I just saw this episode again, after not having seen it for a number of years, and it shows so well why long time Star Trek fans are disenchanted, (to say the least), with the current showings of the Star trek franchise, (Ahem, Kelvin timeline and Discovery).
Star Trek has always been about exploring the human condition in an idealized future. DS9 was the first show to go to the darker side of that exploration with great success I think. It shows how you can make a darker and grittier Star Trek without losing what makes the franchise great. You watch this episode and then try to compare it to 2 years of Star Trek Discovery and..... and.... well, there are no words, suitable for a decent review, to describe the outcome.
I truly wish there is more writing like what is shown in this episode in the upcoming Star Trek Picard... but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Review of In the Pale Moonlight
