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CBS Sinks Teeth Into ‘Moonlight’ Star

Aug 15, 2008  •  Post A Comment

CBS is taking another bite at the idea of a series featuring “Moonlight” star Alex O’Loughlin.
The network has signed Mr. O’Loughlin to a talent holding deal, according to a person familiar with the situation. CBS will try to develop a series built around the actor or, if that’s not possible, cast him in another project in the works at the network.
CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler had signaled her intent to sign Mr. O’Loughlin to a deal back in July during the TV Critics Association press tour. One person familiar with negotiations said the broad outlines of an agreement had been in place for weeks.
“Moonlight” attracted modest ratings but a fiercely loyal fan base, particularly online. It’s unclear whether news of Mr. O’Loughlin’s potential return to prime time will mollify the hurt feelings of those fans, many of whom have been unsparing in their criticism of CBS over the decision to cancel the show.
A CBS Corp. spokesman declined comment when asked about the talent deal last week.
As part of the deal, whatever project CBS develops will be produced via CBS Paramount and ABC Studios in conjunction with producer Mark Gordon.
(Edited at 12:23 p.m. ET to add last paragraph.)

73 Comments

  1. Personally, I think they’d be smart to revive MOONLIGHT as a vehicle for Alex, and give it a decent time slot. I think they would see much bigger ratings if they did so.
    Other than that, I’m ALL FOR anything they put Alex in, as I think he’s a wonderful actor, but MY first choice would be a MOONLIGHT revival!!!

  2. Unlike Mrs.Tassler think we are not Alex’s fans only we loved the show and yes more presence in the web because the show was worldwide we love all about it not just Alex.

  3. I’m glad to hear that CBS will keep the talented Alex O’Loughlin on tap for other things, but I too, really do wish they would revive ‘Moonlight’. I am a big fan of both Alex and Moonlight. Really hated to see that program die before it’s time. There was still so much of the story left untold.
    I agree with others; bring Moonlight back in a decent time slot and watch ratings soar. There is a big fan based network out there who will follow if they build it.

  4. Alex O’Loughlin is a fantastic actor and I will follow his career wherever he takes it. But Moonlight was also fantastic and it deserved a better fate..it deserved and still deserves a network that appreciates the chemistry, the writing, the cast (all of them) and the gorgeous way it was filmed. It is a show that can be watched by the whole family..fantasy, romance, action and humor. In fact, explaining to my 5-year-old great-granddaughter that “Mick St. Johnson” and Beth, the girl he loves won’t be back is a job I dread. Maybe the DVDs coming out this fall will help.

  5. I am a huge fan of Alex O’Loughlin but a big reason for that was because of Moonlight. I’m still ticked that CBS cancelled it. I loved the show and all the characters. My only worry is what type of series he’ll be in. Please no doctor show. I’m a big fan of Kevin McKidd and was excited about his new show Journeyman. After watching a few episodes I realized that it sucked and stopped watching. I am looking foward to seeing Alex in the near future.
    Cheers Everyone!!

  6. Alex O’Loughlin is a wonderful actor. I truly enjoy watching him and I look forward to any projects he has in the works. However, I think CBS made a wrong decision by canceling Moonlight. Moonlight had all the elements of a great show. Interesting storylines and a talented cast with great chemistry. I was looking forward to a second season as the writers could have done so much with this show. CBS should still reconsider giving it a chance. Give it a different timeslot and you would see the show’s numbers get even better. CBS wants to keep O’Loughlin – well how about you bring back Moonlight and you can do just that. The fans love Alex but they also love him on the show.

  7. I am very excited to hear CBS has a new project for Alex. He is a wonderful actor & person. I will watch any series he is on, but of course I still wish “Moonlight” was on. It was a fantastic show, & there were still so many great stories to be seen. The whole cast was great together. Alex is still the greatest!!! CBS you may redeem yourself, yet!!

  8. That is good news for Alex and I am very glad for him.
    The sad part is CBS already had him in a hit series and they were too blind to see it. Yes, we loved Alex as Mick St John. For goodness sake! He created the Mick St John character we all love! We also love Sophia and Jason – they also breathed life into their endearing characters. We love Moonlight the show and everything about it! I am so frustrated over trying to understand why Ms. Tassler has trouble understanding that we love Alex in the role of Mick St John on Moonlight AND everyone else associated with the show.
    If Alex is in another show, I will watch because I do want to support him. Hopefully it will be a show that really works for him and showcases his talent and not CBS trying to mold him into a role that matches their “CSI” family.
    Like many others, I am eagerly waiting for the 16 episodes of Moonlight to come out on DVD. Moonlight fans are hoping we get at least a Moonlight movie. Even if it goes straight to DVD, at least we will have a continuation of the storyline with Mick, Beth, Josef & Croaline. There is still so much left to tell.

