willis and Shepherd is amazing, although the pilot is not the best example thereof. The characters are not quite developed fully, but this is still a fun disc to watch, and hopefully a sign of more episodes to come. A little slow in the beginning, the pilot picks up as it nears the conclusion, and it is very fun to watch unfold. Sure, this is not as good as some of the later episodes of the show, but the pilot holds some great times within it, and I am glad to own it. I mean, if you like the show, why wouldn’t you want this disc? The pilot runs about an hour and a half, so it’s like a regular movie. It stands on it’s own well, but I will like this disc a lot more when other episodes are sitting next to it on my DVD shelves.
Video: How does it look?
Since this was made to be shown on television, the transfer is full frame only. The overall look of the visuals is great, better than broadcast, baby! Bright colors, correct black levels, and no major errors make this a solid transfer for this great feature.
Audio: How does it sound?
A mono track is used, and it gets the job done. The music sounds perfect, as do the effects. The dialogue is the most important thing here though, and it sounds excellent as well. Every snide remark sounds clear and crisp.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You get a running commentary by actor Bruce Willis and series creator Glenn Gordon Caron. The track is funny to listen to, and Bruce tells of some bad advice he got from Caron, which is funny. The bad thing about this commentary is that it ends way before the pilot does. Weird. You also get screen tests of Willis, as well as another actor trying to get the role of David Addison.
