Episode Guide

Season 2

Episode 9- The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice

The Case

Dave and Maddie meet Mr Bigelowe (their client) at the Flamingo Cove, a closed nightclub he is considering buying. They need to deliver the surveillance pictures of his wife. He's upset. They prove she is not having an affair, he was hoping that she was so that he would have grounds to divorce her. He storms out upset. The current owner of the club explains that he has been trying to sell the club for years, it was a 'hot' joint in it's heyday. It was also the site of the Flamingo Cove murder. A married singer and horn player had an affair, her husband ended up dead. Each claimed that the other did it up to their respective electric chairs. David thinks she did it, Maddie thinks he did it. They both have dreams telling the same story from their two different perspectives.

What's Really Going on Chris?

Maddie and David have one of their best arguments in this episode, the animal/sexist debate. David says Maddie is a sexist because she believes the horn player did it simply based on the fact that he is a man. Maddie says that David is an animal because David thinks the wife did it. After all, David explains, why would the horn player kill the husband to "buy the milk when he was gettin' it for free?" The dreams reveal a lot about David and Maddie's characters as well as how they feel about each other. As Maddie says before she falls asleep (referring to David), "we'll see who scrutinizes who in this relationship."
First is Maddie's dream. Rita/Maddie is an innocent woman, a devoted wife who loves her husband who is a good man. Zack/David shows up to play in their band. He's a fast talkin', wise crackin' horn player. Rita sings "Blue Moon" a song about a woman "without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own" until a special someone comes into her life. Against her better judgement, they get involved. Zack kills her husband then frames her for the murder.
In David's dream Zack/David is still still a fast talkin', wise crackin' horn player but one with a heart and conscience. Rita/Maddie is a fast talkin' seductress who is married to an abusive jerk. This Rita sings "I Told Ya I Love Ya Now Get Out." They get involved, but in this version the murder is Rita's idea. Zack refuses to go along and Rita breaks it off with him. A few weeks later Zack agrees to the plan only when it appears Rita has been beaten by her husband. She betrays him and turns him in.

Chris's Obsessive Analysis

What can I say about the brillance of this episode? This episode is definitely one of the most creative and daring episodes in the Moonlighting series. An example of Moonlighting at it's best. The idea of furthering the character's development through this story- what creativity! Glenn Gordon Caron has said he filmed ("Moonlighting" was filmed not videotaped) in black and white because he was afraid ABC would 'chicken out' and broadcast it in color. He also used 2 different types of black and white film (MGM and Warner Brothers) to give each dream a slightly different look and feel. It's rumored that the idea for this episode came from Orson Wells, who introduced this episode and was personal friends with Cybill Shepherd. This episode is really a testament to Cybill Shepherd's acting talent, the 2 Rita's are very different and very well done.
Maddie's dream reveals how she sees herself, as an innocent good woman. She sees David as someone who will 'corrupt' her and lead her down a destructive path. It reveals her ultimate fear, giving David her heart but then being betrayed by him.
David's dream reveals that he thinks he is a good guy who will be led astray by a seductress. He will do anything for this woman due to his passionate love for her, even kill her husband to save her. But she will ultimately betray him and use him and then will coldly cast him aside when she is through. This is David's fear, falling in love with Maddie but being used and betrayed by her and then being cast aside.
It is interesting that neither of them have an accurate view of themselves or of each other. It's also interesting that they are both afraid of the same thing.

Memorable Moments

Orson Wells introduction
Animal/sexist debate
Rita/Maddie/Cybill singing both songs- she's quite good!
The kiss outside the club
Zack/David playing the horn in the window

Links

Back to the Episode Guide main page
The next episode, "My Fair David"
Brian's "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" page
Aubrey's Blue Moon Banter page for this episode