[Special Thanks To my friend Bryan Pedus of the always-entertaining blog 'A Beer For The Shower' for the technical assistance that made this blog bit possible. But for 4-B's help, there would have been no video, and no video meant no blog bit. So, thanks, Brother Beer Boy Bryan! If we ever meet, the beer's on me... well, the first one is, anyway.]
For my money, 'MOONLIGHTING' was one of the ten best TV shows of all time. And for my money, the last episode of 'Moonlighting' was without a doubt the best finale to a popular TV series ever. But this isn’t for my money. It’s for my Ma (may she rest in peace), whose birthday is today (May 13th).
.
.
My Ma
in Heaven totally “gets” this. I hope the rest of you will simply enjoy it.
5x13 Lunar Eclipse
.
.
I was holding one of my Ma's hands when she left this Earth. The day before, when she and I were alone in her hospice room, something happened, and I have NEVER told anyone about it. It was just a little thing, but my Ma noticed it too because she immediately asked me, "What was that?" I told her that I didn't know. I do, but I don't, and someday I will. I know that eventually God is going to reveal to me why that "little thing" happened, and I suspect He will reveal it at a time when I most desperately need to know it.
[Ma, Frank says “We’ll Be Together Again”, just as soon as these dog days of life come to an end. I believe. I do believe. See ya then, Binky Buckeye, you flippin' squirrel!]
[Ma, Frank says “We’ll Be Together Again”, just as soon as these dog days of life come to an end. I believe. I do believe. See ya then, Binky Buckeye, you flippin' squirrel!]
~ Stephen T. McCarthy
POSTSCRIPT: Thanks again, Bryan! I kept this wannabe blog bit saved on my Dashboard's 'Post List', not thinking it would ever really get posted. I thank you, Brother, and I'm sure my Ma does too.
YE OLDE
COMMENT POLICY: All comments, pro and con, are welcome. However, ad hominem
attacks and disrespectful epithets will not be tolerated (read:
"posted"). After all, this isn’t Amazon.com,
so I don’t have to put up with that kind of bovine excrement.
.
I'm sorry your mother is gone, but glad you were with her when she died. I flew to MD when my mom was in the hospital, and in my heart, I knew she was going to die. But, the plane sat on the tarmac in Atlanta for an hour and a half before we finally took off. By the time we were airborne, we should have already landed in Baltimore. Long story short, she died twenty minutes before I got to the hospital. I know it wasn't my "fault", but I'm still sorry I wasn't there with her.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, nice post. I liked "Moonlighting", but for some reason, the more I watched it, the more Bruce Willis got on my nerves. What's strange about that is he brings the same sort of smart ass personality to his movie roles, too... and I thoroughly enjoy them. Go figure.
SUSAN ~
DeleteVery sorry to hear about the misfortune in your effort to be with your Mom. No doubt she understands that it was beyond your control.
In fact, I very nearly WASN'T with my Ma when she passed on. I had a decision to make and I prayed to Jesus about it. He answered, and because of that, I was there. Maybe I'll tell that story here later. But I can still remember, about 15 minutes after my Ma's transition and with the tears falling, I told my Brother and Sister that I would NEVER, EVER doubt the existence of Jesus. Had He not answered that prayer, I would have been at work - at some stupid-ass job - when my Ma passed on.
Bruce Willis... yeah, that's odd. I like him better in 'Moonlighting' than in the 'Die Hard' stuffs... just because there's no profanity in the TV show. But, yes, it's basically David Addison in both.
One thing I always liked about 'Moonlighting' is that the show and the characters were always willing to poke fun at themselves, and the final episode was no exception. The writers (who were so good) really screwed up the series, and they knew it, and alluded to it in those last scenes.
The show could have continued for several more seasons at top quality if the writers had refrained from having David and Maddie sleep together. When they got naked and did "it", the show was done (and the scene, the circumstance was just as wrong as it could have possibly been!). Yeah, the show continued for a little while longer, but it was just a twitching, detached lizard's tail at that point.
Even a maroon like me could have told the writers, "If you EVER have David and Maddie sleep together, make it REALLY ROMANTIC, and make it happen in the final episode." Those "dumb stupid idiots", to quote The Beer Boys. (If two heads are better than one, then it stands to reason that three words are better than one, eh?)
It was good writers who killed 'Moonlighting'!
