Television Review: The Naked Time (Star Trek, S1X06, 1966)

The Naked Time (S01E06)

Airdate: September 29th 1966

Written by: John D.F. Black
Directed by: Marc Daniels

Running Time: 43 minutes

If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, then Gene Roddenberry must have had a remarkably high opinion of himself, at least judging by The Naked Time, the fourth episode of the original Star Trek series. This notion is reinforced by the fact that decades later, Roddenberry had the episode more or less remade as The Naked Now, an early episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Taken in the context of the original series, The Naked Time serves as a quintessential example of how the strict episodic format, while imposing certain limitations on Roddenberry and his team, also afforded them a degree of creative freedom to experiment with diverse storylines, tones, and styles. The Naked Time, while being a serious episode in the hard science fiction sense of the word, is also one of the more light-hearted and humorous episodes of the series.

The plot unfolds in 2266, as the USS Enterprise orbits the planet Psi 2000, which is on the verge of disintegration. The crew's mission is to investigate the fate of a science team that has gone silent. Upon beaming down, they discover all members dead under baffling circumstances that suggest that they all apparently lost their minds. One crewman, Joe Tormolen (played by Stewart Moss), inadvertently exposes himself to a mysterious virus-like organism that penetrates his skin. The repercussions are dire; Tormolen becomes despondent and ultimately attempts suicide. Despite being quickly transported to sickbay, where Dr. McCoy (played by DeForest Kelley in his first regular appearance) and Nurse Chapel (played by Majel Barrett, Roddenberry’s wife introduced as new character following role of Number One in 1964 unaired pilot) are baffled by his sudden loss of will to live, Tormolen inadvertently spreads the infection throughout the ship. As a result, crew members exhibit wildly erratic behaviours: Sulu (played by George Takei) abandons his duties to engage in fencing, while Chapel confesses her romantic feelings for Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy). The most perilous situation arises when Lieutenant Riley (played by Bruce Hyde), in a euphoric state, declares himself captain and reroutes command functions, nearly causing the ship's destruction. McCoy eventually discovers an antidote, but not before Kirk (played by William Shatner) and Spock succumb to the effects of the virus. The episode culminates in a frantic race against time to restart the ship’s engines and avert catastrophe.

The Naked Time is sometimes classified as a "bottle episode" due to the fact that it almost entirely takes place on the Enterprise, allowing the production team to utilize the same studio sets. On the other hand, this setup also enabled scriptwriter John D. F. Black to experiment with the general concept, incorporating elements of melodrama, light humor, and character exposition. This approach permitted the cast members to showcase their acting abilities, particularly in the context of their characters' emotional responses to the infection.

This focus on character development allows cast members to showcase their acting abilities effectively. Leonard Nimoy delivers a compelling performance as Spock grappling with emotions that contradict his Vulcan logic. His struggle between reason and emotion adds depth to his character and provides a poignant exploration of identity. Similarly, Shatner excels as Kirk, portraying a man wrestling with his emotions while striving to maintain control over his ship and crew during a crisis.

However, perhaps the most memorable performance in this episode belongs to George Takei as Sulu. His iconic shirtless scene—brandishing a fencing sword—has become one of the defining images of early Star Trek. Takei later expressed that he had immense fun during production, even naming "The Naked Time" as his favourite episode due to its playful yet serious tone.

Uniquely, "The Naked Time" features all three regular female characters—Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chapel, and Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney)—making it notable within Star Trek canon for its representation of women in significant roles. This convergence of female characters would not be repeated until 1979, with the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The conclusion of "The Naked Time" leaves viewers with an intriguing twist: through extreme measures taken with the ship’s engine, the crew inadvertently travels back in time by several days. While this theme of time travel is not deeply explored and seems like last-minute creative addition to otherwise coherent plot, it sets a precedent for future Star Trek storylines that would deal with temporal mechanics more thoroughly.

The Naked Time ultimately leaves a lasting impression, not only due to its unique blend of humor and drama but also because of its thought-provoking exploration of the human (and Vulcan) condition. Despite some of its dated elements, the episode remains a compelling watch, offering insights into the characters and their relationships that would continue to evolve throughout the series.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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