Episode Guide

Season 2

Episode 20- Witness for the Execution


The Case & What's Really Going On Chris?

(They're the same in this episode) Lawrence Everett wants to hire Blue Moon to witness his murder. He is a 90 year old man who is sick and in pain and has decided he has lived long enough. He arranged for someone to kill him before his estate is drained of his children's inheritance. He wants his life insurance money to go to his children and needs a witness to the murder. Maddie refuses to take the case, but David agrees to do it by himself. He goes to Mr. Everett's nursing home, but can't do it. He tries to talk Mr. Everett out of it, but Mr. Everett isn't breating- his respirator has been turned off. David calls for the nurse and then tries to turn the machine back on. Unfortunately, Mr. Everett is dead and it now appears as if David killed him. The police are now after David. He goes to Maddie and tells her what he did and while he is there the police arrive. She lies to the police and tell them she doesn't know where he is. He leaves.
The next morning he finds Maddie in the parking garage and tells her he is going "underground" and leaving for good. Maddie asks if he is going to write and call. David replies that you don't write and call when you're underground, but agrees to do it anyway because Maddie seems so upset. David apologizes for it ending this way, Maddie does too. She gives him a hug, starts to cry, and then tells him that he smells awful. He gets annoyed and starts to walk away, but she pulls him back. They kiss for the first time, a long and passionate kiss. When it's over they both deny it happened and he leaves.
Maddie is convinced that David is innocent and starts to investigate. Maddie finds out the truth, which exonerates David, and informs the police. Maddie puts personal ads in the major newspapers to try to tell David that everything is OK and he can come back. That night David shows up to her house again, going underground is harder than he thought and he is broke. Maddie is happy to see him and lunges at him so hard that they fall off the bed (into another kiss I believe, but it's off-screen so I can't be sure.)
The next day at work they both want to talk about the kiss, but both are afraid to bring it up. Finally, David asks about "the garage." Maddie acts like she doesn't know what he is talking about and as a result of this, David passes it off as a no-big-deal goodbye kiss. It's obvious they are watching each other's reactions very carefully. Maddie is annoyed by David's answer and her annoyance prompts him to ask her what it was that she wanted to talk about. She defeatedly admits, "pretty much the same kind of thing." She leaves his office and closes the door. They both sigh and look sad as the credits roll.

Chris's Obsessive Analysis

Moonlighting fans are both elated and crushed by this episode. Finally they kiss (elation)! But the stupidity that ensues is enough to drive a Moonlighting fan insane (crushed). Unfortunately it's very much in character for Dave and Maddie to be less that truthful about how they feel about each other. They are both so afraid and insecure about how the other feels about them that they are both unwilling to take the risk of exposing their true feelings to find out. Maddie knows David wants to sleep with her, but doesn't know if he really cares about her. He's never said anything (serious) to indicate this. Maddie has to judge him by his actions. What she sees is someone who goofs off at work and comes to work hungover. She constantly accuses him of "not caring about me or this business." In her mind they are one in the same. On the other hand David (who admitted he is insecure in "The Next Murder You Hear") has absolutely no clue from Maddie that she feels anything but repulsion for him.
Maddie is right when she tells David he can't leave because, "there are too many unanswered questions." But the unanswered questions aren't about Lawrence Everett (true Moonlighting fans never really care about the cases) but about the relationship between Maddie and David! In my opinion the argument they have in this episode about euthanasia is one of the best arguments they have. It's not the funniest, but eloquently presents both sides of the issue (Maddie against, David for.) As usual it is presented in a way that they are both right and wrong.

Memorable Moments

Links

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The next episode, "Sleep Talkin' Guy"
Brian's "Witness for the Execution" page
Aubrey's Blue Moon Banter page for this episode

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