"The Naked Time"
Captain's Log: 8220.6. 2208 hrs.
The Trektastic Voyage continues tonight with two definitive episodes of Star Trek: "The Naked Time" and "The Enemy Within."
Both episodes are definitive in that they establish certain elements of the mythos of Star Trek. We see the seeds of what will become the classic relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy in both episodes, especially in "The Enemy Within," and both shows are considered classics among Trek fans.
Let's start with "The Naked Time."
The Enterprise arrives to planet Psi 2000, where it is to pick up a scientific research team and study the planet as it disintegrates, a rare phenomena for a crew of an Earth starship. Spock beams down with Joe Tormolen, a science specialist who you know will bite it before the show ends, despite not having a red shirt. They're investigating the research station, which failed to answer hails. Spock and Joe find the scientists dead, and not just dead, but killed in very bizarre and horrible ways. One woman was strangled by a colleague, while a man froze to death while showering in his clothing. Spock orders Joe to investigate the rest of the facility, and Joe removes his protective suit to scratch his nose. A virus of some kind latches on to his hand and he becomes infected with the same disease that destroyed the scientists on Psi 2000, a fact we learn later.
The virus is a form of space madness, and it quickly spreads from Joe to the rest of the crew. Joe goes berserk in the mess hall and eventually stabs himself with a knife. He dies in sickbay moments later, with McCoy dumfounded as to how a man could die from such insignificant wounds. The dramatic device of the disease affords the cast with some of the best acting opportunities they would have in the three seasons of the show. George Takei looses it and charges shirtless down the corridors with a fencing foil, imagining himself to be a Musketeer. Spock subdues Sulu on the bridge with the famous Vulcan nerve pinch, and Nimoy utters one of Spock's best lines in the entire series in my opinion after dropping Sulu to the floor: "Take D'Artangnan here to sickbay." Nimoy delivers the line with such uncharacteristic sarcasm, making it all the more effective. Some fans attribute this to Nimoy still deciding who Spock was; I prefer to see it as Nimoy allowing Spock's humanity to surface from time to time, given greater nuance to the character.
We see Kevin Thomas Riley, arguably one of the few temporary officers on the ship who deserved to be a regular, steal the show with his Irish nationalistic bravado. Riley's only words of mourning after Joe dies are "You know Joe's problem? He wasn't born Irish." He's in the thrall of the disease, of course, but it's still a hilarious line. Riley proceeds to take over Engineering and thus control of the Enterprise. The ship is spiraling towards certain doom in the gravity well generated by Psi's destruction, and Kirk must race against time and a maddened crew to stop it.
Many people mock Shatner's acting today, but the man is truly gifted and is classically trained. He defines Kirk in a soliloquy about his love for the Enterprise, and how that love prevents him from allowing himself to love a woman. Shatner brings a wonderful strong pathos to the scene, and we can't help but admire Captain Kirk and his duty to his ship and crew. Leonard Nimoy also delivers one of his best performances as the disease takes away his Vulcan mental discipline, and he begins to feel the strong emotions all Vulcans struggle to suppress. Nimoy doesn't destroy the Spock we've come to know by this point, but instead helps the audience to realize the great struggle he goes through as a half-human, half-Vulcan.
Of course, Kirk finds a way to save the ship and Bones develops a vaccine. The crew also learns how to travel through time on their own power, a plot device that would be later used to great effect in a few other episodes and in the much loved Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, or as most non-Trek fans call it, "the one with the whales."
As usual, a veritable bevy of screencaps for your viewing delight, courtesy of Trek Core...
The title card from "The Naked Time."
Joe's exposed hand, a fatal error for him and an almost fatal error for the Enterprise.
A playful exchange between Spock and McCoy, this time over Spock's alien physiology. This would of course become a hallmark of Star Trek.
Joe Tarmolen: "He's dead, Jim." Though not a red shirt, Joe was a target from scene one.
Sulu charging through the Enterprise corridors as the swashbuckler he is at heart.
"Captain" Kevin Thomas Riley informing the crew of ice cream for all, women's proper hair lengths, and offering Irish vocal stylings piped through the ship. A show-stealing performance from someone who could have easily remained on the show.
James Doohan as Scotty in a Jefferies tube, named after the designer of the original starship Enterprise, Matthew Jefferies. This image of Scotty in a Jefferies tube would become a classic one in the series.
Another series-defining scene, this time from Leonard Nimoy's amazing performance as a Spock losing his emotional control.
And yet another such scene, this time featuring the acting talents of William Shatner, showing us a conflicted Kirk's passion for his one true love, the Gray Lady herself, the Starship Enterprise.
The crew looking forward to their next voyage as they contemplate the three days they have regained by traveling backwards through time while escaping Psi 2000's destruction.
