This brought back so many memories! My mom loved this show so I remember this being on while I read (shocking) or did homework.

It was so great to read about the makings and stories of this awesome show!

Scott Ryan's captivating book, "Moonlighting: An Oral History," serves as a cherished time capsule, transporting readers back to an era when television was defined by the magnetic chemistry between its stars and the enchantment of witty banter. This lovingly crafted oral history resurrects the bygone days of the beloved series, reigniting the flame of nostalgia and reminding us of the transcendent power of on-screen romance.

In this remarkable volume, Ryan expertly weaves together the voices of the show's creators, writers, and cast members, transporting us into the world of "Moonlighting" and its enduring legacy. Through their firsthand accounts, we gain intimate insights into the magic that unfolded behind the scenes, the triumphs, the challenges, and the sheer passion that fueled the show's success.

"Moonlighting: An Oral History" effortlessly captures the essence of the series, recounting the tumultuous journey of Maddie Hayes and David Addison with palpable warmth and tenderness. As we dive into the reminiscences of the cast and crew, we are enveloped in a wave of sentimentality, revisiting the unforgettable moments that made our hearts race and our laughter ring out.

Ryan's meticulous attention to detail and his genuine love for the subject matter are evident on every page. Through a wealth of interviews, anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes revelations, he breathes life into the story of "Moonlighting," showcasing the alchemy between Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis that sparked an electric dynamic, forever etching their characters into the annals of television history.

Beyond the nostalgia, "Moonlighting: An Oral History" pays homage to the groundbreaking nature of the series. It explores how the show pushed boundaries, blending comedy, drama, and romance in a unique and daring way. The book serves as a testament to the show's impact, reminding us of its influence on future television series and its enduring place in the hearts of fans.

As readers immerse themselves in the memories and behind-the-scenes stories, a profound sense of longing and affection emerges. Ryan's eloquent prose transports us back to a time when we eagerly anticipated each episode, when our imaginations were ignited, and when we fell in love with the intoxicating dance of passion and tension that unfolded on our screens.

"Moonlighting: An Oral History" is a love letter to a cherished era of television and a celebration of a show that captured our collective hearts. Scott Ryan's remarkable work is a must-read for fans of the series, as well as anyone who cherishes the transformative power of a timeless romance.

Prepare to be swept away on a wistful journey, where the memories of "Moonlighting" resurface, and the lingering enchantment of Maddie and David's love story rekindles the flame of a bygone era.

This book came out in 2021 but I am just now getting to the review sadly on my part. When this show first aired I remember being hooked because it was just so different all of the different people and personalities made it. Yes, Bruce Willis got a lot of credit but I really think Cybil Shepard kind of really made the show looking back because she was able to with Bruce’s comic style, but each character really made the show and it worked. The book was a good look down memory lane and reading about the people was good, only Bruce Willis did not add anything to the book which was sad. Still a good book.

Just as fast-paced and fun as the show itself!
This book was so entertaining and, just like the Moonlighting series, I was sad to see it end! What made this book so fun was that this wasn't just author Scott Ryan's fact based report with citing a few random quotes that make most memoir books so dry. He makes his point from the very beginning that "memory is better than fact because it's created by feelings." This book is a compilation of interviews he had with the creator of Moonlighting, Glenn Gordon Caron, the many many writers and directors, cast members on - and almost on - the show, and several other people who made the show what it was no matter how big or how small their contribution was. Hearing several people talk about the same situation gives more of a complete account than any fact could ever do. Everyone remembers things different and has a different view. It's the same but different all at once. Ryan has so cleverly put together the pieces of interviews in a way that you won't want to put this book down. There are some great pictures included as well.
This book chronicles the genius & the chaos and the success & the pitfalls that created (and eventually sunk) Moonlighting. It was really a unique lightning in a bottle show that would be impossible to recreate exactly. It was also sort of a trailblazer for future TV series altogether - both as dos and don'ts of a successful show.
It's really a shame that it isn't streaming anywhere, it's not on DVD anymore, and it isn't in reruns on any channel. I was such a fan of this show when I was younger that I definitely would tune in again to relive it!
This book must've been so fun to write! I'm sure there's probably a million more stories that Scott Ryan heard that couldn't be included in the book. It sure is interesting to see how the sausage was made...
I totally recommend this great read to anyone who was a fan of the show!

