Episode Guide
Season 5
Episode 64- Eine Kleine Nacht Murder
The Case
There really isn't one. Maddie witnesses a murder while leaving her cooking class. She is attacked, but gets away. She needs police protection and is assigned a body guard (Det. Donegan.) Bert is convinced that the detective is crooked and in cahoots with the mob. David in unconvinced until he catches Donegan in a lie and up to some suspicious activity. He follows Donegan and becomes convinced that the plan is to kill Maddie that night. He rushes to Maddie's house and convinces her that this is true and they try to escape from her house. Donegan catches them and they discover what is really going on.
What's Really Going on Chris?
Annie offers to move out of Maddie's to stay with David because she believes Maddie is upset that she slept with David. Maddie agrees that Annie should leave but because it might not be safe for her to stay with Maddie as Maddie is now a target (she never denies nor confirms being mad at Annie.) She does tell Annie that she and David are business partners and that is the way that they want it.
The next day Maddie goes to work with Donegan. David is obviously concerned about Maddie's safety, hugs her, tells her that he's glad she's OK, then gives her a plane ticket to Chicago so she can "lie low." Maddie refuses the ticket as she wants to help the police catch the guy that attacked her. She accuses David of trying to get rid of her. He tells her that he worried about her all night, but she tells him to relax, she's got a bodyguard and then introduces David to Donegan. Maddie goes into her office and David then third degrees Donegan on Maddie's protection, adding that he's glad she'll never be alone. Donegan returns to Maddie's office and tells her that David seemed "awfully concerned" about her. Maddie informs him that it was not concern that it is relief, as David is "busy on a new project" (referring to Annie.) Donegan returns to the outer office and tells Agnes he has to stay at Maddie's house. Agnes launches into a speech about how she feels sorry for Donegan. She suspects that he will fall in love with Maddie, but is doomed because Maddie is the kind of woman who can't fall in love with mere mortals.
That night, David returns home to find that Annie cooked dinner (a leg of lamb)for him! David can't remember a time that food was cooked in his apartment, and Annie had to buy plates, pots, pans and silverware so they could eat as David didn't have any. They are ready for a picnic on David's floor (he has no furniture, remember?) when David gives her a gift- a throw pillow for a new couch and then the couch arrives. Unfortunately, in the excitement of the arrival of the couch, dinner burns and the sprinkler system goes on soaking the new couch. Meanwhile at Maddie's, she and Donegan are also eating dinner in her dining room (the first time we see it!) Maddie made some 'lite' food when Annie's husband Mark calls. Maddie lies and tells him that Annie is at a movie.
The next day David arrives at work and is irritated that Maddie is letting Donegan help with the Anselmo case. David cites confidentiality reasons as why he is upset, but Maddie suggests that is jealous of "another male on your turf." David denies this and agitatedly tells her to give the turf away to the Green Bay Packers. He goes to his office and calls Annie. He asks her to lunch, but she already has plans with Maddie. He runs out when he finds that Maddie has already left for lunch. At lunch, Annie admits she's been dreading meeting with Maddie. She tells Maddie that Maddie has been so mature about this "David thing" that she expects Maddie to freak out at some point. Maddie claims that David is not the problem and that she is glad that David is getting on with things. She tells Annie that Mark called and asks Annie if she knows what she is doing. Annie says she isn't sure if this "thing" with David is serious, after all, "with David what's serious?" Annie admits she doesn't know what she is doing, and enjoys the freedom as Mark is all about order. Maddie adds that David is the "connoissuer of chaos" when David arrives. David offers to leave and come back if he's interrupting, Maddie suggests that he leave and not come back. David sits down anyway and accuses Maddie of talking about him. Maddie denies this and tells Annie that David has quite an ego to think they'd be talking about him. David challenges her to deny that she is using the lunch as a "misguided public service announcement about how David Addison is is bad for your health." Maddie adds, "even in small doses" and tells Annie that David "does things for the wrong reasons." Annie is so upset by Maddie and David's 'display' that she leaves. David gets up to follow her, but tells Maddie before he leaves that "you're starting to sound desperate."
Maddie leaves the restaurant with Donegan who tells her that she and David reminded him of a "domestic" from his beat days. He asks Maddie what she sees in David, Maddie replies, "$125 an hour in shrink bills." She then adds that David was just a "bad habit." Donegan responds that it is David's loss to let her get away. Meanwhile, David arrive home and apologizes to Annie. She also apologizes and gives him a gift, an earring. He says he hasn't worn one in a long time and while he puts it on flowers are delivered for Annie. They're from Maddie, with an apology. David makes some snide remarks and Annie tells him that she doesn't understand why he is so angry at Maddie. He denies that he is angry with Maddie, and Annie tells him that she wants him to apologize to Maddie. He refuses, saying he doesn't have anything to apologize for. Annie tells him that, "the only 2 people at war in this menage are you two." She also tells him that she feels like she is in the middle, and that she doesn't like it.
