Apparently, two factions, earth residents and a genetically engineered culture called the Dregs have declared war on one another. A group of negotiators agree to have a summit meeting on a neutral planet. Unfortunately, after the arrival of the earth people, the Dreg's ship is destroyed. This leads to an automatic sense of anger to start off the summit. Also, in the explosion, the head negotiator for the earth people is killed. Enter a couple Dregs who stand behind a sort of force field and try to make nice. The air is full of suspicion, led by a military man played by the late John Spencer. What is at issue is that the two forces are heading to a kind of face off that will mean the destruction of both their species, at least a huge loss of life. The whole thing leads to one of the most dramatic conclusions I've seen. It has to do with our moral being and how important we see the future in light of our own importance. One thing I appreciated was the religion was left out of this. This episode would make for an excellent disussion.
2 Reviews
"Summit?" More like the bottom of the pit.
El Cine12 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Conflict and accident jeopardize a peace summit between two warring factions. The bulk of the plot is an "overcome our differences" potboiler, with the usual cliches and stock characters. But that's not the worst of it. After violence wipes out one of the diplomatic parties, the episode climax is their admiral on a videophone insisting the other party all kill themselves. Only if they do so will they prove their honesty and commitment, enough to persuade him to draw down his army and avoid World War III.
Thus do the last ten minutes basically turn into a snuff film, as Desperate Housewife Bree Van de Kamp, Leo McGarry from The West Wing, and two other officials slowly shoot or electrocute themselves.
This is Screenwriter Logic at its worst--a contrived scenario with characters who make and fulfill absurd, inhumane demands that no one would make in real life, all so we may solemnly nod our heads at what a noble, selfless thing these people are doing.
This isn't serious drama. So what is it? A brainless death fantasy by a self-dramatizing TV show? Or maybe it was just a sick joke all along, made for kicks? Either way, it's grotesque and anti-human.
Pathetic. Probably the worst Outer Limits episode I've seen.
Thus do the last ten minutes basically turn into a snuff film, as Desperate Housewife Bree Van de Kamp, Leo McGarry from The West Wing, and two other officials slowly shoot or electrocute themselves.
This is Screenwriter Logic at its worst--a contrived scenario with characters who make and fulfill absurd, inhumane demands that no one would make in real life, all so we may solemnly nod our heads at what a noble, selfless thing these people are doing.
This isn't serious drama. So what is it? A brainless death fantasy by a self-dramatizing TV show? Or maybe it was just a sick joke all along, made for kicks? Either way, it's grotesque and anti-human.
Pathetic. Probably the worst Outer Limits episode I've seen.
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