Totally unrelated to Moonlighting, his last words of his book mean the most (not to take away anything from this book) are from his 'special thanks' section:
"Before you go, I want to pitch you my religion. It’s called kindness. Our country has gone through too much the last few years. We will never be able to beat power and greed if we don’t start being kind to each other. Be kind not to get kindness back. Be kind knowing you won’t get it back. That is the true act of kindness. Once we all do that, kindness will win. Kindness works. Try it."

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.)

Moonlighting was/is my favorite show. I have so many memories of watching the show with my mom. This was a great book loved all the interviews and facts. I’m so glad that we got the DVD’s so we can rewatch.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this book. It was a read now which I always appreciate.

I started reading this book and I didn't get too far into it and reading it for a few days before realizing that it was a long time ago I watched this show and I had no understanding of the episodes anymore and it didn't interest me as much as I thought it would and I didn't finish it.

I was just a tad too young to experience the Moonlighting phenomenon, but I definitely heard about it after the fact. I love the oral history format, especially when covering fraught artistic endeavors. The show burned briefly and brightly, but still left an indelible mark on TV history. Great read!

I watched most of Moonlight when it aired, though I wasn't quite a teen yet. At the time I was (and remain) more of a Remington Steele fan (Bruce was a bit too childish for my tastes; Cybill a bit too stiff), but I've always loved the "enemies to lovers" trope one that may not be fashionable on Twitter these days (What is? Can we please stop using the whiniest place on earth as the barometer of what is acceptable culturally?) but is enormously popular in romantic fiction. Bantering, fighting - it's all still foreplay. So it's a shame to hear that Moonlighting which is (along with the first five seasons of Cheers) the best enemies to lovers dynamic delineated on the small screen in all of television history, hardly known these days. Why is that? I'm guessing it has to do with the lack of it being in perpetual reruns (like Cheers) or available on streaming networks. If it WAS, I'm willing to bet this show would take on the legendary status it deserves.

Scott Ryan is the first to pen a book about those four short years when an intelligent, articulate, and very adult (if Cybill and Bruce weren't in their 30s when this aired, they both looked it) pair were the sexiest things on TV. You could still do that in the 80s. The 90s came in and teen shows became all the rage. Oddly, as a kid, I liked adult shows much better. Still do.

I'm rambling. My point is this - if you are a Moonlighting fan, you have to get this oral history. Other than Bruce Willis, everyone involved in the show, including Cybill Shepherd and Glenn Gordon Caron, talk at length. Yes, there are times when Ryan seems to let his "Stan-ness" overtake him. There are times when I felt he should have pressed harder to get at the truth of things. For instance, there is much talk of Cybill and Bruce not getting along. Everyone says this at one point or another. But other than that both didn't want to come to set on time (clearly they were both egregiously overworked), no one is pressed on what exactly they didn't like about each other. Surely someone knew? Perhaps Ryan - clearly a huge fan of the show- was worried this would come across as too tabloidy, but because it is mentioned so often, without more details, it just seems vague and teasing. In another instance, Caron says that Billy Joel hated the episode centered around his song "Big Man on Mulberry Street" but Ryan doesn't ask Joel about this (Joel does speak in the book).

All in all Ryan does a tremendous job getting so many disparate people to talk about the experience of the show which sounds equal parts euphoric with its creative freedoms and hellish with its disorganization. Ryan astutely concludes that if Bruce and Cybill didn't like each other, much of that could probably be attributable to them having to spend 18 hour days together learning copious amounts of complex dialogue in extremely short periods of time. The pressure on both of them was immense and it's no wonder they seemed to short circuit (Let's not forget Cybill was pregnant with twins during this time, and then trying to raise them!).

For a short while, there was a network show that broke all the rules - it aired a black and white episode, it aired a musical episode, an episode spoken completely in iambic pentameter and in Elizabethan dress, an episode where Bruce played a fetus that was miscarried. Wow millennials, y'all missing out. Look on YouTube, most of the episodes are there (ssshhh!!!).

