Ep 7. And the Moon Be Still as Bright

In the season 4 episode 7 of The Ray Bradbury Theater titled "And the Moon Be Still as Bright," viewers are transported to a future where Earth has become uninhabitable and humans have fled to Mars. The story follows a team of four astronauts who are on a mission to explore the red planet and pave the way for future colonization.

The team consists of Commander Hollis, Captain Wilder, Spender, and Parkhill. As they go about their business, they notice that Spender is not like the others. He is more interested in the culture of the Martian beings that once lived on the planet before they were wiped out by disease brought by Earth's colonizers.

Spender's fascination with the Martians leads him to become disillusioned with the mission and his fellow crew members. He becomes convinced that humans will only destroy Mars as they did Earth, and he takes it upon himself to protect the planet from them.

Meanwhile, the others are focused on their work, preparing for the arrival of the first Earth colonizers. They go about their business and establish a base, but as they do so, they begin to notice strange things happening around them. The Martians seem to be coming back to life, and strange apparitions begin to appear.

The tension between Spender and his crew mates comes to a head when he destroys the Earth-bound rocket, effectively stranding them on Mars. He believes that their presence will only lead to the planet's destruction. However, as time goes on, the crew begins to realize that Spender may have been right. They see the destruction and decay that humans have brought to Earth, and they don't want to repeat the same mistakes on Mars.

"And the Moon Be Still as Bright" is a haunting episode that raises important questions about humanity's relationship with the environment. It is a reminder that we have a responsibility to protect the planets and stars that we explore. The episode is a testament to Ray Bradbury's visionary writing, and it underscores the importance of science fiction as a tool for exploring complex issues and ideas.