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ladymidathI got home from work rather late last night and having the house to myself, I was able to sit and watch one of my favourite episodes, In The Pale Moonlight. Because of spoliers, I am putting it under a
The title itself is from an old saying that was used in Tim Burton's Batman. 'Have you ever dances with the devil in the pale moonlight.'
The episode itself is probably one of the darkest in the entire franchise. But that is what makes DS9 such an outstanding show. It has been called the Star Trek for grownups and in one way I have to agree. Not because the other series weren't good, they were but they never really tackled anything very heavy. Next Generation did a few times, eg: Picard being taken by the Borg and turned into Locutus and when he was being tortured by the Cardassians.
But DS9 was not afraid to show the darker side of humanity, of people having to compromise their principles in order to help win what was fast becoming an unwinnable war. Especially after learning that the Dominion had taken Betazed.
Sisko after posting another Friday casualties list decides that they need to try and bring the Romulans into the war. So far they were neutral and had no interest in helping the Federation in fighting against the Dominion. So Sisko turns to Garak and that is where it begins to get messy.
The story is told in a series of flashbacks with Captain Sisko reciting to his personal log the events that led up to everything that happened.
Filled with doubts and worried about the ultimate outcome, Sisko recounts how he approached Garak for help to bring the Romulans into the war. Garak in one of his finest moments, agrees and that is where the fun begins. After his contacts on Cardassia Prime are killed, he has to track down a Cardassian data rod, then he has to find someone who can forge false data onto it. That involves freeing a criminal, Grathon Tolar, an expert in holographic forgery from a Klingon prison. Then Garak needs to get hold of a Cardassian data rod He finds a seller who will only let it go for 200 litres for biomimetic gel a dangerous substance. Sisko manages to get it down to 85 litres and after Bashir protests over it's release, he obtains the data rod.
By this time Sisko is having serious doubts, made worse when Tolar causes a rukus in Quark's which culminates in him stabbing Quark who was trying to protect one of his Dabo girls. After bribing Quark to not press charges, the plan continues and it get even worse.
Sisko invites the Romulan Senator Vreenak to the station staing that he has some important information about the Dominion. He gives the skeptical senator the data rod only for the Romulan to turn up at his door holding the rod and hissing, it's a FAAAKE! One of Stephen McHattie's best moments on screen.
Of course the plan looks like it's going to go belly up when Sisko is informed that the shuttle carrying the senator and his aides has been destroyed by what seems to be an explosion. Then Tolar is killed.
Next a grim faced Sisko is striding down towards Garak's shop and without a word, punches the tailor in the mouth knocking him over a table. Then he punches Garak again. Garak by this times manages to tell a furious Sisko that there was no way the data rod would hold up to any kind of scrutiny and that it was necessary to kill the senator in a way that would throw suspicion onto the Dominion. When they would find the rod, any imperfections would be put down to the damage by the explosion.
And it works. The Romulans declare war and as Garak points out, all it took was the death of a Romulan senator, the death of a criminal and one Starfleet officer's self respect. A bargain.
The scene then cuts back to Sisko who after telling the story ponders the question, could he live with what he has done. The answer is yes. To save the Alpha Quadrant he could live with it.
So a brilliant episode brilliantly done. In The Pale Moonlight asks some serious questions about ethics and morality. About how far a good person will go if pushed and Sisko has been pushed indeed.
The fact remains that while Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, envisioned a future where human kind had perfected itself, the fact remains that the universe is not a perfect place. Deep Space Nine is the series that tackles the tough questions and does not shy away from the gritty facts of war, that it was makes the show so outstanding.
When season four first came out on video, there was a waiting list at all the local video shops to rent it. Even people that normally did not watch Start Trek loved DS9. Watching this episode was a joy and it made me remember what made this series so damned good in the first place. Although I suspect Roddenberry would have hated it.
Still, In The Pale Moonlight deserves a place with the modern classics for fine storytelling, excellent performances all round and a story that will haunt viewers for quite awhile.