  9. CBS would have done much better to keep Moonlight and move it to a better timeslot. And no, we are not “molified” by this news. I will watch Alex O’Loughlin in anything he appears in, but NOTHING else on CBS. What about Sophia and Jason? Those three had a wonderful chemistry that will be sorely missed. If CBS wants to bring back its viewers, they will bring back Moonlight. Nothing else will bring me back.

  10. Ok, so if I understand correctly, under this ‘talent holding deal’ CBS can put Alex in any show they choose to for the next year. That being said, do you think CBS could be holding onto Alex to see how their new fall shows do and also what kind of ratings all the new vampire shows get on the other networks, that way if they want Moonlight for a mid-season replacement he will be available (if they haven’t already placed him in another project).
    I know I’m reaching… but I have to hold onto at least a little bit of hope!
    Kel 🙂

  11. The ratings may have appeared ‘modest’ to you, but Moonlight consistently won it’s timeslot. When CBS cancelled it they were very blunt that the reason was demographics: not enough 18-25 and 25-34 year-olds. The show was on at 9 p.m. on Friday night! How many 18-25s are even home then. Hence, as you so delicately phrased it, we have been ‘unsparing’ in our criticism of CBS. Faced with a protest that wasn’t going away, Ms. Tassler pronounced that the support for the show was primarily actor-centric and she probably assumes that this will satisfy us. The problem is that we love Moonlight for the story, the MickBeth romance, the chemistry among the three main characters and the three talented young actors who protray them. I am happy that Alex has a contract; he deserves much success. I am concerned his contract is with CBS. I hope that sometime soon Moonlight will return in some fashion to continue the story of Mick, Beth and Josef to a more suitable conclusion than the closing door we were given at the end of episode 16.

  12. I join with most of the Moonlight Fans in wanting Moonlight back. I am afraid of what type of series that they will be putting Alex O’Loughlin into. I guess that we have lost confidence in what CBS and Nina Tassler might do. Of course, we all will watch whatever the fantastic actor will do. But, as stated by many others, the whole cast of Moonlight interplayed so beautifully with each other that we will all miss Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring, Shannyn Sossaman, Jacob Vargas, David Blue, Eric Winter, etc. so very much. This all could be avoided by bringing Moonlight back.
    With the opening of “Twilight” in November, the vampire genre is reopened. Moonlight was not just a vampire program, for it was, I, for one, would not have watched it. It was about people and their interactions, goodness, romance and humour!
    This, scares me, as to what they will put such a talent man into and what happens to all of the rest of the so very talented cast.
    I will watch whatever they cast Alex in, but I still would like to see the return of Moonlight. The last show left more questions than answers.

  13. I’m another one in favor of a Moonlight revival. Realistically, I can’t see it happening after CBS’s Jericho experience.
    CBS really goofed up handling Moonlight in the first place. Seldom have I seen a broadcast network botch a show launch as CBS did with this show. For cryin’ out loud, you couldn’t even rely on the CBS promotion machine to tell you when the show was even on!
    Even so, I do look forward to seeing Alex and the rest of the cast in other projects.

  14. Good luck Alex! You will have a bright future! I hope the sampling of comments here of those clinging to a cancelled show aren’t indicative of future support! Know that so many will go with you!

  15. Thanks CBS for believing in Alex O’loughlin. He’s truly a talented new star. Hopefully the new series will be a great one.

  16. Alex is an amazing actor but he clicks so well with MOONLIGHT because of his great screen chemistry with Sophia Myles AND Shannyn Sossamon, and great interactions with Jason Dohring. It has to be the right show and the right chemistry between the actors/actresses for everything to come together. MOONLIGHT is that show. There have been flops even each individual actor is considered excellent. I don’t know what to say but I know one thing is clear, Alex is Mick St. John. MOONLIGHT makes Alex and Alex makes MOONLIGHT. Please give MOONLIGHT another chance, CBS.

  17. Looking forward to seeing what they develop for him. I hope it’s something worthy of the effort that he will invariably put into it.

  18. It’s too bad they didn’t just keep Moonlight on the air. The ratings were very good for the slot it was in. I’m sorry to say that I’m sure whatever role they put him in it will not be the same as Mick St. John and the great chemistry he had with the rest of the cast, especially the wonderful Sophia Myles. I watched Moonlight for the story, not Alex. CBS didn’t recognize a good thing when they had it. For me to watch any of the cast again, it would have to be a great story and CBS had it – with Moonlight.

