Moonlighting

"The history of the United States is the history of women and men working together to realize their dreams.” On March 03, 1985, Ronald Reagan inaugurated "Women's History Week" with these exalted words. The very same evening saw the premiere of the ABC pilot "Moonlighting", and the nation learned that the state of the work union between women and men actually fell somewhere between a comet smash-up and the Big Bang. In classic ‘screwball comedy’ tradition, producer Glenn Gordon Caron set the cool blond model Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) and the wisecracking womanizer David (Bruce Willis with a full head of hair) on collision course. The result was an explosive mix of irresistible attraction, sublimation of desire and open antagonism. The series’ greatest asset, however, wasn’t the clash of the sexes, but its use of the TV medium itself. Chase scenes across the studio backlot, conversations with the camera, and prolific references to TV and film history were all standard "Moonlighting" fare. Even the cancellation of the series was worked into the scenario: In the last episode Dave and Maddie try to save their show from getting the chop.