Moonlighting: An Oral History is the nostalgic trip down television memory lane that I didn’t know I was wanting!

I had a ridiculously fun time reading this honest and thorough look at the people who were behind and in front of the camera during the tumultuous filming of the hit series Moonlighting. It was a detective show unlike any other that has come before or after it, with slap-stick comedy, exceptional acting and writing, and characters who broke the fourth wall.

But behind the scenes, it was a team effort to get the memorable shows on the air each week, with a writer who often wrote scenes as they were being filmed, a show that had twice as much dialogue as most other shows on television at the time, and two lead actors whose differences eventually led to excruciating animosity.

If you follow much television, you may have heard of the “Moonlighting curse.” It’s even in the urban dictionary. It’s defined as: “When the will-they-won’t-they couple on a TV show finally gets together… and it ruins the show. (Derived from the 1980’s TV show Moonlighting, whose ratings declined to the point of cancellation after the main characters finally resolved their sexual tension)”

Scott Ryan goes to the source, interviewing most of the players who were involved in the show, creating a timeline of events that probably hasn’t ever been done before. And by the end of the book, he decides if the “Moonlighting curse” is valid or not.

I appreciated how Ryan handled what could have become a tell-all, he said/she said ordeal by allowing the interviewees to speak candidly, sharing how they remembered events, even if they contradicted each other. When it comes down to it, it’s not important if anyone was right or wrong, it’s just fascinating to know how all the right (or wrong) things had to fall into place to make some of the most iconic moments of television.

“Memory is better than fact anyway, because it’s created by feelings.”

It’s been years since I’ve seen the show—at least twenty years—but I still remember so many episodes, moments, lines, and songs from the series. I was a child when it originally aired, but thankfully my parents were cool enough to let me watch it with them.

It’s a difficult show to find now—it’s not streaming on any platform and the DVDs are out of print (and terribly expensive to buy used)—mostly because the licensing fees are too expensive these days. But it’s not impossible to find. I won’t say how because I’m terrified it will disappear before I can rewatch it.

If you were a fan of the show, if you still remember the Shakespearean episode that was done in iambic pentameter or the black and white episode introduced by Orson Welles—or the episode that sparked the “Moonlighting curse”—you’ll enjoy this comprehensive look at the series (with photos!) that made Bruce Willis and Cybill Sheppard household names.

Ahoy there mateys!  The First Mate and I have very different reading tastes.  However I love reading reviews of books I don't necessarily want to read meself.  Here be one such review by the First Mate for a nonfiction book about the making of a tv show which was received from NetGalley for honest musings  . . .

From the First Mate:

Full disclosure: prior to reading Moonlighting: An Oral History, I had never watched a single second of Moonlighting.  Though vaguely aware of it having been a popular television show from my youth, it was mostly fixed in my mind as the antecedent of the "Moonlighting curse" often mentioned in snarky articles about the downfalls of “will-they-won’t-they” driven entertainments.  During the period of Moonlighting's height I was more into cozy mystery series like Murder, She Wrote and action/adventure series like MacGyver and Airwolf.  Just wasn’t in my wheelhouse at the time.

So, why read a book about a show I’ve never watched?  One, after reading and loving Cary Elwes’ incomparably awesome As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, I’ve found a love for the background stories of how television and film are made.  And two, I was a huge fan of the cancelled-too-soon Now and Again, which was created by Moonlighting’s showrunner, Glenn Gordon Caron.  It wasn’t until after I read this book that I became aware of the recent controversy around Caron, the show Bull, and actor Eliza Dushku.  Had I known I might have passed.

Regardless, Moonlighting: An Oral History turns out to be a truly fascinating glimpse in the creative chaos that resulted in a show that many cite as one of the peaks of 80s television.  Writer Ryan Scott sets the stage for us, explaining what television was like at the time and where the major players were at that point in their careers.  Being an oral history, the vast majority of the book is told directly through the words of the people who were involved.  The show runner, producers, writers, editors, assistants, directors, stars and guest stars.  The only major person missing is Bruce Willis, which doesn’t quite come across as the glaring omission that one would expect.

