12. In The Pale Moonlight (Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Season 6)
Deep Space Nine proved early in its run that it was a series that wasnt afraid to take chances. What the series attempted to do, with great success, was present a more complex view of what makes us who we are, what motivates us. If that meant showing the characters in a less than flattering light, then so be it. In the Pale Moonlight is perhaps the greatest example of this. The choice to shoot the episode in the framework of Sisko talking directly to the camera was brilliant. It pulls the viewer in and makes the confessional nature of the story that much more effective. Sisko, overcome with guilt, relays the actions he has taken, the compromises with himself he has chosen to make, in order to bring the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. It's all the more striking that at the end of it all, Sisko realizes those choices are something he can live with. Ignoring what hes done is not an option for one simple fact: he knows, whatever values he had to turn away from, it was the wrong thing to do, but for all the right reasons. This is a powerful episode from one of the best sci-fi series to ever grace the screen.
I've been a huge sci-fi fan ever since going to see "Star Wars" at the tender age of 3 (and yes I actually do remember it! I love pretty much any intelligent and entertaining film and television series (some of my all time favorites are 2001, Lawrence of Arabia, Battlestar Galactica [SyFy], and The West Wing). Must thank the stars above for such things as HBOGO and Netflix (Am thoroughly enjoying Ripper Street btw). I've also been an avid comic book collector since childhood. I earned a bachelor's degree in creative writing with a second emphasis in film studies from Florida State University (Go Noles!) and definitely enjoy sitting back and watching pretty much any sports. I wish I had a joke to end with, but I don't so I'll simply say "The End."
Deep Space Nine proved early in its run that it was a series that wasnt afraid to take chances. What the series attempted to do, with great success, was present a more complex view of what makes us who we are, what motivates us. If that meant showing the characters in a less than flattering light, then so be it. In the Pale Moonlight is perhaps the greatest example of this. The choice to shoot the episode in the framework of Sisko talking directly to the camera was brilliant. It pulls the viewer in and makes the confessional nature of the story that much more effective. Sisko, overcome with guilt, relays the actions he has taken, the compromises with himself he has chosen to make, in order to bring the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. It's all the more striking that at the end of it all, Sisko realizes those choices are something he can live with. Ignoring what hes done is not an option for one simple fact: he knows, whatever values he had to turn away from, it was the wrong thing to do, but for all the right reasons. This is a powerful episode from one of the best sci-fi series to ever grace the screen.