Moonlight S1 E6 "B.C."

Spoilers Ahead

Drug trips, crazy 80s clothes, vampire corpses, and microchipped humans: "B.C." is one weird episode of Moonlight.

Here's the basic premise: While putting together a fluff piece on a fashion show, Beth stumbles onto a real story when the star model collapses and dies. Following various leads ultimately has Beth at the morgue stealing a microchip that will get her into the VIP room at Club Valis--apparent source of the drug that killed the model.

Mick, meanwhile, is approached by Josef to find his on-again/off-again girlfriend Lola, an ancient vampire. Apparently Lola has disappeared and Josef is worried. Well, he's worried and also she stole a million dollars from from him before going AWOL. Well, she didn't steal it so much as he gave it to her because she asked. But whatever the case he still needs to find her. Mick's investigation leads him to the discovery that Lola recently bought a tonne of silver--strange since it's a toxic substance to vampires. Before long he finds the burned corpse of a silver-covered vampire, which his contact at the morgue informs him has been drained of blood. It occurs to Mick that the silver could be used to paralyze a vampire in order for their blood to be drained without any loss of it.

It's at the morgue where Beth and Mick run into each other for the first time since their kiss. Despite the awkwardness they soon realize that their cases coincide. It doesn't take long for them to catch on that Lola is selling vampire blood as a drug, killing both vampires and humans (who OD on the silver in the blood) in the process. Knowing that Lola won't hide what she is from the police, Mick and Josef know she needs to be stopped before they're all discovered. Heading to Lola's base of operations--a creepy warehouse filled with tanks of paralyzed and dying vamps--Mick confronts Lola (who earlier was wearing an outfit worthy of Aunty Entity, but at this point has changed into a cheap corset--wardrobe department fail). She has a chance to show off some of the benefits of her advanced age before Mick gets lucky and pushes her into one of the silver-laden tanks. Then he blows the place up.

Oh, and there's a very...odd scene involving Beth high on vampire blood (or "Black Crystal" as the drug is called). She and Mick end up in the shower together--fully clothed--and while it's not an unappealing moment, it does seem kind of weird and pointless. And boy that Mick's got some self control. He must be the only (ex) musician ever with that kind of discipline. It's a little disappointing, actually.

"B.C." gives us a chance to get to know Josef a bit better, but I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. Why is it that he creates a mess (by giving his playmate a million dollars, no questions asked) and then when he clues in that the fallout is going to be devastating, it's somehow Mick's responsibility to take care of it before things reach the point of no return? What is up with that? Josef is like the friend who shows up every so often in crisis mode and expects you to take care of everything for them, while offering nothing in return. How hard up for friends must Mick be?

And it also wouldn't be Moonlight without one of those beautiful moments of connection between Beth and Mick. Aside from the shower scene, they spend most of the episode acting flirtatious or exchanging banter--nothing too serious. But when the warehouse explodes and Beth thinks Mick was in there, the look on her face as she sees that he's safe...and then the realization dawning on his... It's almost going to be a shame when these two finally do hook up because these little moments are likely to disappear.

There's also a nice scene at the end of the episode when, knowing she wants Mick even though she acts like everything is fine with Josh, Beth takes a long look at herself in the mirror. Nice. Explosions and introspection--it might just be the perfect combination. Anyone else ready for this show to be brought back?

Fang Files

Appearance: Human until the vampire emerges, then elegant fangs and ghostly white eyes.

Strengths: Super speed, strength. Ability to jump great heights. Quick healing. Lola can dematerialize (or she just moves faster than even a vampire's eyes can see).

Weaknesses: Stakes (paralyze), silver (paralyzes and eventually kills), sunlight.

Mythology: Vampires sleep in freezers because they find the cold soothing. The downsides of vampirism (according to Mick) include scrounging, hiding, and not being able to have or enjoy the things you used to love.

Sound Bites

Josef: (after waking Mick) I'm looking for somebody.
Mick: What--you think they're in here?

Mick: (to Beth) Yes, well, perpetual coolness is the vampire's curse.

Lola: (to Beth) What does it feel like to move through the night so powerful nothing can touch you?

Moonlight, Season 1 Episode 6 "B.C." Written by Erin Maher and Kathryn Reindl. Directed by Paul Holahan. From CBS/The CW.