"Moonlighting" Moonlighting (Pilot) (1985)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Robert Butler

Writers:

Glenn Gordon Caron (written by) and
Marc Abraham (writer)

TV Series:

"Moonlighting" (1985)

Original Air Date:

3 March 1985 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Romance

Plot:

This is the pilot episode of the "Moonlighting" (_qv_) television series. Maddie Hayes, a wealthy former model...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Model | Murder | Battle Of The Sexes | Duo

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Cybill Shepherd	...	Madelyn 'Maddie' Hayes
Bruce Willis	...	David Addison Jr.
Allyce Beasley	...	Agnes DiPesto
Robert Ellenstein	...	Heinz
James Karen	...	Alan
Rebecca Stanley	...	Susan Kaplan
Dennis Lipscomb	...	Simon
Frederick Coffin	...	Pawnbroker
Mary Hart	...	Herself
Henry G. Sanders	...	Investigator #1
Liz Sheridan	...	Selma
Dennis Stewart	...	Blond Mohawk
Jean Adams	...	Old Lady
Rachel Bard	...	Grandma
Blake Clark	...	Newsstand Man

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Eastern Columbia Building - 849 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Quotes:

[repeated throughout series during arguments]
David Addison: [yelling] Fine!
Madelyn 'Maddie' Hayes: [yelling] Fine!
[both stalk into their offices and slam the doors behind them]

Where Does The Time Go

It doesn't seem like it has been More than 20 years since this pilot hit the air. When you look at it now and see dial pay phones and no cell phones, you realize it has been.

The main plots in the pilot involves model Maddie Hayes being taken for all her money by bogus financial advisor's & $4 million dollars in smuggled diamonds that Maddie & David Addison accidentally stumble onto. This pilot relies upon two things which made the entire series a major success. The chemistry between Bruce Willis & Cybill Shepherd is the main thing. A clever script is the other.

While the script is a fresh approach, some of the sequences go back to classic material. The main finale sequence featuring some stunts, a tall building with a clock, and some breath taking moments draws upon the silent classic SAFETY LAST from Harold Lloyd for its inspiration.

All in all, this pilot is extremely effective introducing everyone and providing some top notch 1980's era music in its sound track. It is a key building block from which the rest of the series takes off on.