In the book’s introduction, Scott lays out his thesis for the book. His perspective is that the traditional narrative about the show (that the audience abandoned the show after the sexual tension was resolved in season 3) is incorrect and that many other factors contributed to the show’s decline in season 4.  The result of this thesis is that the book is kind of structured in two parts.  The first part details the good times of how the show was created, the rise in popularity, and how happy everyone was with the work that was being created (even if the work was incredibly stressful).  The second part then details how it all fell apart, points fingers at where responsibility lay, and carries us through the aftermath of the final season.

Overall it makes for a very entertaining read.  Reading about groundbreaking television as told by the people who made it was pretty cool.  All involved were still enthusiastic about what they viewed as quality work they’d done.  Reading the kinda gossipy finger pointing about what went wrong was a bit less interesting, though.  Ultimately, most of the credit for the show’s quality is heaped at the feet of Glenn Gordon Caron and Bruce Willis, while most of the criticism lands on Cybil Shepherd.  At the very end of the book there is also some suggestion that widespread use of cocaine may have played a factor, too.

The oral history format comes with positives and negatives.  On the plus side, it certainly seems like everyone gets their chance to have their say about the various topics covered.  Individuals get criticized and then get to respond to said criticism.  We also get to experience multiple voices and perspectives on some of the pivotal moments of the show.  On the negative side, memories are fickle things and often the details don’t agree between the stories.  For example, everyone present at Bruce Willis’ audition agrees he got up onto a piece of furniture but they disagree on what piece (a table or filing cabinet) and when (at the beginning, or punctuating a moment at the end) and what he was wearing (camo or khakis).  Or whether Orson Welles showed up in a limo or a friend’s old beat-up car.  These inconsistencies just tend to jump out in the format.

As said, the only thing really missing from the book is Bruce Willis being interviewed.  But everyone is effusive in their praise of him being a professional that consistently elevated the material he was given.  Not really sure how much his perspective would’ve added.  Nice to have, but the amount of people interviewed here does seem to give a pretty good picture of what was going on while the show was being made. Did Scott succeed in proving his thesis? I think so.  From what we’re told by virtually everyone involved, season 4 and 5 of Moonlighting were a practically different show from the first 3 seasons.  It’s kind of hard to believe a show could be radically changed and not lose some of its audience.  That said, I was not watching at the time, so I can only go by what I’ve read and what is available online today.

Intrigued by the descriptions of this groundbreaking television, I went online to watch some of what I had just read about.  I really quite liked the seven minute Sandahl Bergman/Bruce Willis dance sequence from “Big Man on Mulberry Street.”  The “Atomic Shakespeare” appealed a bit less.  And I have to admit that I was unable to finish the pilot, despite it featuring one of my favorites, Brian Thompson, as a villain. Moonlighting the show may not have been for me, but I found this book fascinating.

Recommended to fans of Moonlighting who want the inside story and anyone else who likes reading about the behind the scenes goings on of television.  Avoid if gossipy finger pointing isn’t your thing, or if you don’t like knowing the dirty details of how entertainment is made.

Side Note from The Captain: While I enjoyed reading this review, I certainly never plan on reading the book or watching the show.  Though I stole a peek at the dance dream sequence and very much enjoyed that.  Arrrr!

Princess Fuzzypants here: When Moonlighting first hit the home screens, it was like the birth of a star. It changed everything. No one had ever tried to do the things they did -successfully too. From that point on the bar was raised and many other top shows can thank Moonlighting for breaking ground. In it’s heyday, nothing shone so brightly. But like so many things that burn so brightly, it burned itself out.

This oral history goes a long way to analyze its rise and fall from the inside. Actors, writers, producers- they all tell the story in their own words. The only one silent is Bruce Willis for whatever reason. The author has left any inconsistencies or conflicting memories intact. He felt it offers a fuller picture of the show and the people who created it.

When it died, it was almost merciful because by that time egos and power plays and its own success conspired to bring it down. There are surprisingly few fingers pointed at one person or cause or another. While, by the end, the forbearance for various peccadilloes had run dry, the people involved still look back with gratitude and fondness for the time in ascendency and sadness for its decline.

