In The Pale Moonlight

DVD, DS9 S6 (In The Pale Moonlight)

Compelling, surprising, a bit disturbing, and pushing the envelope to it's furthest recesses. The debates can rage on forever over the rights and wrongs, but as a piece of drama it's excellent. So many scenes are between just two characters, and in a way it could be a stage play. One man's descent into what he has always abhorred.

The scene with Dax where she plays Romulan advocate, showed that Terry Farrell really would have made a good Romulan. And Quark gets to have some fun at the expense of Sisko. And Bashir gets to be disgusted again, and Garak... he hasn't featured much this season, after playing a big role in the war arc of the first few episodes. In that he becomes something of a good guy, he's accepted, he's needed, and he proves a very useful ally. But it's easy to forget his dark origins, his sketchy past, and his evil deeds. Sisko is too concerned with this new plan that he forgets or deliberately overlooks Garak's shady past, and so finds himself gradually ensnared in it. There was always the danger Garak could become a cosy character, and lose his fangs, the danger and uncertainty that keeps the man so fascinating, but the writers weren't going to let that happen!

On a lighter side, of a very deep, dark, plot-ridden episode is the name check of Betazed, bringing the danger of the Dominion home. Then we learn that Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Alpha Centauri, all founding members of the Federation, are under threat. There's also the reference to Orion slave girls, but that's not related! The slimy blue criminal who makes the forgery was one of the rare new aliens of the season, and was reminiscent of the criminal brothers in 'Honor Among Thieves', though they were green. And the framing of the story as a personal log makes the viewer much more involved as Sisko is basically talking to us, though in reality to himself.

If Starfleet officers are put through such torturing events, and are forced into bad places, if the episode is well done, if the acting is of a high enough calibre, then I can live with such an episode. Because I can live with it. I can...

*****