“The Night of the Howling Light” is one of the better episodes of the first season. Well thought out, even socially conscious for the time period. You have to sit through some rather gruesome scenes of torture, but it is worth the effort.Jim is kidnapped by Dr. Arcularis, a scientist who uses Pavolvian conditioning in order to turn people into willig puppets. Arcularis is in cahoots with an Indian named Akeema who wants to stop Jim from making a peace overture to Chief Ho-Tami. Instead, he wants Jim conditioned to kill Ho-Tami in public view to incite a war with the United States.
The bulk of the episode is Jim conditioning in an old lighthouse. He is subjected to constant bright lights, extreme cold, and sleep deprivation. The ordeal lasts a full three acts, only periodically interrupted by Artie’s efforts to find him. Artie winds up captured and conditioned himself to kill Jim in a rare climactic twist that adds to the story. The show is fun to watch, but often very shallow.
Jim’s conditioning does not take because of sheer force of will, so he is able to kill Akeema instead of Ho-Tami. I do have to question whether that was necessary. But it served dramatic purpose. Akeema feared his people would surrender themselves to the government ad eventually lose everything. History proves him right. I am not excusing hi actions y ay stretch, but considering his prescience, the episode ends a darkly cynical note.
Pavolv’s experiments to condition dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell have proven not to work on creatures of higher intelligence like man, much less turn them ito zombies ready to do their master’s bidding even if it would normally go against their moral code. But this is Hollywood and the vacant stres and absolute obedience generates an appropriately creepy feel. That everyone eventually resisted Arcularis’ conditioning is an effort to create a realistic resolution.
Rating: **** (out of 5)