Whether the Moonlighting curse is true that a show loses a lot when the two main characters connect or whether the various production challenges scuttled the show, it was sad when it ended. It had broken so much new ground. It deserves to be remembered and this book goes a long way to achieving this.

Four purrs and two paws up.

It’s hard to believe that this is the first book to examine the 1980s TV phenomenon that was ‘Moonlighting’. I recall being completely addicted to it back in the day and so invested in the Maddie Hayes-David Addison relationship.

This is an oral history and for it Scott Ryan interviewed those responsible for creating and producing the show as well as cast members and just let their memories speak for themselves. There is some linking material to provide context as well as a number of photographs. While Cybil Shepherd was involved in the book unfortunately due to scheduling issues Bruce Willis wasn’t, though the Acknowledgements clearly indicate that he approved of the project.

This book answered two major questions for me. The origin of the ‘Moonlighting Curse’ and why Moonlighting isn’t available on syndication or streaming services.

It’s clear from reading this book that the curse (defined in the Urban Dictionary as: “When the will-they-won’t-they couple on a TV show finally gets together . . . and it ruins the show”) is more myth than reality and it was good to get the perspective of those involved as to what actually happened.

As for why no one can watch ‘Moonlighting’ now: it’s because the rights to the music used in the episodes wasn’t cleared. I assume that it would be difficult and/or very expensive to do so now.

This was a delightful reading experience that reminded me how great the show was and how groundbreaking. It made me a bit sad that I can’t watch these iconic ‘Moonlighting’ episodes. Oh well, maybe someday?

I certainly will be interested in reading other titles by Scott Ryan, especially those about ‘Twin Peaks’.

Growing up in the 1980s there were not the wealth of tv channels which are available today. High quality drama was something the BBC were famous for around the world but growing up in the UK we were used to seeing lots of the great shows imported from America and my childhood was filled with fond memories of Knight Rider, The A-Team, The Dukes of Hazzard and Colombo. But there was one show which everybody watched. It was like nothing we had ever seen before and you never missed an episode: Moonlighting.

Pairing up Hollywood star Cybill Shepherd with (then) unknown Bruce Willis initially appeared to be an act of madness by the show runners, however, Moonlighting and the antics of the staff at the Blue Moon Detective Agency remains one of the most loved television programmes even to this day. I was just a teenager when Moonlighting aired for the first time so while I was enjoying the drama on my screen I was oblivious to the drama behind the cameras. Today we have multiple social media platforms and gossip sites which would have had a field day with some of the stories from the set of Moonlighting, then we just had weeks where a new episode didn’t arrive as planned and we got a repeat of an older episode. So what happened behind the scenes?

In Moonlighting: An Oral History, Scott Ryan speaks with multiple cast members, producers, writers and even the creator Glenn Gordon Carron. The book is filled with anectodal stories, recollections and discussions around how the programme was created, the trials and tribulations of being commissioned, in jokes, missed deadlines, breaking the fourth wall and doing things on screen which just were not done. Nothing seemed to be off limits when it came to making David Addison and Maddie Hayes umissable viewing.

Initially I felt reading through multiple short passages of different people remembering the same events may be a bit too much to take on in one or two sittings, however, I got that wrong. Chapters take on various elements of the show. Contributions from various on screen cast and behind the scenes staff give a broad view of the chaos and creativity which was required to bring the show together. It’s fascinating reading and the small, focussed conttibutions make it very easy to read your way through this book.

Now I know Moonlighting was on our screens over 30 years ago and you’re probably thinking you don’t remember any of it? Well I did think that too but some of the episodes which I was sure I had forgotten were soon brought rushing back from the depths of my memories. Never saw the show the first time around? Also not a problem (honest) as Moonlighting: An Oral History is a fascinating insight into the making of a piece of television history. It was the original will they/won’t they programme. It had custard pie-fights, crazy chase scenes, a black and white episode, Orson Wells popped up to introduce one episode and one series even kept the two lead characters apart so they were not sharing scenes together.

Scott Ryan collates the carnage and lets us dwell on those fond memories of compulsive viewing while people who worked on the show share their experiences. The book presents many brilliant photographs and images from the programme and I am sure these will look even better in a book than they did on my digital copy.

