FAQ

Since its inception in September of 2007, Moonlight has been variously compared to a number of other vampire shows, e.g., Blood Ties (2007), Angel (1999-2004), Charmed (1998-2006), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), Kindred: the Embraced (1996), Forever Knight (1989-1996), even Dark Shadows (1966-1971), the comparison claiming that Moonlight is a rip-off of some other show and that it lacks originality. Yes, there are similarities. They all have vampires in them, and some of the vampires have consciences and/or angst over being vampires, some choose not to feed on humans, some work as cops or P.I.s, some wear black clothes, some fall in love with a human, and some have superhuman abilities.

But there are differences that set Moonlight apart from these other shows. In most episodes, the bad guys are humans, not demons or supernatural beings. There are no hellspots, visiting Gods, vampire clans, or alternate universes. Mick St John [Alex O'Loughlin] doesn't rely on magic or witches to aid him in his work. He is able to tolerate small amounts of sunlight, so not every scene with him needs to be shot at night. What Moonlight does have is a fairly young vampire (turned in 1952) who doesn't have well-honed superpowers and centuries of experience behind him. It has a cure for vampirism, albeit temporary at this point. It has leading actors who are not spinoffs from other shows. It has what many think is incredible chemistry among the cast members. It features a family of vampires that are not harmed by fire.

Originality isn't the only way to judge a show. Many people go to the theater to see the same play performed by different casts or to enjoy a different interpretation of the material. All of the shows mentioned above can be deemed rip-offs of shows that came before them. Nearly every one has similarities to other shows. And that is not necessarily a bad thing! If you only had to stick to one show, and that was the end of that, then it would be quite boring. It's nice to have new shows, even if they have similar themes, as they obviously have a different cast and different plots. Hopefully, you'll watch Moonlight and enjoy it!

In the Moonlight universe, vampires are dead. Sleeping in freezers keeps their bodies from decomposing, so they won't smell bad. Also, whenever Mick is injured, he needs human blood to heal, so it may be that slowing his decomposition by sleeping in a freezer also lessens his craving and need for blood.

Each fictional vampire universe has its own rules about vampires and sunlight. In the Moonlight universe, Mick St John is a vampire who is able to tolerate sunlight for short periods of time but may be harmed if exposed to strong sunlight for lengthy periods, as in episode 1.4 Fever, in which Mick is forced to make his way through the burning desert sun. Packing his body in ice will slow the decomposition, but it requires blood for total healing. Burning up in the sun is actually a relatively new characteristic in fictional vampire lore. It was first seen in the 1922 movie Nosferatu, when Count Orlok disintegrated in the rising sun. In Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897), however, the count was seen walking around London on a sunny afternoon wearing a straw hat to shield his face from the direct sun. In Sheridan Le Fanu's short story Carmilla (1872), the vampire was only slightly enervated in the sunlight and used a parasol to shade her delicate skin. In traditional vampire legend and mythology, vampires could be out and about at any time of day. In many places, in fact, vampires were thought to be normal people during the day who simply happened to engage in vampiric behaviors at night, sometimes because they were witches or heretics and sometimes because they were individuals who had returned from the dead and reassumed the lifestyle of the living. So, the writers of Moonlight have obviously decided to revert to vampire lore that was existent prior to Nosferatu.

In traditional vampire lore, it is often believed that the reanimated vampire is simply a shadow, a spirit, or an astral projection while his or her corporal body stays in the grave. In that case, the vampire wouldn't have a reflection because it has no solid body. In vampire fiction, the vampire doesn't have a reflection because s/he is said to possess no soul. In the Moonlight universe, however, vampires are sensitive to silver. Old mirrors are silver-backed and old cameras used film based on silver salts that when devloped are convereted to silver. Mick can be seen in modern videocams and digital cameras because they don't use silver. Most modern mirrors are backed with aluminum, not silver, so Mick's reflection will show up in mirrors.

It's true. In 2005, Alex met with director Martin Campbell in Los Angeles at his office on the Sony lot and was asked to fly to London and be tested at Pinewood Studio. The way Alex has described it in a number of interviews, it was quite the experience. He had his hair cut and was fitted for various tuxedos and suits. He shot three audition scenes. One was a seductive scene with a topless Bond girl. In another, he had to assassinate someone. The part eventually when to Daniel Craig. Alex contends that he lost the part because he was too young at the time (@30), but has his fingers crossed that there will be a next time when he gets a bit older.

You can find a list of the music from the show here: http://tvshowmusic.com/shows/moonlight-music-season-1