In Search of... (TV Series) Moon Madness (1980) User Reviews

Lunar Howling

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 28 September 2014]

The affect the moon has on human activity is examined in this episode, as both ER doctors and scientists debate the perceived phenomena of increased crime on the nights of the full moon, and the reasons why this may be the case. Could it be the pull of the gravity from the moon that affects tides affecting people, since much of the makeup of people is water? How may it have influenced our caveman ancestors, who anthropologists believe worshiped it, and believed it was the moon that impregnated women? Of course, the legendary myth of the werewolf is also brought up, and its cultural origins. Interesting episode if somewhat uneven dramatically.

Creeps me out now the same as when I watched it as a kid.

[mm-39 · 10/10 · 27 August 2017]

Moon madness creeps me out now the same as when I watched it as a kid. Moon Madness left an impression on me when I was 10 or 11. I remember asking my dad after watching Moon Madness "should we be worried?" Dad's answer: "nah we don't know anyone who is crazy." Everything about Moon Madness is creepy: The reenactments, music, narration tone, the blue camera tint with the reenactments etc. Nimoy narration line perhaps the Moon Madness reaches the darkest inner reaches of the mind! The interviews with experts for Moon Madness gave stats and interesting insight. However, the side against Moon Madness theory gave hard evidence which would suggest there is no scientific evidence and confirmation basis gave an impression of hogwash! 10 stars a great episode.

Season 5 Episode 6

[Michael_Elliott · 25 August 2016]

In Search Of... "Moon Madness" (1980)

The old myth of whether or not more violence happens during a full moon is discussed in this episode. Also covered is the question of more births during this period and if it might all be connected to us coming from the ocean. This is yet another very good episode for the series that manages to take a fascinating subject and turn it into an interesting debate. I thought the episode did a very good job at showing both sides of the coin meaning some people really do believe the full moon has control over a person's mental state while others think it's just something to blame. Fans of the series should certainly enjoy this one.

Episode: A-

Does the moon actually drive men mad?

[dtucker86 · 10/10 · 28 September 2023]

This was one of the more chilling episodes of my beloved In Search Of... because it explores the dark side of man in association with the moon. Narrator Leonard Nimoy quotes a line from William Shakespeare at the beginning of how the moon drives men mad and he points out that the word lunatic comes from lunar, that which pertains to the moon. This episode uses stock footage from the Jack The Ripper and Monster Hunter episodes. One fascinating story Nimoy relates is that there really was a "Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde" in the form of William Brody who lived in Scotland in the 1700s. He was a respected citizen by day and the leader of a brutal band of robbers at night and he claimed the moon drove him to do it!