If you loved to watch Moonlighting then there will be lots of information in this book which you will enjoy. I wish it were running on tv now so I could watch this all over again. For the moment I will satisfy myself with this cracking collection of memories.

What an enjoyable, refreshing read ! Back in the day, both my Mom and I were huge fans of the show. This book brought back so many memories of the show and more. In addition, I feel now like I have experienced Moonlighting anew. I'm sure this book will be re-read by me, and recommended countless times to family and friends who were fans .. and perhaps fans-to-be.

Please note I did receive an advance reader e-copy.

Anyone who watched Moonlighting will love this book, full of behind the scenes recollections and special memories of a popular show in its time.
Of particular interest was the stories of those who worked on the show, some of the actors and photos too!
I enjoyed revisiting David and Maddie, the sexual tension, one liners and Bruce Willis’ quirky smile, absolutely a must read for fans!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this TV series even though I was only 12 when it came out. I had a little black and white Telly in my room and Moonlighting was the first show I religiously watched every week.
This book explores the show by interviewing some of the cast, producers and writers and there are lots of fantastic pictures.
A must read for fans of Moonlighting.

Are you a TV history fan? Then read this book.

Was Moonlighting appointment television for you? Then read this book NOW.

This is not the first television history book by Scott Ryan, whose previous topics have included thirtysomething, Twin Peaks, and David Letterman. He obviously loves the medium, conducts solid interviews, and easily gains the trust of the cast and crew that he interviews for his books. He’s quick to point out that there are people who wanted to be part of the process but couldn’t because of time constraints because he doesn’t want readers to think that those who didn’t participate were resistant to the project.

I have to confess that I adored the book as soon as Ryan first mentioned the man with the mole on his nose. He provides the look behind the curtain that embraces nostalgia while sharing new information. For example, while many people know that Moonlighting was Orson Welles’ last performance before his death, Ryan shares with us the memories of the crew honored to work with a genius.

Moonlighting was successful because it was in the right place at the right time. It was groundbreaking both creatively and technologically, but it would never have succeeded in the current television environment. Ryan takes the reader back to a time when creativity was valued more than cost-effectiveness, when shows could generate huge ratings before cable TV and streaming services offered hundreds of options.

Ryan shares the details that bring back fond memories of the episodes from over 30 years ago and immediately transport the reader back in time. He shares the pride, the chaos, the animosity, the frustration, and everything else churned up during the making of the show. Even the most diehard fan will realize that most of us have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

One of the biggest misconceptions is just how little of the show’s demise came from the main characters sleeping together. It even inspired the term “the Moonlighting effect” to describe any show’s decline once the main romantic characters have done the deed. Sure, that could have brought down the show on its own, but there were some complications connecting at one point in time to guarantee the show’s doom. My head spun when I read about all of the contributing factors, and it made sense why Moonlighting was doomed to fail.

There are the running themes and people that pop up throughout the show’s history that have a bigger impact than the reader would expect. Two words - Dennis Dugan.

This is a terrific summer read and will appeal to people who enjoy entertainment news shows and gossipy magazines. It is a must-read for those who walk by night and those who fly by the day.

This book is funny, witty and reminds you of that era where the simplest things used to make you happy.
If you read all the way through, there is definitely some drama discussed that occurred between Bruce, Cybill and some of the writers/producers. This is a great book for fans of Moonlighting and for people that like to know what happens behind the scenes. It is definitely a stroll down memory lane.
I would recommend you read this book and enjoy the look behind the scenes of this beloved T.V. show.

I don't know why nobody has written a book about "Moonlighting" before but I'm glad that Scott Ryan has done it now. What a nostalgia trip! I particularly enjoyed reading about the creative chaos within the writing team. The book provides a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes and is packed full of interviews, anecdotes and photos. Definitely one for die hard Moonlighting fans.

Talking Moonlighting, the show that broke the mould in a 1980s TV series world… Scott Ryan tells the story of this show through interviews with this show’s cast and crew telling their thoughts and feelings about this cult show.

In the Moonlighting (1985-89) TV series pilot episode, a bankrupt model, Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) takes a more active role in the City of Angels Detective Agency, a company that she owned but came to close down. This run by the wise cracking David Addison (Bruce Willis). Maddie and David then team up together as partners in the rebranded company, the Blue Moon Agency to solve cases in their own unique crazy and offbeat way.