  19. Am I happy about this ? The answer for me is yes and no. For Alex I’m happy because he is at least going to be getting paid no matter what and that is a good thing. This deal could actually work for us Moonlight Fans but it’s still to early to tell at this point.
    Moonlight Fans are still out here fighting for our show’s return with the entire cast & crew intact. If Nina Tassler, CBS and all of the bloggers & journalists think for one minute that this going to placate fans then I’m sorry to say you all thought wrong because it won’t.
    The only way we are going to be happy is by one of three things either we get Moonlight’s return for a Well Deserved Second Season which by the way it earned despite the writers strike with the ENTIRE CAST & CREW INTACT. Or at the very least we get a mini-series or movies. The main thing is we get it back in some form.
    Nina Tassler said recently that they wanted to win back viewers loyalty & trust. Hey Nina if you really want to win back some 8 Million plus fans then get a clue and really listen to what the fans want and return Moonlight back to the airwaves. Vampires are in, in case you haven’t heard.
    As I just said the Campaign for Moonlight is still on going, we are still writing & sending letters, postcards, emails. We are still hitting the message boards. We are still focused on and committed to continuing the Blood Drives, the Bone Marrow Registry & Donations and all of our charity campaigns & donations to help those less fortunate and in need.
    Those in Los Angeles should take notice because the bus ads calling for more Moonlight will be out this week and will be seen all over the LA area.
    We are still out here whether you like it or not, we are not going away and we aren’t backing down and we are most definitely not going away

  20. The cancellation of Moonlight is easily the biggest mistake in the entire history of network television. It was stunning in its stupidity.
    I’ve never seen a show with this level of chemistry. CBS caught lightning in a bottle, but simply never recognized the magic they possessed.
    Now they’ve effectively tied up O’Loughlin. Well, it sounds like they are playing self defense.

  21. Moonlight was original, entertaining and sexy, so why spoil a good thing? The CBS honchos went to committee and decided to pull the plug…it’s not the first time they goofed! It’s ashame that we probably will not get to see Moonlight again, but I too am glad that Alex still has a job. He is very talented and I believe has a wonderful future. To him good luck!
    BTW, what’s this about LA and bus ads. Would love to see that somewhere online…perhaps it may do some good.

  22. The cancellation of Moonlight came as a great shock to its fans. Anyone who watched the show became an instant, die hard fan and not just a viewer. This was a show that survived in spite of the odds it was dealt…poor advertisement, a writer’s strike and a “dead zone” time slot. Nina and CBS should reconsider the wrongful treatment it gave to Moonlight, all of its wonderful cast members and 8 million fans.

  23. I’m glad that CBS had the sense to hold on to Alex O’Loughlin. He is a talented actor. But I wish the executives at CBS would use some more brain power and realize that the reason that so many people want Moonlight back is because of the talent of all the cast members. The show had a great storyline and the writers were beginning to let each character’s personality grow.
    To cancel the show in the matter that Ms. Tassler did was blow to all the network fans let alone the Moonlight fans. The only comparison I could make to it would be that if Peter Jackson had stop production of the final 2 LOR episodes because the first release didn’t track well with the 18-25 year olds. If Ms. Tassler wanted the show to track well with that age group, Moonlight should have been in the 10:00pm time slot. If the show won the People’s Choice Award for drama, my question is what age group did it track well with?
    To say that I am disappointed with Ms. Tassler and all the executives at CBS would be an understatement. From what I have seen of the shows scheduled for this fall I might as watch Food Network. At least the meals that are being prepared will be completed by the end of the show. And I won’t be hung in limbo like I am with Moonlight.

  24. Bottom line is I miss Moonlight. Alex is a good actor, but I fell in love with the romance and humor and world the writer’s created in this show, not just the actor.
    I don’t have the time or inclination to follow him around in goofball comedies, or yet another cop or doctor show… or god forbid another reality show.
    Sorry CBS, the only time I watched you was on Friday nights, and now I just make it a Blockbuster night instead.
    PS… One last thought… vampires are about to be all the rage, ha.. CBS had a solid foot in the door with Moonlight ahead of the game, and they just slammed the door in their own face.

  25. Alex will be a credit to who ever signs him – he is extremely talented – He has a true gift for making us believe in his characters – Mick St John will always hold a special place in our hearts. Moonlight is a great show and should be given a second season – just better coverage and advertising. Happy birthday Alex for the 24th – wish share the same birth date – albeit I am older………. Nina don’t shut your mind to the possiblity of bringing back Moonlight – maybe with a twist – expand it but save it’s magic Sue in the UK Will toast you in Venice Alex

  26. Alex will be a credit to who ever signs him – he is extremely talented – He has a true gift for making us believe in his characters – Mick St John will always hold a special place in our hearts. Moonlight is a great show and should be given a second season – just better coverage and advertising. Happy birthday Alex for the 24th – wish share the same birth date – albeit I am older………. Nina don’t shut your mind to the possiblity of bringing back Moonlight – maybe with a twist – expand it but save it’s magic Sue in the UK Will toast you in Venice Alex

  27. CBS and NT need to re-assess their decision to dump Moonlight. So far, they have recognized that Alex is a great talent. Now, they should admit they made an error in judgment and bring Moonlight back!!!!

