For all of its work in popularizing serialized storytelling on TV, Babylon 5 was at its heart a very traditional show. Guest stars come in and out, many plots are sewn up at the end of the hour, and we get A,B,and C stories to carry us through. If any episode could be considered “experimental” if only because it deviated, it would be this one. The cast is vanishingly small, only Sheridan has lines from the main cast, and the whole thing was written in the style of a stage play. Still this is one of my favorite episodes of the season, and perhaps my favorite interrogation episode in science fiction TV (Sorry Chain of Command I & II).
The episode opens up with Sheridan laying on the cold floor of his cell, and we get a few quick flashbacks to establish why he is there very quickly, though that feels unnecessary at this point in the show. As he lays there, a middle-aged man in a suit walks in, and security guards set up a table and two chairs. The man does not introduce himself but begins asking about Sheridan’s health history. He then explains the rules of the interrogation to Sheridan. The man then gives Sheridan a dispassionate speech letting him know that he really does not care about Sheridan, only that he is a name and case number. Once Sheridan indicates that he understands everything he has been said the man cheerfully announces that they can begin.
When we get back from credits, Sheridan has been kept sitting upright and under bright lights for what is implied to be all night. The interrogator greets the captain, and Sheridan argues with him about the time. He demonstrates that the amount of “daylight” that streams in is controlled by remote, and then delivers a powerful electric shock to Sheridan for contradicting him. He then busies himself for about thirty seconds before starting in while eating a sandwich. He accuses Sheridan of being under the influence of outsiders, and then mocks Sheridan when the captain denies it, pointing out that we are all influenced by others.
The interrogator then gushes about his sandwich, before offering the captain some, cheerfully announcing it as lunch time though only a few minutes have passed. He then commands Sheridan to agree in order to get some food, pointing out that you cant have a corn beef sandwich for breakfast. Sheridan passes the test, and gets to eat the sandwich while the interrogator expounds on the idea that the truth is fluid and subjective while Sheridan objects. The argument is cut short when Sheridan realizes the sandwich was poisoned, implying that he is immune to the same poison.
The interrogator comes back the next day, apologetic about the treatment, and gives Sheridan some water. While Sheridan drinks, he tries to get some low level information out of him, asking to confirm that Ivanova is still second in command. Sheridan refuses to answer on principle. Eventually he gets coaxed back into his chair and shackled again. The interrogator then drops the news that Sheridan’s father is still alive. They then switch gears and Sheridan is shown the confession that he needs to sign and read publicly which he of course refuses. The argument gets very heated, belying the interrogators’ repeated assurances that he has no emotional stake in the situation.
The next day they begin again, but with something new this time, bringing in a Drazi prisoner that has already been broken to demonstrate that Sheridan cannot win. They make the Drazi read a confession that amusingly involves people that even Sheridan has never heard of. The as part of the confession the Drazi also absolves Sheridan of guilt by claiming he was unduly influenced. Eventually Sheridan gets through to the Drazi prisoner and he refuses to continue. The interrogator ominously asks him if he understands that this is his very last chance, before ushering him out of the room. The interrogator sits down and calmly continues his line of questioning about Ivanova and the resistance before Sheridan angrily demands to know what will happen to the Drazi. The interrogator tiredly explains that everyone in the facility, except Sheridan, is expendable. Sheridan is only non-expendable because they want him sincerely broken. Later we hear the sounds of screams and the power dims, and the interrogator leaves for the night but not before starting a loud recording of him repeating demands for Sheridan to cooperate.
When the interrogator comes back, Sheridan is exhausted, and he is sympathetic. He explains that it can all be over, if Sheridan just signs the confession. He even refuses to lie to Sheridan and lets him know that eventually they will kill him, once the public no longer cares about him. Sheridan wavers hard, but a vision of Delenn gives him the strength to say no, and he summons a small amount of spit for the confession. The interrogator seems shaken and leaves claiming the situation is now out of his hands.
The interrogator bursts in a little while later ranting a little about Sheridan’s status as a war hero being a critical part of why they need him broken. He lets the captain know that his superiors are now considering killing him and faking the confession. Sheridan calmly throws the interrogators’ words about no one being able to beat the system, and that the fluidity of the truth proves it. He gives a final refusal to a formal request to sign his confession, and is whisked out of the room on a gurney. A priest follows reading out a last rites style prayer, and Sheridan sees another vision of Delenn. He arrives in another room, to see a black draped chair and an executioner. He is placed in the chair and then watches as his gurney becomes an interrogation desk. Another nondescript looking interrogator walks in and calmly begins his interrogation over again as if the first one never happened. Even the executioner is revealed to be the Drazi from earlier.
I said at the outset that this is one of my favorites, I enjoy how the interrogation scenes work, and I really like the actor that portrays the first interrogator. I will admit that this one was a harder write up as it lacked the bouncing back and forth that helps with the flow, and it also had very little action, being mostly two people sitting in chairs and talking. Next week we go hurtling forward again with Sheridan, but everyone else gets to play too in “Between the Darkness and the Light”.
Where do I know them from?
- Raye Birk as the Interrogator(credited as William) is another TV veteran I caught him in Columbo: A Trace of Murder.
- Bruce Gray as the other Interrogator I will always know as the first Sky Marshal from Starship Troopers.
The Good
- I enjoy the stage like setting, and the idea of unending sessions that blend into one another in perpetuity is terrifying.
The Bad
- Nothing too major but it was damned odd to have a whole episode absent the other main characters.
Arc Points (Spoilers Ahead)
- JMS has said on multiple occasions that the Shadow War would have probably extended another four or five episodes, and that the Minbari Civil War would have a few more as well, and that this episode and plot point was originally intended as the Season 4 finale, which would have been brutal.
- The interrogator makes a reference to Sheridan’s experience with Jack the Ripper.
- I appreciate the vibe of the episode of having efficient little cogs of men, in service to idiotic self destructive facism. You get the feeling that they would have been just as effective at their jobs with more restrictions under a more legal authority.