"When Girls Collide"

[bry]

given the recent incidents with each others emotions, can't you guys see why they may not like each other?

[gypsygem81]

Yes, you can see why they would be upset with each other at this point, after all they've been through, but in this episode they were downright nasty, particularly David, and this just seemed totally out of character. They've always been mad at each other for some reason or another, but not in such a hateful manner. I thought it was a nice touch at the end having David come home to find Maddie asleep on his bed, like in I'm Curious when she came home to find him asleep in her bed. That was a really significant move for Maddie, but David is so mean to her. I didn't like this episode. Too depressing!

Love Gem

[kismet]

In the middle of When Girls Collide and Lunar Eclipse, you have In 'n Outlaws and Eine Kleine Nacht Musik.

I thought there was chemistry between David and Maddie in Eine Kleine. It is not one of my favorites (oh heck, I still hate it) but I can stomach some of the scenes.

BUT then you see In 'n Outlaws and you go "HEY WAIT A MINUTE!" They sure didn't hate each other in that one. I can watch certain scenes from that one over and over and over again.

Inconsistency? I don't know what to think about the end of ML. It hurts me so much that the thought of re-watching WGC or Lunar Eclipse gives me the heebeegeebees. How do you spell that word?!

[MulberryGal]

However you spell heebeegeebees, I totally agree Kismet...I can't stand to watch those episodes where Maddie and Dave seem to hate each other for no reason. *Shudder*

Especially when you watch all the season 1, 2 and 3 epis where its just wonderful stuff...



Mul

[ilovedavid]

I don't think there was any "chemistry" or "tension" between Maddie And David. They seemed to truly dislike each other in this episode. David acted like the "dog" that Maddie always accused him of being. Who wrote this one - not the David and Maddie we know.

[CindyK]

well you are right about the writer being different. This episode was written by Merrill Markoe...a writer who once was a writer on David Letterman and Garry Shandling's show and she has since go on to author several books, the best known one called "Merrill Markoe's Guide to Love" which is a humorus (although somewhat sarcastic) look at love advice (seminars, self help books, etc.). I guess you could say it was a spoof of those guides to love relationship books.

Here is an interview transcript with her from an appearance on Good Morning America that is posted. http://users.abac.com/ksitterley/mm97p.htm If you read this and see some of her discussion about "terrifying unstable neurotic love" I guess you can see where she was trying to go a bit in this episode by her comment about the abusive love relationship "All the time, no matter how I'm acting on the outside, I'm loving you on the inside."

Anyway, no, she was not a regular writer for the series and yes, it does show in this episode.

[marla]

a young boy in the 'moonlighting social club' told me that around this time david was dating maddies Married Cousin!!! he thought that was "seriously screwy" because in the priest episode, david found it repugnant that the priest was in love with a Married woman. i totally agree with my young friend.

[MaddieLovesDavid]

Originally Posted by MulberryGal

Is this the episode where David and Annie wander around the streets to "Just my imagination"? When seeing that scene, I often thought it should have been written for David and Maddie instead. I hate the bit where David and Annie disapear, leaving Maddie, like some old maiden aunt asleep unstairs... Very mean spirited and horrible...



Mul

Originally Posted by cheryl80

Moonlighting has taken a turn, now it is quite serious and Maddie and David ...just seemed like two people who really, really dislike one another.

This sums up my feelings and most of the posts here. I can actually see how some would like this one however. I don't know, I can stretch and see someone else's point of view as if it were my own - if that makes any sense. But honestly, David's behavior towards the Demi Moore cameo and his attraction to Annie should have been reserved for Maddie. He does not seem conflicted between feelings for Maddie vs. Annie or the unknown woman in the lobby. He's angry with his female lead of four years and ga-ga for the next skirts who appear. Meanwhile Maddie is calling David every kind of degenerate which is out of place and hateful too. Season 4 love-struck, expectant father David is now a degenerate? Why'd they approve this Merrill chick's script anyway? Were they asking anyone with a suit on in the streets of LA at the time if they wanted to write for a dying show?

That said, I actually liked David and Annie's date - the way it was shot and with "Just My Imagination" playing. It would have been a perfect reunion date for David and Maddie - a Maddie with one of her more glamorous hairstyles, that is. What was up with Cybill's hair in Season 5?? . But no, Maddie's looking all washed out compared to Annie and the unknown woman and she goes straight to bed leaving David with Annie and they go out and "moonlight" like Annie's the female lead of the show. What?? Did the theme song even make sense anymore at this point?

This episode is definitely all kinds of wrong and my thought is that the producers no longer cared - which is no excuse not to be consistent with characterization and not to be true to the original premise of the story which gained the show it's fan base from the start. It shouldn't be - oh the ratings are bad so write anything; the show will be cancelled soon anyway. I hate that kind of capitalist businessman's thinking; it never bodes well for art.