Top Comments: Moonlighting's "Atomic Shakespeare" edition

            As always  ……………………… “Keep those cards and letters coming, folks!”

There is no such thing as either the best TV show of all time, let alone the best single TV episode: it is too subjective. But …… if I had to cast a ballot: the episode of the show Moonlighting that featured a parody of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” would be my vote. This coming November will mark the (cough) 30th anniversary (cough) of this episode …. and so, it might be worth a look back at it, and what some of the show’s stars are up to nowadays, after the jump ……………….

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March, 1985 — May, 1989

Living in the New York metro area at the time: I recall the morning host of a jazz-oriented public radio station (WBGO in Newark, NJ) named Gary Walker — who is still at his post, decades later — rave about a new TV show called Moonlighting. Based upon his recommendation, I gave it a try and — like many people — fell in love with it right away. It was among the earliest of what became known as “dramedies” — romantic comedy blended with drama and adventure (“The Days & Nights of Molly Dodd” was another dramedy series I liked).

The show was created by Glenn Gordon Caron— who was given an assignment by ABC, as they were seeking a replacement for “Hart to Hart” (and, since Caron had previously worked on the show “Remington Steele”):

“Do a boy-girl detective show, something with a blonde and a guy who looks good in a tuxedo. We don’t care what you do with it.”

What he did was to come-up with a partnership detective agency with Madelyn "Maddie" Hayes (portrayed by Cybill Shepherd) and David Addison (portrayed by Bruce Willis). The show, with a mix of mystery, sharp dialogue, and sexual tension between its two leads … also featured them talking to the camera on occasion(!) The show made TIME magazine’s 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, was nominated for numerous Emmy Awards (winning in some directorial categories) and the show’s two leading stars won several Golden Globe and People’s Choice awards.

Before we turn to the episode in question: a look at its four main characters.

With a BMW saddle  …… the 80’s, natch

For Cybill Shepherd, this program was a triumphal comeback. After leaving the field of modeling, she had film successes with “The Last Picture Show” and “Taxi Driver” in 1976 .. but then had a string of commercial failures. Orson Welles advised her to get away from big-city critics, and she honed her craft on-stage in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Returning to Hollywood in the 80’s, she won critical acclaim in a short-lived TV series that left her in a prime spot for her comeback hit.

Today at age 66, she continues performing in a variety of roles on TV, stage and film: appearing as Martha Stewart in a 2005 TV movie, making her Broadway debut in 2012, has released several albums of her singing the Great American Songbook, and released her autobiography in 2000. She has also been active in the pro-choice movement and helped finance the National Civil Rights Museum (which I heartily recommend visiting) in her hometown of Memphis.

Cybill Shepherd in the 80’s ……… and more recently

By contrast, this show was the break-out role for Bruce Willis — who auditioned against 3,000 other actors to get the role in Moonlighting. Born in West Germany (the son of an American soldier and a German woman) and now age 61, he went on to star in the Die Hard film series ….. and needs little further introduction.

Bruce Willis in the 1980’s ... ……… and more recently

The Blue Moon detective agency’s delightfully scatter-brained receptionist Agnes DiPesto — always answering the phone with a rhyme scheme of sorts — was portrayed by Allyce Beasley, who worried for a time about being typecast, but who works steadily (if quietly) today: including roles as an announcer on the Disney Channel, starring in the Broadway revival of “La Cage aux Folles” and a role in the film “Legally Blonde”. A breast cancer survivor, she will turn age 62 in two weeks.

Allyce Beasley in the 1980’s ……… and more recently

A lesser-recalled performer (and a sometimes foil for Agnes DiPesto) was Herbert Viola, portrayed by Curtis Armstrong. He was best-known for his role as “Booger” in the Revenge of the Nerds films just before Moonlighting, and recently he parlayed that role into a co-hosting spot on King of the Nerds shown on TBS. He says that many people (upon meeting him) address him as “Booger” …. and says that he’s fine with it.

Yet he is far from kitschy: as he is considered an expert on the music of Harry Nilsson and has helped compile (and write liner notes) for several Nilsson re-issues. And I thought he was terrific portraying the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, in the film Ray (that won Jamie Foxx an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles). At age 62, Curtis Armstrong recently reprised his role on the TNT series Major Crimes (with Kyra Sedgwick).

Curtis Armstrong in the 80’s ……… and more recently

While the show had many classic episodes — including The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice— a black-and-white film noir that had an introduction by Orson Welles (who died just before the show aired) — as well as an under-appreciated one, Big Man on Mulberry Street— with Bruce Willis dancing to the Billy Joel song of that name —  I recall watching those shows in the moment.

Yet for Atomic Shakespeare, I recall looking at my then-girlfriend and saying “How clever!” numerous times during the episode. And I was emotionally drained afterwards.

     “Atomic Shakespeare”

The episode actually dates back to the genesis of the show itself: Glenn Gordon Caron said that he got the initial idea from seeing a 1978 performance of Taming of the Shrew— starring Meryl Streep and Raul Julia — in New York’s Central Park. The sexual tension between the two formed the basis of the TV show … and with this episode, the concept simply came full-circle.

On November 25, 1986: we tuned-into the show, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.  On the screen: a young boy is told he can not watch Moonlighting, as he has to study for an exam on Shakespeare the next day. Instead, he dreams of Maddie and David in the roles of Kate and Petrucchio, and at the end of the dream (and at the end of the hour) he rushes downstairs, only to be told by his mother that the show has just ended and besides …. “it wasn’t very good, anyway”.

In between the intro and ending: is a take-off on the classic play with some of the truly funniest scenes I ever saw on the show (which is saying something), plus the playing of The Young Rascals classic hit Good Lovin’  and sight gags of the 80’s ….. that someway … somehow ….. came together with The Bard’s work to make a hit. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interestingly, schoolteachers have found showing their students this episode has been a valuable tool in opening their minds to Shakespeare: one even used a VHS tape of it for years. Improbably, the 50 minute-long episode is on YouTube — and thus this evening, if you are so inclined, you can watch it (in its entirety) below. x YouTube Video

Or, you can simply conclude tonight’s Top Comments by hearing Al Jarreau sing the show’s charming theme song— and if there is one thing I could change about the TV industry nowadays ….. it would be to bring back the TV theme song.

The best ones either told the premise (Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island) or else at least set the mood for the show ………………..… which this song did, quite ably.

x YouTube Video Now, on to Top Comments: -------------------------------------

From peregrine kate:

In the diary by smoothnmellow about the utter dysfunction of the GOP House - this comment by Yellow Canary is worth more attention.

From Village Vet:

In the front-page story about a new arrest in the Bundy-related militia movement - I found this comment made by DocDawg to be hilarious — and who is hereby banished to Top Comments.  (Editor’s note … part of the subsequent commentary wanders into musical instrument and dating potential territory where frivolity ensues  :-)

From aphra behn:

In the live-blog by El Mito about Britain’s vote on a possible Brexit— I nominate this comment by limpidglass about the valuable role that European unity plays.

And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........

In the front-page story about the hiring (by CNN) of former Trump aide-de-camp Corey Lewandowski - an opening salvo was launched by OurTown about a new ‘style’ of journalism— then, DennisMorrison thought the network should go all-in on Corey, as he would be a good foil for some other CNN analysts. 

TOP PHOTOS June 22nd, 2016 Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo.   (NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed because (a) they were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions set to allow others to use it.)

And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:

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