  28. Tassler’s got it wrong, unfortunately. Moonlight, THE SHOW, attracted the audience who then discovered Alex and became fans of his as well. Most of the people who tuned Moonlight in that first time hadn’t yet discovered him, but he was instrumental in those viewers coming back for more. It was a good show and had a loyal audience that came back every Friday night not only for Alex but for the rest of the great cast as well….and for the great story. It’s cancellation was a slap in the face, not only because it was taken off the air, but because the audience was treated so callously. When the heck did television start ignoring the viewers? Now it’s all about the networks and the advertisers and it seems what those of us who actually WATCH TV tune in every evening is pretty meaningless in the equation. Moonlight consistently won it’s time slot in terms of ratings, yet even that made no difference. It leaves viewers wondering what the heck DOES make a difference.
    I’m glad to see Alex getting another project and I’ll support it because he’s a good actor and a good guy who deserves to succeed. I just really wish it was with another network. I’m not real keen on getting involved with yet another CBS show that I’ll constantly worry is in danger of cancellation.

  29. I’m so happy and thrilled Alex is back on TV again. CBS should count your blessing for snatching this grand prize for a 2nd time so don’t let it go to waste and give us a 2nd season of MOONLIGHT.
    And Alex sweetie Good Luck, you’re an extremely talented actor and a great human being. All the best on your new show and wishing you a very Happy Birthday and hope to see ya soon!

  30. I agree with so many others – bring MOONLIGHT back & watch Alex O’Loughlin as well as the entire cast of the show shine. CBS has caused too many people to become so angry with them that they are no longer viewers of any CBS shows, can’t see where they thought cancelling a show loved by so many would win them any loyalty.
    CBS made a hugh mistake in not bringing MOONLIGHT back for a Second Season. I am not sure if they will ever win back many of their unhappy former viewers even if they do cast Alex O’Loughlin in another show. Alex O’Loughlin along with Sophia Myles as well as Jason Doring all deserved to get a Second Season in MOONLIGHT, they worked so well together to made a super story worth watching each & every week. The cast, the drama, the chemistry was the best – BRING MOONLIGHT BACK!!!! Realize your mistake CBS & correct it now – and do yourself a favor GET RID OF NINA TASSLER!!!!

  31. Can’t believe it… CBS got it wrong when they thought Moonlight fans were there just because of Alex.
    When they say that fan campaigns are “actor-centric” just shows the little time the’ve spent reading fan sites and all the other stuff going on.
    Looks like CBS doesn’t care about loosing some thousands of viewers!!!
    Can’t get it, especially from a marketing perspective… (and I work in the marketing business!)
    But Moonlight fans wont’t give up!
    And wait to see when people from Europe starts joining the campaings (Moonlight just got started over there)

  32. I have to say when I found out that Moon Light was no longer going to be on I was shocked. I’m
    not shocked to say that I will no longer watch CBS.

  33. Take off “The X List, bring back “Moonlight”

  34. Just wanted to reiterate. We’re still here and we’re not going away.
    I’m happy for Alex O, but he wasn’t the sole reason for my being hooked on Moonlight. It was the entire cast and their chemistry together. It was the storyline. It was the acting. It was the sets. It was the music. In short, it was the ENTIRE package.
    Why does CBS feel the need to try and come up with some project centered around Alex, when they already HAVE one? With a great first season behind it and some forgiving fans (just admit you made a mistake, Nina), Moonlight is a hit just waiting to happen. Just put it in a better time slot and actually do some advertising the next time around. With all the vampire hype these days, this would be a slam dunk.

  35. As we most of your other responses, I would love to see Moonlight return. It is not just Alex, but his character and Sopie Myles is a real plus to his character. Vampire stories are truly a new part of our story lines in the public eye and this fit in perfectly. Many years ago CBS pulled a show “Cagne and Lacie” off the air. The fan base hit the roof and it was eventually returned with serial seasons that followed. CBS made a huge mistake by canceling a show that complimentded the Friday night line up. However if the show was put in a better slot I truly believe the rating would sore. The “EX List” proved to be a real bomb and your sixties show about how people acted back then was also a flop. Bring back what the fans want.

  36. I just bought the first season of Moonlight and can’t believe the oversight of CBS. I really hope they reconsider. The chemistry between all the actors is amazing and Moonlight was and is a good story. Between Ghost Whisperer and Moonlight, Friday night was a night to stay home, curl up and be taken away for a couple of hours. not think about the “cruel” world going on around us. Evertbody deserves a little “Moonlight”

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