Where the music industry fail at every turn when it comes to the internet, television on the other hand seems to get everything right. And no one is above the curve more than ABC. They were the first to put up their shows on iTunes and also were one of the first to give viewers the ability to stream shows for free after they aired with very little commercial interruption. They have also been out in front promoting their cable outlet ABC Family last month giving people a chance to download their new series Kyle XY (which I skipped on account that the no belly button dude creeped me out) for free and continued that trend with its latest series Three Moons Over Milford (click image above to download it yourself). Much like The Amazing Screw-On Head (see my First Impression), I probable would have never scene the show had it not been available on the internet. Now if only the music companies would take note and stop suing people and make the music more accessible not less.
Three Moons Over Milford focus on a small town in Vermont where all the townspeople think it’s the end of the world as they know it (and they don’t feel fine) after an asteroid hits the moon splitting it into three segments, one of which is forecasted to hit squarely on the town sometime in the future, when no one is really for sure. Most specifically, the show centers around a family in the small town whose post-moon split was affected the most when the patriarch, some big science dude with a major company, decides to spend out the rest of his days in a teepee. A very high tech teepee. It’s not very clear if he and his wife, played by Elizabeth McGovern (She’s Having a Baby), got a divorce because of the spilt and I’m not sure if the townspeople know either as one asked if he should call her Ms. or Mrs. (she did reply Mrs.).
The kids in the family seem to be spiraling out of control with the eldest just getting his license and he wants to make the most of what may be his short life. This includes getting involved with a worker at his dad’s company who was most likely in high school when he was born, not that she knows this as he lies to her and tells her that he was in college (keep in mind this is airing on ABC Family). The there is the younger daughter who turns to witchcraft (keep in mind this is ABC Family) in hopes to put the moon back together, but things don’t go well for the novice. Rounding out the cast is the resident lawyer/plumber (which isn’t as cool as Ed’s layer/bowling ally combo) played by Rob Bolton (nothing you would know) and Saturday Night Live veteran Nora Dunn as a ruthless real estate agent, and surprisingly business is boom despite the whole end of the world thing.
Despite the interesting concept of people facing the end of the world (beating out the CBS the end is near show Jericho by a couple weeks), at heart it’s still a small town dramedy, but unlike similar shows like Northern Exposure, Everwood, Gilmore Girls, and the previously mentioned Ed, there is a sever lack of quirky characters to play off the straight lead. Also there is something to be said about the show being on ABC Family with it’s un-family like storylines like statutory rape, Wicca’s, and the occasional swear word. Ever since ABC took over the channel from Fox, they have treated it more like a secondary channel outlet than an alternative for families. Seriously, what family sits down to watch The Bachelor marathon? But when it comes down to it, Three Moons Over Milford is too edgy for families, but really not edgy enough for regular viewers.
Verdict: There is a possibility that the show could get better, but unless it continues to be free to download at my convenience, it’s not something to go out of your way to watch. Three Moons Over Milford airs Sundays at 8:00.
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