After all, have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
Also posted to my lj
The title itself is from an old saying that was used in Tim Burton's Batman. 'Have you ever dances with the devil in the pale moonlight.'
The episode itself is probably one of the darkest in the entire franchise. But that is what makes DS9 such an outstanding show. It has been called the Star Trek for grownups and in one way I have to agree. Not because the other series weren't good, they were but they never really tackled anything very heavy. Next Generation did a few times, eg: Picard being taken by the Borg and turned into Locutus and when he was being tortured by the Cardassians.
But DS9 was not afraid to show the darker side of humanity, of people having to compromise their principles in order to help win what was fast becoming an unwinnable war. Especially after learning that the Dominion had taken Betazed.
Sisko after posting another Friday casualties list decides that they need to try and bring the Romulans into the war. So far they were neutral and had no interest in helping the Federation in fighting against the Dominion. So Sisko turns to Garak and that is where it begins to get messy.
The story is told in a series of flashbacks with Captain Sisko reciting to his personal log the events that led up to everything that happened.
Filled with doubts and worried about the ultimate outcome, Sisko recounts how he approached Garak for help to bring the Romulans into the war. Garak in one of his finest moments, agrees and that is where the fun begins. After his contacts on Cardassia Prime are killed, he has to track down a Cardassian data rod, then he has to find someone who can forge false data onto it. That involves freeing a criminal, Grathon Tolar, an expert in holographic forgery from a Klingon prison. Then Garak needs to get hold of a Cardassian data rod He finds a seller who will only let it go for 200 litres for biomimetic gel a dangerous substance. Sisko manages to get it down to 85 litres and after Bashir protests over it's release, he obtains the data rod.
By this time Sisko is having serious doubts, made worse when Tolar causes a rukus in Quark's which culminates in him stabbing Quark who was trying to protect one of his Dabo girls. After bribing Quark to not press charges, the plan continues and it get even worse.
Sisko invites the Romulan Senator Vreenak to the station staing that he has some important information about the Dominion. He gives the skeptical senator the data rod only for the Romulan to turn up at his door holding the rod and hissing, it's a FAAAKE! One of Stephen McHattie's best moments on screen.
Of course the plan looks like it's going to go belly up when Sisko is informed that the shuttle carrying the senator and his aides has been destroyed by what seems to be an explosion. Then Tolar is killed.
Next a grim faced Sisko is striding down towards Garak's shop and without a word, punches the tailor in the mouth knocking him over a table. Then he punches Garak again. Garak by this times manages to tell a furious Sisko that there was no way the data rod would hold up to any kind of scrutiny and that it was necessary to kill the senator in a way that would throw suspicion onto the Dominion. When they would find the rod, any imperfections would be put down to the damage by the explosion.
And it works. The Romulans declare war and as Garak points out, all it took was the death of a Romulan senator, the death of a criminal and one Starfleet officer's self respect. A bargain.
The scene then cuts back to Sisko who after telling the story ponders the question, could he live with what he has done. The answer is yes. To save the Alpha Quadrant he could live with it.
So a brilliant episode brilliantly done. In The Pale Moonlight asks some serious questions about ethics and morality. About how far a good person will go if pushed and Sisko has been pushed indeed.
The fact remains that while Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, envisioned a future where human kind had perfected itself, the fact remains that the universe is not a perfect place. Deep Space Nine is the series that tackles the tough questions and does not shy away from the gritty facts of war, that it was makes the show so outstanding.
When season four first came out on video, there was a waiting list at all the local video shops to rent it. Even people that normally did not watch Start Trek loved DS9. Watching this episode was a joy and it made me remember what made this series so damned good in the first place. Although I suspect Roddenberry would have hated it.
Still, In The Pale Moonlight deserves a place with the modern classics for fine storytelling, excellent performances all round and a story that will haunt viewers for quite awhile.
After all, have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
Also posted to my lj
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17/3/13 15:51 (UTC)