This 1980s TV series had me hooked then with its snappy comic dialogue, heartfelt homages, fun fourth wall moments and the more random song and dance segments. It also had the will they won’t they sexual chemistry between the lead characters Maddie and David. Later the show added a romance for the supporting characters, the agency’s kooky – but poetic – receptionist, Agnes DiPesto (Allyce Beasley) and Private Detective, Herbert Viola (Curtis Armstrong).

Moonlighting‘s on-screen and off-screen events are told in the contents of this no holds barred book, Moonlighting An Oral History by Scott Ryan. After reading the description of this book on Moonlighting, I was immediately keen to read about this 1980s groundbreaking American show. And who better to tell the truth of Moonlighting‘s story than those who starred in the show and those who worked behind the scenes.

This book is surprisingly the first book written about this television series, although his stint on Moonlighting is referred to in Curtis Armstrong’s autobiography (Revenge of the Nerd: Or . . . The Singular Adventures of the Man Who Would Be Booger). Sadly we don’t get Bruce Willis’ tales of this time and events, as although he had initially agreed to participate in this book, he was unable when it came to the time.

Ryan tells the bare bones of the story. The book predominantly tells the story using candid interviews from the cast and crew. These answers have been pieced together by Ryan and tell the Moonlighting story in a coherent way. This unique style was admittedly at first difficult to get used to, but then the logic of this method felt and understood. It makes this book more autobiographical account than a biographical one. Ryan in his compilation of these answers to his interviews tells an always honest, sometimes funny, at times heartbreaking but always interesting story of this show.

This written tribute to the show was made pleasant and enjoyable reading as this story flows well as we learn about this series. It is made all the more compelling as this was guaranteed to be a 100% honest and true account. The titles of this book’s chapters pay homage to screwball comedies, with titles such as Citizen Caron, Some Like it Not and Kiss Me, Shakespeare. These chapters boast a lovely selection of photographs that this particular Moonlighting fan had not seen before.

In this book, I discovered the true premise behind the show, as a detective series secondary to a screwball comedy love story. These characters and the story was created by Glen Gordon Caron. The book tells about the casting of the two primary leads, and how Caron’s vision was realised as he cast his dream actress for Maddie and his then hunt for her partner in crime, then finding him in a New York bartender. Ryan balances the storytelling about both the rise and fall in ratings of the show throughout the chapters. He ends the book with a heartwarming thanks to those who assisted him in this book.

It was lovely to read the warm and affectionate stories from the acting cast, with Cybill Shepherd, Allyce Beasley (Agnes DiPesto) and Curtis Armstrong (Herbert) taking an active part in the storytelling. These actors all speak warmly of their co-star, Bruce Willis. It’s lovely to learn of those roles off-screen from familiar names as Stanley Donen, who choreographed a dance sequence to a Phil Spector tune and Billy Joel who provided musical numbers used on the show’s soundtrack. And to learn of the show’s many guest stars.

It is also interesting to learn about the creative techniques used in the making of the show. The book examines those behind the scenes moments, as the cast and crew explain how specific episodes and scenes were set up and filmed. These episodes including the one where the leads consummate their relationship and of the many in-show homages to Shakespeare, film noir and Casablanca. The show also looks at the decision making behind more controversial episodes.

On reading this book, it is clear that Ryan is still a huge fan of the show, and that he misses it deeply. This passion is felt in his book, as he and the others have written an honest and truthful love letter about this show. In this book and those quotes he shares, he tells of the joys of creating this unique groundbreaking series. He clears up the misunderstandings and misconceptions that surround it. The feelings and thoughts of this cast and crew are felt strongly in this book and these are supported in every quote, remembrance and shared fact.

Ryan has done a sterling job in piecing those interviews together. It reads like the solution to an intricate 1000+ pieced jigsaw, as this book creates a detailed picture of this well loved show. And for the first time, it feels that the truth is out there. Let’s hope Ryan and those who helped him in this endeavour can be heard loud and clear, with their talk on the show that gave both the TV and film industry, a much needed “boink”.