Back at Maddie's, Donegan is making a fire. Maddie admits she can't remember the last time she used it (I can, when Walter was in town.) He offers to bring her proper firewood and compliments her eyes. He then leaves to atend his niece's play. David rings the bell to drop off Mr Anselmo's will (as Maddie never returned to the office after lunch) and she refuses to let David in. He starts to leave, but she stops him and suggests that they need some time apart. He again offers her the tickets to Chicago. She then suggests that he cash in the plane tickets for Chicago and take Annie on vacation somewhere. David is shocked that Maddie suggested this and Maddie tells him, "desperate women do desperate things." David leaves. While driving home he sees Donegan (not at his niece's play) and follows him. Donegan is seen coming out of a suspicious limo and then makes a phone call that David overhears. It seems that a hit on Maddie is scheduled for that night. David goes back to Maddie's and sneaks in through her bedroom window. He tells her that Donegan is dirty, but she accuses him of never liking Donegan. David denies it is personal, it's just business. She tells him he's bothered by her spending time with someone he can't feel superior to. He convinces her that her life in in danger and they attempt to escape.
One thing leads to another, and Maddie's house gets trashed by the SWAT team who catches the bad guys. As David leaves, Maddie thanks him for looking out for her. He replies that, "that's what parters do, right?" Maddie responds, "partners, hey?" David kisses her on the cheek, says he's glad she's OK, and then leaves. Maddie looks after him and sighs. Donegan escorts her to a hotel. He offers to take her to dinner, she declines but asks for a raincheck. She then checks in alone.
Chris's Obsessive Analysis
Remember when I praised "Eek! A Spouse!" as brilliant and clever? Well, as wonderful as I thought that episode was, I feel this episode is the complete opposite. Yes, I have finally found an episode I hate more than "Camille" and surprise, surprise it's not because of Annie (and it's not "Lunar Eclipse"!) This episode is so sloppy. Did anyone else notice the 2 writing inconsistencies? The first is that David tells Bert that the limo is silver, but Bert reports it to the Police as white. The second is David tells Maddie to hide under her bed, but when he gets there she asks him why he told her to hide in the closet. Yuk! Glenn Gordon Caron would never have let such obvious errors happen. At this point the new episodes were coming in almost every week. I guess I'd rather have fewer new good episodes with reruns in between, than new episodes that were on time but lesser in quality than what we are used to.
What is with Agnes and her speech to the cop about Maddie not being able to love mere mortals? Was it not Agnes a few episodes a go who was trying to get Maddie to realize she and David really didn't want to be "not involved" and bring him Chinese food? Where did this speech come from? Yes, David is sleeping with Annie, but that doesn't mean Agnes is wrong. Actually, Agnes has never been wrong about Maddie and Dave throughout the whole run of the show, has she? They certainly make it seem as though Maddie is doomed to be forever alone by this speech and the last scene.
I don't believe that David is not concerned about Maddie's safety. He's preoccupied with Annie now, but I can't believe (however angry he may be) that he isn't concerned about Maddie (even if he doesn't love her anymore-which I also don't buy). I think this is totally out of David's character. It's interesting he wants to send her to Chicago. I think he truly wants to keep her safe by having her "lay low." But if that were the only reason, Chicago would not be the place to send her. Any criminals looking for her would surely check into family contacts, and he's smarter than that. I think he picked Chicago as a reference to her previous trip. Things were getting "complicated" again and he was taunting her. I also think Maddie was right, that he was trying to get rid of her. It would've been easier for him to move on to another woman without Maddie around.
This episode shows both Maddie and David attempting to get more domestic (Maddie with cooking lessons and David with buying furniture etc.) I thought this showed that they were both becoming more ready to make a long term commitment. It's interesting that David's attempt at domesticity with Annie is a failure (dinner burned, couch ruined) and Maddie's attempt with Donegan is stilted and uncomfortable. Does this mean neither are meant to be domestic, or that they're not meant to be domestic with anyone else?
David didn't even look at or address Annie in the lunch scene at all, which makes one think again that all this Annie business is all about Maddie (despite his denying it). I don't understand why Maddie keeps saying things like David likes things complicated and that he is the "connoisseur of chaos." As I remember it, she was the one who made things chaotic for them. I don't get him calling her desperate, I don't think she's acting desperate just concerned about her cousin's marriage. David goes over to Maddie's after Annie tells him he should apologize to her and even Annie recognizes that this is a "menage," and a "war" between Maddie and David and she is in the middle. Why does Maddie tell David to take Annie on a trip? Does she want to show him she really doesn't care? Is she letting him go to see if he'll come back to her? Is she challenging David to show her that this thing with Annie is serious? And why did she say "desperate women do desperate things"? Was she mocking his belief that she still cared about him? Or was she admitting that she still did? Unfortunately, these scenes prompt more questions than they answer.
What did Maddie's comment at the end "partners, hey?" mean? Was it like, so that's it, we've both accepted that we're just partners now? Or is it we're more than partners and you know it? I can't believe David didn't drive her to the hotel, he did have her car didn't he?
Everything in this episode seems to happen out of character, out of the blue and without making any sense (to me anyway.) This is not the "Moonlighting" I came to know and love, which was an exceptionally well crafted show. I will even defend painful episodes if they're well done. I really think this is the most poorly done show of the whole series. Like I said before, Yuk! This episode really upsets me!
Memorable Moments
Links
Back to the Episode Guide main page
The next and final episode, "Lunar Eclipse"
Brian's "Eine Kleine Nacht Murder" page
Aubrey's Blue Moon Banter page for this episode
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