The moon madness state has also been referred to as the "Transylvania effect" - all part of the werewolf theory which The Munsters and The Addams Family embraced on the small screen while studios such as Hammer Horror gave the full moon plenty of big screen time.
There is also a more classical ingredient here in terms of Roman legend and mythology and whatever, for the Roman goddess of the moon was Luna - close to lunar.
So those who went wayward at the sight or psychological sense of a full moon were often referred to as lunatics.
It is a fact that in 2007 several police departments across the UK put on extra front-line staff during times of a full moon to cope with what were perceived to be higher than usual incidents of crime.
Some have suggested that this "lunacy" effect on certain human minds was down to the human body effectively being 80 percent water, and of course with the brain an integral part of the body it too was pretty well stacked with the stuff.
And the moon, through its gravity, has the ability to drag vast volumes of water about.
The tides.
So, it has been argued, could that additional lunar force of a full moon somehow rattle the molecules in some susceptible brains?
The medical and scientific communities tread the straight line and say no, it does not ... but something seems to happen.
Mind you, none of the lads who actually flew from Earth and walked the landscape of the great, bright, full moon appeared to suffer any dodgy reactions while there or afterwards.
However, it's a theory which does appear to have some basis - perfect for the episode of Nightwatch on Prime tonight.
This is an American" reality" show and has a tough edge to it. While I'm not exactly an advocate of such shows (which can be made on the cheap as there are no actors to pay or expensive sets to build) this one caught my eye due to the lunar factor.
During filming of this episode there was a full moon which, I daresay, left some of the officers of the New Orleans police force humming Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising - not to mention the city's firefighters and emergency medical crews.
It was all on for one and old by the sound of it.
As the promo for the show declares: "They tackle the evil of the night - all beneath a big, bright full moon.
● Nightwatch, Prime at 8.30 tonight: There is a bright light in the sky and it's not the headlights of a descending Boeing 747 aiming for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. It is a full moon and for some reason (and there are lots of theories) that means the streets of this grand city are scenes of more mayhem than usual. It's tagged AO so expect fireworks as the werewolves take on the garlic-clad police front-line.
ON THE BOX
● 7 Days, TV3 at 9.30pm Friday: In comedy terms the standard of this weekly dose of Kiwi mirth (with occasional guests from offshore) is very high. There are some quick barbs, sharp jocular jabs and the odd rather naughty word, of course. Dai Henwood and Paul Ego are fine team leaders, while chairman/host Jeremy Corbett is not averse to providing fodder for a wind-up of both. Some sharp minds out there and they provide a colourful dessert after the courses provided earlier by Jono and Ben and Graham Norton.
● Mitre 10 Cup Rugby, Saturday on Sky Sport 1 (live) from 5.20pm: I hope this is not a case where we need to use the words uttered by the blokes who got lost while exploring the Aussie hinterlands back in the 19th century. "Where to from here?" They would have thought they had turned the right corner after discovering a supply of fresh water and food and raised their glasses in a toast of success. And then, a week or so later, they lose the map and the plans and end up taking the wrong turn again. The Magpies appear slightly lost but let's hope they find the plans and the map because this is the effectively the local derby - the Manawatu lads. Here's the plan chaps: hang onto the ball and if they've got it, get it off them.