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
You're absolutely right about "Moonlighting". Once they slept together, the dynamics changed.
DeleteFunny you mentioned the tailless lizard, especially if you didn't read my last post.
Actually, I had NOT read your latest post. But the twitching lizard tail is a simile I've used before in political writings (as a representation of the U.S.A.).
DeleteHowever, I have NOW read your 'lizard tail' tale and left a comment about my baseball-loving tortoise.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
SUSAN ~
DeleteOh, yeah, and about 'MOONLIGHTING'... as soon as David and Maddie "did it", all of the sexual tension that held the show together evaporated. For that show, it was "the kiss of death".
Dumb, dumb, dumb!
~ D-FensDogg
Very nice... lovely music to end on...Count yourself blessed that you got to spend those moments with her.
ReplyDeleteStephen-
ReplyDeleteEchoing Susan's comment, I am glad you were able to be with your Mom when she passed. I was planning to see my father only a few days after his passing, and part of me is still sad I did not get to say a final goodbye, although we were close enough that (1) I do not think that there was anything left unsaid [I probably could have told him how I felt about him more often-we were not that kind of family] and (2) I know he'd not want me to beat myself up over it.
In any event, I am sure your mother appreciated you there for the send off.
BROTHER MARTIN & DISCDUDE ~
DeleteThanks, guys! Yes, I was fortunate to be able to be with my Ma when she moved on. The same with my Pa, nearly a decade earlier.
I didn't even mention in this blog bit the connection between my Ma and 'Moonlighting'. She fell in love with the show and then turned me onto it. She mentioned it to me and said she thought I'd really enjoy it too. But having never been a big TV watcher, I didn't bother catching the show for a few weeks.
Finally I did watch an episode. I thought it was OK, but nothing particularly great. The following week, my Ma talked me into watching a second episode, which I liked a little better. By the third episode, I'd picked up on the characters and the dynamic that drove them and I was totally hooked.
As it says at the end of that last episode, it was broadcasted on May 14, 1989, the night after my Ma's birthday. And I can still remember it clearly... She, my Pa and I were on vacation in Kentucky, and I recall my Ma's tears after those last two shots of Maddie and David were shown and then the credits rolled.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Nice and simple with a beautiful thought. An excellent post. I never watched Moonlighting but I liked this finale clip. Very clever idea.
ReplyDeleteI was with my father when he passed. It was a very quiet calm experience, but out of the hospital window there were gathering clouds and lightening in the distance. It all seemed strangely symbolic. I sure hope my mother has a lot more years to go. Quality years.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Thanks, LEE.
Delete'Moonlighting' was a great show! Always very clever and often innovative - they were constantly "breaking the fourth wall" (and I love that stuffs).
There were a lot of episodes I really, really enjoyed, but probably the most memorable one for most fans (and justifiably so) was their version of Shakespeare's 'Taming Of The Shrew'. Absolutely a classic episode.
I'm not sure how much of that episode would go over the head of a casual viewer, without a knowledge of running gags and character quirks that would be known by true fans. I have every episode on DVD and should watch that one again soon with an eye toward answering that question.
I'm happy to hear that you got to be there for your Dad when God called him home, my friend.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Hey, I'm glad to have helped! And frankly, I had no idea that my bit of advice was going toward something so meaningful. You are very, very welcome.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm ever in Airheadzona, don't think I won't take you up on that free beer.
Also, the blog we're about to put up in the next few hours is in your honor. And worry not, we didn't post the picture of you in your green Shamrock vest... after all, a guy's got a reputation to maintain, right?
Reply tonight after work, 4-B.
Delete~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
BROTHER BEER BOY BRYAN ~
Delete>>... If I'm ever in Airheadzona, don't think I won't take you up on that free beer.
Believe me, Bro, you don't EVER want to be in Airheadzona (they make you check your brain at the border... or the airheadport, if you fly in.) But if you are, you got it.
In fact, I know the place we'd go... good beer, ya know? (I'll be posting about it in my very next blog bit here at F-FFF.)
>>... And worry not, we didn't post the picture of you in your green Shamrock vest... after all, a guy's got a reputation to maintain, right?
Ha! Right. I appreciate you looking out for (what little is left of) my good reputation.
Thanks again for mentioning me in the blog bit - that was fun. And it was a "classy" blog bit, too! (The gag about Coors Light was great stuffs, 4-B. My thoughts EXACTLY!)
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'