The Trektastic Voyage continues tonight with two definitive episodes of Star Trek: "The Naked Time" and "The Enemy Within."
Both episodes are definitive in that they establish certain elements of the mythos of Star Trek. We see the seeds of what will become the classic relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy in both episodes, especially in "The Enemy Within," and both shows are considered classics among Trek fans.
Let's start with "The Naked Time."
The Enterprise arrives to planet Psi 2000, where it is to pick up a scientific research team and study the planet as it disintegrates, a rare phenomena for a crew of an Earth starship. Spock beams down with Joe Tormolen, a science specialist who you know will bite it before the show ends, despite not having a red shirt. They're investigating the research station, which failed to answer hails. Spock and Joe find the scientists dead, and not just dead, but killed in very bizarre and horrible ways. One woman was strangled by a colleague, while a man froze to death while showering in his clothing. Spock orders Joe to investigate the rest of the facility, and Joe removes his protective suit to scratch his nose. A virus of some kind latches on to his hand and he becomes infected with the same disease that destroyed the scientists on Psi 2000, a fact we learn later.
The virus is a form of space madness, and it quickly spreads from Joe to the rest of the crew. Joe goes berserk in the mess hall and eventually stabs himself with a knife. He dies in sickbay moments later, with McCoy dumfounded as to how a man could die from such insignificant wounds. The dramatic device of the disease affords the cast with some of the best acting opportunities they would have in the three seasons of the show. George Takei looses it and charges shirtless down the corridors with a fencing foil, imagining himself to be a Musketeer. Spock subdues Sulu on the bridge with the famous Vulcan nerve pinch, and Nimoy utters one of Spock's best lines in the entire series in my opinion after dropping Sulu to the floor: "Take D'Artangnan here to sickbay." Nimoy delivers the line with such uncharacteristic sarcasm, making it all the more effective. Some fans attribute this to Nimoy still deciding who Spock was; I prefer to see it as Nimoy allowing Spock's humanity to surface from time to time, given greater nuance to the character.
We see Kevin Thomas Riley, arguably one of the few temporary officers on the ship who deserved to be a regular, steal the show with his Irish nationalistic bravado. Riley's only words of mourning after Joe dies are "You know Joe's problem? He wasn't born Irish." He's in the thrall of the disease, of course, but it's still a hilarious line. Riley proceeds to take over Engineering and thus control of the Enterprise. The ship is spiraling towards certain doom in the gravity well generated by Psi's destruction, and Kirk must race against time and a maddened crew to stop it.
Many people mock Shatner's acting today, but the man is truly gifted and is classically trained. He defines Kirk in a soliloquy about his love for the Enterprise, and how that love prevents him from allowing himself to love a woman. Shatner brings a wonderful strong pathos to the scene, and we can't help but admire Captain Kirk and his duty to his ship and crew. Leonard Nimoy also delivers one of his best performances as the disease takes away his Vulcan mental discipline, and he begins to feel the strong emotions all Vulcans struggle to suppress. Nimoy doesn't destroy the Spock we've come to know by this point, but instead helps the audience to realize the great struggle he goes through as a half-human, half-Vulcan.
Of course, Kirk finds a way to save the ship and Bones develops a vaccine. The crew also learns how to travel through time on their own power, a plot device that would be later used to great effect in a few other episodes and in the much loved Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, or as most non-Trek fans call it, "the one with the whales."
As usual, a veritable bevy of screencaps for your viewing delight, courtesy of Trek Core...
The title card from "The Naked Time."
Joe's exposed hand, a fatal error for him and an almost fatal error for the Enterprise.
A playful exchange between Spock and McCoy, this time over Spock's alien physiology. This would of course become a hallmark of Star Trek.
Joe Tarmolen: "He's dead, Jim." Though not a red shirt, Joe was a target from scene one.
Sulu charging through the Enterprise corridors as the swashbuckler he is at heart.
"Captain" Kevin Thomas Riley informing the crew of ice cream for all, women's proper hair lengths, and offering Irish vocal stylings piped through the ship. A show-stealing performance from someone who could have easily remained on the show.
James Doohan as Scotty in a Jefferies tube, named after the designer of the original starship Enterprise, Matthew Jefferies. This image of Scotty in a Jefferies tube would become a classic one in the series.
Another series-defining scene, this time from Leonard Nimoy's amazing performance as a Spock losing his emotional control.
And yet another such scene, this time featuring the acting talents of William Shatner, showing us a conflicted Kirk's passion for his one true love, the Gray Lady herself, the Starship Enterprise.
The crew looking forward to their next voyage as they contemplate the three days they have regained by traveling backwards through time while escaping Psi 2000's destruction.
posted by Christopher at 8:13 PM
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