It’s true that online streaming has made more movies and TV shows (and cat videos) available to the masses than at any point in history. But there’s so much that’s fallen through the cracks. Do you know you still can’t legally stream Cocoon? (There are also lots of masterpieces that are AWOL, too.) Meanwhile, no streamer has Moonlighting, the game-changing ‘80s rom-com-mystery-whatever that made Bruce Willis a star and gave Cybill Shepherd a much-deserved comeback. Now there’s good news…sort of…maybe.
On Monday, Moonlighting creator Glenn Gordon Caron dropped a big, tantalizing tease. Over a picture from his hit show, which ran for five seasons, ending in 1989, “Disney and I have put our heads together and come up with a plan. Big announcement Wednesday!!!” But by Wednesday, the news was…not what you might have thought.
It's an ambitious project. Lots of moving parts. And it could take quite a while. But I wanted you to be the first to know. pic.twitter.com/x7iPUy3iUK
— Glenn Caron (@GlennGCaron) October 5, 2022
After writing, CAT’S OUTTA THE BAG,” Caron wrote that, instead of the show coming to streaming, the “business of getting all 5 seasons of “Moonlighting” starring Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd ready for streaming has begun!” He added that it will be “an ambitious project” with “[l]ots of moving parts,” and that “it could take quite a while.” He added, “No word yet on where or when you’ll be seeing it — but it’s happening!”
In other words, it seems Caron and team figured out how difficult it will be, with rights issues and whatnot, to get the show online, but was ready to do just that. Maybe referencing Disney in his initial tweet was some kind of clue. They now own ABC, which aired Moonlighting back in the day. But perhaps someone else owns it now.
Anyway, who knows! But at least someone’s trying to make sure people can watch Moonlighting again, especially now that one of its stars had to retire from acting, making people want to watch the show that made him a household name all the more. Anyway, best of luck, and hopefully the next announcement is a bigger one!